Scarecrow71

I shall have to do that as they aren't on CKAN. Thanks again!

Because they were bored. Why did the ancient aliens build the pyramids?

@Cheesecake Worked like a charm once I removed most (not all) of Raidernick's parts. One thing I am missing, though, are the Tantares probes shown on the first page. None of them are found in CKAN...unless they are under a different name than Tantares? I could grab them from GitHub, but I thought they'd all be in CKAN?

And Sputnik I is in orbit. I will state that I am digging trying to do this. I normally don't use part packs, primarily because they feel like cheating with all the extra science gadgets that exist in them. But I have made a vow that I am not going to use any of these extra gadgets except where entirely necessary to complete a mission, such as the Sputnik I probe sending signals back to Earth. Anyhow, on to Sputnik II!

With thanks to @Cheesecake, I was able to successfully launch Sputnik I into orbit. I did, however, have to modify my mod list slightly in order to get things to work; I need to be working with the appropriate parts. So my mod list now looks thusly: Atmosphere Autopilot BahaSP MechJeb 2 Kerbal Alarm Clock Reentry Particle Effect Renewed RN Soviet Probes RN Soviet Rockets Tantares Tantares LV Trigger Tech Sputnik I And that completes the second launch. Sputnik I is in orbit!

Ah, that might be the issue here. I thought the Block A and the boosters were from Tantares. Back to the drawing board, and hopefully I can figure out which parts are from which mod!

Correct. It would be perfect if people would match historical accuracy (like I'm trying to do), but because there is a stock category, getting as close as you can to the actual spirit of the challenge will suffice. And keep in mind the first launch, the R-7 Semyorka ICBM, is optional.

@Cheesecake I only mentioned Tantares because that's where the vast majority of the parts I'm using on this vessel come from. But, because you asked, the entire list of mods I'm using: Atmosphere Autopilot BahaSP MechJeb 2 Kerbal Alarm Clock Reentry Particle Effect Renewed RN Salyut RN Soviet Probes RN Soviet Rockets RN Soyuz Tantares Tantares LV Trigger Tech I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, and I am seriously needing help identifying why this rocket won't get into orbit with the Tantares engines and fuel tanks.

Yeah, there are some issues with having only stock and no DLC. If that is the case, you will have no choice but to use the KSC. The big issue comes in the form of parts that you don't have access to in order to do the challenge until you open up some later nodes, which can be done exactly as @18Watt stated above. And because it is possible to get the probe core without launching a single vehicle, that's the route you will have to take. Unless, of course, you want to go hit up my own Mission Report to see the Soviet parts packs I'm using (which then puts you in the Fully Modded category). Challenges aren't supposed to be easy all the time, and this is one of them where, although it may be possible to use stock, you might be better off to have a secondary copy of the game on your machine and mod that one to do it. And to be fair about it, I'm having my own problems right now with the Soviet parts packs in that I cannot get Sputnik I into orbit. I'm asking for help in the Tantares thread.

@Cheesecake I'm playing in stock 1.8.1; I do not have any physics-altering mods installed. As far as understanding the engines goes, I literally went off the specs from the 8K71PS Wikipedia entry, and that states there are 2 distinct and separate stages: Sputnik (rocket) - Wikipedia Now, as you pointed out, I did end up having to fire the first and second stages (the 4 x RD-107 and 1 x RD-108) at the same time to get any type of lift off the Desert launchpad. Unfortunately, I am unable to achieve orbit using this rocket. I will state that I did alter the payload portion of the rocket slightly, but only to include a decoupler and a couple of the rectangular support columns to get the Sputnik probe up and away from the base of the fairing. But the amount of weight added there is so small that it shouldn't have impacted the rocket's ability to reach orbit. Again, I don't know why this thing won't reach orbit. Here is a shot of the rocket in the VAB so you can see what I built: What am I missing here? Why do I not have a TWR higher than what I have, and why I am unable to reach orbit? Again, I built this using the specs on the page I linked to for the actual 8K71PS rocket. I could probably build the 8A91 rocket to launch Sputnik I...but that's not historically accurate. Help?

