Plane Crazy

I sent my new interplanetary transport vessel on its maiden voyage to deploy some relays around Duna. Jeb and friends got some experience as well. Aerocapture at Duna Deploying the relays: Aerocapture at Kerbin: Tomorrow I'll send a shuttle up to retrieve the crew. The ship still has enough dV. to do the entire thing again, but I'll probably refuel it anyway.

I got fed up with horizontal SSTOs, so I made a vertical one. It's capable of delivering a Jumbo 64 tank to LKO. Nailed the landing!

I sent the former Gilly transfer craft to the Mun to fulfill a docking contract from way back, because I didn't know that you had to dock two separate launches. I docked it with a small probe launched from a spaceplane. Ascent: Deploying the probe: Docked: Recovering the probe and crew, and refueling the transfer ship's monopropellant tanks: Landed back on the runway (the nose cone exploded on ascent, will probably replace it with another shock cone):

I took a crew of three on a mission to Gilly, with a turnout of 5000+ science.

I experimented with some electric VTOL designs to send to Eve. I still can't figure out how to make one using ducted fans/shrouds, but I got this to work:

I made another propeller plane using rotors. Next up is to make a VTOL to take to Eve.

Correction. By pitch, I mean propeller pitch. I haven't gotten quite figured out how to use the blades in conjunction with the KAL yet. Thanks for the tips anyway, I'll certainly put them to use!

I built my first propeller plane today. I can't seem to find many good tutorials on this, and I don't have any control over the rpm or pitch. But it's a huge step forward!

Yep, that's it. Thanks!

I sent a probe to Gilly. It ended up with a huge amount of leftover fuel, because the dV calculations in the VAB were way off. It's still attached to the transfer stage. I I finally got me a scientist after getting pilots and engineers for 8 rescue missions. There was barely enough fuel for a rendezvous, as I timed it poorly, but the crew made it home in one piece.

Today I took a spaceplane into orbit to remove some debris.

Bill and Bob went to the Mun to take care of a couple survey contracts. It was a very tedious process, as I had to cross a large crater using a terribly designed rover that had no reaction wheels and tended to flip.

I crashed a probe into Minmus to get some seismic data, and it somehow sent the nearby flag on an escape trajectory out of the Kerbol system.

Here's the latest result of my VTOL experiments:

I made a reusable launch vehicle today, with fins that fold down into SpaceX style landing legs. Unfortunately, it came down on a mountain. But everything survived!

Val and Bob took a trip to Minmus. It's great to have a use for rovers now.

I'm starting to agree, though I think I just need more practice at it. I threw together a VTOL today using rotors, my first use of the BG robotics parts. It flies terribly, but I was able to fly a short distance and drop off a rover. The engine nacelles just flop all over the place, and I have to rotate them manually, because I haven't figured out how to change between positions using only one action group.

Today I landed on the Mun for the first time in a couple years. It almost feels like a different game, with all of the textures and new parts being added since the last time I played.

I got tired of waiting around for KSP 2, and decided to finally download both DLCs and start a new career save. My ultimate goal is to establish a permanent presence on Laythe. I got most of the usual starting contracts done today, and plan on landing on the Mun tomorrow.

The lift fans are supposed to be able to run without oxygen in electrical drive mode right? I brought one to Duna and it says it needs oxygen, even though it is set in electric mode. Running KSP 1.5 with all NFT mods.

Jeb went to the North Pole.

Just designed this compact VTOL skimmer. It should attach nicely to the side of a lander.

I built this thing in preparation for a base/launch facility on Duna. I have to say, those electric lift fans are RIDICULOUSLY overpowered. I had to bring the thrust limiter down to 30% just to be able to control the craft, and they barely sip the batteries, even at 100%.

Launched a joint scientific/rescue mission to the Mun.

Sent a survey probe to Duna.