What did you do in KSP1 today?

[Cavscout74]

I decided to tinker with the  mission builder today with the thought of using it for flight testing on other moons/planets.  The first attempt ended in the game crashing with no log or anything, but after coming back to it later, I managed to stick my Manta nuclear jet on the surface of Eve for flight testing - turns out it flies substantially better on Eve than on Kerbin.  I was already thinking about trying to send one to Eve in career for exploration, now I know it'll work great. 

[KevinW42]

I finally managed to successfully land on and return from Tylo. (In my other manned attempt my lander tipped over, stranding Jeb. I had a successful probe lander too, but that was never intended to take off again)

 

Powered gravity assist around Laythe. I just love the look of the Jool system and the RealPlume Nerv exhaust.

 

The whole craft. The Hitchhiker module and the science lab are just a placeholder for life support.

 

About to begin final descent

 

Success! The landing boosters didn't eject quite as far as I'd hoped. That made getting back up the ladder a bit tricky.

 

The climb back to orbit was a little hairy. I was actually losing altitude for part of the ascent, and the fuel margins were pretty slim, but I made it!

And if you're wondering about those seemingly useless landing legs on the final stage, this was also a test of a partially reusable lander for a future Jool 5 attempt.

Edited April 12, 2018 by KevinW42

[Airdude]

I just finished up docking the science module to my Mun Station. (It’s on the far right, next to the escape pods. Tug still attached)

Edited April 12, 2018 by Airdude
Photo fixed

[DerekL1963]

It's a nailbiting ride to orbit (and must be done manually, MJ can't handle it), but orbit it does.  Some fine tuning needed, but the basic concept works.  As always, more info in the Airship Adventures thread (link in my .sig) for those interested.

[Ajiko]

My congratulations on the International Day Of Human Spaceflight, guys!

It's a good day to drink a bit, and maybe launch something to Kerbal orbit.

[Norcalplanner]

Launched a new Karborundum miner to Thalia in my 2.5x GPP career, since the drills on the previous iteration were glitching and refusing to do anything.

 

Also launched the whimsically named Parkehnrhyde Station, intended to be a transfer station for those who will be using the under-development ESLD jump beacon network.  Not the most aerodynamic thing on ascent...

 

...but it looked pretty good once in orbit and the centrifuges were inflated with 9000 material kits.  The final on-orbit station has only 29 parts, so hopefully lag won't be too bad.  A big shout-out to @Nertea for SSPXr and the awesome station parts contained therein.

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by Norcalplanner
typos

[Corona688]

I've made a VTOL SSTO by accident.

I upgraded the engines and fuel and it just kind of ...  kept going.

It's passively stable during re-entry for crying out loud, it hardly needs the reaction wheel any more.  How did I do that!?  It just happened!  I don't know!!

4TL Furywing "E" on KerbalX

[RizzoTheRat]

I managed to hit the Mun!   (literally)

I now have a kOS script that will launch, circularise and then send me to the Mun.  It's was a little too accurate to start with as the first iteration put me on an impact course, but I've now got it hitting a sub 20km periapsis.  I've not unlocked solar panels on this game yet though, and the first kOS module is quite power hungry, so with USI life support I really don't want to run out of power, hence it's only been test ships so far.  It should be pretty simple to tweak the current Mun code to pass in front of the Mun for a free return and hopefully stuff enough batteries on to do a flypast to get enough science to unlock the solar panels. 

I've already got circularization and power landing scripts that work, so then I just need a Mun return script and we can really start raking in the science.

[MaxwellsDemon]

Got my kerbosynchronous commnet up and operating, flew a couple of rescue missions, built a second launch pad (Kerbal Construction Time), upgraded Mission Control, and sent Jeb up in a KV-2 "Pea" pod using my R-7 tribute in honor of the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight.    I believe I heard Jeb shout "Eelakeyop" at liftoff.

[Ixamus]

I had a major infrastructure building mission in Duna system (the rover base I showed yesterday was part of this). I consisted of four launches and seven vehicles in total in one transfer window. Despite several days of vehicle design and testing I made several major mistakes that have caused trouble today.

This craft was supposed to get my crew from low Duna orbit to Ike, refuel and bring them back. For reasons you might be able to see, it didn't work out.

Also I had forgotten to add antenna to my unmanned Ike refueling vessel. It came with the same launch as two other vessels and I forgot to add antennas to each of the vessels. I cheated and disabled the comnet to land it on Ike.

