TheEpicSquared

@EnzoMeertens Hi, I was just wondering about something. Previously (in KSP v1.0.5, 1.1) there was a function in the right-click menu to repair a damaged part. However in the current version this button seems to have disappeared from the right-click menu. Have I installed something wrong, or can parts now only be repaired by an engineer on EVA? I haven't had time to check. Thanks

So I want to make a rocket, but I can't find potassium nitrate anywhere. Then I saw a video where celluloid (aka the stuff ping pong balls are made of) was used to make a small rocket. However the video wasn't very clear and I'm not sure if it really was ping pong ball stuff. So my question is, would celluloid (maybe in powdered form) work as an oxidizer for a solid fuel rocket if mixed with sugar? Thanks

Moar?

Well, it's not exactly science fiction (yet) but would my KSP Megastructures count?

I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips on the story I'm writing (KSP Megastructures)? Thanks

Hold on, I think I have a plane just right for this... It'll be up tomorrow, Sunday at the latest!

I know those aren't realistic, I was just making some (unrealistic, as you said) guesstimates. My guess is that it'll cost more and take more launches and time to finish the constellation, I was going for the most ideal circumstances.

Right, time for some math: The Falcon 9* has a LEO capacity of 22.8 tons according to spacex.com. Let's call it 20 tons, since I don't know how much payload capacity is reduced because of reusability. If each satellite weighs 0.4 tons, then theoretically each launch should be able to loft 20 / 0.4 = 50 of these satellites**. So, 4425 / 50 = 88.5 launches -- let's call it 100 launches*** to complete the constellation. I'm not sure how many times an F9 1st stage can be reused, but I think it was somewhere around 10****. That means that theoretically 10 F9 rockets could be enough for the whole constellation. SpaceX has successfuly launched 27 F9s, so it should be entirely possible. Now, prices. One brand new F9 costs roughly $62 million to build and launch. Since the constellation would theoretically require 10 F9s, the total cost of 10 F9s are 62 million time 10, or $620 million. Reusing a first stage would lead to a launch cost of $42.8 million (source). Let's call it $43 million. So 90 launches (the other 10 launches would be with the 10 brand new F9 1st stages) equals a cost of 43 million times 90, or $3870 million, aka $3.87 billion. 3.87 billion + 0.62 billion equals a grand total of 4.49 billion dollars to launch the entire constellation. For simplicity, let's call it 4.5 billion dollars. For comparison, NASA's 2016 budget was $18.5 dollars (source). Finally, the amount of time this would take. In 2016, SpaceX has launched F9 successfully 8 times with plans for 4 more (Echostar 23, "a couple" Iridium launches, I'm assuming 2, and Formosat-5/SHERPA. Here's the source) for a total of 12 launches in 2016. This equals 1 launch a month. Therefore 100 launches will take 100 months or 8.3 years. However, in early 2016, SpaceX said they want to increase launch rate to 18 launches a year (source). This means the constellation will only take 100 / 18 = 5.5 years. Let's take a number between those two figures - 7 years. So it should take SpaceX roughly 7 years to complete their satellite constellation. So after the maths, we can conclude that the entire constellation would take around 100 launches, cost about 4.5 billion dollars and take roughly 7 years to complete. *I'm only using Falcon 9 for this, not Falcon Heavy. **In fact, SpaceX will probably launch less than 50 satellites per mission. *** I rounded up the number of launches because SpaceX almost certainly won't launch 50 satellites at once. **** I vaguely remember Musk saying that it was 10, however I'm not sure. Does anyone know how many times an F9 1st stage can be reused?

Let me try: Works for me. Are you sure you right-clicked on the actual picture and then clicked "copy image address"?

To put an image in a post, you first have to upload it to an external site like Imgur. Once it's finished uploading, right click on it and click "copy image address". Then paste the link into your KSP forum post and the link should automatically turn into a picture. Hope that helps!

So, I've thought of a new name for this: Through Hardships to the Stars. What do you think? Do you like it? Oh, and I'm going to start getting screenshots for chapter 17 today after school.

-39 (-) We cannot be defeated!! Onwards!

I just thought of another one: Once my friend's "x" asked me, ""y" is algebra so difficult?" I replied, "What are you talking about? It's e-"z"!" ... I'll see myself out, thanks.

Yeah, I like the ending. Nice cliffhanger to end with. Like I said, it has a very dun dun duunnnn feeling to it

I happened to be here when you posted

DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNN!!!

Oh no you don't! -44 (-)

So. After a long time with no progress because of writing chapters for my KSP Megastructures story, I've decided to continue this. Pics today or tomorrow!

-44 (-)

-49 (-)

-45 (-) Time to rally the troops! @Wildcat111 @Xorth Tanovar @Mycroft @Murican_Jeb @SpaceplaneAddict @adsii1970 ONWARDS TO -100! *cue fanfare*

-45 (-)

All mods are allowed, EXCEPT those that add life support or different fuels. I'll add this to the OP, thanks for pointing it out. That's for my KSP Megastructures mission report (discreet advertising)

I have a question: What exactly does a "warning point" do?

