Nittany Tiger

Yeah. I saw those and really liked them. I was just curious what the patch from the book would look like in your style. But I do love those Ares patches. Were they missions you did in KSP yourself, or just ideas for cool patches you wanted to do?

I'm running KSP 1.1.3 with RSS and RO installed, and I also have Science Manifest. When I go to my current mission and click the button for SM, the window won't pop up. I have searched this thread for potential fixes and have done the following to try to get the window to show up again: delete the config file, edit the config file, and disabled Realism mode. I also tested SM with another newly-launched craft and the window popped up just fine. The debug window shows nothing when I click on the SM button. Just for reference, I have the SM button pinned to the stock app button. The ship I'm using uses FASA, B9 procedural wings, procedural parts, Raidernick's Skylab parts, and Real Scale Booster parts. EDIT: Looking at the regular debug window, I'm getting a lot of null reference exceptions. In other words, seeing "NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object" in my debug window constantly. I'll post a .log file later. EDIT 2: Actually, looks like it's not your mod, but a bug with vessel pointers because Kerbal Alarm Clock is giving me a "Vessel ID no longer exists" error for an alarm I set earlier.

I wonder if you can do a version of the Ares patch as described in Voyage. Ronpur50 did his own version, but I'm curious what you can do in your style? I've also seen an alternate version of the Ares patch that I think exists in the Orbiter Voyage Ares mod with a Saturn VB flying through the two sides of a red A laid sideways, and the Saturn VB was going towards Mars. I might be able to find it online if it's still around. EDIT: Found it right away. Honestly, I find the "official" mission patch more vibrant than this one.

So time to dock. Means discarding of the OMM. Next the slow process of docking. We get docked, though, and the Ares is assembled in orbit! A few hours later, and we get ready for the trans-Cytherian injection. Some of the RCS ports on the APM didn't seem to want to work, especially the ones on the MS-II. I forget how hard the Ares is to turn as well. Either way, plot the maneuver and burn for Venus. ETs run dry during the burn, so I jettison them. This is actually canon to the book since they are jettison mid-burn. I end up with about 60% fuel remaining in the MS-II, which is worrisome, but I'll have to see if that's enough for the Mars orbital insertion and return burn. Final maneuver is CSM transpose and docking so the crew can occupy the AMM and settle in for the long coast to Venus. <image delayed due to Steam error> After docking, the solar array and long-range dish is deployed, and Ares is ready for coasting.

Yeah. RSS/RO doesn't rescale Kerbals, so they look like tiny people inside of a huge craft, and the IVAs are small too, which makes for issues that might not get solved for a long time. It's not a huge issue, though, and it's an acceptable bug to me for the most part. I don't really use IVAs much for RSS/RO unless it's for screenshots anyway.

I like RPM for the IVAs, but I wish in the RO version, the IVA screens were better-seated because they can be hard to see in IVAs. I might have to shown an example, but when I was playing with IVAs in the RO version of the MEM, the screens were hard to see due to their size.

I believe KJR is a requirement for RSS/RO installs, if not a highly-recommended mod. I can confirm I am running KJR though.

Will that drive the mass of the frame plus the engines higher than the old monolithic engine though? Might be a compromise for stability, though. I'm more concerned about accuracy between the parts because the higher mass isn't enough to affect dV much at all. I'll give the new numbers a whirl after my practice run is done.

I can throw you my craft file if you want. Then you can test my rocket and see if you get the same problems in your RSS install. I'm just not sure if it's a particular bug in my install or indeed something wrong with the model.

Yeah. There's a procedural decoupler that attaches to a procedural fairing that makes up the MEM fairing. That sits atop a docking port, which sits atop the OMM, and all of that sits atop the MS-II of the Saturn VB. It's no different from the previous design with the old retro pack. There's still a very slight amount of wobble with the old design, but it's not nearly as severe some of the time. It seems like at some times, after SRB sep, the part joints lose rigidity in either design. With the new retro pack in the rocket, though, it'll start to flop and flex shortly after launch as well. I'm just guessing it's a Kraken somewhere. I could rebuild the entire rocket with the new retro pack and see if it flops after launch, but I'm hoping maybe it can be corrected with some struts or something else. I'm also still using KSP 1.1.3 here. I haven't upgraded my RSS install to 1.2 or 1.3.

So I figured out what was causing the rocket to flop. Unfortunately, it appears to be the new MEM part. I'm currently not sure how to add it without my rockets flopping all around on launch, so I'm having to go with the older part for now. Another couple of launch attempts, and we're finally in orbit. Final orbit. 199km x 184km. Relative inclination of 1.3 degrees though. I'll have to edit the autopilot to seek to zero out relative inclination. Jettison of the MS-II. It vents remaining fuel to help it de-orbit. Now to burn for the propulsion stack. Actually had to transfer fuel from the CSM to the OMM due to the expensive plane change needed to get to the propulsion module. Feels like cheating, but this is a test run. Soon, though I reach the propulsion module. Next will be docking and then setting up the burn to Mars. MET is 11h 40m give or take a few minutes at the last image. In my next run, I'll be comparing book times to my own METs.

