vasimv

Sorry for stupid question, but how those wolf transport credits are calculated? I have RealSolarSystem and with smallest craft i was able to get to the Moon's biome it says "423 transport credits" (from depot at KSC site). That is kinda too much, will have to spend excrementsload of money to get enough transport credits. Almost impossible in career mode. Do i have to use cheapest possible rocket or orbital refuelling to lower cost?

1mm steel wire rope cable should easily handle 10N. There will be a bit more stresses than just thrust but should be in its limits since no gravity or aerodynamic resistance, just some solar wind (which could help even when starting to Mars). Unfortunately, i'm not an engineer myself, not able to calculate I see only potential problem with high current in these cables but with high voltage configuration (40000V or more) in the panel it would be just 10A current, should work. VASIMR requires high voltage anyway. I don't think folding is real problem as modules always can use ion engines to push themselves away and sun will be almost always available on its flypath to power them, small batteries will be used as backup. We can even start rotate whole ship during non-thrust time, so modules will be pushed in opposite direction by centrifugal force (available power will be much less but still a lot to keep ship working). That will save ion engines propellant and power but requires good mass balancing. Mass budget is pretty conservative (4000m2 panels may weight under 7 tonns even, array may be arranged in 40x100m shape to lower stretching and reduce cable length, etc), so a lot of room to improve.

Hope this is really new, i couldn't find any similar design for a spaceship. What you think, the design is feasible? My idea is a cheap spaceship with electric propulsion (low thrust, high delta-v) which could be used as a probe or small (tens of tonns) cargo hauler. The ship contains few parts connected with 1mm steel+copper cables - two propulsion modules (can be more than two, connected in triange/square/etc shape) and large solar panel array (flexible panels or multiple small panels with flexible connections between). Basically, it is hammock in space. :) After launch - propulsion modules slowly position themselves at predefined distance between, rotate panels so they get maximum power and start accelerating with same acceleration, constantly checking distance/orientation. Since acceleration is quite low - stress to panels will be minimal. Modern microcontrollers shouldn't have any problem to keep modules in correct formation. Eeach propulsion module weight 2-3 tonns (without propellant) has: VASIMR engine VX-200 (200kW power, 5N thrust, 5000 Isp) 8 small ion engines used for precise orientation 10 tonns propellant tank Rotation mechanism for the array Some rechargable batteries for ion engines and a control system with cameras/laser rangefinder. Solar panel array has 4000 m2 (20mx200m) of solar panels for 400kW electrict output, weights 10 tonns Steel+copper cable 1mm diameter (used to carry panels and for transferring power to propulsion modules), weights 2 tonns This ship will able to carry up up to 40 tonns load (loaded on top of propulsion modules in two 20x tonns chunks), dry weight 18 tonns, loaded with propellant - 38 tonns. Delta-V without load - 36 km/s, with full load - 14.5km/s, enough to travel to Mars (without load - doesn't need any launching window even) and back. Since thrust is very small, acceleration and capture burns will be very long (weeks or even months). Travels to Venus or Mercury will be more efficient as there is more sunlight and VASIMR engine can use more power to give better Isp. The ship can be launched by something like Falcon Heavy to LEO (folded like scroll for 2x modules version or like origami for other versions). Cannot land, just orbit-to-orbit missions. For deep-space travels - a 20-40MW laser from Earth or Moon can be used to power it or to save propellant (more power - better Isp).

I've tried to use RCS engines to press down the outpost to the surface while moving on wheels but doesn't help really. It is 26 tonns heavy already, but still jumpy. I know, kerbals are crazy but pay for wheels on Gilly... Well...

Got contract to land outpost to the Gilly. Nothing wrong with the idea but it did ask me to have wheels on it. Come on, wheels on Gilly?!? I could barely find flat space on the asteroid so the 26 tonns outpost won't jump to orbit or self-destruct after switching time warp (quite annoying bug if you ask me), wheels on the body are completely useless. And well, i think we need kind of graping hooks to tie stuff to the surface, really.

