Angelo Kerman

@ColdJ This is the back of my test sub: Those motors are from my Buffalo mod, but I plan to add a similar set of underwater engines after the first pre-release of SunkWorks.

My small research sub doesn't compare: But I'm hoping in the next week or two to have a pre-release alpha for these parts: They work, but currently the sub is a bit difficult to control and I need to revise the control systems...

I don't use TweakScale, nor do I have time to learn it. But if you create a patch and would like to share it then I can post a link to your patch.

If you have pressure effects turned on, then the max depth you can attain is 400m with helmet on, and 50m without helmet. Most parts default to a max depth of 400m. That's on Kerbin though; the max pressure is 4000 kPA, so depth will vary depending upon what planet you're on.

Thanks! Yup, I created all the Wild Blue mods. SunkWorks and Sandcastle are my latest projects.

Moved to Suggestions.

I have another part to make, but here's a teaser: @ColdJ You'll be able to sink to the bottom (kerbals poof after 400m) and walk on the ocean floor.

Oh yes, definitely. Perhaps later this week, time permitting. I already have most of the plugin done (I wrote a submarine plugin into WildBlueTools a few years ago, but it needs to be adapted to kerbals).

@ColdJ Working underwater is something I want to do as well, and have created SCUBA gear for.

I made a wearable cargo part, and a plugin to handle positioning the 3D models: Next up is the plugin to control buoyancy and diving...

They do, but the KOTS Review Board took the safer route by sticking with known technologies like Drax and Phoenix Aerospace. They're essentially commercialized versions of technology developed by the space agency while the Mk-33 is all new. But like Scott said, it isn't over yet...

The Wild Blue Tools plugin has a dive computer for controlling a part’s buoyancy as its ballast resource is filled. Buffalo has ballast parts too but you would need to cull what you don’t want.

