Hotel26

This is the morning after: landed this KAA Victor III ground-based relay-installation plane after deploying a station that was not yet working (yellow target marker in top-left view). Very thin altitude for maneuvering to land. This relay, FLEAS, started working after I installed another, SACKS, in the KSC Hills, at elevation. This is in a fresh world, Terra, and I'm starting by building a ground-based relay network to the North Pole, where I will place something like an RA-2 on a Silo base. I have configured 100% occlusion, so I think I have to chain mountain tops together as much as possible. If this works, I'll build an equatorial chain. Then make a save file that can be imported into any other world. I'm also building a Victor airway network and I'll incorporate that here, too. (There'll be a companion world, known as Astra, in which I'll build a space-based network within the Kerbin SOI, and I'll use that similarly, in future, to inject into new-start worlds. Not that I restart very often...!!) I'm still a bit puzzled why one would need any kind of ground-based network (including the stock Ground Stations), since it's a simple matter to boot a Kerbin-based space network, but... ...you know what? This is a lot of fun!!

I ran into this, but since I was very accustomed to P for the a/p, and chutes were brand new, I rewired chutes to 'Y' using KSP's own key-binding settings. Worked for me.

(Almost certainly discussed elsewhere but I haven't hit it with a keyword search. Appreciate a pointer to another topic if you give it.) I'm making my first, serious attempt at launching interplanetary ops from Mun orbit. I tried this some time back and chose a 2-megameter orbit (near the edge of the SOI), thinking it was so close to escape velocity, it would be economical, but the orbital periods (and e.g. time to send supplies up) were too distracting, especially when planning launch windows. I think a much lower orbit altitude (for a space station) might be more suitable. Could it be, that maximum tolerable orbital period is the key deciding factor? An hour or two...? What are people's choices/opinions and why? Please advise...

That sounds like worth a trial flight, but... (I did actually download 1.9.0 last night.) But I have also heard some complaints about changes in the drag model in 1.8. What do you think? Regarding 'holding off', I am actually generally quite satisfied to upgrade no more often than once a year. Yeah, 1.9.0 went straight to just under 90% of memory on my machine. That's with NO flights. (I have 360 flights in progress in my 1.7.3 world and have found recently that Terrain Detail settings can really hog memory, necessitating much more frequent restarts.) I know full well this is my problem (old motherboard limited to 8GB) and not KSP, but visual effects don't wow me, I'd say.

I loved 1.3.1 and was on it for a very long time. I think I finally upgraded to 1.6.1 and, a year ago. 1.7.3. I'll be sitting where I am awhile, until the coast is clear. I haven't heard anything enticing about 1.8 nor 1.9 as yet. So the following idea is kind of radical, but in the spirit of The 1.3.1 Club: I'd like to get your thoughts. I have a lot of sentimental attachment to 1.3.1, but the world moves on. For example, Breaking Ground is a worthy DLC. I think the spirit of this is to be Cautious Adopters. Not Lemmings. And there will be future "lucky" releases in which that distinctive "snick" will indicate the club head has hit Squad's golf ball perfectly well and made it sail straight down the fairway... So, if we, as cautious adopters, shared our sentiments about the safety of each new release in a collective-think, perhaps we could follow along -- at a safe distance...? Hopping cautiously and occasionally from safe release to safe release... Therefore, as heretical, here, as it may seem: if club-members had to choose a limited selection of decent successors to 1.3.1, which would you nominate? As indicated above, I might nominate 1.6.1 and 1.7.3. I don't know (yet) of anything so far since then that's worth trying. Thoughts?

Great job! Because the whole time I've been going to the place, I've never found any definitively satisfactory landing sites. I never thought to check out the beach. So, depending upon how long it is...!!

Some background here (developing likely into 'guidelines'). The principal idea is to: fly to an intersection fly outbound on a charted heading before exiting the 100 km visible range of a nav-aid (marking the intersection), pick up reception of the next intersection on the route; and fly inbound to it you should never be in contact range of no intersection at all until finally arriving at the charted destination Therefore, intersections should preferably not be closer than 100km (with exceptions) and no further apart than nearly 200km. Once you fly a test run, you'll get the idea. A route shouldn't zig-zag too much nor too often, but neither should it ignore existing intersections and over-crowd the Viktor map of intersections. (This is where community oversight will become important and some occasional re-factoring may possibly occur.) [Atmospheric Autopilot (or equivalent) is highly recommended! Double-click an intersection when it becomes visible to select it as target; then select it as Tgt in the AA Cruise Flight Controller to fly inbound. Select a heading to fly out on the charted course.]

