HoustonDave

Interesting. Why did you mount girders on the decouplers instead of mounting the tanks directly to the decouplers?

EDIT: Merged into first post in thread.

EDIT: Merged into first post in thread.

EDITED: format of question and added photos. I've been working my way through career mode in .23 and have hit a wall on lifter size. Questions: -Do crossed/angled configurations help or matter? Is vertical displacement against the decoupler an issue? How would I counter that? -Horizontal strut connections seem to prevent nose-in of tanks. Is that best? -What about between side-mates to prevent left-right wobble? -Should I do strut connections between every contiguous tank? MOAR STRUTS?!? -Does having more than one strut between two tanks at different points make a difference? -Does placement on a long tank make a difference? Top of 1 to top of 2? Top 1 to bottom 2? I have a multistage asparagus for lifting heavy probes anywhere in the solar system or landers to nearby planets. Top stage is probe/lander Middle stage is a rockomax jumbo-64 with dual side nuke thrusters. High efficiency, slow burn. Bottom (boost) stage is a center jumbo 64/mainsail with a spiral pattern of 8 jumbo 64/mainsails around it connected in asparagus configuration. This *just* gets me into low kerbal orbit for the nukes to kick in. My issue is, I can't seem to get structural stability. Random tanks fail at decouplers at random points during launch. I have experented with different strut locations and configurations, and can't seem to beat this thing. I'm not warping during launch. I am adjusting thrust to prevent exceeding terminal velocity. It rarely happens AT launch, often halfway up. Side note, I am getting a mild autorotation when I'm down to the last five booster tanks, which disappears after I drop the next 2-tank/engine pair I've searched extensively for more info on strut use, and gotten very little. I've built 30 variations on this, two rebuilds from the ground up, and I'm still getting unreliable launches. Any insight into strut mechanics / accuracy appreciated. And if it's not struts, suggestions on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks all. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hlya0z7h9trt0x9/Screen%20Shot%202014-02-15%20at%202.50.54%20PM.png https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmv3bs2vw54290j/vGqfhgAxpC/Photo%20Feb%2015%2C%203%2006%2044%20PM.png https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmv3bs2vw54290j/lrQAf-sC_J/Screen%20Shot%202014-02-15%20at%202.51.54%20PM.png And the Craft File: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmv3bs2vw54290j/VWr_dl5r6A/Duna%20Probe%20BOR9_3.craft

*tips hat* Much obliged.

I learned halfway through career mode that you can connect parts with struts even if they will decouple later. I assumed at first that you could not, and was really fighting to make rockets that could get past Kerbin low orbit with a two-way ticket. And Kerbal Engineer has been invaluable. I'm using no other mods and dropping probes on all planets up to Jool so far. Love it.

I just want to make sure I understand this fully. Based on the graphic you posted, transmitting data (example from the surface sample) causes is a non-recoverable loss in potential total science points? You can't just do more iterations of sample/transmit and eventually reach the same total science points as if you had transported the samples home. Correct?