Chapter 8 “Three, two, one, Fire!” Phoenix Aerospace Mission Control expected Firebird to leap into the sky as the abort motors ignited. Instead, the motors fired, and the craft toppled over. By sheer luck, the space plane suffered little damage, but the prototype service module was ruined. The accident investigation board quickly determined that a software error ignited the engines in OMS mode instead of abort mode, which resulted in a significant under-thrust. A month later, Phoenix Aerospace tried again. This time, the vehicle rocketed into the sky and then dropped its service module as expected. The vehicle tried to start its jet engines but they were starved for fuel due to another software issue. PA Mission Control took manual control and unlocked the fuel lines. The engines finally started, but Firebird nearly hit the ground as it built up speed. In the nick of time, the craft pulled up and gained altitude. After circling around the nearly completed Ministry of Space’s VIB and pad, Firebird touched down on the runway. KSP was not impressed. * “Skyranger, you’re cleared for takeoff,” the Welcome Island air traffic controller radioed. Mabo thanked the controller while Scott shoved the throttles forward. Skyranger lumbered down the runway and achieved takeoff speed. For this flight, its central propellant tanks held additional fuel for the flight, and given the additional weight, they had to use the afterburner mode. The Mk-33 had more than enough fuel for the flight, but Orbital Dynamics was not taking any chances with theirflagship. Twenty minutes later, Skyranger landed at Kerbal Space Center- formerly Kerman Space Center, renamed to reflect its use by international partners. The longer flight showed Scott that the Mk-33 needed more adjustments, but they had time before their first demonstration flight. * Over at Pad B, after Skyranger taxied into its rented hangar, Drax Aerospace took care to prepare Shuttle-C’s first operational launch. Everything on the vehicle was new except for the propulsion module. It was refurbished from the demonstration flight. Shuttle-C launched into the sky without issue until it tried to circularize. The craft burned propellant from the payload instead of the propulsion module, but Shuttle-C nonetheless attained a 225.2km by 85.6km orbit. Mission Control quickly traced the problem to an enabled resource transfer valve and disabled it after refueling the payload. Additionally, the propulsion module’s aerocone failed to jettison, but Drax Aerospace was already working the problem for future flights. Shuttle-C stayed up less than an orbit before initiating its de-orbit burn with the payload in hand. That was deliberate though. KSP wanted to test the re-entry properties of the payload. After rolling upright, the propulsion module finally jettisoned its aerocone in preparation for landing. Then, the module separated from the external tank and shed its fairing adapter, leaving the payload to its fate. About a minute before atmospheric entry, the payload detached from the external tank to let it burn up upon reentry. Not long after, the payload, a prototype Laythe Mission Support Vehicle, reentered Kerbin’s atmosphere. Sadly though, the LMSV’s payload fairing could not take the heat- literally. The LMSV broke up as the reentry plasma burned through the fairing before tearing the landing craft apart. Gene sighed. “Well, that settles that,” he said simply. “But this is why we test.” “As I tried to warn Kongress, repurposing the Duna architecture for Laythe would be problematic. Now maybe they’ll listen. We need to completely redesign the base’s architecture.” “That’s going to be expensive,” Gene lamented. * With their current timeslot on Pad A nearing an end, Phoenix Aerospace rushed to make repairs and mate Firebird to their third and final pad abort service module. If they failed their pad abort test, they would have to forfeit their next available timeslot- to Orbital Dynamics. As before, Firebird rocketed off the test stand, but this time, it immediately unlocked its fuel lines and started up its jet engines. The move proved successful; Firebird immediately took flight, flew past the new launch facilities, made its turn, and landed safely on the runway before taxiing to its hangar. * Weeks later, Wernher vonKerman displayed a slide on Gene’s office monitor. It looked like a large can with wheels. “Laythe Habitat Module,” Gene read aloud. Wernher nodded. “Since we can’t safely land the Laythe Mission Support Vehicle, we had to redesign it,” he began. “This is the result. It’s smaller and more compact, but it’s mobile and can dock with similar modules. The chassis consists of a standardize frame with retractable wheels to allow the module to rest on the ground, and a storage node with four mini airlocks that are equipped with docking ports to allow for base expansion. The habitat section is modular to allow us to make a laboratory, central meeting area, and greenhouse module out of the same basic design, with storage and support modules possible as well.” Wernher switched to the next slide. It was labeled LHM Descent Hardware. “Thanks to the vonKermans, the new Entry, Descent, and Landing system consists of an inflatable heat shield that expands out to 10 meters. The module also has a ‘skycrane’ on top with rockets to provide powered landings. It is also equipped with parachutes to slow its descent.” “Why the ‘CoM propellant tanks’,” Gene asked. Wernher smiled. “They help stabilize the module as it enters the atmosphere and ensures that the heat shield stays pointed retrograde. Once the shield is no longer needed, we transfer the propellant to the skycrane and jettison the tanks along with the shield.” Gene nodded approvingly. “I like it,” he said. “Do you have a cost estimate for the redesign?” Werner handed him a stack of papers. The top sheet had the full cost. Gene shook his head and sighed. “Kongress is not going to like this,” he said simply. * As part of their safety improvements, Phoenix Aerospace added additional abort motors to their service module so that Firebird would gain additional speed and altitude in the event of a pad abort. They also added a drag chute to help the craft slow down after landing. That satisfied KSP for the early and late flight regimes, but they wanted to see how the vehicle performed during an in-flight abort. So, Phoenix Aerospace fitted Firebird to an Edna booster with a simulated upper stage, and rolled it out to Pad A. The rocket launched without any issues, and as planned, the abort system fired mid-flight. Firebird safely rocketed away from the booster and then detached its service module. After reaching an altitude of 99.2km, the space plane plummeted back towards the ground. Firebird then recovered from the plasma blackout, nosed up at an altitude of 5.6km, started its jet engines, and turned towards Welcome Back Island. A few minutes later, Firebird made a high-speed landing on runway 27, deployed its drag chute, and rolled to a stop. * In the late afternoon, Scott and Sara drove out to Pad A to see their pride and joy sitting on its launch pedestal. He still could not help but notice Sara’s hair. “I have been too busy to dye it,” she mentioned earlier. Sporting one of Orbital Dynamics’ new flight suits, Scott stepped out of the borrowed van ahead of Sara, and the two took the elevators to the top of the launch tower. They reached the top and gazed out at Skyranger as the Mk-33 patiently awaited launch. He desperately wanted to be aboard the ship’s first flight into space, but the board of directors more than hinted that they would resign if he did. Plus, the craft’s life support systems were not yet installed. He sighed and made his way back to the tower and down the elevators. Scott and Sara took one last look at Skyranger before heading back to their guest office. The next day, Launch Control cleared the Mk-33 for launch. “APU Start, Skyranger is on internal power,” Diller Kerman, KSP’s commentator stated. “The crew access arm has begun to retract… the arm is fully retracted. "T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, main engine start, 3, 2, 1, and liftoff! Liftoff of the Mk-33 Skyranger on her first sub-orbital flight into space!” Skyranger lifted off the pad, leaped into the sky, and then rolled to its launch azimuth. Seconds later, the spacecraft broke through the clouds as it angled towards Welcome Back Island. “MECO,” Frobert Kerman, the voice of Orbital Dynamics Mission Control, announced. Scott could hear cheering on the live link to ODMC. “Telementry confirms an apoapsis of 90.68 kilometers.” Scott read the mission plan for the umpteenth time. Everything was going according to plan. “Vehicle has rolled upright for atmospheric entry… Apoapsis reached… 30 seconds to reentry… Vehicle has reached the upper atmosphere… Vehicle has dropped below 10,000 meters… Unused propellant has been jettisoned over water… Successful jet engine start, all four Panthers are operating nominally… ”Vehicle is turning back towards Welcome Back Island… "She’s lining up on Runway 27 Right… Engines throttled down for landing… gear down and locked… On final approach… Touchdown! And wheels stop. Skyranger has completed her first suborbital flight!” They did it! Orbital Dynamics turned a forgotten and incomplete spaceframe into a fully functioning launch vehicle. Scott heard the cheering from ODMC. He joined them. * A few days later, after clearing the Mk-33 launch platform out of the way, KSC rolled out Phoenix Aerospace’s Edna launch vehicle, with Firebird perched on top. With its fuel cell started and access arms retracted, Edna lit its engines and launched into the sky. Its flight control system had some issues, but it quickly corrected and continued climbing. Not long after, the side boosters dropped away and the launch stack continued its flight. After the core stage dropped away, the second stage brought Firebird to near-orbital velocity and left its service module to finish the job. It settled into a 148.3km by 152.6km parking orbit. Eleven hours later, Firebird made a transfer burn, followed by a course correction burn, that placed it on an intercept course with Starlab. Then after another twenty minutes, Firebird successfully docked with the Kerbin Orbital Station. It marked the first time that two K-20-derived vehicles had docked at Starlab. “It pays to use products derived from proven technology,” Phil Kerman, CEO of Phoenix Aerospace declared. * “As you know,” Gene Kerman began, “our Kerbin Orbital Transportation Services contracts were created to open up cisminmar space to commercial companies, and it has worked out well. We have three promising candidates including Drax Aerospace- the makers of the original Shuttle Launch System and its commercial derivative. And we have Phoenix Aerospace, who licensed our Edna launch vehicle- developed during the early days of the Space Age- but modernized by them to carry their K-24-derived Firebird spaceplane, which recently docked to Starlab. And finally, we have Orbital Dynamics, whose revolutionary Mk-33 Skyranger recently concluded a sub-orbital test flight and is poised to make its first orbital flight. “All three companies have benefited from our funding, technical consultation, and support, but sadly, today It is time to downselect the companies that will continue receiving KSP’s funding for KOTS Phase 2.” Gene paused, more because his heart sank than for dramatic effect. “After careful consideration, the KOTS Phase Two contracts are awarded to…“ Scott muted the sound. He already knew the outcome. Gene called him earlier in the day. He sighed. Without a source of income, Orbital Dynamics would not last long. “At least you’ve got your ride into space,” Sara said solemnly. "It'll be ready for crew soon." “It isn’t over yet,” Scott said determinedly.