Intersections (defined so far): HATTR 3.588 -85.711 COBOL 8.834 -101.575 FISHY 4.647 -115.968 HOOKS 11.845 -123.542 SAUCE 20.363 -134.027 Routes: 'Lakes': KSC/288-109/HATTR/289-108/COBOL/253-070/FISHY/319-133/HOOKS/312-130/SAUCE/272-090/BKB Try it out! Run a Victor II from intersection to intersection (according to coordinates given using e.g. Atmospheric Autopilot) and deploy the aids (descending/slowing to low altitude/speed each time). I have Haystack open & ready at each drop to Rename the aid to its chosen intersection NAME and to set it from Debris type to Relay. Then fly the route back, given the plan above. My next proposed route is likely to be BKB - WMR (Woomerang)

(Not a Challenge; not a Mission; more of a Game, and a co-operative one at that...) "The KAA (Kerbin Aviation Authority) is instituting new Rules that all pilots are required, when operating flights at night or under IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions), to file a flight plan to adhere to Viktor Airways. To this end, the KAA is seeking Airman co-operation in defining Kerbin 'Viktor' Airways." Here's an example of the 'Lakes' route between KSC and BKB: KSC/288-109/HATTR/289-108/COBOL/253-070/FISHY/319-133/HOOKS/312-130/SAUCE/272-090/BKB "Depart KSC on heading 288; fly inbound to intersection HATTR; then outbound on 289 until intercepting COBOL, etc etc etc..." In reverse, 090 departing BKB until inbound SAUCE; thence outbound on 130... The KAA will maintain an up-to-date spread-sheet here of all intersections (4 or 5 character pronounceable names) and 3-letter airport codes, as suggested by participating Airmen. (and Airwomen). No suggestion will be scrutinized/accepted by the KAA unless it has received at least one 'Like' from the community. Some further information will be furnished in the next response or two in the thread. In the meantime, to get started, the KAA recommends down-loading it's Operations Certification Aircraft, the Viktor II,and deploying your own intersection nav-aids at the following locations (TBD in the following post) to test operations. Naturally, you are quite welcome to design your own deployment aircraft and your own nav-aid! Share your interesting destinations and how to get there! Name intersections that will routinely be used by lost Kerbals, trying to find their way home -- for the sake of their passengers!! (Please also consider the Victor III for fully-fledged ground-based relay station network.

Spent a pleasant morning, consulting with the KAA (Kerbin Aviation Authority), to run three flights from KSC to Baikerbanur. First flight used a KAA Victor II to deploy 4 ground-based nav-aids: HATTR, COBOL, FISHY and SAUCE. The second flight computed the outbound bearings from each intersection to the next. The third flight tested the new, charted route: KSC303 - HATTR283 - COBOL301 - FISHY264 - SAUCE273 - BKB. (Fly out of KSC on heading 303 and then inbound to HATTR when picked up (100km range); then outbound on 283 until in receipt of COBOL; etc.) Intersections are no more than 200km apart.

For this Commission, I dug out my old Tower Cruise ship: [click & arrows for slide show] It's a control tower, but it can easily serve as a lighthouse. No more ship wrecks on Cape Stinger!

I searched the west coast of the KSC peninsula. Start on a nor-nor-westerly heading. (But beware of the Dragon Stinger at the northern end of that sea.)

Well, my first instincts were that (like any Mighty Explorer) I knew exactly the location, albeit by a different name. But that location has no offshore island. And when I set the Terrain Detail level up, I run out of memory in a few minutes. Untenable, alas. So I will take a gamble (that Kerbin is not 'flat') and plant my light-house. And see what verdict your High Council renders...

I've started a program to reuse Zephyr second-stages... (you can see one here attached on the RHS) The device on the LHS features 8x Jumbo tanks, 2x MP tanks, 14 docks and accommodation for 8x krew. It's kind of an 'auxiliary' station and will float near a main station on an 'invisible tether' (orbital periods synchronized within just a few milliseconds of each other, guaranteeing they don't drift far apart.) It's mission is to agglomerate lighter/slimmer, utility machines for subsequent usage. To be truthful, the thing I am most satisfied with (after many iterations!) is the name: Hedgehog. Eventually, of course, it will need a 'Kraken test' -- and I'm not looking forward to that...

Scusi. Parli Italiano?

