Mars-Bound Hokie

It can get quite boring just sitting there seeing a rover go at ~5 m/s (I decided as a rule-of-thumb to have a 7.5 m/s rover speed limit for safety and energy efficiency reasons), and I heard that there's still a chance my rover can tip over and break using the MechJeb driver. If I get Bon Voyage, I can sit back and relax (or get to work planning my next mission/work on an ongoing operation) while my rover gets safely to its destination. On the other hand, have there been any cases where the rover tipped over while running on Bon Voyage? Don't be afraid to come forward if it happened to one of your vehicles. - if there are no cases, what's a good general speed limit to set the rover to?

I'd like to get my rovers on autopilot so that I can do other things while they go for hours to their destination. At the same time, I don't want to be in a situation where I learn that my rover took damage tipping on its side. I have VesselMover to correct this, but if it's in pieces it's no good. - What's worse, there may be tourists that can't EVA out of there. I have Mechjeb installed already, and I'm aware of a "Rover Autopilot" feature. However, I recently learned about a new mod named "Bon Voyage" that's supposed to pilot my rovers safely while I do other things. My question here is which one should I use to autopilot rovers? MechJeb rover autopilot (the module's going on there regardless for the "getting from Kerbin to target" phase) or Bon Voyage. - also, how do timewarps affect their performance? I recall that, when I tried using timewarp on my rovers, it started bouncing and going out of control.

I sent a rover to the Mun and rescued two tourists trapped in a mobile base wreckage. I just need to send a lander down to pick them up and they're home-free, but that's easy.

I DID IT!!! I got Madner and Eltrey out. I just need to get a lander to the Mun and fill her up, and they're home free.

Oops, my bad - https://mega.nz/#!OC4TCCRQ!T9EK5Svem4UgviqEqD5AJ2xMJMu4jzcOW1SwDcSN3sY

I think I got a good rescue rover going. I built a "test wreckage" in the same orientation and design as the stranded rover that my tourists are trapped in. I then tested the claw to see if I can transfer Kerbals between the wreckage and the rover, and it worked perfectly when I put my claw in the right spot. After that. I tested the rescue rover to move tourists to the Munar Lander I have planned, and it worked. I even put a couple of drills, a converter, and a fuel tank to convert ore to fuel in case the lander needs some gas. Also, as it is BASA (Blacksburg Aeronautics and Space Administration) regulations to have a means of egress in case of emergency, I put an Mk. 1 Lander pod on the rover and some ladders Link to craft file for reference - built in the SPH: https://mega.nz/#!Depz2QyI!isXGprskZbLP4KnLNuNHcbI279s6FnLcsj8Vydm_sio Now I got another problem: how do I get that thing up to the Mun? I'm open to ideas; screenshots and/or craft files welcome.

I sent a single-launch space station into Minmus Orbit for a contract. It was supposed to: Have an antenna, a docking port, and can generate power - check, check, and check Be able to house at least nine kerbals - It has a crew capacity of eleven. Viewing cupola - check Research lab - check Even has 2.5 m Service Bay loaded with all the scientific equipment I can fit, which is all but the survey scanners. Stability for ten seconds - check Minmus Orbit - check (NOT IN CONTRACT) Standard-issue probe core, battery, and MechJeb - check Probe core for sending the station unoccupied. Will send astronauts up there later. Sure, it may be more expensive than my previous single-launch space stations. And yes, I may be producing at a loss. However, it's totally worth it when I save on assembly costs. Also, since it will still have lots of fuel and oxidizer left in the tanks, I can send landers to the station and get them refueled before I need to send a re-supply mission up there. Not to mention I increase my career reputation

UPDATE: FTA PENDING REDESIGN I just learned (the hard way) that if I fire the engines in my spacecraft in any way, it will wobble. It was bad enough with just the main body, but with at least one module connected to it, the entire thing is shaking. Therefore, I have deemed sending this craft FTA (FAR TOO HAZARDOUS) Pending Redesign. In other words, the Enterprise will not be going to Eve; I will have to wait for large-scale crewed recon missions until I got a good design going. * I can still convert the Enterprise-B (the one currently in orbit, awaiting assembly) into a LKO hotel/fueling port. Any redesign ideas? I'm still adding escape pods, as international law requires that I have enough to transport everyone out in case of an emergency.

It's too late for quick saves now, but I think I found this post helpful - Okay, new plan: send a small, remote-controlled rover with a claw, dock it to the wreckage and transfer the tourists out of there, and then dock the rescue rover to a lunar lander when it arrives to pick them up (and send them to Minmus) Any ideas on designs for such rovers? I'm open to images and/or craft files if you have any.

