XB-70A

Just realized the first flight of the X-20A Brokk, a super small reusable spacecraft for ultra-light payload/dual tourist passengers. 2 tons of payload to 600 km, 50% recoverable, terrible glider. And it got a Transformer clown face.

Could looks crazy or stupid, or both, but I simply didn't think about it this time (big sigh). Following your recommendation I indeed found one topic from 2014 about it. It even was replied by many a month ago... Well, I guess a moderator could close the topic were are on as a lot was already said about the subject.

Despite two comsats and a probe orbiting Duna, and two others around Eve and Moho I feared a lack of communication for the next missions to the last. I decided to launch another light relay with the super small RA-2 and four Com16. It also was an occasion to rebuild Harmony-3, my Kosmos-3-like light launcher. Powered by four Thud it got enough power to reach about 32 km before the 1st stage separation. The engines give the launcher a capacity of 2.6 tons max for a whole price of 13 075 with full ressources. The look for its part is alas disappointing as the use the fairings can't be coupled to each others. The four "basic fins" also appeared to be a bit small, so I will replace them with "Type D" wings next. Soft lift-off soon after the Sun rise. Harmony-3 was much more easy to control than its precedent version and the acceleration never exceeded 2.4 g. First stage separated. With its 12 tons of thrust the second and last stage was more competent than what was expected, the twin Terrier nearly being at their best TWR at the time of their ignition. As it also was a launcher test it was decided to not realize any circularization. The Ap was placed at 400 km then to immediately start the ejection burn. At the time of the separation the 2nd stage still had 569 m/s of impulsion available. One last view of Kerbin before exiting its SoI and being placed on a "Kerbocentric" orbit. No fuel has still been burned and KerbolCom 1. The next maneuver will aim to place it between Eve and Moho where its small relay capacities could be exploited. Harmony for its parts was more than satisfying and, except its looking.

I hope it hasn't been posted before. The search engine said no, but we never know. So the suggestion is to give the choice of different lists in which the craft or flags will be ranked. For now every craft/flag in the tracking station is listed by its date of launch or when it was planted. If it's easy to find any craft at the beginning it can easily becomes a real mess and even tough for those who have multiple ongoing flights and/or flags. Could it be possible to create new lists? Giving the possibilities to class our craft/flags like, "by name" (A to Z, Z to A), "by class" (like vessels first, flags first, rover first,etc.), "by mass" or even by planets?

Wow, mach 1 only 31 seconds after the liftoff.

Here too, for the second Vega live launch. Just 4 minutes to see the huge P80 kicking!

Today was soft and gives the opportunity to end the tests of Ariadne. Like the first model built I decided to fit her with dual LRB and SRB, making her looking like the real 44LP variant : Payload mass increased to 11.35 tons instead of the 7 of the first 40-like variant. The targeted orbit altitude also was increased, rising from 20 000 km to 60 000 km. These small change made it necessary to "upgrade" the launcher. Just like the precedent craft built a year ago I decided to make an Ariane 44LP, which mean dual P.A.L (Propulseurs d'Appoint Liquide - Liquid Boosters) and P.A.P (Propulseurs d'Appoint a Poudre or Solid Rocket Booster). Even if my favorite variante (and the most powerful of all) is the 44L, I decided to make the 44LP once again as it gives to possibility to switch to any other variant easily and quickly by using the hangar Angle Snap. Engines also were reviewed, as both P.A.Ls now are equipped with a Reliant and a Thud, giving to each a thrust of 31 tons and a burn time of 70 sec at full trust but for an individual cost of 3720 funds. P.A.Ps for their parts still consisted of the original Thumper boosters, both reduced to 90% of their full thrust. This reduction gives them about six seconds more of burn, the price for its part being of 1125 funds. Just like Ariane 44LP their ignition happen after the mains stage and liquid boosters had started. P.A.Ls separation at the good time. Each of them features a Sepratron with just 0.8 of solid fuel, enough to ensure a good and quick clearance of the main stage. First stage shut down and separation at T-02:13, at a speed of 1500 m/s and an altitude of 49 km. The super thin atmosphere made that, at the opposite of real life, the fairing was separated at the same time than the main stage. Second stage lighted. With dual Swivel trying to imitate Viking 4B and three FL-T800 forming it, it get enough punch to push the satellite to a speed of 2400 m/s. The two Terrier still are present to take care of the load. Despite a small lack of power they still are making their job pretty well. And after all, the real life HM7B also is not really what we could call a punching rocket engine. The rest of the flight just was normal with a thirteen days transfer to 60 000 km, the whole system needing around 200 m/s more to complete a nearly nice circularization. Still 635 m/s available but once again the third stage was separated, leaving the ugly 11.35 tons payload all alone. However with a more than 60 000 funds launch price, this kind of Ariane 44LP replica can't be used as a good light/medium launcher. Something which is not going better as the payload has to be built with 1.25 m, limiting even more the possibilities. Unless ugly and ridiculous 2.5 m parts are built on. To me it didn't count so much more as Ariane 4 is my second most loved launcher, just after Zenit. But in a hard career mod it nearly had zero strategic values. If somebody want to try it the craft file has been uploaded on KerbalX.