Build time are specific to the parts such that you take the mass of the resources needed and divide by the build rate. At present mass isn't conserved. It's assumed that there are some things in the required part that you need in order to complete the part that you're printing. Sort of like how Tony Stark pulled apart the Jerrico missiles to get the palladium that he needed. Next update I'll probably remove the required parts from the baseline; it's supposed to be an option.

Everything is finished up to the jump engines. I'm working on other projects at the moment though, and it sounds like the warp tech needs some tuning.

Maybe try @PART[*]:HAS[@MODULE[ModuleCommand],~CrewCapacity[>0]] { !requiredComponent } For build times, perhaps @PART[*]:HAS:[@MODULE[WBIPrintShop]]:AFTER[Sandcastle] { @Module[WBIPrintShop] { @printSpeedUSec = 0.1 } }

They're like the green randoliths on various planets. Once you encounter one, you have a chance to unlock a tech node.

No worries, thanks for the report.

Yes. Graviolium has two distinct effects. It is piezoelectric, and builds up a positive charge under heat and mechanical stress, which increases gravitational fields. Zapping it with positive charge also increases gravity fields. And when you apply negative charges is decreases them. And yup, Graviolium is Mass Effect's eezo in disguise. I originally wanted to create mass effects in KSP but found out that while I could reduce part mass, I couldn't reduce resource mass (long story short I can't override the part's mass calculations), so I had to rethink my approach. One thing I should look into is whether you can create a "heavy hauler" by having just a few coils and a bunch of gravimetric generators, with the idea being that you'd go slow but haul a lot of stuff. If you have visited the tetrahedron once before then it shouldn't despawn.