So, I've got a question regarding the parts in this pack, specifically their performance. And I'll apologize up front if this has been asked an answered...but with 848 pages of posts on this mod, I just didn't go reading everything. It's literally the definition of TLDR. Anyhow, I am working on recreating the Space Race, from the R-7 Semyorka launched in 1957 to the Mir space station inhabitation in 1990. I am unfortunately only up to the Sputnik I launch (second launch in the timeline), and I'm already stuck. The Sputnik I satellite was launched using the 8K71PS vehicle, which has only 2 stages: Liftoff stage consisting of 4 strap-on boosters (Block B, V, G, D) and powered by 4 RD-107 engines Transfer stage consisting of 1 Block A core and powered by 1 RD-108 engine Sputnik I has an orbital inclination of 65.10 degrees, with an Ap of 939km and a Pe of 215km. These should all be easily achievable with most stock parts...but the Tantares parts don't have the power/thrust/dV to get the satellite into orbit. I tried multiple times today with this build, and the best I could reach was an Ap of ~85km with a Pe still under the atmospheric line of 70km. I cannot even get into orbit with this launch vehicle, let alone into the historical orbit achieved by the actual Sputnik I. For what it's worth, I'm launching from the Desert Complex, although I am told that Woomerang is closer to the real-life latitudinal coordinates that the Soviets used to launch from. So what am I doing wrong here? I tried using MechJeb to do the launch, but even MJ is having issues even reaching 70km, let alone hitting orbit (and I think that has to do with the fact that I don't have Advanced Flight Control unlocked in R&D in this particular career game yet). Launching manually I have tried slight and heavy gravity turns, as well as launching straight up until the first stage is ejected and then doing a major gravity turn. And on this note, the 4 RD-107 engines have a TWR on the launchpad with this vehicle of 0.97, which means I have no choice but to fire both the first and second stages at the same time, which uses up fuel that I shouldn't have to use up out of the Block A core. Do the part files need modification to increase the output of the engines, or increase the capacity of liquid fuel available? Is there some trick to launching with these parts that I am unaware of (and potentially missed due to not reading 800+ pages of posts)? Were these parts not created to replicate historical launches? Anybody have any idea as to what I need to do here to get this to work, beyond switching to strict core parts and "faking" the 8K17PS?

I'd say I had a good day. Thanks! I wish @Kerbal Productions had a good day.

Yesterday I set up a challenge for the historical cold war Space Race between the Soviets and the Americans. And today I completed the first flight of said challenge.

And my official entry into my own challenge.

I created a challenge for the real-world Historical Space Race, and this mission thread is going to be my entry into that. It is good manners to actually do the challenge you put forth, so here I am. A link to the Historical Space Race thread: I'm playing as the Soviets in this run-through...although I do have time to change my mind and do both at once if I wish. The first 3 flights in the challenge are Soviet-based, so I could potentially end up doing those and then deciding to also do the Americans. But, I'm not sure at this point; I'll let fate decide that when I get that far. Before we get into screenshots and all, the specs of my entry: KSP Version: 1.8.1 DLC: Both (Making History and Breaking Ground) Mods Atmosphere Autopilot BahaSP MechJeb 2 Kerbal Alarm Clock Reentry Particle Effect Renewed RN Salyut RN Soviet Probes RN Soviet Rockets RN Soyuz Tantares Tantares LV Trigger Tech Due to the part mods, this puts the entry into the Fully Modded category. I'm not sure this challenge is possible in stock without part mods. Anyhow, a screen shot of my settings: So, Science games generally have Kerbals all start at level 5 with maximum experience. And because I'm used to having to level up my Kerbals in-game, I changed that. So this is Normal...with a twist. Science Farming All games start with some form of science farming. And normally you start by farming the launchpad and the runway. Not in this one. With playing the Soviets, I am limited to all launches – which includes science farming – being done at the Desert Complex. This means no science at the runway. However, I am able to go EVA at the Desert Complex, and then climb down into the Desert and collect science there. This allows me to, after farming, unlock Basic Rocketry, Engineering 101, and Survivability. R-7 Semyorka ICBM

Hmmm, that's an interesting question. The Desert Complex reminds me of Baikonour...but Woomerang has the same (roughly) latitude. I'll allow it!