Okay, fellow Kerbalnauts. Here's the story. I got two Tourists and several other crewmembers to the Mun using a mobile base. Unfortunately, I tipped it over and had to send another one (that's empty) to that landing site to rescue the crew. I was able to get them on board the new rover - as well as a Lvl. 4 Tourist that I made using the cheats - but not the two game-generated Lvl 1 tourists I need. I tried to get them to EVA out of the wreckage, but the game gave me the message "Tourists may not disembark from this vessel." How do I get them out of the wreckage if I can't EVA? I only have 9 Kerbal years before they need to be back home safely, and so far it looks like, unless I do something, they'll be stuck on the Mun forever.

I don't know if anybody has asked this before, but is there a mod I can install to keep landers/rovers upright during landing and/or use? One time, I sent a mobile base to the Mun and it tipped over, rendering it completely useless. Please help.

I'll do you one better, I'll post the craft files for the pieces. You'll need the MechJeb mod for the rendezvous to work right, not to mention you'll have to assemble the pieces one-by-one in orbit before launch. I haven't assembled the craft itself yet, but I designed all of these myself. U.S.S. Enterprise-C (main body) - https://mega.nz/#!rGol3YRR!bQsYA0dvoAu7TSHdJmzwbDMTgmimbHJHwphQw0LZfgc Escape pod (use at least three 3 of them to satisfy crew capacity) - https://mega.nz/#!PbgDSAID!ihmdNYCcBzBkoCHYQd2-fR7jHo7YqDXZRXDs55IcGAg Cargo Storage module w/ infrared telescope - https://mega.nz/#!aKwjECpI!hbCVrkqwZvS9mqrV9M0Zp3F1h7IIxJE-RnTJvK23IQ8 Ultimate Science Module - https://mega.nz/#!zHx3VaIJ!0sby-5MOaHOWpNF_P1q8S_fhWH0usvZNN1nm4GG0nQI Ore Storage (and Conversion, if you feel like filling up the ore tanks for later use) - https://mega.nz/#!GSgBGKpA!vEj8lofrJZf_PefwUhZkqdGowg7UVzMpDBYfYSW9UTU SSTO connector (may use to connect a probe storage module instead, since I'm not landing anyone anywhere at this point) - https://mega.nz/#!3DwXhKJZ!Ncdl68ACjon5V5xM-ukAohbbRe4TmFr5fq7j0LQXg48 Probe Carrier - (TO BE DETERMINED - DOCK WITH SSTO CONNECTOR) UPDATE: Forget landing anyone on Eve, Gilly, or anywhere. Also forget landing any bases on Gilly. The Enterprise will be a scientific exploration vessel, not a rover/aircraft carrier (Escape pods acceptable, but only in case of emergencies or crew transfers). I can send people down at a later date, but first I'd like to learn more about where I'm going to put people later. - there are ships that specialize in crew/rover/base transport, but the Enterprise is not one of them.

UPDATE: Forget landing on Eve itself, and forget the SSTO (I'm still attaching a docking module with the Hitchhiker). The Enterprise-C (Enterprise-B is getting decommissioned later) is a scientific exploration ship, not an aircraft carrier. I'm considering attaching a mobile base I found on YouTube (https://mega.nz/#!EVclXLDT!GWT6hNRnY3CsuBd_Kbq3XfDMkaOl7z9qaZ8g6G8eQ_k - modifying it with MechJeb and a probe core, and) to the Enterprise and leaving it on Gilly for later expeditions; it will at least save some mass for the trip back. On the other hand, I don't know if I should even send any astronauts down to Gilly at all, or even attach that mobile base. Speaking from personal experience, if you add too many purposes to any machine (robot, plane, spacecraft), it ends up falling short on most or all of its objectives. Since I fitted the Enterprise with all available scientific instruments (except the surface scanner, which only works on the surface) and mega-powerful relay antennae, it definitely fits the "Scientific Explorer" objective? I'm still sending a small probe to the surface of Eve, since I'm under a contract to enter Eve's atmosphere. Since I'm also attaching a small Mun Lander to the ship (it got me to Minmus (and the station orbiting it), so it can get me to Gilly easily), I'm also installing light scientific instruments on there. Should I forget sending anyone down to Gilly, or should I go for it. Also, should I try and carry the base from the link above with me? If I do, I'll send it down unmanned, start gathering science data and transmitting it, then activating the drill. I'm also considering attaching a "weather satellite" to put in Eve's orbit. I know, call me chicken for not going for a full-on Eve landing. But that's not it; I'm not landing anyone on Eve just yet. Just like with any other NASA mission in real life, and with all my Mun and Minmus missions, I'd like to know more about where I'm going and what's in it before I risk anyone's life in there. Additionally, attaching a two-way Eve lander to the Enterprise seems like too much trouble. I can build a manned Eve craft later, then launch that at the next window. If refueling is going to be an issue, then I could dispatch a space station (cheaper than assembled Enterprise-class ships), to function as "gas stations" beforehand. That also means I'll have to use the Alt+F12+Create Kerbal cheat to make more personnel that will want to stay in Eve for the rest of their lives. Any ideas?