Another wonderful rumble, warning to people with sensitive ears : The launch of Elektro L-2 MetSat on 11 December 2015. Actually the last launch of Zenit...

It was stuck in my head today... but also since the last Monday! Raingods Dancing, the fifth parts of the 25 minutes track Plague of Ghost just is one of these few musical creations who can "animate" me.

Well said Komrade pancake, but don't forget our kommissionership the K.K.G.B looks at all your words. Too much said about our secret plan to destroy the kerpitalist and the Party will have to elimina... errmm, I mean too much said and there is a risk you fall sick.

About a year ago I tried to made a full stock Ariane 44LP-like launcher with less than 100 parts as the computer was to the end of its life... Called Ariadne as it simply is the original Greek name of the mythical character. But it had multiple flaws... the dual Jumbo-64 were hideous on it, the fairing wasn't correctly placed and even more important the launcher was unable to send more than 2 tons of payload without adding the PALs and PAPs (these only ensuring an upgrade for a delivery of around 6 tons). Also the four Reliant engines of the main stage were not ensuring any controls, these ones being possible to the four fins... which logically being useless in the atmosphere's upper layers! Only problems... so enter a new model today. With a payload of 7.7t the main objective was to check how performant the new model will be against the older one... ... and without boosters this time! For it, now eight Reliant and four Swivel are ensuring the first stage propulsion, all for a more expensive price of only 5000. But also ensuring a TWR of 1.64 on this flight. First stage separation after about two minutes of flight at an altitude of 49 km and a speed of 1300 m/s, the second stage being started three seconds later. Strangely it appeared that one of the Sepratron got like a graphical problem as the three others perfectly showed their flames. The second stage perfectly made its job, the two Swivel trying to imitate Viking 4B had 1734 m/s of impulse, more than enough for the mission. Second separation, the dual Terrier trying to imitate the famous HM7B engine now own 2.04 km/s available to complete the flight. Two days later the payload arrived at its altitude of 20 000 km for the circularization maneuver. The third stage still had 868 m/s available... But we said good-bye to it. With 7.7 tons placed on a circular orbit, the new Ariadne 4 version made its job perfectly as it was expected. Next step, placing the dual PAPs and PALs around her to make it looking like the real 44LP. Then I will use her more often.

Awesome! I formally was against the idea of Coopers in rallye, to me they were and should had stayed cities car, then... I saw them and started to like their actions in live. The beginning wasn't really easy with all their default but now they are some pretty nice and enduring wagons. Otherwise I still try to draw a bit to regain some practice, but my hand still is not really responding to what I would like... to be honest I still can't really felt it. Anyway here is the one of today : Back to the space with the inaugural launch of Ariane 1 on 24 December 1979 with the 1.6 tons CAT-1 onboard. I found @SaturnianBlue's Saturn V really great and it gives me the envy to try again since the Soyuz made months ago.