I think it's because the SRBs for the Saturn VB are derived from the Titan SRBs. The ones I use are UA1564's I think, which are 156" SRBs. I think the SRBs on the Titan III are 128" in diameter. I thought of using RSRBs for the Saturn VB SRBs, but they are less powerful than the UA1564s. Also, the real Saturn VB proposed by NASA was going to use UA1564s. Love the patches and mission ideas, @DiscoSlelge . Would love to do RSS equivalents. Of course, my next mission was going to be to Titan because I want to see if Apollo to Titan is possible.

Attempts 1 and 2: Not so good. Attempt 1 ended when the upper three umbilicals failed to decouple due to a staging error. OOPS! Attempt 2 went well until SRB sep, and then floppy rocket syndrome hit. I decided to do a Mode II abort to see if I could bring them back safely after LES jettison. Despite 20 Gs on re-entry, everyone made it back safe. Installed KerbCam and played with it a bit. Got a pic of the F-1A ignition and launch. Might use this for a future cinematic. Also, Kerbal Phil Stone enjoying the ride, but Kerbal Natalie York a little less thrilled with her first trip to space.

So I think I stumbled upon the cause of the resolution issue, which is just that maneuver nodes set far in the future (as in days) seem to have less precision. Therefore, I'll just have to set the maneuver node for the flight after ACM/APM docking. So ~3600 m/s to depart and ~3300 m/s to get in the elliptical orbit in the book. Hopefully my propulsion stack has the dV for that. That's what's this first test run is for though. My Ares Propulsion Module has more fuel for mid-course corrections if it needs it, though the middle tank covers up the red UNITED STATES lettering. I can always fix that later. Prime Ares crew is ready for launch. Should they be in orange suits? Final test launch to work out script bugs and to test a change to the script. So my next post or two will be the start of the first attempt at the full mission. Didn't think it would take me almost a year of on and off work to get to, but the launch script development took some time, and I did take breaks from this to move on to other things. Also, added a table of contents to the first post.

So I've been spending days fighting precision issues in KSP's maneuver node system in Real Solar System. It means planning an accurate intercept of Mars via Venus might be impossible. I can get a maneuver node that gets me close, though, and correct it along the way. I do wonder if there's a way to increase the precision of KSP's orbital equation solvers so I don't have planetary intercepts that are chaotic or inconsistent. It's frustrating for my Mars SOI intercepts to jump wildly and randomly from tiny changes in velocities in my maneuver nodes (talking 0.001 m/s changes using MechJeb's maneuver node editor). So, yeah, I may have to just create a manuever node that gets as close as possible to a Mars intercept via Venus swingby and correct it with the LMDEs. Might mean increasing the LMDE fuel or even modifying them to run off of the hydrolox of the propulsion stage if that's realistic. The book did mention they were modified engines. Maybe they were modified to use hydrolox fuel and not hypergolic fuel. Another thing, and this is something I caught a long time ago. How does a Venus swingby get one to Mars if they fly by the dark side of the planet? The maneuver node system implies that a flyby on the bright side is needed as that gives you the radial velocity change to push one's orbit out towards Mars. Any maneuver that has the flyby going along the dark side as in the book pulls any heliocentric orbit closer to the sun, not farther. Should get the velocity boost either way, but dark-side flybys seem to lead to lower orbits, not higher ones.

Found bugs in the heading part of my code. Days spend trying to debug that. Then I randomly decided to get a very nasty stomach bug. Ugh. I did spot a math error in the code with the heading formula, and that was fixed. I also have a flight plan thanks to KSP TOT. Flyby Finder isn't seeing any fly-bys past March 1st, 1985 in-game, but I might be using it incorrectly. Departure date here is March 9th, 1985. Venus arrival is August 31st, 1985. Mars arrival is April 6th, 1986. They're close to the book dates. I think the initial orbit I used for TOT is making the dates a bit off. Could recalculate with the TOT's suggested exit inclination of 13.673 degrees. I really want to check this with Flyby Finder first. EDIT: Flyby Finder gave this as I think the best option if leaving at a 500 km orbit from Earth. Venus fly-by date is spot-on. Mars arrival is late, though. 32.7 degree inclination for the ejection. Now to plot that in TOT.

Nice. I can definitely test it out for you. Meanwhile, I'm debugging my launch script. Seems like the heading guidance doesn't work properly for all initial headings/final inclinations, mainly if the initial heading is > 90. I think there's just something wonky with the way directions are tracked, so I can put a sign convention in the code and hopefully fix it. And then it's time to finally attempt this mission.

