What did you do in KSP1 today?

[Krazy1]

Minmus mission report from last couple weeks. Goals were to deploy satellite and land tourists on Minmus using existing lander and return tourists and present Minmus crew to Kerbin... 12 crew total.

More pics and notes:

>>> Imgur album <<<

While I was doing that mission, I was also flying a new hypersonic plane around Kerbin. More of that later.

[Nazalassa]

More UI shenanigans

[netbumbler]

I couldn't get the rotation to work smoothly without this extreme skeleton (and the ship would fly apart even when it did work). But now I can accelerate at full thrust for all 6 Rhinos and the ring will rotate just fine and the ship will hold its heading with only minimal deviation (and no RUD). Of course the part count went up about 30 percent...lol

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by netbumbler

[N_Danger]

 I sent a a scanning satellite to Duna.

Second stage sep followed by fairing sep

 

We have a flyby of Ike.

And doing the scanning.

Also testing was conducted.

 

 

[tg626]

Kerman's Start @ Dessert Launch Site

Something I've been working on.  A Combo of my own models, OSSNTR, Tundra Space Center, and even Lack's KSC++ items.
Coming Soon™

Edited April 8, 2023 by tg626

[LunarMetis]

I made a successful Duna landing this morning on Sandbox using Near Future stuff, just to give the mod a little test before I start a full Science run with the Other Worlds mod (really amazing mod, of course).

Hope Bill doesn't mind the weather outside, since he's probably gonna be there for a while. Also, the shot of Ike in the background is perfect. Blew me away while I was landing.

[Krazy1]

So my report was premature...

12 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

Minmus mission report from last couple weeks.

I assumed the reentry would be No Big Deal^TM after enough aerobraking passes. Wrong. I didn't have a heatshield... I thought the fairing base rated at 2600K would suffice. JNSQ had other plans.

I added many fiery pictures to the >>> Imgur album <<<

This is just the start...

[Kerbalsaurus]

I was trying to test out a Mun lander for a save, and I uhh...

Accidentally created a Mun base instead.

Edited April 9, 2023 by Kerbalsaurus
Typos and such.

[N_Danger]

Tested the new 3 kerbal capsule.

Spoiler

The screaming is normal and expected on the first flight of an experimental vehicle. 

Booster sep and LES jettison

 

Fairing sep

First stage sep and SM ignition 

In orbit. Two kerbals get their first star.

Re-entry 

And a happy landing.

[Mazlem]

Yesterday I did a test landing of the main trusses for a mining base

 

[AuddieD2015]

That time when you crashed your helicopter and it came to rest balanced on its tail...

[Rakete]

3 hours ago, AuddieD2015 said:

That time when you crashed your helicopter and it came to rest balanced on its tail...

Makes a good scarecrow. 

[roboslacker]

Some stuff I've done over the last few days:

Faffing around with fueltanks

Spoiler

This miner's manages about a 1.5 twr on minmus

Forgot monoprop tanks, so had to attatch a bunch in situ

Somehow snapped off a docking port, had to redo a bunch

This whole 800 ton stack is going to the Jool System

Designing a laythe SSTO

Spoiler

Went through about 5 iterations, a testing montage

And then I stuck the plane onto a rocket along with a Laythe seabase and the Jool dipper

Onto Jool!

Landed on Pol & Bop for my first time\

Spoiler

Introducing Janemone, Tradard, and Shercas, fresh recruits right off the street. This is the first time they've ever seen the inside of a capsule, and they will now go on a Jool trip of indefinite length

[Imgur](https://imgur.com/YNV9fvC)

First stop: Pol

The lander is equipped with a rover for rock scanning

They then go to Bop

 

 

 

[Mitokandria]

Today I learned how to calculate DeltaV requirements and orbital maneuvers. Then I applied what I learned to calculate the DeltaV required to get this tiny science satellite into HKO in JNSQ 10x!

 

 

This is my UFO Science Probe. Don't let it's size fool you! This thing is filled with 8 different science instruments for Low Orbit and High Orbit and 8k DeltaV!

[Kuansenhama]

In my latest Career save, I am doing a challenge to use a limited number of launchers, and I decided to test out designs though I don't formally consider them part of my roster yet (and the names are just proposals). All of these are takes on the same basic concept; skipper core and asparagus staged mastadon boosters. I themed their names after periodic table elements. This seems to be a pretty efficient configuration for cost per amount of mass I can put into orbit. Mastadons are cheap and give a lot of thrust. Skippers have decent thrust and efficiency at higher altitudes and can be used for orbital injection. Took some tweaking to get the TWRs and fuel just right. I should probably play with other engine types but I was having fun optimizing these.

Also the Bismuth launcher subassembly is false advertising. That thing cannot get 50 tons into orbit. It can't even get an orange tank into orbit. I don't know why I put that in but I need to change it out.

The Vanadium was by far the most successful. Probably because it has 4 asparagus stages rather than 2 or 3. IDK what the actual relationship is though.

The Osmium is ofc an absurdly proportioned rocket it being the heaviest launcher by more than double the next biggest one. It picks up weird torques and likes to wobble and is probably about the practical limit for a "slap it on the bottom" type launcher. The engine cluster just gives me a fuzzy feeling though.

[Rakete]

1 hour ago, Kuansenhama said:

In my latest Career save, I am doing a challenge to use a limited number of launchers, and I decided to test out designs though I don't formally consider them part of my roster yet (and the names are just proposals). All of these are takes on the same basic concept; skipper core and asparagus staged mastadon boosters. I themed their names after periodic table elements. This seems to be a pretty efficient configuration for cost per amount of mass I can put into orbit. Mastadons are cheap and give a lot of thrust. Skippers have decent thrust and efficiency at higher altitudes and can be used for orbital injection. Took some tweaking to get the TWRs and fuel just right. I should probably play with other engine types but I was having fun optimizing these.