Not to worry, my friend! I have to say that I always have the highest admiration for anyone who can admit error and learn because: the guy who thinks he knows everything will never learn another thing, whereas the other guy who learns from error is truly on his way to knowing everything, a journey that never ends... Kudos to you for being on the right path.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pacific pacific (comparative more pacific, superlative most pacific) Calm, peaceful. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pacifistic also: Wiktionary does not yet have an entry for Natzi. You may create this entry or add a request for it.

I have been playing my 1.6.1/1.7.3 Orbit production world for a little over a year now with lots of activity especially on the Mun and somewhat also on Minmus. Maybe this is Too Much Information but KSC High Kommand, in its inestimable benelovence, has decided to relieve all staff in the Inner System (Kerbin, Mun, Minmus) and bring all folks back on R&R for, particularly, Valentine's Day. Huzzah. We sent up our largest SSTO, a 64-pax Sailfish: To rendez-vous with KX2 Pole Star... (you can see three NerfJets have peeled off: left, center and right with the Pole Star, center/lower right Getting this dock wasn't easy. [click/arrows for slide show] There'll be more incoming flights in the next couple of days and, then, Sailfish will set sail for KSC with a giant (weightless) onboard party on the way home... Happy Valentine's/Anniversary, Kerbonauts!!

Venice Beach or Venice Island?: (it's gonna look suspiciously like a hydrofoil ad for the Rich & Famous, but hey! it's only 18 minutes from HQ.) I've used it in the past for short VTOL rides, while testing... A recent post about "Bridge City" reminded me of this location... ...I'm gonna call it Venice Beach.

I don't know what "BD Armory" is, but frankly, I am scared. I play (or have played) games such as M$ Flight Simulator, Minecraft[*] and KSP, that are genuinely pacific. I don't know what "BOGEY!", "CHECK SIX!!" or "EJECT! EJECT!! EJECT!!!" mean, but I do not wish to learn either... For the same reasons, I do not wish to go interstellar (or use any planet packs). I've explored pretty much all of stock KSP and have satisfied my constituents that there is no other life out there. And that is a good thing. * I know that some will argue with this, but if you lock yourself in at nighttime, feed yourself via farming -- and stay the Hell out of the Netherworld -- Minecraft is very peaceful...

Dang. I think I may have just succumbed to this bug... (I'm reading the tutorial...)

Extra kudos to whomever identifies the "best" landing site![*] * for heavy operations, so: longest, flattest...

Pluto is Pluto and (in human longevity) will always be Pluto. Meanwhile, fashion/nomenclature changes. Therefore, (quick calculation) we can think with certainty that:

I just had to perform this very thing, using a craft with solely Wolfhound propulsion. Using the technique I described, I was satisfied when I achieved 0.00074 inclination. The limiting factor then was 1 click of throttle for as short one can for finer adjustments. I didn't bother but for some kind of adjustments (particularly orbital period to sync with other satellites) where you'd kind of like millisecond accuracy (as fine as KER will show), I have further used the technique of limiting the thrust of an engine (even RCS/ion) to 0.5% to make those final adjustments. So I think it's possible to do even better than the 0.00074 I just demonstrated. I actually think this is less work (and more satisfying) than putting up a temporary reference marker via, ahem, nefarious means... Whatever gets the job done satisfactorily, though...

One thing leads to another. This lead me to Mars-Bound Hokie's Amphibian, and thence a design by Val, which brought me to my very first entirely satisfactory true hydrofoil, Phenomenon Sea Spray: Depending upon fuel load, it cruises between 60-80 m/s, very solid on the water with no predilection for "rocking", spinning, flipping or taking to air. On after-burner, it will accelerate to 135 m/s, all steady. Nearing empty fuel, my test pilots found it's a good idea to keep progress under 150 m/s, though. Range is 150+ km. Then I turned to NickBDesign's excellently-appealing Adartia narrow design. I just had to make a stock version to see what this machine is like. I can only comment on the stock version I made. Trues out at 608 m/s (Mach 2) at 8.3km and has the range to circumnavigate. Very nice to fly, but then I love any machine that will stay in the sky with me. Scary-as-heck to land, though, as it does prefer a hot landing (120 m/s), with chute ejection one meter, level above the runway. Then hands-off and let the silk fly the landing roll. I call mine, Dagger. (I'd publish this one, as it is pure stock and 3 kerbals, but not without the Creator's permission.) Update: I did attempt a more conventional rendition and called it Flapjack. I thought it was different enough to publish. It's not as scary to land, though, which I think is a pity.