XB-70A

I killed a lot of hours trying to reproduce the Rosetta-Philae mission today... It starts with the add of a "comet" with the Ascension mod: Crazy trajectory and enjoying a gravity of 0.001 g to be precise. However the worst was to try to imitate the European probe and its lander... really. The problem was that I started to build the probe first, then once it was the turn of the lander I discovered how stupid I was for not having made the Rosetta-like bigger. Anyway, I decided to keep it like this. The probe got around 2.1 km/s available for the further maneuvers, while the lander is having around 1.8 (way too much for its mission). Once again, it's still the good old Ariadne 5 which had to kick the probe to the spaaaaace. A 103 157 funds BBQ. The launcher was a bit reworked too, with a better SRB separation and a light relooking (again). After 5 minutes and 14 seconds of burn the first stage was finally shut down, having placed the Ap to 504 km perfectly. Wow... I was complaining months ago when I launched my first probe to Jool because there was 4 years of waiting before reaching the system, and here it is 15 crazy years! Well, we'll see what it will be... I would bet already that the probe will not have enough communications power at the time of the encounter.

Someone extremely nice just made me discover the YouTube channel from the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, publishing unusual views of the different launches at Kourou. Everybody knows how Arianespace is terrible about its public communications, but some of these videos are simply incredible, and it is desperating to see that they are never using them on their live broadcasts... An Ariane V launch with natural sound! Slow motion and close views of Soyuz STB on the VS10 mission:

You're actually right on both, but mostly for aesthetics, just like @qzgy mentioned. Plus the fact that the fairings are giving a lower aerodynamic resistance. I found my first Ariane 5-like launcher extremely hideous, and in the need of some re-looking. Here it is (strangely on a flight dedicated to Eve) with another screenshot to compare: The problem is that I feel almost disgusted by the 1.25 and 2.5 m fuel tanks (exception made of the Jumbo-64) with their kind of rolls of fat... if only they could be smooth. Now the fairings are not perfect, and I don't really like the main part which is larger than the panels. They also saved me a bit when I tried to imitate a Vega today: Plus their help to plug the open space always present between the decouplers and the RT-10/RT-5 SRB.

Thank you! Alas, I did not ask the man about his engines... despite the fact his rocket simply amazed me! Also, it made such an incredible noise. Just incredible. It's reminds me some good memories! The kids seems so happy to launch their own rocket. --- And for the topic, more Falcon Heavy (all of the pictures took today): About three hours past on the site to observe it...

No launcher this time, but rockets! Took today at a small meeting. Sorry for the quality of some as I only had my phone on me at the morning. We have a problem!!! Sadly, this little one was destroyed by fire some seconds later. Dedicated to the SpaceX fans. And finally our own rocket, a bit "upgraded" by us. It reached approx 400-450 m/1300-1470 ft of altitude, something good for us. Alas, we lost it as I was not able to follow it while it descended.

Following the recent achievements of "first", I decided to go to another unexplored body of the system: Gilly. Despite the fact that Eve was the third planet I ever visited, its satellite never really interest me due to its ridiculous size, form, and the multiple bugs reports about it. Anyway, the final decision was took to go there. Pretty light, the payload is consisting in a small science module, protected by the fairing, carrying all the instruments, and which is supposed to come back to Kerbin in one piece (as I simply haven't made any test of it before the flight, we will see...) A small (and ugly, really ugly) fuel tank is feeding the Spark, which is in return is giving the probe 3.3 km/s available. Finally, a 4 tons communication satellite also was part of the travel, and should serve as a third platform to relay the information a bit more in the Eve system. The launcher selected was Ariadne 5, which enjoyed a nearly complete plastic surgery using fairings and an optimization of its performances by the same way. The main core is (under)powered by a single Skipper engine, procuring more than 4 km/s, while each E.A.P. are containing two Kickbacks. While one of the SRBs is configured at 100% of its thrust, the other is limited at 90%, giving a whole burning time of about 80 seconds instead of the standard 62. Like this the separation is occurring around 23 km, where, after having burned enough fuel, the Skipper can keep on accelerating. (Drum rolls) TADAAA... First stage separation at 95 km, after a more than 5 minutes long burn. It correctly place the apogee at 500 km after a 45 seconds acceleration on a flat plan, asking the second stage only a small sacrifice of 253 m/s to complete the circularization. Ok, I agree, this is not the standard 800 m/s economic transfer burn to Eve, but for "just" 957 it was not possible to leave the probe in orbit 50 days more. After all the second stage is containing enough fuel for more than 3 km/s, so we don't care. Here we go! Under the limited thrust of this Aestus-wannabe engine. Strangely, despite the fact that it is nothing else than a video game, and that there is no "living" Kerbals on board, I'm always feeling a bit sad when leaving Kerbin... The probe is good for a 184 days long sleeping now. As I did not tried the system before on a test flight, we will see if something as been conceived wrongly (more than 70% of probability, according to my personal stats...), or if it will work well.

This worth at least... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!! It's pretty fun as I made one too, like a week ago.