Really good. I like the separation of the European "E" from Space Agency, just like E already was something important but next to it and much more important is Space. A great step ahead from the actual super simple E.S.A logo.

Oh yes, others gave me the same vibrations like : The last Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat M launch with Kanopus-V-IK 1 and 72 other satellites. The melody is beautiful too. And... Discovery at her best. Even if I tend to prefer watching the European and Russian launches as the commentators are not covering the engines sound with their "lyrics", here the SSME music simply is beautiful to listen at.

I simply can't stop looking at it for about a month now... I mean, this sound... this melody! Launched from Plesetsk with Uragan M-44 onboard.

Just sent a crew to Duna for the first time in five years (of KSP calendar) as everytime I tried to do it before the launches windows were bad. Just like before only the best were allowed to be on this flight, which no Jebediah on board! As Mercury II was bit weak for this kind of flight, four liquid boosters were added to create Mercury III. Booster separation after only a minute at an altitude of 8000 m. Equipped of parachutes their recovery will cover a bit the monstrous launching cost of this mission. Keeping on to climb slowly, before a second stage separation at an altitude of 39 km and a speed on 1500 m/s. Some seconds later the fairing was jettisoned but it also appeared the performances were less good than the ones expected. I, usually, use the third stage and its Rhino engine for Mun transfers, circularization around the satellite and landings were it's jettisoned about 30 seconds only before to make sure it while explode far from the craft but also to enjoy the fuel remaining on board. Anyway, we kept on. Les than four hours later started the ejection burn, requiring about 970 m/s. We said good-bye to Kerbin some hours later as we probably will not see her again before two years. With a bit more than 700 m/s of impulse remaining onboard, the third stage should be able to perform the circularization at Duna, otherwise... the return will be longer than expected.

Such a beauty and a missing one... Your pictures gave me the envy to find a picture my dad took in 1989 of one of the two landings Concorde has ever made at Juliana airport. But I was not able to get it... probably should be in Brittany now. This Concorde visit really was particular for the island of St-Martin/Maarten as it was carrying French president Mitterand for a joint meeting with the U.S president Bush. But just a few pitcures were taken : And even worse, only one about the U.S fleet sent from Puerto-Rico : Not sure about it, but peoples said President Bush arrived with a C-5 Galaxy and the VH-60N White Hawk inside it while a Super Puma from the French Army carried Mitterand from Juliana to their meeting point on the French side. I will ask if someone can find this picture as it's nearly unique, only one person had already uploaded one for now. EDIT : well, I simply can't believe someone answered me so fast, but he made it, here is the picture Triple Fox landing RWY 09. At this time the runway only was about 5900ft/1800m long so the aircraft would not be able to take-off with full tanks. Instead they chose to leave with 1H30 minutes of fuel. After 30 minutes they reached Le Raizet in Guadeloupe for the final stop but had to go around a first time due to the weather, then at the second approach a small aircraft without any transponder just passed in front of them during the final, so a second GA. They finally made it at the third approach with something like just 15 minutes of fuel remaining.

I just restarted today to recover a bit. I talk with someone today about foreign implication in the Vietnam War as he was convinced that only the USA were implied in it. So I tried to make that scribbles with some of the black painted DHC-4 Caribou of the Royal Australian Air Force which were based at Vung Tau between 64 and 72.

Grosse confusion ici, je ne suis pas un SUS... mais je me SAP en SUS.

Hey @WinkAllKerb'' 57 minutes of delay only. I call @dundun93 to come back.

