Red Shirt

I never thought to adjust inside Munar SOI. I'll attempt this (hopefully tomorrow). If it turns out badly, I'll try again and burn a day earlier, I just grazed the SOI so 6 hours earlier is probably enough - famous last words before drifting forever into the void...

I installed the Arkas planet mod. I've been there before but didn't have enough dv to get back in orbit. So, I designed and tested a craft especially for a land and return mission. Launched. Warped to transfer window and burned. The path intersected Mun's SOI. That's OK, I'll just do a course correction once free of Mun. Problem is the correction requires 3500 dv. Arrrrggggh! Stupid Mun, your blocking my view of Arkas, I'm going to have to blow it up. Seriously, when this happens would I have been better to orbit Mun then transfer from there? Gravity assist seems beyond me.

It has been more than a few days since I last used KAS - too much time in between uses is part of the problem. I don't recall issues with my right click. It was using the enter key to run the drill I couldn't remember. I'll watch the right click. Looking forward to the for dummies version. I've not even attempted winches.

I feel your pain. First time, I knocked an engine off my ship trying to attach the connector. Almost turned the craft over in the process. I read and reread the documentation - was still clueless, finally stumbled on the answer. Find I seldom remember it the next time, so the falling connector happens all over again. It just isn't very intuitive. Need a KAS for Dummies.

If you haven't already - Sigma Binary for epicycles!

EVE, the older one, works fine except for the greying dark side that happens because the city lights texture files are tga format. If you keep EVE then download and install Edge of Oblivion (highly recommend) it has png format texture files for the city lights. You will need to go into game data / boulder/ city lights / textures and remove the tga files. Works well for me.

Maybe I am misunderstanding how this all works. I have been using the slanted nose cone to push spent radial stages away from the main ship. Seems to work. I haven't needed sepratrons since doing this and with no exploding collisions. If I am wrong, OK, but it works for me.

I've never used the editor. Setting limit acceleration to 20 m/s and using corrective steering are the only settings I use differently. If that doesn't help try adding fins.

Start with Environmental Visual Enhancements after it is installed and running, install Edge of Oblivion per Alshain's link above. I'm not sure why EoO seems confusing when you first install. It really isn't but does require you to slow down and follow step by step directions. After installing go into your Game Data/BoulderCo/CityLights/Textures folder and remove the tga files (leave the png) - trust me, it will keep you from asking why the dark side of Kerin looks weird. Once your clouds and city lights are looking awesome, try adding Distant Object Enhancement so you can spot planets and moons. I also love Planet Shine and Scatterer. All of these work in 1.04 even if they are seemingly out of date. The Kerbal Universe is beautiful with these mods installed.

Transfer window planner looks like a tiny download. I'll repeat my Mun/Minmus transfer and see how TWP handles it.

Exactly what happened! My transfer crossed back over Mun's SOI (d'oh) and messed up my trajectory. A couple correction burns later I was low on fuel.

I don't disagree. I've done single launch and fuel from KSC several times. Now I want to try out reuseable tankers and resource mining. Strictly a personal challenge. As for the Mun/Minmus transfer, I just (wrongly) assumed it would be easy. Since I destroyed my tanker, I don't need to repeat this as my new launch will go straight from KSC to Minmus, but if I can't do it here, I won't be able to get it right at Jool and beyond. Should I escape Mun SOI first or shoot straight from orbit?

Had a fully operational Mun base for resource mining. The problem is the high dv requirements to lift a tank of fuel, transfer to LKO rendezvous, then return to Mun base afterwards. Today I set up a mining platform on Minmus to see if it brings much in the way of fuel savings. It will have to wait until tomorrow to find out as the transfer tanker with Jeb and Bill left Mun then tumbled into Minmus and exploded because I ran out of fuel. Too many course corrections and unevenly loaded tanks (yeah, I'm an idiot). Long explanation to ask - how do you efficiently transfer to Minmus from Mun orbit?

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Two mostly unrelated mod requests: 1. Plant a flag from an unmanned landing probe. I don't play career, so maybe there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this not being in game, but often I launch probes back into orbit and there is currently no way to mark the spot unless I stage like the moon lander. Another use ties in with my other request, marking a landing spot for future resource mining without sending a crew. 2. When running a survey scan for resources, the stock game doesn't give an option to mark the best spots. When I switch back to the orbiting lander it is difficult to recall the resource locations. There needs to be a way to set a marker or copy and paste coordinates from the scanner to the lander. What we have now is a good start but not complete.

When I first saw this thread I could not find the potaoroid in the VAB. This morning I can confirm MoeslyArmlis post. Send a craft to the launchpad. Revert to VAB. Now search the surface attach tab - Potatoroid will now appear.

