kriseric

For me this is a weakness in the current planet exploration contract system -- it feels a bit too linear. Having completed one contract game, on the second playthrough I knew what to expect. However, I really wanted to get a contract to explore Dres, Moho or Eloo, but those never came up. Being forced to visit Eve - Duna - Jool in that order every time is going to limit replayability of contract mode IMHO.

I completely agree that this needs to be addressed. I had a couple of fun fun career mode runs, but got bored of always visiting Mun - Minmus - Eve - Duna in that order. What about Dres, Eloo and Moho? Those contracts never appeared for me.

Hi there, I am getting toward the end of a hard mode career in .90, and I am disappointed that there are not contracts to visit or perform any science on Dres, Moho and Eloo. I've been to Eve, Duna and Jool multiple times, build surface station on Bop, landed on laythe, etc. With something like 950 reputation and the entire tech tree unlocked, I am wondering what I need to do to trigger contracts to the less-visited planets. I really want a reason to build for them, because I have hardly ever been so these planets are the only real 'new' content for me. Anyone have any Eloo contracts and know how to get them?

Done like a pro, actually.

Not only are cargo bays great, but they are implemented pretty well in the stock game. AKAIK, they remove drag from objects placed inside them, making it more efficient to lift to orbit. Also, docking is easier for a noob like me, because they provide something more substantial to crash into LOL. The bigger question is, why take a space plane to Vall in the first place? I don't really have a good answer other than: -More efficient to Kerbin orbit; -Some pitch control when aerobraking; -Mostly reusable -Easier to land directly at KSC Downsides are that wings and extra junk add mass to the transfer stage.

I am trying to do a career mode run using mainly space planes. This worked great for Mun, Minmus and even Duna. But when Jool contracts started appearing, the challenge became tougher. My solution was to build a space plane that drops tanks as it ascends. This leaves more delta V for the nuclear rockets once in LKO. Using this approach I was able to fulfill a contract to plant a flag on Vall. Here is the mission of brave Obmund Kerman to plant the flag and return a sample from the Icy moon of Jool.

I bet if you dropped parts of the plane as you go up, you might be able to make that Eve ascent!. Here is a monster I've been playing around with in the SPH: http://imgur.com/a/lNN8B#0 Getting it to Eve is my current problem.

Here's my approach to a Duna return space plane. KSC - Duna - Return without refuelling. I went with parachutes instead of extra wings.

After Duna, my original idea was to try for a Dres landing, but I found it hard to get over a plateau of about 4000 delta v once in Kerbin orbit. So I broke all of the rules of this challenge, and added drop tanks. Holy Guacamole! that approach radically improved the performance of my space plane, and I was able to go to Jool in career mode and mop up some late-game science by visiting several moons and landing on Pol. Sorry that I couldn't live up to the SINGLE stage rule, but I learned a lot from trying, and I am quite happy with these results anyway!

You are not so much going to land, as smash into the mun at approx 200 meters per second. Check out a helpful delta V map for your next attempt!

Great video series! Made me feel not so bad about all of my crashing into Duna

My approach to landing a spacelpane on Duna involved 5 parachutes:

Thank you for this fun open-ended challenge. Lately I have been experimenting with efficient usage of the nuclear rockets. I decided to attempt a return trip to Duna (first time for me). The first design needed some tweaking but eventually I got there (and back). Relevant information: Mission duration: 4 years 92 days take-off weight: 27.6 tonnes returned weight: 14.5 tonnes Cost: 69,664 creds

I think it is cheating when it defies the laws of real-world physics. For example, air hogging intakes: space planes are hard to build in real life because there is a limit to how fast and high a jet can travel. Similarly, clipping fuel tanks into one another to get twice the fuel in the same physical area -- two objects can't occupy physical space at the same time.

I totally agree with you about moving probe cores sooner in the tech tree. In fact, I would encourage Squad to create a new tier of low-grade unmanned rocket guidance part. Like a gyroscope used in very early rockets of the 1950s. You could launch a rocket with it, but it would only keep the thing pointed in a direction and could not be remotely guided. This would simulate the early V-2 style rockets that logically proceeded manned flights. Also, I think wings landing wheels and jets should come soon as well! Aircraft should be viable much sooner. Everything else I am largely happy with.

I quite like the design, it reminds me of the early days of rocket testing at White Sands. http://moonandback.com/2012/03/26/what-goes-up-comes-down-but-not-necessarily-where-aimed-this-week-in-space-history/