Just back from Cape Canaveral for tonight's launch. Everything went fine as I was looking at the "live" report while adjusting the camera one last time... until T-01:25 precisely, when the launcher actually light its RD-180s! I took the camcorder like a crazy man and zoomed to the max while trying to adjust the focal, the result was clearly far form being great on the small screen, but whatever I just kept on "filming" for about 2 minutes and 54 seconds... when I discovered that, actually, there was simply no recording at all ... Anyway, here are some shots of it, took around half an hour before the launch. Atlas V is hardly discernible here as I was standing at approx 10 km/6 miles from the LC-41. But another one was sleeping not too far away from it... Yep, Falcon Heavy was standing here.

Probably my most intense day in KSP for a while with three missions to treat "nearly" at the same time. It started with the launch of Minmus ComSat IV, a light but still efficient small satellite to increase the connection with the inner planets probes. While everything was going well and smoothly, the Kerbal Clock rang to notify me of the closing date of encounter between Mercury II and Eeloo. Starting the ion engines burn extremely soon as the solar panels were not even capable of maintaining the electric level. I started to stress at one time as the speed was not decreasing fast enough, but, hopefully, it works and the orbit reached was not so awful. Woohoo! It was not just the first encounter in this save, but the first I ever had with Eeloo since I started to play! Then another clock rang! This time the target was to put a small survey satellite in orbit of Ike. Something which went really well as Ike Explorer I was still full of propellant before the circularization maneuver. Despite its ineffective antennas layout, it still was possible to enjoy a good connection to the KSC with the help of two other probes orbiting Duna. Another clock alarm at this time? Yes, of course! This time it was about the circularization of Juno Explorer, a probe launch during the last July and destined to be my first craft to orbit Jool ever. I could not describe how happy I was when I read this. Finally, after three years to play only around the inner planets, Jool became a reality! A lot of first happen today! Alas, running out of time, and of ideas, I didn't know what to do more... so I decided to make a totally useless platform containing the ultra-light and light launchers I'm using the most today...

I'm just coming back from the 401's viewing site, everyone seemed to be pretty disappointed after all the wait (it was 7*C/44*F here)... an angry man behind my car nearly veered off the road when he passed in front of us as we were leaving the area.

Soon this morning I tried to conceive a hypersonic private aircraft to carry the officials of the KSC wherever they wanted to go (despite the fact that everything is flat around here). Alas, it was without counting on this raven known as Mortimer! Once again he cut the budget and the team has to re-design the craft. Miserably, what was supposed to be a new step forward in business transportation turned to become a standard supersonic biz-jet known as... the OT-0C Makaira. With a cruise speed of no more than Mach 1.06 at the sea level it IS "supersonic", yep!.. OK, it is simply an average speedy flying tin can, but who do you want to blame? The engineers? No! Throw the tomatoes at Mortimer! But at least, the OT-0C turned out to be pretty economic, with a dV of 66 km/s, at around 75% of the fuel, when cruising gently at 10 km. With full tanks it can go to about 75 km/s, but don't ask it to be supersonic anymore at high altitude. Final turn over the lands of Kantarctica . This eternal sunset is always a pleasure to look at. Despite its important mass, Makaira was not so "hard" to control and respond to the commands input pretty well. Still, flying with the keyboard keys is a real pain... something Valentina does not care about. Standard inspection of the n.1 reverser. Followed by an umpteenth sunset admiration. I definitely have a passion problem for the KSP sun effects... Then it already was the time to leave, of course in the typical hard climb to test the craft. It still was able to accelerate until 4.5 km at a climb rate of 300 m/s, which is not so terrible for such a flying dolphin. Enjoying the view of the Kantartican mountain chain at the standard cruise alt of 10 km, some minutes before the final sunset. Finally, one hour latter we were ready for a long final approach on RWY 09. Oops, 227 m/s, at 3km, and just about 20 km from the runway... Valentina, seemed to have forgot the rules, or maybe she desperately was in the need of some food. Not so soft touch down, as the VSI is showing *cough cough*... Welcome back home!

Absolutely, you can found it here: I never posted them here as it's not a video dedicated topic (and I will understand if it has to be removed).

Thanks NSEP! I'm actually thinking about taking a new camcorder for better results. Maybe going back to an "old" 1080 p, instead of my current 4000, but with a x200 lens which could give better result from the viewing point. By the way, I enjoyed my first "FAKE!!!!" comment on the video of this launch, just another funnel wearer.

I can trust you, as I also have a bad experience about during the early 2010s when I still was in France (typical and local channels of unfunny pranksters)... Here, however, the worst is that it start to happen about a week ago now. Sometime it was still recommending some flatearthers videos for flatminded peoples, but it was not so much a problem. Since then, the whole recommendations are detained at 50% by VEVO sub-channels (still could be interesting if ONLY it was not recommending me "music" from Beiber-style groups all the time), and 25% conspiradiots themed videos (from "40 000 km deep secret ultra-giga-mega-PYRAMIDS" to the reptilists theme about space dinosaurs leading the world), the remaining is consisting of music from all around the globe, car crashes (?!) and sports (?!).