Also the Bismuth launcher subassembly is false advertising. That thing cannot get 50 tons into orbit. It can't even get an orange tank into orbit. I don't know why I put that in but I need to change it out.

The Vanadium was by far the most successful. Probably because it has 4 asparagus stages rather than 2 or 3. IDK what the actual relationship is though.

The Osmium is ofc an absurdly proportioned rocket it being the heaviest launcher by more than double the next biggest one. It picks up weird torques and likes to wobble and is probably about the practical limit for a "slap it on the bottom" type launcher. The engine cluster just gives me a fuzzy feeling though.

Tipp: Have a look at the Near Future Launch vehicles mod by nertea. Using those parts i could extremly simplyfy my 500t +x launchers last weekend. Before they were absurd, but now they have a way cleaner look due to e.g. big 7m fuel tanks, nice adapters and powerfull engines

Edited April 11, 2023 by Rakete

[Krazy1]

2 hours ago, Kuansenhama said:

I am doing a challenge to use a limited number of launchers,

Nice big boosters. Assuming you need to use stock parts for the challenge, otherwise Tweakscale and/ or SpaceY would be very helpful.  

I'd consider SRBs for the side boosters to save some funds. You can still asparagus stage them by reducing max thrust (wouldn't go below 60% though) and/ or sequential staging. 10 Clydesdales on Osmium might work.

I would try to make the second stage recoverable to save funds too. That takes more work to design (parachutes, probe core, reaction wheel, battery) and actually fly the recoveries though. Skippers are good for the core but I'd also try Mammoths. It seems like a first stage engine but only 5s less vacuum ISP and much better TWR.

And surface attached engines are super draggy.  KSP is pretty dumb and just models drag for surface attached parts as if it was out if free airstream. It only considers occluded airflow on node-attached parts. I think it's OK with engine plates... can't see if you used those for every engine but I would try to. 

[Kuansenhama]

7 hours ago, Rakete said:

Tipp: Have a look at the Near Future Launch vehicles mod by nertea. Using those parts i could extremly simplyfy my 500t +x launchers last weekend. Before they were absurd, but now they have a way cleaner look due to e.g. big 7m fuel tanks, nice adapters and powerfull engines

 

6 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

Nice big boosters. Assuming you need to use stock parts for the challenge, otherwise Tweakscale and/ or SpaceY would be very helpful.  

I'd consider SRBs for the side boosters to save some funds. You can still asparagus stage them by reducing max thrust (wouldn't go below 60% though) and/ or sequential staging. 10 Clydesdales on Osmium might work.

I would try to make the second stage recoverable to save funds too. That takes more work to design (parachutes, probe core, reaction wheel, battery) and actually fly the recoveries though. Skippers are good for the core but I'd also try Mammoths. It seems like a first stage engine but only 5s less vacuum ISP and much better TWR.

And surface attached engines are super draggy.  KSP is pretty dumb and just models drag for surface attached parts as if it was out if free airstream. It only considers occluded airflow on node-attached parts. I think it's OK with engine plates... can't see if you used those for every engine but I would try to. 

Aye, I'm sticking to stock parts. Not so much for a challenge, but just for a stock experience. I'll have to give mammoth engines and SRB designs a go. And yeah, I did put engine plates on the bottom of every stage, I know about the airstream issue and its annoying.

[Rakete]

6 hours ago, Kuansenhama said:

 

Aye, I'm sticking to stock parts. Not so much for a challenge, but just for a stock experience. I'll have to give mammoth engines and SRB designs a go. And yeah, I did put engine plates on the bottom of every stage, I know about the airstream issue and its annoying.

Alright. I have a 500t stock parts launcher in my arsenal. 5m Making history saturn V tanks with 9 vectors on the inner stage, plus 4 radial Saturn V tanks with 9 vectors each - apargeous staged... ridiculous looking, absurdly flying, but kinda fun... I get what you mean. Stock-parts-only can be really fun. 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Rakete

[roboslacker]

Today I rovered all over Bop.

Spoiler

Sent the expidition to Vall

Spoiler

Don't think they'll be leaving anytime soon

 

[fulgur]

Testing an aircraft carrier:

with a science helicopter:

These will explore Tellumo from Galileo's Planet Pack.

[Trann]

When Minmus satellite and rover repair missions are fast and have good profit margins...  8)

[roboslacker]

Today I discovered that Vall is the best place for Rovering: Enough gravity to keep things steady, smooth terrain, cool vents 

Unfortunately this was the this rover's final rovering, because i had to leave it behind to make orbit. Best rover I've made: used it on 3 worlds

Spoiler

Landed on Vall

Shercas deploys the rover

This jr port + piston setup proved entirely sufficient for deploying and retrieving the rover multiple times, I recommend it.

Tradard does Science, and the team investigates a slightly Krakened ion detector,

Tradard and Janemone go on a 15km rove to the next biome over.

Hit an ice chunk at some 30m/s, broke a battery.

Back at base camp, Shercas lightens the Lander a bit and then they take off.

The lander made orbit with just a couple drops left

 

[Robin Patenall]

After 1200 hours of game play and on day 363 of year 4, my first vessel has reached Jool.

It's a full Scansat satellite stuffed with scientific instruments, a large relay antenna and a Nerv drive section. Once I've put the relay into a 90,000km orbit (safely inside Bop's orbit), I'll detach the Scansat satellite and attach it to the drive section and push it out to Pol to scan for ore and where, eventually, there will be an ISRU station to refuel it and allow it to continue to scan the rest of the Jool system.

[JadeOfMaar]

Someone asked for Kerbal Atomics Methane Poseidon so I gave them...

(It should've been available from the start, though. Oops )