Jestersage

We know even LESS about the Shenzhou, other than that it's based on Soyuz, with bigger (in comparison to Soyuz) Orbital module that carried its own Solar panels, controls, and thrusters and can fly on its own, and it allegedly "provide experimentation capability". The only thing confirmed is that one of the Orbital Module stayed up there by itself for few months for some experiment. That being said, it's not a improbability, since Gemini MOL is a Spacelab in itself. If we are tallkign about SpaceLab, it has at most an equivalent capability to Salyut. If we are talking about ISS building (vs Mir, etc), it's the module itself, which I think is independent of Shuttle. It's not just space program, In some place, you have politician confusing a bike and full-size pickup truck, and people keep voting them in three times. Oh, and some people believe that it's okay to cook with electricity only.

I am not going to disagree on Energia being better rocket, but in terms of the alleged purpose of a spaceplane / shuttle-- more reuse-- is it better? Block 2 energia-buran is definitely better by being reusable, but what about Block I, where an expensive rocket have to be discarded everytime? If we are going straightly-pod-to-shuttle: As soon as shuttle use ISS instead of the skylab, yes, pod is cheaper. especially if they managed to make pod reusable (which wasn't true with Apollo or soyuz, but yes for Orion). Shuttle is only cheaper if based on the alleged plan of reusing its booster (and the orange fuel tank IS cheap), but apparently it's not. As for carrying a experiment capsule, Shenzhou's Orbital Module would like to say ni'hao.

Mainsail equal to 1 first stage engine or all 6 of them combined?

Since I have success with my ESA Hermes, I decide to use it to make the LKS, aka "Soviet mini shuttle". It is suppose to be launch by Proton, which is famous for delivering Salyut, Mir parts, and quite a lot of Commercial cargos to space. Problem is that while the Shuttle is easily made and launched on that Ariane V clone, trying to make a Proton seems impossible without going with Vector engines. The first stage is pretty much 6 "side" tanks, each with an engine, radial attached and autostruct to the central tank. So far I have tried making one with 1.25m parts, 2.5m parts; a mix of them; Gave up on 1.25m parts (and thus no more T-30) and gone using Mainsail or Skipper; Removing all fuels from the center "tank"... It refuse to reach orbit. And this thing is suppose to be able to launch the Salyut and Mir! Did the Russkies discovered some secret sauce that made it so powerful? Must I go with Vector engine? The idea is that I can use something that is cheaper or having lower tech requirement than the Kerbodyne parts...

Thank you for doing all these spacecrafts, and I actually utilized many of your launchers due to the ease of use and design. I would like to pick your brain, Raptor9: Now that in 1.2, we need relay satellites. Two real world analogues I can think of are TDRS (NASA) and TianLian (China; word means "SkyChain"). What kind of Satellite bus (probe core) would you use to create them? And if you are making a TDRS clone, would you settle for 3 to 4 HG-5 (the only foldable relay antenna), or would you go with RA-2?

Ah okay then. I will just put a cheap Relay up. A contract is still a contract.

Aside from SSTO and designs based on NASA Space Shuttles, the other kinds of spaceplanes I see are plane launched, plane-on-a-stick (rocket), and Buran based. In KSP, we know why we do the latter designs: They are much easier to design and fly. But IRL, the plane-on-a-stick (ESA Hermes) and the Buran type made be wonder why they even bothered with a plane at all. Until Space-X (and a one-off Energia Block II design), boosters are not reusable, making the cost much higher. In the meantime, they need to figure out the technology to land the plane safely... meanwhile, the Soviets have the nice space capsules already. I know there are arguments, even by Popular Mechanics, that state the Buran are better. Aside from its automatic landing system, I am not sure how correct that argument is. So can someone explain why would Plane-on-a-stick and Buran be better than using space capsules, possible with cargo fairing beneath the capsule (which is one of the plan for Energia usage)?

As of now, the reason I am doing a sun Orbit launch is to waste less of a launch and have less objects to track while doing a contract to test the TR-XL. If I am throwing something up there that involve a probe core, I may as well send a useful relay up. That being said, I did planned to eventually put an actual Relay just in case I want to talk with something on the opposite end of Kerbin; this is about the only reason I see a sun orbit relay being useful.

In 1.1.3, I am constantly concerned about my shuttles/spaceplane re-entry, as there's always a chance it will overheat and explode. In 1.2, using the same design and same entry AP-Pe levels, I ended up coasting to the runway (or short of it -- targeting is never my strength) I have double checked on the re-entry heat, and it's still the default value of 100% Are there other values that may affect it in the settings, or did the Devs changed something?

Where is the best place to put a sun-orbit relay, and what is the launch window and launch vehicle required for it?

I forgot, but it's possibly due to Kotaku.

How did you deorbit without a probe core and thruster?

In real life, the Plasma blackout is bypassed by the TDRS. In KSP, so far I only have one instance where the plasma blackout was bypassed through the use of relay. Can someone confirm if it's possible to bypass it with a relay? I am writing a challenge, and I have included "relay can bypass plasma blackout".

I want to make a copy of Soyuz and CEV-Lockheed, and all of them have an orbital module. If I want to duplicate it in functionality, is the orbital module close to a service bay with science equipments, or the full blown MPL?

Yeah, and NASA ended up picking Orion. Meanwhile Shenzhou have an autonomous orbital module.

Yeah, solved that by putting tail wings. Not that I really like it because Ariane 5 (and majority of modern launchers) do not come with wings, but hey, if Dyna-soar put wings on theirs... Thanks. I spend most of the time on KerbalX instead, and so thought there was no examples of Hermes. Unlike yours, I made mine with Mk-2, since I saw the sample pictures have the spacelab at the BACK of the Hermes.. Been flying my ver.c, which had just finished rescuing one kerbal and may do an Oberth maneuver (?) to rescue another. On a sidenote, I am also trying to make a CEV-Lockheed, which have a Lifting body return plane, mission module, and service module, in that order. Should I: 1) Use a shroud on top? 2) Have a lab behind it, or just a service bay with the usual science fixings?

Also, I notice that you do not have the priority numbers, so I guess you need to enable those. I think the advance tweakable is in settings? Note that the use of fuel lines is still recommended.

I am trying to make an ESA Hermes clone, and for some reason it keeps tipping over, or pitched to the west. May I ask what could be the cause for such to happen?

So what's the more realistic occulsion, 0.90/0.75, 1/1, or some other number?

Why did they set those not to 1, especially for objects with no atmosphere? I can understand about the atmosphere to simulate the bouncing of signal by atmosphere...

Relay Sat... I am assuming "No DSN" just means no extra ground station. remember, the reason why TDRS and TianLian was developed is precisly due to possibility (or reality for China) that they have no allied nations for ground station.

Yeah. The idea is that the Kerbals manage to purchase/stole quite a lot of the well developed technology, but then need to actually put Kerbals up.

For one of my career, I actually gave myself a majority of the R&D tree, but kept a limit of budget. Is this play style okay?

How old was that Old career? I know that by the time 1.0 hit, each three class have their own specialty, and only Pilots gain SAS. Scientist are the only one that can man the Mobile Lab and reset experiment. Engineers are needed to repack chuts and fix broken components.