I laugh then nearly cried as YouTube, once again, showed how stupid its recommendations could be. Here are the 23 last videos I looked after: And here is what it suggests me to look after:

A big step back to the past for me today, as I decided to go back to Shabby Castle, my Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace 2) inspired space station. The last visit was in 2016 with Seedy Boat flight 5... Alas, the launch was made with a nice time mistake and a lot of the inboard resources has to be consumed to re-align it on the proper inclination. The result being to feed the Shenzhou-like spacecraft with the fuel remaining on-board the station. Then, the next flight should have been for refueling only and I had to build it... So, let me introduce the Tianzhou (Heavenly Ship) inspired craft: Diabolic Bark! Here climbing smoothly on its medium size launcher called Short Step 5. With a initial TWR of 1.54, Short Step 5 is able to reach 800 m/s at an altitude of 20 km, before having to separate from its boosters. Releasing the 3 tons fairing, Diabolic Bark can finally enjoy the natural light! Despite the low punch of the four Swivel engines, the main core kept on accelerating smoothly and surely. One minute later the it was the first stage's turn to be expelled, the second stage taking over it with ease. Shabby Castle, orbiting at an altitude 130 km only it was then necessary to place the Ap at 200 km to ensure enough maneuvers possibilities. After-all, the second stage was more than over-fed with about 3 km/s of impulsion available... However, in the necessity to reduce the orbiting debris number, the decision was took to get rid of it once the Ap was placed at the correct altitude, the circularization costing no more than 120 m/s, Diabolic Bark could take it easily with its 1.5 km/s available. Circularization completed. Surprisingly, the launch time actually was excellent, requiring only 25 minutes of waiting before a nice occasion to meet with the station! Slowing a bit while approaching the target. A great occasion to discover that I forgot to turn the light off more 14 months ago... I can't imagine the cost of the electricity bill!.. Enjoying the view of a large, and surprisingly spread town under us. About 30 seconds remaining! Approaching at a slower speed than usual make it stressful. Docked and starting the fuel transfer immediately. It appeared that Shabby Castle was not so low about fuel, and that Diabolic Bark got way too much available on board... Like what sometimes it is better to go through the radar control room, and see by yourself how much remains in a craft. I'm thinking to leave Diabolic Bark docked for some time now, at least until I decided to re-build Seedy Boat as it really is hideous right now.

Launch of a new space station, actually the first I ever sent to another planet than Kerbin. Of course the choice was Duna as I was lacking any inspiration. The choice of the launcher was the good old fat Pallas heavy Vertical S.S.T.O. With 22 engines, Pallas is enjoying a good amount of kick as usual, despite the 60 tons mass of the payload, the heaviest it ever carried for now. Enjoying some nice colors while the Sun is about to disappear beyond the horizon for the K.S.C. Beginning of the circularization at 200 km. At this time the launcher had so much thrust than it nearly was uncontrollable... Hopefully, everything went well and the station was released after fifteen minutes. It now was the time to deorbit this fat Pallas and to see if it could take it from 200 km. Everything seemed good at this point. Even if, despite its pretty low level of fuel remaining, the whole mass of the craft was restricting it to slow down easily. Too short... as usual... Everything went pretty well... until a stupid input from me which made the whole launcher roll and simply annihilate it... "just" around 550 000 funds has been vaporized, but except this everything was fine, really... Anyway, it was time for the team to be kicked out of Kerbin and put on the tracks to Duna... A pretty long travel which cost us around 1.3 km/s. Hopefully the station still have 1.2 available, more than enough to circularize around the red dot.

Indeed, the Wenchang site should start to take over the three others Satellites Launch Centers. Alas, it would not eliminate the problem, but transfer it to the sea instead of the land. We learned the lesson in French Guinea during the Ariane 1-4 era, and where the amount, even if ridiculous, of UDMH/N2O4 remaining in the stages used to dammage the local sea life and the corals reefs. Hopefully, Long March 5, 7, 9, and 11 are concerned by the typical RP and solid fuel. Still not clean, but already way better than the hypergolics.

You beat me so well. I was about to recommend Tetris, but even Tetris has better cube angles than Minecraft.

A contract was asking for a new satellite around Minmus, that's all. At least they were not asking for another creepy configuration with useless Seismic Accelerometer on it (...). However, this did not happen totally as expected, the second stage having decided to troll me! Given yesterday's flight, I could only choose my old Gamma IV Medium for the mission! Let's look at these beautiful shadows from the launcher and the upper part of the launch pad-only, the bottom part does not count... The acceleration was more than average at the beginning, the poor launcher having a hard time to fight with its mass. Hopefully, the SRBs made a wonderful job and were ejected at 15 km after a 54 seconds hard work. I definitely have a problem with sunflares screenshot... why do I love them so much? Saying goodbye to the first stage (and its 25k funds... .) Despite its lack of punch with its single Swivel, the second stage still was able to keep on accelerating easily, placing the Ap at 500 km... And to kick the new Comsat to Minmus in four days of travel. All antennas were deployed at this time. Contract completed. However, since the beginning, the satellite was not only conceived for the deal, but for another purpose: to relay at one of the highest orbit over Minmus. For that we must first get rid of the second stage which came bulky, it's at this moment it decided to become some kind of a troll...