Apologies. I was looking for a reason and made a bad assumption. Feel like one of the goofballs that reposts the latest hoaxes on Facebook. I'll check my facts next time. So, now I guess I'll pull planet packs until I find the conflict. By the way, I did remove the old mm but kept it just in case. EDIT: Found it. The problem is the drop down menu in MJ doesn't scroll. Arkas was at the bottom. It was the only one not visible. Even removing the packs and adding this one first didn't move it up the list. Changed the MJ settings to arrow instead of drop down. Works as it should. Again, apologies for not trying this stuff first before commenting.

I'm currently using KAS pipes to transfer from the mining platform to the resupply ship. I highly recommend this for the sheer panic attack it causes when you first attempt to EVA place a connector and realize you have no idea how KAS works, even though you read the instructions. I almost turned the platform over and did manage to knock an engine off of it. Great fun. I did get everything fixed... eventually. Future plans involve a rover/hauler, so dangerously close landings aren't necessary. I haven't tried docking ports or the claw yet. Both seem potentially lethal in my hands.

Thanks for checking. I currently have Asclepius, Kronkus, and OPM, installed in addition to Arkas (yes its kind of a busy solar system). Everything shows up in VAB except Arkas. I noticed this pack was bundled with an older version of module manager than was already on my system. If I understand it correctly, mm ignores the older version. I'll try dropping back to the older version of mm. If that doesn't work I guess I can remove Kronkus - the latest pack I added - to see if there is a conflict.

Beautiful work. Been twice already and it feels like I am actually visiting an alien world. Anxiously awaiting the addition of dust storms, although I would want only high wispy clouds as EVE is close to a Venus analog for me. For those planning a mission - the atmosphere starts at 80k and you can land almost entirely with chutes. My Duna lander made the trip easily but lacks the dv to get back to orbit. If someone has worked out a design number, please share. I am having a small issue. Arkas does not show up in MechJeb when trying to design for dv in the VAB. Is there something that needs to be added or is this a MJ issue? I have the latest modulemanager dll.

Woke up at 4:00 am. Couldn't sleep. Did the only sensible thing - downloaded a new planet mod and launched a completely impromptu mission. I used an old saved craft that once served on a rescue mission to Duna. Made a couple minor changes by removing the service bay and adding RCS. Once in orbit, discovered the transfer window was in 34 days. Raised the orbit to 620 and warped. Escape trajectory grazed the SOI of Mun which made an expensive correction burn necessary. I had plenty of DV until things went horribly wrong. Entered Arkas SOI. Set the Pe to 24k (without researching) to aerobrake. Hit the atmosphere at over 3k with no heatshield. My fuel tank was glowing red - kind of cool. Fired the 6 Twitch engines trying to circularize. The atmosphere was thick enough that not only did I get a capture but I was going in for a landing straight from Kerbin before I realized. Eeeek! Panicked. Kicked MJ on and hit land anywhere. Realized I forgot to retract the single solar panel on the ship. It started to fold up but got destroyed. Parachutes didn't want to deploy once the speed was below 200 m/s. Manually right click deployed them. Not sure if it was the panic, MJ, or a glitch in the planet pack, but most of my remaining fuel was used in the last few thousand meters. The ship seemed to be hovering while the speed readout was all over the place. I finally killed MJ and let her coast in, burning at the last few meters to slow down. Good landing. Flag planted. Chutes repacked. Unfortunately power is exhausted due to not being able to surface fix the solar panel. Doesn't matter. There is insufficient fuel for a return voyage. The crew named the site Hell Hole. Sure it is kind of pretty but its hot, dry, and unless help comes, no one is getting out alive. At this point I may 'fix' the solar panel in the sfs file, then use what fuel I have to see what it takes to get to orbit. If I make it, I'll send a rescue to get the crew. If it looks like it isn't going to happen... well, I could revert or cheat... or watch the fireworks. We'll see how it goes.

I watched the announcement live on NASA channel. A few things stuck with me. First the press did not ask near as pointless of questions as I expected. Second I finally heard twice mentioned that we know there has been life on Mars because we sent it there (on our missions) and from meteorites that came from earth. Whether it can survive is another story. Final thought was I need a CRISM satellite mod! Then there needs to be a water resource ISRU mod. (They probably exist and I just don't know it)

This was my thinking. I've started building space stations and resource mining stations because it is more of a challenge than just building bigger single launch missions.

Sorry I missed the "good ole days" in KSP. I would have been a survivor. It would take some time today to refresh but in high school we used a slide rule in chem class. In college I bought my first calculator - it cost $300 and did only the most basic calculations. Bought my first scientific calc later for my job. It cost $150. The old school guys laughed at me. They used a logarithm book when doing trig. Seriously, they could flip pages and add as fast as I could punch numbers into the calculator. Each generation has its own version of old school. It may not seem as glamorous but old school obviously works. The pyramids are still standing. Oh, and update - rendezvoused an unmanned rescue ship with Bob floating 12k above the Mun and returned safely.

Misread the original poll. Didn't realize I should click more than one. Been actively playing since 0.23. My wife saw my son playing KSP and said, "Your dad would love this." He bought it for me Christmas 2013. Best gift ever.