As the title suggests, I'm building a space station that I can use as an interplanetary travel spacecraft - named the U.S.S. Enterprise after the famous ship from Star Trek. There's no way I can launch it all in one stage, which is why I'm assembling it in Kerbin's orbit before sending it to Eve (and who-knows-where-else). So far, my plans for it involve: MAIN COMPONENT: 5 crew capacity (1 cupola and 2 mobile processing labs), 4 RA-100 Relay antennae, 8,835 power units, well over 15,000 units worth of fuel, 4 docking ports between the two labs for other parts, MechJeb and a probe core, 1 Rhino engine and 16 Swivel engines (the swivels were mainly to help with ascent into orbit), 20 docking ports to hold escape pods/landers/other craft, 8 gigantor solar panels, 8835-V of power ULTIMATE SCIENCE: 6 crew capacity (1 Hitchhiker and 1 mobile processing lab), 2 Communotron-88 antennae, 1,085 units worth of monopropellant (to help with attachment, 4,000-V battery, 1 survey scanner, 1 narrow-band scanner, and a 2.5-m service bay with: 1 science Jr, 1 barometer, 1 thermometer, 1 gravioli detector, 1 mystery goo container, 1 atmospheric scanner, 1 seismic accelerometer, 2 experimental storage units. ORE STORAGE: 3,000 units worth of ore storage space (tanks will start empty), 72 fuel units (to save weight, can refill tank later), convert-o-tron 250, 4 medium extendable radiators, 20 monopropellant (to start - can be refilled later), 4000-V battery, extra 6-sides docking module at the other end. EMPTY CARGO BAY: 1700 monopropellant for the assembly stage, 1 empty Mk3 Cargo Bay CRG-100, 4 Gigantor solar panels, 4000-V battery, 1 Infrared telescope. SSTO DOCK: 4 crew capacity (1 Hitchhiker), 4,000-V battery, 750 monopropellant for assembly, 1 docking port for an SSTO I found on the Internet, (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c1vkqUQ3RVFw2Pgqdo-vFpC2jDwMEsYN/view), SSTO ITSELF: (Check the link above). It's purpose is to dock on and off the Enterprise and get crews on and off planets as well as bring ore back. I plan to modfiy it so that it can easily dock with the Enterprise MOON LANDER: 3 crew capacity (Mk1-3 command pod), 914 Fuel Units, 750 monopropellant, 4 Mk2-R Radial-mount Parachutes, 4,000-V battery, 4 1x6 Solar Panels, 4 LT-2 landing struts, MechJeb and probe core. Also came with a decoupler. Should I remove it or not, since I obviously plan to send the moon crew back up. Pros of keeping decoupler: can also be used as a one-way escape pod Cons of keeping decoupler: it goes off, the crew is going to be stuck there. 3 ESCAPE PODS: EACH HAS (from top to bottom): 7 crew capacity (that's 21 in total), 2 docking ports (1 on top, 1 on side), 9 Mk2-R Radial-mount Parachutes, 4 1x6 Solar Panels, MechJeb and probe core, 10-m inflatable heat shield, 1 25-m decoupler, 2188 units of fuel, 750 monopropellant, Skipper Engine Basically, if you're going to a planet/moon, this is a one-way trip. If you're transferring crews to/from Kerbin or other stations, use only one pod at a time. Keep the pods locked at all times. Do not use all of them (or any of them, for that matter) unless it's a life-threatening emergency that warrants immediate evacuation. I haven't sent any of this up yet, since I wanted to hear your input on what the Enterprise could use. Any ideas, I'm open.

Well, that idea didn't work. I crashed Enterprise-A - now completely drained of fuel and monopropellant - in the water about 100 km from the space center and I got nothing even though the ship was more or less intact right before splashdown. Any ideas why? Also, the middle section of (both variants of) the Enterprise seems to wobble when I make it turn. I put reinforced girders in the middle section to try and reduce it, but that means I won't be able to do that if I dock any other sections to the ship? Any ideas on how to fix this problem, or if I should even replace the Enterprise in the first place? Since space stations apparently aren't insured, I would leave Enterprise-B in orbit as a gas station while I took Enterprise-C (the third variant) to Eve. - So far, it hasn't broken even during re-entry. Should I be concerned at this point, or just relax?

