czokletmuss

I love all your mods sumghai but the amount of work you spend to polish the little details and create great development posts (which should be a role model for all the modders) makes your threads probably the most interesting to read in the Add-on Development. Thank you.

Oh. What a pity that the second power in the world isn't that much into space exploration. I can't help myself but to imagine what could be accomplished if there was another space race, this time between USA and China.

These are pretty cool If you would like to use some of my screenshots for your art, you are welcome.

Thank you for posting this camlost, learning this from a POV of someone from China was very interesting I hope that CNSA will find the new big goal and realize it! I also hope that the Chang'e 3 landing will be succesful and that we will get some HD videos from the Moon. Could you please tell us something more about the reception of the Chinese space program by public opinion? Is it really that much of a "big deal" and a source of pride or is it like for example in USA and Europe (minority is interested, the rest doesn't care)?

I'm leaving it undefined on purpose. However, one may say that the Space Race ended in 1991 with USSR collapse. Or maybe it was ended by Soyuz-Apollo. Or maybe it's not yet over

There were similiar threads but as far as I remember there wasn't a pol about it. Of course it's not like we can resolve this once and for all, but I'm really curious which option has the majority within the KSP community. We're all space geeks after all, so I expect some good arguments to show up in the discussion. If you are not sure about your answer, take a look at this articles which can be helpful to make up your mind: 1. Space race (wikipedia) 2. Timeline of the space race 3. Timeline of the space race (thespacerace.com) 4. Video (TED-Ed) Let the voting begins! Also please remember to post your arguments for chosen superpower. EDIT: Small update, since there are almost 100 votes already.

This is great! áÿðÑÂøñþ Are you going to made Voskhod as well? I love old Soviet spacecraft because they have this very old school sci-fi aestethic design

Well, actually it did. The Soviet and American space program was possible mainly because of the technology stolen from Germany during the last months of the second world war. There is a very good BBC documentary about this: http://youtu.be/onIpOpqQQZc

A propos the thread's subject: Is Charlie Bolden Going To Visit China?

Before it turned to slasher it was great.

That's great! I've recently read Baxter's "Voyage" and "Titan" and to be able to use vessels from his novels would be great. Thank you Thorenn!

I guess you should read this entry in TV Tropes and than think about how hard this movie is in comparison to other movies where action is taking place in space.

If anyone is particularly interested in the history of the N-1 rocket, there is a very interesting documentary about it made by BBC:

I'll always vote for keeping the part count low And don't worry about your English, every non-native speaker has to struggle with it on an international forum

Thanks I recommend watching this piece from a BBC mini-series about a Space Race for comparison with my recreation:

New chapter of the Space Race is out! (CHAPTER 2) 1961: FIRST IN SPACE – PART ONE