A micro warp-engine for the flying saucer is a great idea, thanks! Part of the design challenge of Blueshift's warp tech is balancing out the warp tech parts needed to propel a vessel through space. If the balancing act feels too prohibitive, I'd suggest experimenting with the part masses for the generators and coils, and adjusting the warpCurve found on the warp engine parts. The standard curve is: I specifically designed warp engines so that players can adjust the warp curve as desired in the event the baseline proved to be undesirable. If you'd like to experiment with a different curve, here's the contents of a Module Manager patch to help you get started: Light-years are in real-world units of measurement. The way I figure it, Graviolium is found throughout the Kerbol system but most has sunk into the cores of the celestial bodies. It's what gives them their high gravity despite their small sizes. While I did add a message for when you unlock a tech node, I can add a message for when you don't unlock a tech node as well. Thanks for the suggestion.

The idea behind Sandcastle is to keep things simple and let others patch in desired functionality. Think of it as a clean slate that has the minimum possible dependencies (if any), including my own legacy mods like WildBlueTools and Pathfinder. You'll be able to 3D print parts and hang out in them, but that's about it unless you write a patch for, say, MoarKerbals. I'll probably include an Extras folder for things like WildBlueTools (Omni converter and Omni storage), Snacks, and Classic Stock Resources, but I'll leave it to others to create patches for CRP and other mods. If that happens then I'll be happy to post links on the OP to wherever those patches exist.

That's a good question. To be honest, I figured that people would either delete the parts they didn't want or just use another solution for 3D printing like OSE Workshop. Sandcastle is more than just the 3D printer plugin and Module Manager patch. Er, it will be... I'm planning on adding parts for building bases that can be 3D printed as well. For the resources required to print parts, I'm sticking to stock Ore out of the box, but I've provided the means to Module Manager patch the resources to match whatever system you desire. All it would take is someone writing the patches, and I'd link to the post.

It will work but you'll need to switch the Play Mode to use CRP: To do that, click the WBT button while at the space center. Be sure to restart KSP afterwards.

