Angelo Kerman

Hm, well, the idea behind needing kerbals for the Sandcastle is that the parts are made for EVA construction and you need kerbals to do that. Not sure what the use case for unkermanned printers would be.. Parallel printing wasn’t a consideration when I made the printer plugin, but you can adjust the print speed through the configuration file to approximate having multiple printers. I definitely will be taking time off, binge watching shows, and the like. I am not familiar with that one, actually. I based my design on NASA’s con Images for 3D habitat printers.

I didn’t have plans for 1.25m parts that I recall, but @JadeOfMaar’s dev thread has some, I think. I remember thinking that mk2 would be the smallest form factor for warp. I did have plans for a jump engine but that won’t happen until- well, not sure. I am pretty burned out and am trying to finish Sandcastle right now. After that I might be taking a long modding break until KSP 2. The good news is that Blueshift has a lot of warp engine parts. Originally it was supposed to be 2 or 3 per engine type, so now builders have a wide variety to choose from.

No more overflights? Sounds like it's time to create a spy satellite.

I'm still dealing with a lot of burnout- work is the primary reason- but I'm working on some parts for Sandcastle. First is the Sandcastle 3D print shop (WIP), available when you unlock Advanced Construction: This is a 6.5625m long, 2.5m in diameter part that is dedicated to 3D printing parts. You'll be able to print objects up to 11,000 L in volume, and it has 11,000 L of stock cargo space. That's big enough to print and store an FL-TX1800 Fuel Tank (or a part that is up to 1.875m in diameter and 3.75m long). I'm also debating adding a larger 3.75m "Sandwave" print lab, but I think handling 2.5m parts through stock construction will be unwieldy. The idea behind the mod's 3D printers is not to print everything out there, but rather, a limited subset. You'll be able to print up and manually assemble small vehicles but not whole vessels and bases. If you want to print up entire vessels, you'll need Extraplanetary Launchpads and to use the Sandcaster 3D Printer (WIP), available when you unlock Automation: Land one of these robotic printers, provide it with materials, and let it print up your base or vessel without the need for kerbals on site. Another version of this will be designed to work with the orbiting shipyard parts as well. Time permitting, I hope to have the Sandcastle done by the end of the year, and release it along with the shipyard parts. The Sandcaster will take longer since I also need to integrate it with Extraplanetary Launchpads.

I have done this in my own save. I don’t turn on reliability because I have already advanced through most of the tech tree. Hence parts will only break down when they run out of mtbf. I also have parts wear out turned on so as they get repaired they will eventually have to be replaced. You would be better off using OSE Workshop to print kits to store them in KIS containers.

Much appreciated, thank you

@panarchist EVAREPAIRS_BASELINE_CONFIG is used by the built-in part loader to know how to configure EVA Repairs. You'll need to remove the BaselineConfig.cfg file, and then create a new ModuleManager patch to do the following: @PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleDeployableSolarPanel]] { MODULE { name = ModuleEVARepairs // In hours, how long until the part needs maintenance in order to function. Default is 600, unless you update the srarting value in // the Game Difficulties section. You can override the mtbf by setting this value. // Time is counted even when the vessel isn't active! // Note: The part module is smart and if the part has at least one engine, generator, drill, or resource converter // then the engine/generator/drill/converter needs to be running for the current mtbf to be reduced. // mtbf = 600 // Percent of MTBF lost each time the part is repaired. If a part has no MTBF remaining then it has worn out and is permanently disabled. // Default is 0, which means no MTBF is lost. mtbfPercentLostPerCycle = 10 // The skill required to perform repairs. Default is RepairSkill (Engineers have this). repairSkill = RepairSkill // The minimum skill level required to perform repairs. Default is 1. minimumSkillLevel = 1 // The part name that is consumed during repairs. It MUST be a part that can be stored in a stock inventory part. // Default is evaRepairKit (the stock EVA Repair Kit). repairKitName = evaRepairKit // The number of repair kits required to repair the part. Default is 1. repairKitsRequired = 1 } } If you follow the above steps, EVA Repairs won't auto-add the part failure plugin to parts, and you'll only have the part failures on parts that you specify with your ModuleManager patch. You can also disable some parts through the Settings menu: But engines, drills, generators, and converters are still enabled by default, so that MM patch will definitely kill everything but what you specify.