 

 

[djr5899]

Absolutely nothing.  Not today, not yesterday.....nothing in the past week in fact.

I am still a relative newbie in that owning the console game for over 2 years, and the PC version since November, I still have never left Kerbin's sphere of influence.  Kerbin, Mun, and Minmus.  That's been my whole game(s), and I believe I have just reached a level of frustration with that.  The game's steep learning curve is beating me down, making me lose my desire to play.  Love to play, but sometimes I wish the game, without mods, was a bit better at analyzing your craft for your objective.  I have really enjoyed the game, but my available game time for it is limited.  Very frustrating to spend 2-3 hours in a night, only to find that the craft I built can't successfully accomplish my goal, and after 3 hours of game play I have to revert back to my last save.

The last thing I worked on about 2 weeks ago, in a sandbox mode game, was trying to build a space station.  I had already setup my geo-synchronus satellite network around Kerbin, and wanted a Science/Refuelling station in orbit between Kerbin and the Mun.  I launched a Science lab portion and got it set into the desire orbit.  From there, I spent a few hours each night trying to dock the 2nd piece of the space station, which was mainly a liquid fuel tank portion. In short, I'm not great at docking, however, I really feel that my inability here is just that my RCS thrusters are not located properly for me to get the expected RCS movement.  I've tried 2-3 different configurations, and then finally gave up and haven't touched the game in a week.

As an example, when I played the Making History mission to spacewalk to the satellite and back, the Kerbal's RCS controls were very straight forward, and I knew pressing X key went X direction.  In my attempts to dock, after making sure my craft is at the correct point of rotation, I'm just finding that my RCS inputs are continually slightly off....so instead of my craft moving directly up or directly down, I get up with a slight push right or left, etc.  Those small inconsistencies or off inputs make it impossible for me to talk.

Think I've probably gone in a circle.  Just frustrated.  KSP is my type of game, but the time it takes to build something, launch it, only to find out it can't do what you want it to do is diminishing my joy of playing right now.  

[Triop]

1 hour ago, djr5899 said:

-Snip-

I can relate to your frustration, I also can't dock or go beyond Mun and Minmus.

But with some fantasie I can have hours of fun on Kerbin alone.

I prefer boats, cars and planes over rockets.

I also agree that without mods KSP feels like a unfinished game that needs more polishing.

 

[Corona688]

1 hour ago, djr5899 said:

Think I've probably gone in a circle.  Just frustrated.  KSP is my type of game, but the time it takes to build something, launch it, only to find out it can't do what you want it to do is diminishing my joy of playing right now.  

I agree this should be in game in at least basic form, but Squad boxed themselves into a corner and won't.

At core the idea's simple enough you can do it yourself though:  http://www.strout.net/info/science/delta-v/  This will quickly tell you how far any particular stage will push just from weights and efficiency.

 

[Tyko]

1 hour ago, djr5899 said:

Absolutely nothing.  Not today, not yesterday.....nothing in the past week in fact.

I am still a relative newbie in that owning the console game for over 2 years, and the PC version since November, I still have never left Kerbin's sphere of influence.  Kerbin, Mun, and Minmus.  That's been my whole game(s), and I believe I have just reached a level of frustration with that.  The game's steep learning curve is beating me down, making me lose my desire to play.  Love to play, but sometimes I wish the game, without mods, was a bit better at analyzing your craft for your objective.  I have really enjoyed the game, but my available game time for it is limited.  Very frustrating to spend 2-3 hours in a night, only to find that the craft I built can't successfully accomplish my goal, and after 3 hours of game play I have to revert back to my last save.

The last thing I worked on about 2 weeks ago, in a sandbox mode game, was trying to build a space station.  I had already setup my geo-synchronus satellite network around Kerbin, and wanted a Science/Refuelling station in orbit between Kerbin and the Mun.  I launched a Science lab portion and got it set into the desire orbit.  From there, I spent a few hours each night trying to dock the 2nd piece of the space station, which was mainly a liquid fuel tank portion. In short, I'm not great at docking, however, I really feel that my inability here is just that my RCS thrusters are not located properly for me to get the expected RCS movement.  I've tried 2-3 different configurations, and then finally gave up and haven't touched the game in a week.

As an example, when I played the Making History mission to spacewalk to the satellite and back, the Kerbal's RCS controls were very straight forward, and I knew pressing X key went X direction.  In my attempts to dock, after making sure my craft is at the correct point of rotation, I'm just finding that my RCS inputs are continually slightly off....so instead of my craft moving directly up or directly down, I get up with a slight push right or left, etc.  Those small inconsistencies or off inputs make it impossible for me to talk.