Today was a bit particular to me as I launched for the first time to Juno... no really, since I started to play I just kept on going to the inner planets and always rejected the contracts dedicated to the giant green ball. Now it's over with the launch of a light/medium satellite called Juno Explorer : With a scanner, a Goo and a Science Jr. it should bring back some nice science points. My greatest fear being a lack of communication, so it's equipped of four different antennas. So if it works properly it could be used as a relay for future satellites. As the transfer windows calculator indicate approx 2800 m/s needed to orbit Jool the Explorer is equipped with 500 more. I just hope this light safety surplus could be used after to realize some fly-by of the planet satellites. Launch happened on year 5, day 340 on-board a stock Ariane 6-like launcher, for the cost of 74000. Despite the thrust of each SRB reduced to 85% the whole system quickly appeared to be overpowered. As a result the speed already was at 1400 m/s at the time of the first stage separation. Then a bit like Ariane's Vulcain the launcher main engine is nothing else than a Skipper. Despite being totally underpowered the launcher, hopefully, kept on accelerating slowly in the thinner atmosphere, still having about 2800 m/s available at this time. Second stage separation. The Ap was perfectly placed at 600 km before the main engine shutdown while the circularization should not cost more than 180 m/s. Then after five days in orbit it finally was the time for the transfer to Juno to happen. Needing 1929 m/s it leaves 713 still available to help for the latter braking maneuver... at least that's what I hope... Saying good-bye to Kerbin as the great journey is just beginning. And see you in 2 years now.

While Samus was taking a brake onboard Alpha, Steven for his part was on the way to brought back Vishnu and his passengers to Kerbin : With almost 1400 m/s stil available a circularization at 150 km was possible, the KSC being at a total opposite position at this time... Then about 8 orbits later the deorbiting maneuver finally was executed with success. But it seems like the greens onboard didn't have the same opinions about... The craft quickly became the slave of the atmosphere and was not able to keep an angle up to 10 degrees... ... this hopefully was sufficient to brake enough and not overshot the runway too much. Positioning the X-21A for a direct landing on the 27. Despite a slow speed of 120 m/s Vishnu still was maneuverable and stable... This was without counting on the terrible dive needed to lose enough height, as it now was too late to reroute for RWY 09. Hopefully the main elevons could be used as some good speed-brakes. On short final, the speed appeared to be a bit low despite the 19 degrees of pitch but still good enough. This was without counting we were heading 278 like a cross-wind landing, but in a craft with terrible rudder controls! Touchdown! Apart of the terrible suspension configuration results the whole braking part was soft and easy, the braking chute being, once again, totally useless but nice to deploy. Another excellent job from Steven while Aslorf still seemed to recover from her experience of a special flight saving her... while the two tourists stayed inside, probably filling up the vomit bags.

This is AWESOME! According to it I could be a Singaporean, an Afro-American (at least I learn a bit of Creole) or a South African... so fun as I was born in Europe. I'll recommend it to some of my contacts who need a good laugh.

Just made a short 800 km flight to a desert for some science points as Kerbin is a place I know way less than the Mun (...). As the last flight to the North Pole finished with an emergency landing due to a lack of fuel I decided to design a new craft with a better range but cruising slower... Alpha : To not repeat the same mistake than the precedent flight the take-off was made in dry mode. But despite its important mass it answers pretty well to the controls. The first desert destination was chosen for its short distance from the KSC. Then it quickly appeared the geography of the terrain was too rough for an aircraft landing... ... we therefore kept on. Heading West-South-West and hoping to find a better landscape for the landing. The craft having drunk about 15% of its fuel we should have more than enough time to find it. Then after 20 more minutes some kind of a more flat hill was spotted. A low pass-by confirmed the better geography of the spot and the decision was taken to land. Despite a low vertical speed and an average air speed this landing clearly was one of the worst I ever made... but Samus seems to think about it differently. The braking chute nearly was useless at such a low speed. Anyway, Alpha stopped quickly to rest of that soft slop. With all the test being done, nearly 300 science point were earned. Alas the Sun appeared to be very low at the time... and the KSC being already in the dark it was decided to come back the next day.

I'm not sure if it could be funny for some but it definitely was for me. Today, as usual in my work, I drove to a Sam's Club for some logistic. Once there I passed by the cleaning products row and found this : I don't know if I'm the only one to laugh at but it was not possible to me to stop sneering for about 5 minutes. Honestly, it's suppose to be about a powerful detergent but instead I was seeing a forcing kid just like if he was about to drop a huge brown cake or to release a huge fart at least...