I'm pretty swamped right now with end of the year work but if someone wants to make a PR to CKAN, I'm all for it.

Warp drives for real? https://thedebrief.org/darpa-funded-researchers-accidentally-create-the-worlds-first-warp-bubble/

Unfortunately, no. The nature of the game doesn't allow dynamic ladder creation, which would be needed to support the dynamic yard frames. What I'd do instead is carry a ladder with you when you go on EVA, and weld it to the frame where you need to park the kerbal. If your kerbal needs more inventory space, I'd recommend KHSK:

I've been flying Skyranger, my Mk-33, for 28 missions now, and except for the initial test flight, I haven't recovered it. Instead, I've used a combination of docking ports, Kerbal Attachment System, DockRotate, stock robotics, and stock EVA construction. This combination of mods and stock gameplay lets me load new payloads into the payload bay via the Mk-33 Payload Crane, rotate the vehicle into launch position via the Mk-33 Launchpad, and blast off into space. Unfortunately, after 28 flights, part drift has become an issue. Fortunately, thanks to stock EVA construction, I can realign the landing gear. I can't fix the gaps in the fuselage, but they're too small to worry about for now. Anyway, after landing, I installed a new solar panel- Skyranger's fuel cell failed thanks to EVA Repairs, and I had no eva repair kits aboard. Now she'll have a solar panel and a full stock of repair kits. Since the forward payload bay docking port is also misaligned, I had to fix that too... Unfortunately, I grabbed the wrong part and accidentally pulled the payload bay module. But it gives me an idea: if I can figure out how to drop the module without welding it, then I can swap out the modules in-field! But all is well, I reinstalled the docking port, moved it back into position, and reinstalled the payload module. And with the airlock reinstalled, Skyranger is ready for her next payload. For those interested:

I started my save's launch campaign to reach JNSQ Laythe. There are quite a few vehicles in the fleet. I've just started lifting the elements that will form Laythe Base. I have six base modules to lift into orbit. Each module is 32-34 tonnes including their deorbit and landing equipment and common chassis. Once they land, they'll automatically congregate and dock to each other. The modules have the same basic design, shown below. They have an inflatable heat shield to handle the atmospheric entry heat and a skycrane to deorbit and provide final landing thrust. Four radial docking ports double as airlocks. Laythe Base will have 2 habitats, a "Labitat" science module, a greenhouse, a support module (drills, power generation, converters), and a 3D print shop module. I'm sending them out in pairs, so that's 3 vehicles just for the base, each with the 64-68 tonnes of base modules. Below, the greenhouse module is about to link up with the Labitat. Right now, I'm launching the modules, linking up the pairs that fly together, and plotting their maneuvers via the KSP 1.12.2 maneuver app. Once that's done I'll add their propulsion sections. Each module is delivered via Jool Heavy, which is based on the DIRECT launcher. Here's a look: As you can see, the propulsion module separates from the core stage and lands via parachute. I get about 50% of its value recovered via StageRecovery. Finally, below is the Kerbin Departure Stage. It is designed to double and an orbiting tug- though right now they're just doing their job and getting dumped into the ocean. When I have excess propellant after delivering their payloads into orbit, the KDS flies over to the Drax Fuel Depot and donates all that they can spare. This depot is made from a modified shuttle external tank. The shuttle flight launches into orbit, offloads the truss with the solar array, and docks it to the tank. Here's a quick look at the assembly sequence: I plan on putting one of these in munar orbit- and there is a competitor product in the works- but that will take awhile because my launch facilities are tied up with Project Laythe... For those interested, you can read my mission reports here: And the shuttle and Jool Heavy in those pics can be found here:

Unless someone patches the mod, you need Ore to 3D print any parts. That includes all Pathfinder parts.

