Pipcard

By that I mean that the probe enters the Jool system and does fly-bys of its major moons.

(edit: reuploaded to imgur) Mission 34 Payload: Futurelab power module Description: Extra solar panels for the Fl space station. Mass at launch: 5.832 t Launch Vehicle: Bottle Mk. 02-2S Mission objective: Dock to the Futurelab core module Rendezvous. What followed was a difficult docking (due to the RCS being slightly off the center of mass). Docked: Nebula-4 relocated itself to the other docking port on the station:

By the way, is kethane mining really worth it? Let's say you're mining on the Mun. Do you get more fuel from the kethane you mined than the fuel you used up to land on and take off from the Mun?

Does anyone have a fix for this?

(edit: reuploaded to imgur) Mission 33 Payload: Nebula-4 (Mk. 01b) Mass at launch: 17.640 t Launch Vehicle: Bottle Mk. 02-2S Mission objective: Rendezvous and dock with Futurelab. Pilots: Bill, Jebediah, and Bob Kerman Nebula-4 in orbit: Rendezvous: Docked:

(edit: reuploaded to imgur) Mission 32 Payload: Futurelab core module Description: The central module of the Futurelab space station. Mass at launch: 6.220 t Launch Vehicle: Bottle Mk. 02-2S Mission objective: Launch into a low-eccentricity, low-inclination orbit around Kerbin. The second stage acted as a tug that pushed the core module to a target orbit of approximately 90 kilometers. After that, the upper stage separated and deorbited itself: The first module of the Futurelab space station:

It would be really cool if JAXA had its own spaceplane.

So you're already making spaceplanes. Nice job.

I don't think the game is designed to simulate planetary collisions.

[edit: reuploaded to imgur] Mission 31 Payload: Mouhou Project Description: A spacecraft designed to make a planetary fly-by. Mass at launch: 0.180 t Launch Vehicle: Onion Stick Mk. 04-3C Boosters (crossfeeding): 2 x JKJSPC LV-T30 liquid engines First stage: C7 Toroidal Aerospike Rocket Second stage: JKJSPC LV-909 liquid engine (w/ extended tank) Mission objective: Conduct a low fly-by of Moho. (KASDA launch vehicles now have fairings courtesy of the Fairing Factory.) Post-injection: (Initial transfer orbit) (After the course correction at the descending node) Entered Moho's SOI; another course correction was made to set the periapsis at 50 km, and on the day side. At periapsis: Departing Moho:

What if you're trying to launch a small interplanetary probe? I think Isp > TWR in this case.

It's the Crashy McSplodey!

Some advice: fairings are supposed to protect the payload from Kerbin's atmosphere, so you jettison them once you leave it.

[edit: reuploaded to imgur] Mission 29 Payload: Nebula-2 (Mk. 01a) Description: Enhanced version with large ASAS, lights, and RCS. Mass at launch: 17.990 t Launch Vehicle: Bottle Mk. 02-2S Boosters: 2 RT-10 solid rocket boosters First stage: Rockomax "Skipper" liquid engine (with extended tank) Second stage: Rockomax "Poodle" liquid engine Mission objective: Launch into LKO and serve as a docking target for Nebula-3, then safely return to Kerbin. Pilots: Bill, Jebediah, and Bob Kerman In orbit: Mission 30 Payload: Nebula-3 (Mk. 01a) Mission objective: Dock with Nebula-2, then safely return to Kerbin. Pilots: Hermy, Guslas, and Shepsby Kerman Rendezvous with Nebula-2: Final approach: Docked: [image not found] Nebula-2 undocked from Nebula-3: (Splashdown locations: Nebula-3 in the west, and Nebula-2 in the east)

I like the idea of the "transformable" lander.

I don't perform roll maneuvers but that is an excellent idea.

Nice to see that my thread was an inspiration to someone!

Kerpton = Crypton (Future Media), who made a computer program that happens to be my favorite singer. Aero-Space Development Agency = based on the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency and the NAtional Space Development Agency of Japan (which existed before JAXA)

I saw and liked the shout-out to the Orbiter community.

I think that's the Merlin engine used on the Falcon rockets.

[edit: reuploaded to imgur] Mission 28 Payload: Nebula-1 (Mk. 01) Description: A three-Kerbal spacecraft which uses the Bottle second stage for orbital maneuvers. Mass at launch: 16.300 t Launch Vehicle: Bottle Mk. 01 First stage: Rockomax "Skipper" liquid engine Second stage: Rockomax "Poodle" liquid engine Mission objective: Achieve LKO then safely return to Kerbin. Pilots: Bill, Jebediah, and Bob Kerman The new "Bottle" launch vehicle. Nebula in orbit with solar panels deployed: Upper stage jettisoned: Passing over KSC: About to land: (Note: From this point on, the "success/failure" status of a mission will not be displayed. This is because I just want to show cool missions/my gradual progression through KSP. Okay, what really happened was I did this mission before with one Mk16-XL parachute. I was going to land in the mountains, and the parachute broke as it tried to fully deploy, leaving the capsule to tragically crash into the ground. So I restarted the entire mission. I also don't want to see the entire mission fail on a high-stakes mission such as a manned interplanetary voyage or the construction of a munar base. If I fail, I will restart the mission either from the beginning, or from key points in the mission, such as the time before landing on another planet - think of it as the setting of "respawn checkpoints". Yes, I acknowledge that real spaceflight is very risky and has no "quicksave"/"restart flight" button.)

The satellite designs are pretty cool, nice log.

Do actual space agencies intentionally strand their astronauts in orbit? Yeah. I don't think so.

Unless the TWR at full thrust is too high, resulting in exceeding terminal velocity.