Think I've probably gone in a circle.  Just frustrated.  KSP is my type of game, but the time it takes to build something, launch it, only to find out it can't do what you want it to do is diminishing my joy of playing right now.  

yes...all of this can be solved with mods, but you're right that it's frustrating you can't do it with the base game.

If you're open to modding your PC install I'd suggest the following for each of the problems you're having

1. Transfer Window Planner - to figure out how much DV it will take to get to another planet and also when to burn for departure
2. Kerbal Engineer Redux - to better understand your designs and make rockets that can actually do what you want.
3. RCS Build Aid - shows you in the VAB what happens when you fire your RCS thrusters. You're spinning because your RCS aren't pushing against your center of mass, so part of the thrust is trying to turn you around. With RCS Build Aid you can see how changes in the positions of the RCS thrusters affects this.

[djr5899]

1 hour ago, Tyko said:

yes...all of this can be solved with mods, but you're right that it's frustrating you can't do it with the base game.

If you're open to modding your PC install I'd suggest the following for each of the problems you're having

1. Transfer Window Planner - to figure out how much DV it will take to get to another planet and also when to burn for departure
2. Kerbal Engineer Redux - to better understand your designs and make rockets that can actually do what you want.
3. RCS Build Aid - shows you in the VAB what happens when you fire your RCS thrusters. You're spinning because your RCS aren't pushing against your center of mass, so part of the thrust is trying to turn you around. With RCS Build Aid you can see how changes in the positions of the RCS thrusters affects this.

Thanks Tyko!  Not totally opposed to mods.  Was hoping to accomplish a lot more without them, but adding in some more mods is likely the way I will go to try and get further along, see and do more within the game.

[Triop]

I returned Jeb from the Mountain of Doom (real name Gralas' Incline).

We already lost money on this contract so right after landing Jeb is now flying rubberducks from Hong Kong 2 tourist to orbit Minmus, the money must flow...

I'm obsessed with this mountain..I need to climb it whatever the cost

Edited April 12, 2018 by Triop

[papuchalk]

SO i have the full story about rescuing two Kerbals around Eve.

It was harder than i had thought. I considered The ship which i built for this missioni to be over-engineered. Having 7000m/s, and small lander with 2600 m/s, seemed to be too much. 

However, maneuvering around Eve, breaking, correcting inclinations, randezvousing, etc, consumes so much fuel there.. When i returned, not much fuel was left.

 

Here goes full comics story with comments.

https://imgur.com/a/aXupS

==================================

Edited April 12, 2018 by papuchalk

[roboslacker]

Today, I learned that Kerbals can't survive re-entry coming from the mun.

[Triop]

3 minutes ago, roboslacker said:

Today, I learned that Kerbals can't survive re-entry coming from the mun.

Yes, they need some sort of craft to do that...

[Zeiss Ikon]

9 hours ago, MaxwellsDemon said:

Got my kerbosynchronous commnet up and operating, flew a couple of rescue missions, built a second launch pad (Kerbal Construction Time), upgraded Mission Control, and sent Jeb up in a KV-2 "Pea" pod using my R-7 tribute in honor of the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight.    I believe I heard Jeb shout "Eelakeyop" at liftoff.

Let me guess -- that's Russian for "Brensschluss!", right?

3 minutes ago, roboslacker said:

Today, I learned that Kerbals can't survive re-entry coming from the mun.

Well, um, not without a spacecraft of some kind.  They can't even survive reentry from LKO in just their suits, if you have reentry heating turned on an anywhere near 100%.

[Triop]

Yeah...

RIP Wilkin, we need more batteries (and pilots)

[Tyko]

2 hours ago, djr5899 said:

Thanks Tyko!  Not totally opposed to mods.  Was hoping to accomplish a lot more without them, but adding in some more mods is likely the way I will go to try and get further along, see and do more within the game.

cool...I was totally where you were and almost walked away from the game permanently until I discovered KER...it makes all the difference. If you need any help getting started with mods PM me.

[n.b.z.]

The second-most annoying thing about Dalin Kerman is her constant bragging and bigmouthing, claiming to be "the best pilot north of the south pole".

The most annoying thing about Dalin Kerman is that she's probably the best pilot north of the south pole.

______

Enjoy.
 

 

[Mjp1050]

At long last...

 

[DerekL1963]

I should have realized years ago that it's much easier to build large space station mockups in the SPH rather than VAB.