Chapter 19 As the mcKerman Kingdom’s Duna fleet performed their mid-course correction burns and AstroTug lowered VDP-762’s orbit to avoid any chance of colliding with the Mϋn, Drax Aerospace launched Mϋnraker 1 into orbit once again. This time, the shuttle headed straight for Starlab with two pilots, a crew of 2 Glesby mcKerman (SCI), and Sammal mcKerman (SCI), and 3 tourists. Mϋnraker 1 docked to Starlab without incident a half-day later. As the tourists entered Drax’s Axis module, the station crew unloaded the shuttle’s supplies. Glesby relieved Sara vonKerman, and Sara entered the prototype Deep Freeze module for her routine check on its occupants. Unlike previous times, however, instead of just checking their status, she thawed both Hanse vonKerman and Jebman Kerman. The two looked tired and hungry, and reported some vivid dreams, but despite being frozen for a year, they looked none the worse for wear. Still, Sara and Sammal examined the thawed kerbals for another two days before the vonKerman Space Agency cleared them for landing. After saying their goodbyes, Hanse and Jebman boarded Mϋnraker 1 for their trip home. Originally, they were supposed to return in the Drakken capsule, but given the newness of the hibernation technology, researchers insisted that they return in Mϋnraker 1 due to its gentler reentry profile. After the shuttle departed Starlab and landed, Hanse and Jebman had even more medical examinations to look forward to… Finally, Sara vonKerman and Sammal mcKerman boarded the Drakken capsule- the last of its kind- for their trip home. In service since the Mϋnshot era, the Drakken enjoyed a long and illustrious career, with only one fatality in its entire career. The vehicle earned considerable respect among the astronaut corps of several nations for its unparalleled reliability. There were many who were sad to see it go, but technological advances gave rise to the Kallisto spaceplane and made it obsolete. The capsule landed 30 km away from the Darude Launch Complex- easy distance for the recovery helicopter. When it arrived, Sara vonKerman and Sammal mcKerman hopped in and were whisked back to the complex. * Orbital Dynamics sacrificed 30% of the asteroid’s mass to move its orbital plane, and sadly, that included some of the precious metals and whatever that strange resource was that made the asteroid glitter. AstroTug simply lacked storage space for the other resources when it extracted the ore and converted it to rocket propellant. It simply couldn’t be helped. Fortunately, VDP-762 still had 5,230.6 tonnes of usable resources remaining. With the asteroid’s inclination finally aligned with the Mϋn, Orbital Dynamics set out to circularize its orbit. But with their coffers practically overflowing, rather than further consuming the asteroid’s ore, they hired the Ministry of Space to fly more tankers to refuel AstroTug. Two Arrow 5 Tanker flights cost about 300,000 Funds to launch, but they filled the craft’s propellant tanks about three-quarters full. Each cycle of refueling and orbit lowering reduced the delta-v needed to reach the asteroid, which in turn increased the propellant that an Arrow 5 Tanker could deliver. 1.5 million Funds and three months later, Arrow Space, the company that makes the Arrow 5, ran out of commercially available vehicles in their inventory except for one launch vehicle. But for their efforts, VDP-762 settled into a 1687.2 km by 4,910.1 km orbit around Kerbin, ready at last to accept tourists. * Scott, Maxpond, Frolie, and five tourists boarded Skyranger after the ground teams loaded the Mk-33 with its next payload and rolled the spaceplane out to the pad. As it has done several dozen times before, Skyranger rotated vertical and launched into orbit. She had a 632 m/sec delta-v burn to reach VDP-762, but due to its rather light payload, the Mk-33 had enough propellant to reach the asteroid- but not match velocities with it! After the initial transfer burn, the crew realized the problem and made an emergency divert to Homestead Hotel. She had almost no propellant aboard when she docked. “I made a bad judgement call,” Scott said to his passengers and crew, “I underestimated Skyranger’s ability to reach the asteroid. I thought we had enough delta…” “We’re safe, boss,” Maxpond responded. “We’re parked at the hotel, we have plenty of supplies, and ODMC already has Ascension prepping for launch. Between her auxiliary tank and her own reserves, she’ll refuel us and bring up a load of hotel guests. Our asteroid customers will just need to wait a bit longer…” A day later, Ascension made a spectacular night launch and docked with Homestead Hotel a few hours later. For the first time, two Mk-33s were on orbit at the same time