The one staging action is going to be an issue. However, the no cut-off issue wasn't because I was going to see if I could edit the config file to create two separate solid fuel-powered rocket modules that could be fired independently. That would allow for the two burns to happen with one retro pack. The model for the SRB has multiple nozzles anyway, but I'd have to edit the particle effects and whatnot, which is not something I'm skilled with at this time. It's not a pressing issue to split the retro pack into two separate engines as a single burn of the pack still provides enough thrust to de-orbit from the highly-eccentric initial orbit and land safely. I think there's enough ascent dV to get back in that orbit as well.

So in the book, the Ares cluster gets in an initial 219.9 mi x 12,611.3 mi orbit, or in metric, 353.9 km x 20,259.5 km. It's a pretty eccentric orbit in terms of orbits with an eccentricity of 0.727. I set the orbit using Hyperedit and did some descent tests from this orbit. Landing on Mars is very possible from this orbit, so it might be one aspect of the book that's valid. I still wonder if the Ares cluster did another burn to circularize, though. The Challenger MEM actually does two solid retroburns in the book. I guess this might be a departure point in this simulation unless I could edit the part config file for the retropack to give it two SRB tanks and allow for two ignitions. Could do it in the future. I think for now, it's OK to do one burn to the target, especially with the aid of the Trajectories mod.

I hope to finish it soon. I've done more than necessary, but I felt like digging deep into doing things I don't normally do. It helps to have a passion for physics and space exploration.

Hey everyone. Just an update. I've gotten into the game Payday 2, and I've been focusing on trying to find work as a tutor, so this project got put on hold. I do intend on flying the mission very soon though as I'm pretty much ready to go. However, I want to know what you guys would love to see from me as far as content. Would you like a video series on the mission, or illustrated pictures? If I go for the former, I can figure out how to make a video and put something nice together. I've had ideas floating in my head for either an extended single video like Chris P Bacon's and rsferino's video, or a series of videos that go into the mission in more detail. For the latter, I can post a new thread here or continue this thread with pictures. Let me know so I can focus on one or the other going forward and make plans to do the mission soon. I want to complete this project so I can move forward with a couple of planned future missions based in the Voyage universe: Ares 2: Second mission to Mars. Includes unmanned launch of cargo MEM on a single Saturn VB followed by another manned mission with a cosmonaut (since they may need Russian funding for a second mission) Apollo to Titan: Send a craft in the Voyage-verse to Titan. It's not based on the book Titan, so it's not a one-way trip. This would also be an US-Russia collab. Russia might launch nuclear components on their N-1 such as a reactor and NERVA engines. This assumes Russia has been developing nuclear technology in secret and didn't stop after Apollo N. NASA would provide the fueling and living quarters based on the Ares launch vehicle. The whole craft would probably take Cassini's route to Saturn, but I'd have to figure out how to get them home after their landing on Titan. I also want to use the MEM for a Titan landing, modified for landing on Titan, but this may change.

More Venus probe tests. Using a probe with a different skin provided by @MeCripp EDIT: As far as what I have left to do, or at least what I want to do before I start the mission, it's about three things: Test Venus probe entry paths. Practice MEM descent from an elliptical orbit. This is just in case the Ares cluster can only make an elliptical orbit around Mars without running out of delta V. In the book, I believe they make an initial elliptical orbit, and I'll have to check if they circularize it like with Apollo before detaching or not. I plan on trying to make my Martian orbit as circular as possible before landing, but only if necessary. I know the MEM can reach the Ares cluster in an elliptical orbit. I just don't know if it can descend from one without additional solid rocket motors. Fast forward my game time to the appropriate time, and then get the flight plan from Flyby Finder and KSP TOT.

I got a surprise in the mail today. I had a friend look for a copy of Voyage in a book store in Texas. They found it, but they never said anything else. Well, it arrived today. I finally have the book legit, and now I can do this recreation justice by having the actual book this whole mission is based on. Unfortunately, I can't stream the mission due to current technical limitations, but it doesn't mean I can't in the future. What I might do is just screenshots first, then a video, which I want to do eventually. I do want to do a run through of the mission first for practice and to see if I need to make changes to the propulsion stage. Anyway, can't wait to finish the book and then see if I can't make this first attempt like an illustrated slideshow of the book.

No good. Tried it by itself and under a @PART block and it didn't replace the texture. I checked the loaded PART config files under the Alt+F12 menu and it's not using the new texture. My guess is that there's possibly a problem with the texture file. EDIT: I also reused my original MM file, and it does work, so it must be a problem with the texture or something else I'm not seeing.