Actually, it is possible to make unicycle rover, advanced stabilizer do enough to keep it in vertical position even with just one wheel. And if change batteries to flat square ones - it can get into service bay with small separator. Getting out of bay is a bit tricky though, you have to switch directions randomly fast and eventually it'll pop out. But no way to get it back after, so just one-time use. I guess, small 3/4 wheels thingie is more practical for the task.

Not sure if this counts (as it cannot get from cargo bay without force and separators), but still. RC-001S core and QBE core at top (to switch "control from here" and use SAS to stay on wheels), advanced inline stabilizer, two batteries, two RTGs and some science stuff for exploration.

After few days experimenting with mining spaceplanes, i've found this is not really suits my needs. 200t+ spaceplane with VTOL engines blocks that able to carry convert-o-tron 250 and few Nerv engines is too bulky and have not really good delta-v (so, requires refuelling at orbit with other ships often) with very slow acceleration rate and quite hard to operate. So, i've decided to switch to copter-style ships. Build simple one with 16x nerv engines (in 8x blocks with two engines), 28t Mk3 liquid tank, 14.57 Mk3-2.5m adapter with LF+OX, 4.57t Mk3 monopropellant tank, some Mk1 LF tanks, two large drills (one at top - for asteroids mining and one at bottom - for planets harvesting) 2700 ore capacity (had few contracts for mining and hauling ore around), RCS, grab unit, Sr docking port and full set of scientific stuff with 3 kerbals crew capacity (one engineer and two scientists in mobile lab). Also features many lamps to mine at dark places (well, wasn't really good idea as it kills my videocard at places like Duna when turned on, i guess because it tries to calculate atmosphere's light paths). The ship is quite self-sufficient, 5000+ delta-v with quite good push (so, less boring time while accelerating), able to land and take off Duna and smaller bodies, has ability to refuel other small ships on orbits. Because large ore tanks - it is able to get large bonus delta-v (about 20%, so it will have 6000+ dv!) as you can start from small bodies full of ore and convert it is to the fuel after taking off and finishing first maneuvers. Cost is about 1 million (with first two stages to get on orbit, could save a bit if have used vtol-landing stage but was a bit lazy to build such large pusher). Contains only stock stuff, except mechjeb (can be removed, of course). Launched the ship to 200km orbit, headed to Minmus to complete "get ore from Minmus to Kerbin's orbit" contract, flew to the Ike and brought 2700 ore to the Duna's surface (had 1.7mil contract on this), made atmosphere fly with copter-style flying to get closer to old Duna base, picked experienced crew there and went back to Ike (to finish "make EVA on Ike's orbit). At launch pad To 200km orbit Final separation at orbit Heading to the Minmus Landing at Ike Mining at Ike Hauling ore to Duna Landing at Duna Picking up crew at Duna Ugh, forgot to install ladders... Well, EVA jetpacks were enough... ...But a bit tricky Taking off from Duna

After few unsuccessful attempts to land on ground, i was able to land spaceplane full of fuel (mk2 fuselage, 2x rapier, 2x nerv) in sea in Laythe near an island, then swim with low-thrust on rapiers to the ground and get on beach ground. Rest was easy, just took off laythe, refuelled spaceplane on orbit and send it back to Kerbin.

KS-25x4 Mammoth engine are easy to use for VTOL-landing heavy lifter capable to deliver tens of tons to and land back with drops of fuel (to slow-down touching speed) at 97% cost refund (with help of mechjeb to optimal ascension and landing near KSP center to minimize losses). To deliver 90+ tons at 200km orbit i've used 8x mammoth engines, 2x 14400 tanks for every engine. If you stack up more mammoths, you can lift 150+ tons of payload with your ship and simple booster staging that will give enough delta-v to reach the Mun.