CHAPTER 2 1961: FIRST IN SPACE – PART ONE *** 3rd APRIL, 1961 WERNHER: …this brave men to the sky and beyond vith the Redstone rocket. This marks the beginning of the Project Mercury. And know time for questions. Yes please? JOURNALIST 1: Mr. von Braun, is it true that the Soviets are currently planning to send one of their own to space? JAMES: :whispers: Touchy subject. MAX: :whispers: Be quite, James. WERNHER: Vell, ve are doing whatever we can to make sure that the first person to see Kerbin from up there is going to be from the land of the free. And ve already know that this is a home of the brave – they are sitting right here. JOURNALIST 2: But are you sure, Mr. von Braun, that we can won this time? First there was Sputnik. Than Muna-2 became the first kerb-made object to impact the Mun. Than the Reds have sent one probe to take photographs of the dark side of the Mun. It seems we're loosing the Space Race. Do you have any comment on this, Mr. von Braun? WERNHER: Ve vill succeed. Gentlemen, vith American ingenuity and industry there is simply no other option. I'm completely sure that the person who vill be the first to travel through space is sitting in this room right now. Yes? JOURNALIST 3: Is it true that the Red's rocket is more capable than Redstone? JAMES: :whispers: Ouch. MAX: :whispers: James, stop it. WERNHER: Mercury Redstone is powerful enough to put a man in space, gentlemen. JOURNALIST 3: How many successful launches of this rocket have you achieved? WERNHER: More than I can count. There vere some problems but ve've corrected all of them and now Redstone is completely safe and ready. I vould like to emphasize this – ve are ready to go to space. I can assure you, gentlemen, that vithin month ve vill reach this goal. James? JAMES: Ahem. Okay folks, that's enough. Now if you have some questions to the Original Eight, please don't hesitate. Hmm. The gentlemen with the yellow tie – yes, you. JOURNALIST 4: I have a question to… 12th APRIL, 1961 MISSION CONTROL: Dyesyat, dyevyat, vosyem, syem, shest, ignition sequence start... MISSION CONTROL: …pyat, chyetirye, tree, engines are on, dva, adeen, zero – we have liftoff! YURI: Poyehaly! ANTON: All systems operational! KOSTYA: I'm getting telemetry, everything seems to be all right! NIKOLAI: We really are doing this, comrade chief engineer! SERGEI: Wait until booster separation with congratulations, Kolya. KOSTYA: Separation in 10 seconds. SERGEI: Here we go. ANTON: Countdown. Pyat, chyetirye, tree, dva, adeen – separation! ANTON: Separation confirmed! SERGEI: Yes! Everything alright up there Yuri? YURI: The separation was a little rough, comrade chief engineer, but besides that it's perfect! KOSTYA: Forty seconds. SERGEI: Anton? ANTON: Pitch and roll is good, we're looking good. KOSTYA: Thirty seconds. NIKOLAI: Will he achieve planned orbit, comrade chief engineer? SERGEI: Everything is going very smoothly, Kolya. We will do this KOSTYA: Five seconds. Tree, dva, adeen – engines stop! KOSTYA: He's in orbit! He's in orbit! SERGEI: Prepare for fairing separation, Yuri. YURI: Understood. SERGEI: Now. ANTON: Fairing decoupled. SERGEI: Proceed, Yuri. YURI: хþрþшþ. Separating from the main booster. YURI: Vostok 1 separated from the booster. SERGEI: We know that Yuri. How are feeling? YURI: Fantastic! I feel very safe here. The feeling of weightlessness is amazing, I don't have any nausea or anything. NIKOLAI: Tell us what you can see, Yuri. YURI: Uhm. Kerbin is covered in clouds. In rain clouds. It's beautiful. I wish you could see this, comrade chief engineer. SERGEI: :smiles: It's enough for me knowing that you are there, Yuri. Try to turn the ship around. YURI: Da, comrade chief engineer. YURI: I can see the booster floating in space behind me. It seems to be undamaged. I wish I could use it to fly even higher, comrades! SERGEI: Haha, I know Yuri. All right, let's start checking all the systems – we don't have much time before we lost contact and you still have to come back down to us. Anton? *** SERGEI: Let's do it. Prepare for the deorbit burn. Comrades? ANTON: We're ready. KOSTYA: I'm good. NIKOLAI: We can proceed, comrade chief engineer. SERGEI: Very good. You've heard them Yuri. YURI: хþрþшþ. Executing deorbit burn. YURI: Engine cut-off confirmed. Uh, Vostok 1 has started to spin a little but I'm good. SERGEI: You've done well, Yuri. Anton, what about the…? ANTON: Wait a moment… he will land within the planned zone, comrade chief engineer. NIKOLAI: Yes! YURI: Hey, I can see the Mun from here! It's so close. It's like I could reach to him and touch its surface. SERGEI: Concentrate, comrade, in few minutes you will be out of reach. Let's check everything once again. YURI: Affirmative. *** KOSTYA: 60 seconds. SERGEI: Listen to me Yuri, we're going to separate the service module now. Are you ready? YURI: As always. SERGEI: Do it, Anton. YURI: Wow, it was rough. SERGEI: Is separation successful? Anton? ANTON: … SERGEI: Anton, talk to me. ANTON: No separation. SERGEI: What? KOSTYA: 20 seconds. NIKOLAI: Maybe something has jammed? SERGEI: We need this module separated before he enters the lower parts of the atmosphere! Anton, check again! ANTON: No separation. SERGEI: Yuri, can you confirm that the separation was successful? KOSTYA: 10 seconds. YURI: Comra##? I can't hear you very ###. Please ### SERGEI: Yuri? Yuri?! ANTON: He has entered the atmosphere, comrade chief engineer. Now we can only wait. KOSTYA: We've lost the telemetry. SERGEI: … NIKOLAI: What now? Comrade chief engineer? SERGEI: We wait. If the service module finally detached, everything will be alright. KOSTYA: He still have to leave the capsule safely. SERGEI: Yes. KOSTYA: And then use the parachute to land. SERGEI: Yes. KOSTYA: … ANTON: … NIKOLAI: What if he won't? SERGEI: He will. He's a good communist and a skilled pilot. Have a little faith in him and our spacecraft. NIKOLAI: So when we will know? ANTON: Rescue teams are on there way as we speak. SERGEI: Yes. Be more optimistic, comrades. I bet our brave Yuri has already landed. We will drink some vodka together tonight and laugh at this, remember my words.