I finally learned how to use the Advanced Grabbing Unit effectively. I've been trying for a couple of weeks now to use it to rescue Kerbals in LKO, and every time I would simply just botch it. Not so much because of the AGU, but more because I kept zipping past the target. But after multiple tries today, I was able to line up the rescue ship on the right line towards the target scrap, move carefully into position, and snatch! Except for one where I had to revert because I accidentally hit the Z key about 3 meters out and cranked up the speed to about 10 m/s. Blamo!

@Akagi You might want to also check out the Orbit Boot Camp challenge that @Chequers has set up. A lot of what you want to do in your challenge is already available and being done in his.

‐The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, which began following World War II. Historians do not fully agree on its starting and ending points, but the period is generally considered to span the 1947 Truman Doctrine (12 March 1947) to the 1991 Dissolution of the Soviet Union (26 December 1991). The term cold war is used because there was no large-scale fighting directly between the two superpowers, but they each supported major regional conflicts known as proxy wars. The conflict was based around the ideological and geopolitical struggle for global influence by these two superpowers, following their temporary alliance and victory against pedant Germay in 1945. Aside from the nuclear arsenal development and conventional military deployment, the struggle for dominance was expressed via indirect means such as psychological warfare, propaganda campaigns, espionage, far-reaching embargoes, rivalry at sports events and technological competitions such as the Space Race. Before we get into the specifics, I'd first like to hand out some major props to several people, not the least of which includes @Superfluous J (for his continued involvement with the Kerpollo Program), @18Watt (for his continued involvement in the Elcano Challenge), @JAFO (for his continued involvement in the Caveman Challenge), and @Akagi (for setting up the Historical Replica Challenge, of which this challenge is partially borne). There are many people here on the forums that deserve kudos, but these 4 individuals specifically have pushed me to be better at this game, and of that their ideas have sparked in me an idea for a challenge of my own to put forth and be the moderator of. What will come of it? I don't know. But let's have some fun trying to find out, shall we? This challenge is based upon the real-life Space Race, a technological competition/conflict between the USSR and the USA, starting with the Truman Doctrine in 1947 and ending effectively with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. During these 44 years, these 2 superpowers undertook what can now only be defined as the great leap forward technologically, each pushing the other to develop better and new ways to explore the vastness of space around our little blue globe. It starts with the launching of the first true ICBM in 1957, and it ends with the launching of the Mir space station in 1991 (shortly before the USSR dissolves officially and is no longer seen as 1 unified country in the eyes of the United Nations). So, what are the challenge parameters? How does one go about fulfilling the challenge requirements to get one of those sweet, sweet signature badges? I'm so glad you asked! Choose a side, Soviet or American, and, using the list that follows, launch every single rocket or satellite or what-have-you in chronological order for that superpower. The only exception here is that, should you decide to be the Soviets, you do not have to launch the first ICBM (although you may certainly do so if you so wish). On this note, you may absolutely decide to be one side, and then follow it up with the other, to earn both of the individual badges. If you are so inclined, do them both at once, again in chronological order, to get the combined badge. Start a new game on a difficulty no easier than Normal. If you wish, you may absolutely do a harder difficulty. All you may not do with the difficulty settings is make this easier than Normal. You have your option of which kind of game you want to play: Sandbox. Access to all parts right away. Science. Play here for a bit of a challenge, or if you want to farm science points. Normal Career. So you have nano-crystalline in your blood, eh? No contracts, ans toi start with no parts and lousy weight and part limits. Finishing this would be impressive. Track your progress, either in a Mission Report or here in this thread. For every launch, you must provide at a minimum: A screen shot of your ship/payload on the launchpad. A screen shot of your ship/payload in flight. A screen shot of your ship/payload at the target destination. For any ships/payloads that you return to Kerbin, you must provide a shot of the ship/payload back on the surface. All launches for Soviet craft are to be done from the Desert Launch