KAL controller can do it

Chapter 7 “Is it me or do the Kerman Segment modules appear darker than before,” Bill asked as he stepped outside. He looked at the MMOD panels on Starlab and Magellan. They appeared to be gray instead of off white. He could have sworn they were off white. “Hadn’t noticed,” Jeb radioed from the cupola. It still had its white thermal blankets. KSP’s chief engineer could not shake the feeling that the station looked different. Structurally everything was the same as he remembered, but the modules just didn't look right. Bill distracted himself by flying over to the aft end of the station. A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Space launched their Automated Science Vehicle to the Mϋn, ran a bunch of experiments, and returned it to Kerbin orbit. It failed to reach Starlab when it ran out of propellant, so the mcKermans re-tasked an Automated Transfer Vehicle to rescue the ASV and tow it to the station. Bill’s job was to retrofit the ASV for its trip to Minmus. After prying open the ATV’s forward cargo hold, Bill got to work installing a ladder so that he had something to hold onto while working. Next, he installed the ASV’s new batteries to give it enough electric charge to transmit its results. Finally, he installed the Magellan’s new storage tanks and then reconfigured the ATV’s cargo hold by expanding its fuel bladder. “I could swear this hatch was white before,” Bill mumbled to himself as he jetted over to the Magellan's Quantum Leap airlock and climbed inside. * A few days later, the ASV/ATV craft undocked from Starlab and boosted for Minmus. Then the Ministry of Space launched another ATV. This one had an experiment storage unit for the Magellan as well as additional resources to reconfigure the spacecraft. After docking to the station, Bill reconfigured Magellan’s aft cabin into a science lab and filled the ship’s new storage tanks with minerite and nitronite for the life support recyclers. And after attaching the new science container, he headed back inside. Not long after, the ATV disembarked from Starlab and deorbited. Over the next week, the Ministry of Space launched a pair of expendable tankers towards Minmus as well. With the science and support craft on their way, Ribler mcKerman (PLT), Diltrey mcKerman (ENG), Glesby mcKerman (SCI), and Bob Kerman (SCI) boarded a Mk2 Arrow Crew Vehicle for their ride into orbit. Five hours later, the ACV arrived at Starlab, where Jeb, Bill, Bob, and Ribler caught up while Diltrey and Glesby worked through the Magellan's preflight checklists. During his EVA walk-around, Diltrey quietly installed some fuel cells that he smuggled aboard the ACV at Bill’s suggestion. With everything checked out, the Magellan departed Starlab and burned for Minmus an hour later. * After more than a week of travel, the ASV/ATV crossed over to Minmus’ sphere of influence and conducted several experiments. After storing one set for further analysis, the probe transmitted another set home thanks to its new batteries. Then three hours later, the probe slowed down enough to circularize its orbit. Fourteen minutes later, the first tanker crossed into Minmus’ SOI and scheduled its circularization burn. Four hours after that, the second tanker arrived. They took turns circularizing as the ASV/ATV probe adjusted its inclination, dropped off the ATV, and headed for low Minmus orbit. Magellan still had another day’s travel to go… * A day later, the Magellan arrived in orbit and had just enough propellant to attain a 29.9km by 32.6km orbit. Over the course of two days, the expendable tankers rendezvoused with the Mϋnar Shuttle Module, docked, and transferred fuel before undocking and deorbiting. Diltrey also took the time to “borrow” a clamp0-tron junior port and install it over the lab’s experiment hatch. After some clever welding and rewiring in the lab, the engineer enabled the port to receive experiments and supplies. With the ship modified and secure, Magellan received the Arrow Science Vehicle. It docked to the newly installed port and Bob transferred its scientific data into the lab for detailed analysis. At last, they were open for business. * With their extended mission supplies docked to the ship, the crew prepped the Sea Duck Mϋnar Surface Access Module for its trip to the surface. Having landed on Minmus over a decade ago during Munflight 2 and the Mϋn on Munflight 5, Bob elected to stay behind and continue his research while Ribler, Diltrey, and Glesby boarded the MSAM. An hour and a half later, they were safely on the ground. It was the first time that an all-mcKerman crew landed on Minmus. After receiving clearance from the vonKermans- with certain conditions- the crew landed near Brown Basins Base; the first outpost established on Minmus. Landed during the Space Race, Drakken Outpost had many other firsts including the site of the first hopper test- built on Minmus out of scavenged parts- and the discovery of “space stress” due to long-term habitation in an enclosed space in microgravity. Ribler, Diltrey, and Glesby respectably kept their distance from the historic outpost and took pictures before taking surface samples and EVA reports and lifting off again for the Highlands. After repeating the process, Sea Duck launched into orbit and returned to the Magellan. Bob was delighted at the new science to analyze. * As they did for Magellan’s ongoing mission, the Ministry of Space had been launching tankers for many years and pushing the performance of the Arrow 4 to its very edge. Today though, they were about to test their new Arrow 5 launch vehicle. Taking advantage of its location on the equator and fed up with Kerbal Konstructs continually closing bases, the Arrow 5 rolled out of KSC’s VAB and onto Pad A for its maiden flight. Like the commercial companies, the Ministry of Space had to bid for VAB time, but they had their own pad and integration building at KSC under construction, so their situation was only temporary. The Arrow 5 entered a 121.8km by 134.4km orbit after a successful launch. The Arrow Space Corporation took extensive notes of the new vehicle’s performance, including adding a decoupler and set of parachutes to the first stage so that they could recover the expensive engines, and adding a probe core to the upper stage so that it could automatically deorbit as well. For this flight, however, they needed all the delta-v that they could get- the payload was headed to the Mϋn. Once the upper stage burned out and dropped away, the payload, known as an Ore Carrier, ignited its own engines and continued its journey to Kerbin’s nearest natural satellite. Three days later, it arrived in low orbit and waited. Not wanting to risk its propellant margins, the Ministry of Space launched another ATV workhorse atop an Arrow 4 Heavy vehicle and aimed it for the Mϋn. It refueled the Ore Carrier four days later, but the lander had to wait another week for its landing site to enter sunlight. It landed right next to Billstown and began drilling for ore. * A month later, Magellan’s resupply ATV arrived in Minmus orbit, carrying fresh air, research kits, and a host of scientific sensors that a certain player KSP wished that they had added to the Mϋnar Shuttle Module during her refit, but stupidly forgot weren’t ready in time. With the resupply, the mission’s limiting factor became snacks; Magellan’s crew had another 110 days of life support before they had to receive another resupply or return home. With the supplies transferred, Diltrey got to work installing the ship’s new science instruments. Most of them went to the Sea Duck, but a few were attached to the lab module. There wasn’t much else to do except to continue with their scientific research, but they had a test flight for the refit Sea Duck scheduled in a few days. * Finally, after weeks of drilling and refueling, the Ore Carrier gathered up enough ore for research, decoupled its drilling rig, and lumbered into orbit where it was met by an awaiting ATV. Some careful maneuvering and four days later, the spacecraft entered low Kerbin orbit and docked with Starlab within a few hours. After the station crew transferred the ore to the station’s recently emptied Permanent Logistics Module, the Ore Carrier completed its mission by undocking and deorbiting.