tylerthehun

I'm getting a very similar issue with an OKTO atop a MkI pod, with an SAS avionics module on top of that. Strangely, I have no issues in atmosphere, but once I get up to 60k or so and cut engines to coast to Ap, it then spontaneously explodes, and the debug menu says it was due to heat.

I don't see it as any worse than forcing the player to go up and repeat the same few experiments until they have enough science. Either way it all needs to be balanced, and that's not going to be really possible until contracts and money and the other major keystones are in place. My examples weren't meant to be final either. You're right that Duna is probably too far for something as critical as the nuke, but it doesn't even have to be location-specific. It could be type-specific. It doesn't make any sense to unlock aerodynamic parts by measuring soil samples or observing goo in zero-g. You should have to take atmospheric measurements to get better wings. Not to say there should be "atmospheric-science" or "Duna-science". That would be overkill. It's all still the same science, but certain parts would require a certain experiment to have been performed in order to unlock it.

Imagine if certain things could only be unlocked with the results of a specific science mission rather than simply X amount of generic science points. This would prevent people from unlocking the entire science tree without even leaving Kerbin while introducing new objectives with tangible rewards. I'm sure it would take some doing to fit it into the existing framework and get it all well balanced, but it could be an interesting idea to play with. For example, "While taking a soil sample, Jeb discovers a new radioactive element on the surface of Duna that could enable a new type of propulsion!" unlocks the nuclear engine, or "After spending so much time alone in his Mun lander, Bob thinks he's figured out how to keep TWO kerbals alive in it" unlocks the big lander can. Thoughts?

Welp, I just got my ship into low Eve orbit with way more fuel than I thought I'd have at this point. I was expecting to crash my transfer stage into the surface but it's still about 1/3 full, so I kept it. Unfortunately I just noticed one of the fuel lines on my lander has come undone. This makes me extra pissed because after my first launch to LKO I noticed ALL the lander's fuel lines were disconnected, so I had to fix them all and relaunch it. I don't really want to relaunch at this point so I hope I can keep it balanced manually during ascent, although I'm still not 100% certain this thing can get off Eve in the first place. Wish me luck. Edit: It seems this is the end of the road for this mission. In addition to the disconnected fuel line, I broke off one of my ascent engines on landing. Two flags down, but nobody's coming home today. Time for round 2.

I've wanted to build a big ship with a paneled hull for a while, so this was the perfect challenge. Behold KMS Enterprise. Completely stock: no mechjeb, no hyperedit, nothing. Sent up in four pieces on two separate launches and docked together in orbit. I'm pretty certain she'll just explode if I actually fuel her up and fire the engines so I'm not sure what her range is, but I doubt it's very far. Apart from looking pretty sweet she can't really do... anything, but there she is. Do the construction drones count as carrying extra ships?