AxleMC131

YES! I have exactly the same issue.

Mine's currently having a thorough debriefing and telling-off by Gene in the Astronaut Complex. Bloody daredevil tried to launch aboard a one-man rescue vessel I was sending up empty to recover a Kerbal in Kerbin orbit - lucky I caught him before I hit spacebar!

That brings up an interesting point. Apologies if I digress briefly from the main point of this thread, but I've heard a lot of talk about using the Vernor thrusters as VTOL engines. I gotta know... How effective actually are they at that job? I have to say I very rarely use the Vernors, except on really big launch vehicles that need some kind of RCS to keep them stable during ascent. What are they like as VTOL thrusters? Efficiency? Power? Why would you use them over conventional engines, or why not?

To be brutally honest, I've only really started building big things in 1.0, but my computer isn't that great at running KSP so I never get very good results. That's just me though - I'm often envious of the people who can build huge interplanetary vessels with very little performance drop.

So today I was running a very standard, run-of-the-mill Kerbal rescue mission in my KSP Career save - launch, orbit, rendezvous, pickup, de-orbit... When I had an idea. Anyway, the rocket I use is a simple two-stage launch using low-tech 1.25m parts, but because I launch it with an empty crew capsule I have a pair of launch-clamps to keep the batteries charged for the probe core before lift-off. The rocket design has a single main LV-T45 engine, which starts with the first stage, but also two RT-10 Hammers for that little extra boost at launch. This got me thinking... What if I fired up the main engine before decoupling the clamps and igniting the SRB's, but use fuel pumped in from the launch clamps? Well, after a little trawling through the game's config files, I discovered that the Launch Clamp part has a "Generator" module, which is the bit that generates electric charge while attached. So, on a whim, I copied the module in the config twice, and changed them to generate Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer respectively. Then I changed the "fuelCrossfeed" tag to true... And voila! I have stock launch clamps that not only generate power prior to launch, but also fuel which gets automatically pumped into the active rocket! Now I can fire up the main engine and have it drain fuel from them rather than from the on-board tanks. Just like real rockets! For those of you who are interested in this, here are the strings you need to add to the launch clamp config file. Just copy-paste this into your own one under the existing generator module: MODULE { name = ModuleGenerator isAlwaysActive = False OUTPUT_RESOURCE { name = LiquidFuel rate = 9 } } MODULE { name = ModuleGenerator isAlwaysActive = False OUTPUT_RESOURCE { name = Oxidizer rate = 11 } } Also, make sure you find the "fuelCrossFeed" tag and change the value to 'true' instead of 'false'! Otherwise the clamps will generate fuel, but your rocket won't receive any! The eagle-eyed or those experienced with config edits will notice that, although the default electric charge generator is "always active", I have made both the fuel generators not so. This was an experiment, and actually means that during pre-launch, you can click on the launch clamp and have the option to manually turn the pumps on or off! How cool is that!? Anyway, just something I did with KSP today. If you think this is cool and tried this (or something similar) yourself, do let me know! Happy Rocketeering!

Backyard Rocketry v1.1.0 "Backyard Science" has now been released! Hop over to the original thread for details and download: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/133162-Backyard-Rocketry-For-all-your-homegrown-space-program-needs%21 Happy Rocketeering!

For those of you paying attention... The new version is here! Backyard Rocketry v1.1.0 "Backyard Science" has now been released! Be sure to check the edited original post for the details and new download link. Happy Rocketeering!

Shouldn't be to much longer. I've been a little distracted to be honest the last week, but I'll try and get down to business with the new science parts soon. I haven't put anything down in text, but I've got some well-formed ideas in my mind.

There'll be more soon.

Fair enough. Still, looks damn cool. - - - Updated - - - Oh Val, what have you done now... XD

Haha, that'd be a funny sight.

Cool! I love the rocket-sled by the way. - - - Updated - - - Wow, impressive! What's it like performance-wise? I know for a fact it's hard to replicate things in KSP so they look accurate AND have similar statistics.

Very nice! Does this one actually fly? It certainly looks awesome! - - - Updated - - - Thank you! OR assuming you were talking about Yukon's 262, I know right!?

This is what it looks like by the way, if you're interested: It only gets two minutes of flight time, achieves a top level-flight speed of about 150m/s, and has a useless climb rate, but it sure is fun to fly around the KSC. Gotta thank you Alphasus for the inspiration!

