Kelderek

Well I did know that it worked when docking two vessels, but it hadn't really occurred to me to have two command parts on one vessel with no way to separate them -- it had only made sense to me for situations where you needed to join or split multiple vessels with docking ports. Thanks for the help everyone!

I had wondered in the back of my mind if I could use both manned and unmanned command parts together, so it's nice to know that works. Will the game automatically switch between the two command parts or do I need to make a switch manually somehow? @Laie I love that MIRV design, I'm going to head to the VAB now and try something similar (and less complex to start off), I think that will be fun.

I like to build a Science Orbiter that uses a processing lab and a bevy of other instruments to send out for orbiting for each of the worlds and moons. I have tried two different designs, but I'm not sure if either of them is optimal. 1. The first design uses a probe core to command the ship and I put 2 Kerbals inside the processing lab. This has the advantage of only using 2 crew members, but I cannot do crew reports. 2. The second design uses a Mk1 Command pod to drive the ship leading to 3 Kerbals on board in total. I have full access to all reports and the only real disadvantage is I need 3 Kerbals instead of 2. I had really hoped that I could send up a pilot and one scientist and then once in orbit just shift the pilot back and forth between the processing lab and the command pod in order to do crew reports and use instruments and transmit data. I was hoping to be efficient with only 2 Kerbals on board and have full access to crew reports, but unfortunately this didn't work. When both Kerbals are in the lab, it does not function because apparently the lab cannot function without someone also in the command pod. Is there a way I could make this work with a lab, only 2 Kerbals and still get crew reports and full functionality (and also just stock game)? It's not a huge problem to send 3 Kerbals instead of 2, it's more a of a preference for me, I was really hoping for just a 2-man crew.

I just made my first Eve landing (just got the game this last week). But unfortunately I misjudged the aerobraking in the thick atmosphere and landed in the water. The trajectory lines for my descent in the map view did not account for the atmosphere and so I came up way short of where I thought I would be (because I slowed down much more than expected - chalk that up as a learning experience). I had a nice soft splash down with parachutes, but my Kerbal had to swim about 360m to get to the beach to plant the flag and complete the mission. Kerler Kerman had signed up for the one-way trip because he needed some "alone time", but he hadn't expected such a long and exhausting swim.