and docked to the same station. Ascension transferred her auxiliary tank’s propellants to Skyranger along with a bit of her own while the hotel guests made themselves comfortable. To lighten the load a bit further, Frolie went on EVA- he had to use Ascension’s cockpit as a temporary airlock- and moved the Asteroid Docking Pier to the nearest available port at Homestead Hotel. With that completed, Skyranger and her crew and passengers thanked the Ascension crew for the rescue and headed back home, landing on Cuitla 6, 2000. Though disappointed at the outcome, the tourists knew that there were risks associated with spaceflight, and that they’d get to try again in the future. Plus, they got an overnight stay at Homestead Hotel for free. * “And liftoff of the Bumblebee Eve Flyer, on a mission to explore the purple planet,” Diller Kerman, commentator for KSP, said. Launched atop an Arrow 5+ launch vehicle, the Bumblebee roared into a parking orbit around Kerbin. Once it verified its systems, the probe plotted a course to Eve and waited for the launch window to open. As it waited for 240 days, even though the transfer app says the launch window opens in 33 days…, Drax Aerospace launched the Eve Relay Satellite Constellation (ERSC) into orbit. Identical to their Duna counterparts, the ERSC was designed to provide telecommunications to probes exploring Eve as well as extending KSC’s Deep Space Network. A second Jool Heavy launched a few days later to deliver the ERSC’s propulsion section, and a third topped off its fuel tanks. * The post-mission report of Skyranger attributed the lack of propellant to reach VDP-762 as pilot error combined with a lack of understanding of the Mk-33’s capabilities. In short, overconfidence from flying high inclination orbits to reach VDP-762 lead to an erroneous belief that the Mk-33 could reach the asteroid’s high orbital altitude. Technically, it could, but it couldn’t handle circularization, deorbiting, and landing. As it was, Skyranger got lucky and was able to reach Homestead Hotel. The experience accelerated the company’s plans to build their Finch Multipurpose Space Vehicle[1], a modular design based on KSP’s Magellan Mϋnar Shuttle Module. But before that could happen, the company needed to add an airlock to Homestead Hotel. Originally the company didn’t want an airlock at the hotel out of fear that a guest would accidentally space themselves- or worse, demand to go on EVA- but they needed a way to go on EVA without depressurizing a Mk-33’s cockpit, and upgrades to security protocols guaranteed that only staff members could open hatches. So, Orbital Dynamics commissioned Sean’s Cannery to build them a Quantum Leap airlock module comparable to Starlab’s airlock. Then they hired the STEADLER Engineering Corps to design and build a small Payload Maneuvering Vehicle- a remotely piloted drone capable of moving payloads around in place of a mechanical arm. After arriving at Homestead Hotel, Skyranger’s crew immediately got to work. They deployed the PMV, grabbed the airlock module and plucked it from the Mk-33’s cargo bay. “The control orientation is all messed up, but I think I can manage,” Frolie said as he groaned and tried to maneuver the drone. After some careful piloting, it docked the module to Node 1’s dorsal port. Frolie then flew the drone over to the S12 Docking Adapter mounted on Skyranger’s aft payload bay port, latched onto it, and released the port. The PMV then flew it over to Homestead Hotel’s forward port and docked it. With their primary mission completed, Frolie took the opportunity to test fly the PMV and figure out the issue. After some orientation and translation burns, he realized that the drone’s probe core had its control point reversed. A simple flip of the switch and some procedure updates fixed that issue. After deploying its solar arrays and radio antennae, Frolie docked the PMV to the airlock module. Finally, he took a brief EVA to activate the airlock and remove payload cable attachments from the Asteroid Docking Pier. * The intensity of the plasma outside grew as Skyranger plunged into the atmosphere on her way home. “The design is more modular than the Magellan,” Frolie reiterated. “Once we lift the sleeper cabin up to the hotel, the Finch separates from its OTV service section and docks with the cab. We also have two propulsion options. First, the design team created a cyrogenic propulsion section that doubles as a fuel depot. FYI, Drax recently showed that you’d need specially designed shuttle external tanks to use them as a depot, and the ones stuck in orbit would need extensive modifications. Anyway, once we realized that we’ve got one more Arrow tanker flight and an asteroid with tonnes of ore