Fair enough. Meanwhile, I've just been making a scale replica myself, although I've focused on matching the looks rather than the performance. Mine is 4.4t at launch, and is about the same size as the real one, but only has fuel for a 2-minute flight. Still a lot of fun to fly, and it actually has a skid for landing.

If it helps, the real Me 163's engine provided 17kN of thrust for about seven and a half minutes, and the entire plane weighed 4.3 tons fully loaded. Ah, Wikipedia.

(ASL) Isp: 260 Thrust: Approx. 85kN (Vac) Isp: 285 Thrust: 90kN Pretty damn powerful, but I created it because KSP doesn't have a particularly powerful 0.625m engine.

Thought I'd give you guys a little more story. Things are getting thrilling already... My, I do love plot twists! Enjoy, and don't forget to leave feedback! Chapter Two - Encounter SLCS 'Slipstream' Low Kerbin Orbit "Hey Bob!" Bob was jerked awake from his snooze in one of the fold-down beds by Jeb's voice. The scientist yawned, stretched, and rubbed his eyes before acknowledging the pilot's presence in the cabin. Bill was sitting in one of the seats opposite him, writing swift calculations - or possibly doodling dinosaurs - in a spiral-bound notebook. "What's up Jeb? Are we there yet?" Jebediah winked. "We are. And you owe me a hundred Roots." Bill glanced up from his scribbling to see Bob frown in distaste. "Aww man, really?" Jeb nodded, and gestured over his shoulder to the cockpit. "Come see for yourself. Both of you," he added, glancing at Bill. The two B's trooped through the airlock and floated into the cockpit after Jeb. It was only designed to seat two, but they managed to squeeze in behind the pilot chairs. "Check it out boys," Val proclaimed. "We have ourselves a Kerbal-made satellite." Bob groaned. "Are you telling me we came all this way for a communications satellite!?" Jeb sighed. "Guess so. Radar must have missed its comms signature on their list, marked it as 'Unknown'." "Well, time to go home and report back then," Val finished with a sigh. "And I was hoping for something far more exciting..." "Hold up folks," Bill said suddenly. Of the four crew members, he was the only one looking at the data readouts around the cockpit rather than out of the window. "Jeb, you say Radar may have misread its signature. Look at this." The engineer pointed to a display screen alongside the targeting systems. It was showing a motionless, flat, green line. Bob stared. "It doesn't have a signature." Jeb shrugged. "Could be out of power?" "Its solar panels are out, dummy," Val replied. "Or manually shut down?" "Then we'd have a record of its service life," Bob responded. Jeb raised his hands in defence. "I'm just thinking of ideas!" Val looked back at Bill. "Do you think it might be worth taking a closer look?" she said seriously. Bill nodded, his face one of confusion. "Yeah, I do. If that satellite is still powered, and we don't have a record of its service, let alone its existence, it falls under Section Four of the Unlawful Space Operations act." "'No artificial satellite may be put into orbit of Kerbin without being registered'?" Bob quoted from the regulations. "Exactly," Valentina replied. "If that's the case, we have the authority to bring it home as a souvenir." She turned around again. "Alright Bill, get suited up while I take us in closer." ~~~ Soon, the shuttle SLCS Slipstream was holding position barely a dozen metres from the satellite, and Bill was gripping the handrails of the external airlock. "Okay, that's good and close," he spoke through the radio. "I'll take care of this from here on." "Roger that, Billy-boy," Val replied. Mentally crossing himself as he always did before EVA, Bill let go of the handhold and reached for the jetpack control arm. This was a tense few moments of helpless freefall, as his thick glove fumbled for the joystick, but Bill wasn't a novice and he quickly found purchase and activated the jetpack. A few short bursts was all it took to get him flying towards the satellite, and he was soon able to get a much closer look. "How's it looking out there?" This time Jeb was calling him. "To be honest it looks like a perfectly ordinary communications satellite," Bill answered. He jetted sideways and started circling the object, noting the external lights that betrayed the fact it was definitely 'On'. "Still nothing on the comms?" "Line's still flat as a possum on a highway." Bill frowned. "There must be something we're missing. Maybe... Oh..." He trailed off as he circled around the front of the big dish. The radio line static'd. "... Bill? What's going on?" "It's fake." This time there was a pause. "Say what now?" Bill jetted closer. "This high-gain communications dish. It's a fake." "How do you mean 'fake'?" "This isn't a comms dish," Bill explained adamantly. "It's an umbrella someone's painted gold and put little lights on! Look, it even still folds up!" Just to demonstrate, Bill reached forwards and clicked a little button on what was pretending to be the central aerial. Instantly the dish collapsed on itself and folded away, before Bill pushed it back open again. "There's even a wrist-strap hanging on the base of the handle." This time Bob's voice came over the radio. "Are you saying it's a phony com-sat?" "It just might be," the engineer answered. "But what, by the Kraken, is under its disguise?" "Anything else on the structure that looks suspicious?" Valentina's voice questioned. Bill continued to circle the 'satellite'. "Not really. Other than the solar panels and some batteries. There's a single Gravioli detector, but that's it." The noise of a confused Bob popped through the speakers. "Why would a communications satellite have a Gravioli detector on it...?" "Dunno," Bill replied. "But I think we can safely assume this is not a communications satellite." At that moment, as Bill continued to float around the object, a bright reflection of headlight hit him square in the face from the opening of the Gravioli detector. He winced and jetted sideways out of the way... Then he hesitated. Gravioli detectors didn't have any reflective parts. "Oh my..." the engineer murmured as he examined the science experiment. "What now, Bill?" Bill stared. He was, simultaneously, perplexed and horrified. "The Gravioli detector is a fake as well. There's a damned camera inside it!" There was a sound of horrified gasps from the shuttle. "Like, a photography camera?" Jeb said hopefully. "Definitely not," Bill replied. "A high-zoom, digital camera. This is a spy satellite."