CHAPTER 16: SATELLITES GALORE Hardfield Kerman was shocked at the huge pile of documents on his desk. By SQUAD, Kerbol's barely risen above the horizon! he thought, as he sat down in his chair. He picked up the first document. It was titled "Pompadour 1 Munar Survey Launch Document". Hardfield broke into a huge smile as he realized his gamble on commercial launches had succeeded. The Pompadour 1 Munar Survey (P1MS) was apparently built by a company called Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics, and the satellite was supposed to be put into a polar Mun orbit. Then, it would detach 4 small landers that would land on the Mun. Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics had also provided their own launcher, using technology from the KSP and improving on it, to create the launch vehicle. The massive rocket was soon delivered and assembled in the VAB. The payload was attached to the top once it arrived. Denken Kerman, the new head of engineering, thought that the rocket was massively overpowered for the job. But then again, he thought, Kosmos built it. We're just supposed to launch it. And launch it they did. The Pompadour 1 Munar Survey launched in the middle of the day. The high TWR made it very difficult to keep to the proper trajectory. However, the booster separation went exactly as planned. Soon the craft was in orbit. One quick TMI burn later, the P1MS was on its way to the Mun. The Rhino engine ignited one last time to place the spacecraft into a polar LMO. The landers would be landed later, as Kosmos Interplanetary Dynamics wanted to conduct health checks before the mission was continued. So the KSP moved on to the next payload. *** The next payload was the Kerbin Observation Satellite 1 (KOS-1), which included a high-resolution telescope and a new experimental solar array. Another experimental engine was the propulsion system for the KOS-1, the Corvette engine. The intended orbit was a polar 250x250km orbit, easily achievable by the KSP. The strange thing was that the company that provided KOS-1 had not revealed their name, instead just answering <Classified> when asked who they were. However, due to the fact that there was a very high-resolution telescope on board, Hardfield was highly suspicious that the satellite came from the Kerbin-Wide Surveillance and Security Agency (KWSSA). Nevertheless, the craft was accepted and soon it was being inspected in the VAB. The satellite had 2 Korona Lite sample return capsules, to return experiments to Kerbin. After making sure these were firmly attached to the main satellite, the whole thing was botled onto the Cormorant A-0 rocket. This launch would also mark the first launch of a new launch facility, located in the cold and frigid north polar ice cap to cater to polar launches. The facility was called the Zebedee Polar Launch Facility, named after the famous explorer Zebedee Kerman, the first kerbal to reach the north pole. The facility wasn't very big, but it was more than enough for the Cormorant A-0 booster. With Kerbol still below the horizon, KOS-1 lifted off. The rocket ascended as Kerbol peeked over the horizon. Soon KOS-1 was in orbit with an apoapsis of 250km. After a rough circularization by the upper stage, KOS-1 separated and inserted itself into the correct orbit. The upper stage was deorbited once KOS-1 was confirmed to be in a proper orbit. A few orbits later, after health checks were conducted, the first Korona Lite sample return capsule was detached from KOS-1. Its Spark engine ignited to put it on a suborbital trajectory [the plume didn't appear for some reason] The Spark engine burned until it ran out of fuel, putting it onto an unusually steep trajectory. The capsule detached from the propulsion system at just under 115km. Reentry wasn't very stressing on the capsule due to the reentry profile and soon the parachute semi-deployed as planned. Then, it fully deployed, slowing the capsule to just under 15 m/s. A few minutes later, the capsule safely landed in the desert. *** The next launch was of the Kerbol Space Telescope (KST), provided by Sandwich's Raging Rocket Co. Its purpose was to monitor the outer planets and asteroids. It only weighed 0.65 tons, well within the KSP's limits. However, its intended orbit was between Eve and Moho. This satellite would be the closest satellite to Kerbol, at least for the time being. Therefore, it would have to be launched on a Cormorant A-0 booster, to have enough D-v to get KST into its intended orbit. It was bolted onto the Cormorant A-0, with the fairing closely cocooning the payload. It launched in the evening of the next day. The ascent went to plan. Soon the KST was in a parking orbit. A maneuver node was then set to place the periapsis in the correct position. The Skipper engine reignited less than one orbit later to perform the maneuver. Less than a minute later, the burn was complete and the periapsis was set. A maneuver node was set at the periapsis for circularization, and the KST's solar panels deployed to keep the spacecraft charged during the long journey to periapsis. *** Hardfield Kerman had a lot more papers to sort through, but after 3 successful launches, he decided the work could be done the next day and went to bed satisfied that night. Thanks to @Kosmonaut, @Angel-125, @The Raging Sandwich and everyone else who submitted a payload. They'll all be launched!