Nah. It's a part from Raidernick's US Probes pack. Here's the config file for it: PART { // --- general parameters --- name = rn_huygens module = Part author = Raidernick // --- asset parameters --- MODEL { model = RN_US_Probes/Cassini/huygens scale = 0.80, 0.80, 0.80 } scale = 0.80 rescaleFactor = 1 // --- node definitions --- // definition format is Position X, Position Y, Position Z, Up X, Up Y, Up Z node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.26534, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0 node_stack_parachute = 0.0, 0.26534, 0.23752, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0 node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.30861, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0 node_stack_cassini = 0.0, 0.14965, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0 // --- editor parameters --- TechRequired = generalRocketry entryCost = 500 cost = 500 category = Pods subcategory = 0 title = Huygens Lander manufacturer = RN Industries description = This is the lander for Cassini Huygens spacecraft. attachRules = 1,0,1,1,0 // --- standard part parameters --- mass = 0.20904 dragModelType = default maximum_drag = 1 minimum_drag = 0.5 angularDrag = 2 crashTolerance = 50 maxTemp = 3600 breakingForce = 2000 breakingTorque = 2000 CoPOffset = 0.0, 0.2, 0.0 CoLOffset = 0.0, -0.1802, 0.0 CrewCapacity = 0 vesselType = Probe stagingIcon = COMMAND_POD MODULE { name = ModuleCommand minimumCrew = 0 RESOURCE { name = ElectricCharge rate = 0.0007 } } MODULE { name = ModuleReactionWheel PitchTorque = 0.1 YawTorque = 0.1 RollTorque = 0.1 RESOURCE { name = ElectricCharge rate = 0.001 } } MODULE { name = ModuleSAS } // --- Electric parameters --- RESOURCE { name = ElectricCharge amount = 340 maxAmount = 340 } // --- Science --- MODULE { name = ModuleScienceExperiment experimentID = crewReport experimentActionName = Probe Report resetActionName = Discard Probe Report reviewActionName = Review Report useStaging = False useActionGroups = True hideUIwhenUnavailable = True rerunnable = True xmitDataScalar = 1.0 } // --- Antenna parameters --- MODULE { name = ModuleDataTransmitter packetInterval = 0.18 packetSize = 2 packetResourceCost = 1.0 requiredResource = ElectricCharge DeployFxModules = 0 } MODULE { name = ModuleDecouple ejectionForce = 1 explosiveNodeID = cassini isOmniDecoupler = false staged = true } MODULE { name = FSanimateGeneric animationName = cords startEventGUIName = Deploy Parachute Cords endEventGUIName = Fold Parachute Cords toggleActionName = Toggle Parachute Cords startDeployed = False // Animation Layer. If you have more than one animation on a part, this must be unique for each one in order for them to not interrupt each other. If the stock engine heat animation module is used, that’s probably on layer 0, so make this 1 or higher. layer = 1 playAnimationOnEditorSpawn = False useActionEditorPopup = True // If you have more than one FSanimateGeneric on a part, give each a unique ID to. This makes the popup menu appear in a separate location for each module, and not steal each others windows. values: 0-9. moduleID = 0 } MODULE { name = FSanimateGeneric animationName = Deploy startEventGUIName = Deploy Antennae endEventGUIName = Fold Antennae toggleActionName = Toggle Antennae startDeployed = False // Animation Layer. If you have more than one animation on a part, this must be unique for each one in order for them to not interrupt each other. If the stock engine heat animation module is used, that’s probably on layer 0, so make this 1 or higher. layer = 2 playAnimationOnEditorSpawn = False useActionEditorPopup = True // If you have more than one FSanimateGeneric on a part, give each a unique ID to. This makes the popup menu appear in a separate location for each module, and not steal each others windows. values: 0-9. moduleID = 1 } } The install I'm using this part with is a RSS/RO install using KSP 1.1.3. EDIT:....and I think I just figured out the problem. I forgot about the RO configs. EDIT 2: Nevermind. Didn't seem to work. I tried changing the RO config file for the Cassini probe, but it's still not using my texture. Section from RO config for the Huygens probe. I inserted the texture line in the @MODEL block without the % sign in front of it. @PART[rn_huygens]:FOR[RealismOverhaul] { %RSSROConfig = True @MODEL { @scale = 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 } @scale = 1.0 @mass = 0.135 %crashTolerance = 12 %breakingForce = 250 %breakingTorque = 250 %manufacturer = JPL %maxTemp = 1973.5 %skinMaxTemp = 6000 !MODULE[ModuleReactionWheel] { } !MODULE[ElectricCharge] { } @MODULE[ModuleCommand] { @RESOURCE[ElectricCharge] { @rate = 0.0174 } } MODULE { name = ModuleFuelTanks volume = 99.59 type = ServiceModule basemass = -1 TANK { name = ElectricCharge amount = 99590 maxAmount = 99590 } } } Unless my texture was saved improperly or something, or I'm pointing to the wrong texture file in the MM config, I'm not sure what the problem is.