Good point... I did do some experimenting with X-1 type rocket-planes a few days back, but it was using the 'Hydra' engine in my Backyard Rocketry mod... It turns out I managed to make a rocket engine that is extremely effective for small rocket-planes.

Ah, I was close. Man, I would love to see an Me 163 replica! If you can't do jets in KSP, do rocket-planes.

Hey look! A WWII aircraft replica, and none other than the 262. Awesome work here! Incidentally, I don't know much about BD Armoury, but I know the real Me 262 (at least, most variants of it) were armed with four 20mm cannons. I think the BDA Vulcan uses 20mm rounds, so you've done well. - - - Updated - - - Now do me a Gloster Meteor and do an RAF Vs. Luftwaffe jet battle!

Oop, sorry, didn't realise that had been published. I was still working on it! Post has now been updated with full stats and information, including download link.

Seeing as you gave the option, why don't I make a ship for you to use! Allow me to present, the AKS 'Peregrine' FS-100 Strike Fighter. In the SPH: Top-down view from LKO. You can see the unique shape is similar to the bird-of-prey that is it's namesake: A look inside the small amidships cargo bay, containing monopropellant and power systems: I tried to model this after your style of ship design, so I hope you like it! Because it's your universe, I won't put a backstory behind the development of this craft, but I can give you some nice stats and information: Part Count: 41 Fuelled Mass: 11.08 tons Dry Mass: 6.78 tons Drive: 1x LV-N Nuclear Engine Delta-V (no payload): ~ 3,855 m/s Power Supply: 2x RTGs (inside cargo bay) Crew Capacity: 0 (Drone-control) Weapon Mounts: 2x Jr. Docking Ports (external), 1x Jr. Docking Port in cargo bay The 'Peregrine', so named for it's unique top-down profile, is an escort class, multi-role fighter, excelling in assault runs and short-range scouting missions. Although it is not capable of SSTO and only has 3.8km of Delta-V, it's twin external mounts can harbour a multitude of different weapon types, allowing it to be armed specifically for any task, and letting it open a firefight extremely fast. Anyway, here's the craft download: http://www./download/pm5ycwh71g86c7g/AKS_%27Peregrine%27_Fighter.craft And if you can be bothered with the launcher I made for it: http://www./download/ueuh5bn63hbqnry/AKS_%27Peregrine%27_Fighter_Launcher.craft Enjoy!

Oh man, I am so excited for this.

Some very cool stuff here! As a fan of WWII aircraft rather than Cold War and Modern era, most of these are unfamiliar to me (with the exception of the A10, everyone should recognize that!) Still, very awesome work! I do like seeing real-life aircraft and rockets being remodelled in KSP.