to process, we came up with option two: use the tanker as a tug. That knocked our assembly flights from ten to two.” “That’s brilliant, Frolie,” Scott said. “So, we don’t need to mine the Mϋn for water.” “Actually, we still do,” Frolie countered. “We have tonnes of ore, but it won’t last- especially if we continue to lower the asteroid’s orbit. Plus, the Mϋn’s ore concentration is scarce, but the poles have water, so we’ll need cryo to refuel the Finch Transporter. And thanks to Drax, the orbital propellant industry is going cryo. So, if we don’t get our own infrastructure in place relatively soon, we risk losing the market. But going LFO now will let us reach the asteroid sooner and free up flights we'll need to get a depot around the Mϋn sooner as well- hopefully before Drax can.” “I see,” Scott responded. “And we’ll make those tourists happy. They’ve been pestering me about when they can go again- gah! I overshot again… We’re 50 clicks out, firing up the jets.” “Pay up, Frolie,” Maxpond smiled and said… * A few days later, Skyranger took to the skies once more, this time carrying the new Finch Multipurpose Space Vehicle. The Mk-33 approached the hotel but didn’t dock. Instead, the crew released the Finch and remotely piloted it to dock with the station. Skyranger then immediately turned around and headed back home. Next, the Arrow Space Corporation launched the last available Arrow 5 Tanker and aimed it towards Homestead Hotel. Once docked, they handed flight control over to Orbital Dynamics. With both the Arrow Space Corporation and Drax Aerospace focusing on Project Laythe, Orbital Dynamics was on its own again. The tanker went into hibernation while it waited for its next phase of operation. * A few days later, Scott, Maxpond, Frolie, and the 5 tourists once again launched into orbit. This time, Skyranger carried Finch’s sleeper cab and docked to Homestead Hotel. The tourists had quite a show watching Finch get reconfigured for high orbit flight. Since they’d be among the first kerbals to see an asteroid up close, and they got to watch the assembly process while having the entire hotel to themselves, this time, they didn’t mind the wait. “She looks more like a swordfish than a Finch with that thing up front,” Munlie, one of the tourists said. “That’s our Asteroid Docking Pier,” Frolie responded. “It will enable future missions to dock with the asteroid instead of spearing it like we’re going to do.” * Once fully assembled and fueled and crewed, Scott casted off from Homestead Hotel. An hour and a half later, he made their first transfer burn maneuver. Twenty-five minutes after that, Finch decelerated within a kilometer of VDP-762, and then made another 12.5 m/sec rendezvous burn to get in close. After slowing once more, Scott aimed straight for the asteroid’s center of mass and gave a brief burn of the engine. Less than ten second later, Finch skewered VDP-762 and latched on. Loose bits of dust and gravel escaped the asteroid’s feeble gravity. “Contact,” Scott said triumphantly. “We have a solid capture! Congratulations everyone! We’re the first kerbals in history to visit an asteroid. Welcome to VDP-762!” Everyone cheered in Orbital Dynamics Mission Control as well when the received the news. “Congratulations to the crew and passengers of Finch on a job well done,” Frobert Kerman, ODMC’s Flight Director radioed. “Thank you, Flight,” Scott radioed back. “We couldn’t have done it without the hard work and dedication of everyone at Orbital Dynamics and our friends from the Arrow Space Corporation. Looking out the cockpit window, I can see the veins of gold running through the surface. The material glows in the dark.” “What is it,” Elimund Kerman, one of the tourists, asked. “Our experts say it’s a mineral containing strontium aluminate,” Frolie responded. “That’s the stuff that makes exit signs glow in the dark.” The truth is, they didn’t know what the glowing gold veins was made of, so calling it strontium aluminate was a good enough cover story- one that could very well be true. Part of their mission involved taking a sample of the stuff for analysis- hence the boxy science instrument and sample container mounted to Finch’s chin. “Let’s do some science,” Frobert called out. “This is so much fun,” Doald Kerman, one of the tourists, shouted with glee. As the tourists took pictures of themselves and the asteroid, Scott ran the science box’s experiments. The Surface Hydrogen Scan detected trace amounts of propellium on the asteroid’s surface, and the Materials Study Experiment didn’t find any hazardous chemicals. Some of its exposed materials would get additional analysis after they landed. Further, the Laser Surface Scan detected silicates, nickel, and