I'm also concerned that the stations' size and docking port placement may harm the Enterprise-B (the ship I'm keeping) - I've already sentenced Enterprise-A (the first variant) to death, so unless it affects fuel transfer I'm not worried about some light/panel dings on A. One idea I had is to send A in close proximity to B, then launching a "fueling pod" to transfer fuel between ships.

I know that sometimes space stations fall out of orbit and crash onto Kerbin. But, has anybody tried to do that INTENTIONALLY? And even then, how much money can you get from debris recovery? Here's the story. I was preparing an interplanetary spacecraft (named the U.S.S. Enterprise) for assembly in orbit. Hours after I launched my first idea, I figured out a way to put in a station with more fuel tanks (and docking ports) attached to it. Since the first variant was very expensive and is currently unmanned (has a standard-issue probe core and MechJeb), I thought about cutting my losses and crashing it into the ocean so that I can collect debris money and have only one Enterprise ready. How profitable is that strategy? - also, has anyone tried rendezvousing two space stations (in my case, the two Enterprises) together and docking them? I'm considering transferring most of my fuel from the first ship to the second one before crashing it.

Or just leave the debris there while I take the crew. That's what I did while saving the two astronauts from their cheap cockpits.

No dice on the pause menu or the Alt-F12 settings (Val's not missing, she's dead), but at least I can create my own Kerbals for free (e.g. Jack, Mason, Tayo). As for the rescue contracts, should I expect to see plane cockpits without any docking ports. - also, any ideas on how to grab them if EVA is not possible?

Got it, thanks. Now I know that: Glemund's a female pilot She's stuck in a Mk. 2 cockpit that's out of electricity and monopropellant. Whether or not the cockpit will have a docking port is of no concern (it'd be nice if it did): I managed to rescue Judith when she was stuck in a Mk. 1 cockpit by switching to her when the tip of the crew transit vehicle was 10 meters away from her wreck. As long as I'm looking at the .sfs file, how do I resurrect Val? I left her to die over Kerbin's seas while completing a survey contract. I think if I change "state = Dead" to "state = Available," she'll come back. However, the code also says "17 = Die" and "18 = Die" after "17 = Flight,Kerbin" How do I deal with that?

Okay. I found the persistent.sfs file on the saves > BASA folder and tried opening it, but couldn't. How do I do that?

Is there a list of all available crewmembers for hire and/or rescue I can find, along with their specialties? I know I can see that in the astronaut complex, but what about the ones I need to rescue first (e.g. Judith and Glemuth). Call me curious, but I would like to know what more about who I'm coming for and what they can bring later in case I want to use them again. If a complete Kerbalnaut directory already exists, can you please post the link? Thank you.

Even afterwards, you still need a lot of money to pay for those expensive interplanetary spacecraft and hire more personnel.

Damn, that is one fast plane. I tried your design out myself, and it was awesome. So far, I've clocked a top speed of ~1300 m/s (~2908.017 miles per hour) and an altitude of 25,000 meters (82,020.997 feet). The only problem is I keep catching fire every once in a while, so I cut the engine to save fuel and slow myself down so I don't explode. Know anything I can do about this? * I also made missile bays out of radial decouplers, Mk. 0 tanks, and tiny rocket engines and nose cones, but they didn't really do much once deployed. They mainly worked as air-to-ground ordinance, but I was hoping it would be ground-to-air. Can your plane do better speed and altitude-wise? If so, do you recommend I push further or stay within certain limits to not kill myself?

I lost Val while finishing a contract. She and Jeb were flying to the other side of Kerbin in a Mk. 2 jet to get a pressure reading; since we would not have enough fuel to make the return trip (and I sucked at landing), I made a mechanism that ejected the cockpit from the main body of the plane and deployed radially-mounted parachutes (standard-issue to all aircraft). After I deployed the cockpit chutes, I decided to have Jeb go on an EVA and show off his new suit Level 2 parachute. Though I managed to land Jeb safely in the water, I later learned that Valentina was killed in action. The weird part was that I deployed that system many times and it was perfectly safe. I don't know what happened to her; even if the SAS was turned off, I'm sure the cockpit-mounted parachutes would have still slowed her down to a safe velocity (even if we're over water). Any ideas as to how she died, everyone? Just like NASA with the Challenger, the KSP will take all necessary steps to ensure the death of a crewmember does not happen again.