I like where this is going. Take your time Yogui, we'll wait patiently

They are great! Do you have any info about how the project is going on you would like to share with us?

They can as well try to build Barad-dur or launch New York into space. Edit: Which reminds me of the petition to build Death Star: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/isnt-petition-response-youre-looking

CHAPTER 28 IKE LANDING *** DANREY: Transfer burn completed. We're on course, professor – we'll be in Ike's SOI within hours. SID: Danrey, how many times I told you to stop this? Just use my name, okay? It's almost two years since we left Kerbin. DANREY: I'm sorry, prof… Sid. SID: That's better. Speaking of “Proteusâ€Â, I am so relieved to finally leave it. I think before all this is over I'll start hating this spacecraft with passion. DANREY: She's the prettiest ship there is, Sid. SID: Maybe but since Bob's death everything is just slowly falling apart. Problems with AMU, this EVA accident, aerobraking and now this whole situation with Rozer. DANREY: I don't know what about captain Rozer but at least we can repair the damage caused by the aerobraking. Chief Ned was confident about this. SID: He was? Well, I guess we need the heatshield if we want to come back home. Or we can just use the engines, but judging how lucky we are… Tell me something, Danrey – do you think we should abort the mission? DANREY: The crew will decide. SID: We are the crew, Dan. Listen, I know you like this stoic and calm facade of yours but come on, you must have opinion about it. So what is it – Jool or Kerbin? DANREY: Honestly, I don't know. If there really is something down there it would be treason to our species to just give up knowing that we may be on the verge of a discovery of such magnitude. I know that, uhm, you're a strong supporter of the theory that they may've found some signs of intelligent life on Duna. SID: It would explain this extreme precaution, that's for sure. DANREY: Probably. But even if they found, I don't know, some algae this would be the greatest thing in our history since the first step on the Mun. SID: Yeah, but don't tell this to Jeb – since Bob he doesn't like to talk about the landing. So you think we should continue than? DANREY: Not really, Sid. SID: Why, if I may ask? DANREY: Well, it's not like I'm in the middle of this like you or commander Jeb, but there are some obvious signs that it may not be the wisest move. SID: Yes? DANREY: First of all, we still don't really know what the KSC wants from us. If they wanted us to explore Jool system, why there is no Laythe lander attached to the Payload? Why instead there is a habitat module for the base on Duna? Than we have Rozer, who claimed that he was merely following orders from Kerbin. I know that chief Ned thinks that he's lying, but what if he's not? And what about our people down there? Are we going to leave them? Take them with us to Jool? Will they comply if we decide to abort? We still are unable to communicate with them, who knows what's going on down there. SID: Good points. But BERTY is working on it. DANREY: And that's another problem. BERTY is the soul of the “Proteusâ€Â, an on board AI controlling all subsystems without which we can't proceed, that's for sure. But recently his behavior is erratic, isn't it? This malfunctions, glitches, reboots. I don't know, maybe I'm being paranoid but can we be sure he can be trusted? SID: Okay, now you've gone to far. Why shouldn't we trust BERTY? You think he's a some kind of a psychopathic computer who wants to murder us? Come on, you must've been reading some lame science fiction recently. If he wanted us dead, we will already be dead – he controls the ship after all, he can lower the pressure or overload the reactors or just shut down everything. No, this is silly. I think he's just trying to follow his orders. I just wish we know what exactly Rozer or KSC told him to do. DANREY: But he won't talk, will he? SID: And what shall we do about it, torture him? We're scientists and kerbonauts, for Kod's sake. DANREY: Anyways, there is one more reason why we should consider continuing the mission very carefully – we don't have enough supplies. We've lost AMU, so we can't refuel; if anything goes wrong, we can be stuck in Jool system