iron in the asteroid’s metal ore. “That ore could be useful for orbital construction one day,” Frolie mentioned. After verifying that the science box collected all the data and that its materials bay was securely closed, Scott handed off the controls to Maxpond and went aft to suit up. He stepped out on his first ever EVA, something he’d waited to do for a long time. “Wow,” he said simply as he let go of the airlock ladder and activated his jetpack. He tried not to think of the insurance cost he had to pay for his spacewalk- company CEOs normally didn’t do such things, but once again, Scott proved that he wasn’t a typical CEO. “Ok, boss, just like we practiced,” Maxpond said from Finch’s cockpit. “Copy that. I’m pulling the outer gloves from the glovebox- er science box,” Scott responded. “Gloves secured. Heading to Site A4… I have a handful of the strontium mineral… It glows even in my hand… “I grab this sample, the first ever from an asteroid, for all kerbalkin in the name of science,” Scott said. He almost forgot to give his speech. “It’s like a magic boulder,” Elimund Kerman, the fifth tourist, blurted out. “Twenty funds says Eli’s comment is the one that kerbals remember,” Doald added. Scott carefully made his way back to the science box, removed the outer gloves, and sealed them back in their storage alcove. Then he returned to the airlock- derived from the vonKerman’s Drakken Orbital Module- cycled the air several times, removed his suit and sealed it in a biohazard containment bag. After wiping himself down and grabbing a fresh flight suit, he rejoined the crew. * Scott shared a celebratory meal with the passengers and crew before resuming his duties in Finch’s cockpit. Afterwards, Frolie suited up and stepped outside for his part in the flight. “I’m at AstroTug and- mulch,” he cursed. “Look at how bent it is! No wonder her engine had to reduce thrust. The spaceframe is completely torqued! The drills are still intact, and so are the ISRUs, so that’s something, at least.” “So much for reusing it on another asteroid,” Scott lamented. “Can we still enact your special project?” “Yeah, looks like it,” Frolie said and continued his flight. “I found Asteroid Sampler, it’s nearly buried in the regolith. And Beagle is almost completely buried. There’s no way we can recover them.” He flew back to Finch and hopped into the Kerbal Maneuvering Unit- he needed it for the next phase of his EVA. After flying back to AstroTug and making some modifications to it, he made a few more trips back and forth between the wrecked tug and Finch to transfer cannisters. “The Not Quite Mystery Goo is in place,” he said finally as he returned to Finch. He docked the KMU to the pier, saddened that he had to leave it behind when Finch departed. But they had to, they needed to make sure that the asteroid’s “strontium aluminate” wasn’t toxic to kerbals, and the KMU was now covered in the stuff. “What’s it for,” Elimund asked. “It’s a sealant,” Frolie explained. “As AstroTug drills into the asteroid, it creates a cavity when it extracts the resources. The goo seals up the cavity so that it can store resources. The more we drill, the bigger the cavity, and the more that we can store.” “It turns it into a giant storage tank,” Doald said. “You could’ve just said that.” Frolie ignored the jab. “Exactly. Now we have a place to put all the resources that AstroTug extracts instead of just pulling ore and dumping the rest.” Frolie had one more task to complete at the asteroid before his work was done. He grabbed a pair of Asteroid Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmitters (ASERT) and buried them in the regolith. Well, he tried to- the transmitters needed more solid footing, so he mounted one to the end of the pier and another onto AstroTug. Then he went back into Finch and performed an extensive decontamination procedure. An hour later, he checked his handiwork. “Solid connection,” Frolie said. “I hope it works… Hey, look at that, a 100% scan! There’s little variation in the asteroid’s structure. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. That’s something that Seanlock and his team will have to sort out… Anyway, the ESU has the data.” “Great job everybody,” Scott said triumphantly. “We’re the first kerbals to visit an asteroid, we gathered a lot of science, we set up the asteroid so AstroTug won’t waste any resources that it extracts, and our guests had fun- you did have fun, right?” “Absolutely,” Doald responded immediately. “Funds well spent!” “Fantastic! Ok crew,” Scott answered, “tomorrow we’ll say goodbye to VDP-762 and head back to the hotel. You know the drill, we quarantine there for a couple of weeks, then head back home…” [1] First described in Chapter 11