Complex, while all American craft are to be launched from the Kerbal Space Center. No other launch sites are to be used. This inherently means that you must have the Making History DLC...or provide me with a really good reason why you can't launch from the Desert Complex for Soviet craft. All craft should be as close to being historically accurate as you can make them. If you are using Stock parts (this means that you are not using any part mods), some leeway will need to be taken into account as a lot of the early parts won't get you entirely accurate with the rockets/designs. All target destinations/orbits should be as close to being historically accurate as possible. This includes inclination, Ap, Pe, etc. Below is a list of all of the Space Race first launches that need to be completed for this challenge. I have given links to specific rockets so people can see the accurate rocket/orbit/destination information. I am aware that it is generally seen as incomplete to not give this information in this post, but if I did that then I'd be typing until the Kerbals come home. I have given lists broken out by decade, with the Soviets and Americans interspersed. This should allow people to see who is doing what at a given time, as well as allow those of you who are wishing to do both sides at once an easier time of seeing what needs to be done. 1957 - 1959 1960 - 1969 1970 - 1979 1980 - 1990 If you think that's a lot of missions to undertake in one challenge, then you are correct. In this 40+ year period, our world went from barely being in the sky to setting foot on the Moon and attempting to have at least a few people live in space. And when you think that, until the early 1900s people were still using horse-and-buggy as a primary means of land transportation, the scope of what was undertaken is pretty massive. And so, therefore, is this challenge. Keep in mind that this is not meant to be an actual "race" between anyone...unless you and a friend wish to make it so. There are going to be 3 categories for entry into this challenge. They are: Stock, Unmodded. DLC (Making History, Breaking Ground) do not count as modded entries. Stock Parts, Modded. This includes all submissions that do not have part mods, but do in fact have other mods that alter gameplay. The use of KER and MJ are allowed, but they will be scrutinized for all the missions in the 1950s as tech/science in that timeframe was pretty limited. Fully Modded. This includes any submissions that include part mods. Any submission that includes RSS falls into this category. Any mods that alter physics or the tech tree must be approved prior to use. Let me state that again with some flair so it is not lost in this sea of text: Any mods that alter physics or the tech tree must be approved prior to use. I'm not against using them, I just simply am not familiar with every single mod out there that could exist, and I'd like to review them to make sure they don't make this challenge so easy that you push one button and you are done. I believe in being fair, so I ask you to help me out with some of this. Once people start submitting and completing this challenge I will put up the leaderboard for the different categories. And I will also be submitting my own entry here so you can see that I'm not above trying to do this myself. And, of course, what people really want: Badges. With all of that said, I welcome questions and/or comments on this challenge. I tried not to duplicate anything else already being done or having been set up in the past, but I'm not perfect. If I missed something or didn't clarify enough, ask! Participants, Stock Unmodded @18Watt, attempting to do the American/Soviet combo. Finished the 1950s. Complete through Syncom III. Participants, Fully Modded @Scarecrow71, attempting to do the American/Soviet combo. Finished the 1950s. Complete through Apollo VIII. @jinnantonix, attempting to do the American/Soviet combo. Finished the 1950s. Complete through X-15. @Thundrevv, attempting to the Americans only. Complete through Vanguard I.

I get that. But I'm looking for a way to secure it to the ground, like with clamps or some such. But I'm guessing this doesn't exist in stock. Are there any part mods that may have this ability?

But will that prevent it from being knocked over?

I have a base on Minmus that is nothing more than a viewing cupola atop a hitchhiker container, with some antenna and solar panels attached. Nothing major, and it was created and put there to satisfy a contract. Anyhow, I am curious how to keep this thing from moving around. I can take any Kerbal and run into the base and push it around. I'm running 1.8.1, so I dont have access to the ground clamp that came about in 1.12. Anybody have any ideas on how to anchor this to the ground so it doesn't move around?

@QF9E If you look up the word "Epic" in the dictionary, the definition includes your video. Well done!

Granted. You feel like the Easter Bunny granting all others' wishes this morning. I wish I was the Easter Bunny.