@CSRobot Looks great! Thanks for sharing. You made a nice ship inspired by that Star Trek craft.

Yes

I'll look into that. Meanwhile, courtesy of @Zarbon44: Thanks Zarbon!

You purchase it like any other resource. Simply fill your tanks with Propellium ( the Flapjack's wing tanks) and the cost if factored with the craft when you launch it. I'm going to need more details. I've tested omni storage in KSP 1.12.2 without any issues.

When a part reaches 0 MTBF, it ceases to function and required Repair Kits to return it to operation. The -1 MTBF is a bug that I need to fix.

You can purchase from the VAB/SPH, convert it from Ore, or use the Hydroscoop to pull it from the ocean on Kerbin and Laythe.

You'd need to go through the list of releases to find one compatible with KSP 1.10.1.

There are straight and angled (30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees) for both the 3.75m and the 7.5m panels. The max grid size is 6 by 6, which translates to 22.5m by 22.5m for the 3.75m panels, and 45m for the 7.5m panels. There are 6 attachment nodes (forward, back, left, right, top, bottom), plus the surface attachment node. And of course you can attach parts to the surface of the panels. I chose only one top and one bottom node instead of one top/bottom pair for each panel's mounting point, because 1) you'd end up with up to 72 nodes for a 6 x 6 grid, and 2) the math to figure that out would be a nightmare.

The only thing better than 3.75m grid panels is 7.5m grid panels: I have the yard frames done at this point save for a couple of plugin bugs. Ideally I'll have the 3D printer models done this month as well (they work with Extraplanetary Launchpads)...

I did another test last night with 34 tonnes mounted to the back of the payload bay, empty fore and aft tanks, and stock scale. I had no trouble launching to a 100km orbit in stock scale. I also had no trouble deorbiting and landing. I only had an issue with the ship flipping over at 17k when I tried to boost back to KSC because I had overshot. Had i not done that the Mk-33 would have been rock steady all the way to landing.

That will be in my Sandcastle mod late this month.