forever. KSC told us that they're going to solve this problem but we don't know how exactly and probably we won't be able to use whatever they send to us without cooperating with Kerbin. So that's it. SID: You're a very reasonable man, Danrey. I'm glad you're with us. DANREY: Thank you. SID: And you are right. :sigh: Whatever happens, we have to consider all consequences. I still think we should continue – with Rozer hold hostage and BERTY's help we have some leverage over KSC. Besides, we still have their multitrillion spacecraft and I believe they want this mission completed more than anyone of us. We should continue. For science. DANREY: With all due respect, I don't think a lot of crew members is going to agree with you. SID: I can't blame them for this. But all things considered, isn't this the reason we are here? I mean, you have to be a little crazy to agree for such a mission in the first place. So I say we just make this one more step – and we all know how important they can be, don't we? DANREY: :smiles: *** DANREY: Orbit insertion burn in progress, 5 seconds left! SID: Uh! I really hate this. DANREY: And done! Checking… yes, we've achieved orbit. SID: Wonderful! Let's not waste time than – when we're landing? DANREY: One orbit, prof… uhm, Sid. SID: Great, I really can't wait to examine the surface. Finally something important to do! *** SID: To be able to look at this red planet hanged in the sky just like Kerbin seen from the surface of the Mun is truly mind-boggling. I wish more people could see this. DANREY: That's pretty nice first words, Sid. SID: Yeah, like anybody cares about this stuff anymore. It's not the first mun we're landing on, mind you. First landing on another planet, on the other hand… SID: It's been more than 12 years since the “Jingwei†landed on Duna. To think that we're the first to see what they've seen is really amazing, don't you think? DANREY: Mhm. SID: I think because of all this tragedies and secrets and accidents we've lost what's most important – ability to wonder. We're in deep space above the alien planet and we behave like we don't really care, you know what I mean? DANREY: Speaking about awe and wonder, you may want to take a close look at Duna right now. SID: Oh? DANREY: The Sun is rising. SID: Good Kod… DANREY: I – I don't know what to say. SID: … DANREY: … SID: … DANREY: We can't abort. We have to continue the mission. SID: :weeps: DANREY: Professor? Sid, uhm, is everything alright? SID: I'm sorry, it's just… it makes it all worth it. All of it. Do you understand, Danrey? DANREY: Yes. SID: Oh Kod. Ahem. Okay, there is still work to be done, we've only 48 hours for this site. I'm going to take the first samples. *** DANREY: Burn completed, orbit achieved. We're going to change inclination now, Sid. SID: Good. The polar regions are the most promising for the potential future outpost. There should be a lot of ice in the eternal shadow of some of the craters – if we find it, well… DANREY: Water to drink and oxium to breath, shield against radiation and it can be processed to make more fuel through electrolysis. SID: And we can even use hydrogen peroxide to make more monopropellant. Very good, Danrey! DANREY: There was a lot spare time in the last months and I like to read. Changing inclination in three, two, one, ignition! *** SID: It's so dark here, on the top of the world. DANREY: I didn't think I would say that, but the view is even more magnificent from here. SID: Indeed. I'm placing the flag. SID: Done. Like it matters who exactly came here. DANREY: Excuse me? SID: Nothing. I just always thought that the space exploration should be a goal towards which whole kerbkind works together. Why do we need flags? It's not the Cold War anymore. DANREY: Symbols are important, Sid. SID: I guess they are. But we've came here to find ice. *** DANREY: [And liftoff. Don't be so sad, professor. I know you don't want to leave, but we've found ice and you took a lot of samples. The sooner we're back, the sooner you're going to analyze them. SID: I know, I know. Four days at Ike it's nothing. If we are ever going to establish some permanent presence on Duna, we're going to need this mun and its resource. It's such a shame that everyone from the science team except me was sent by Rozer down there. DANREY: Well, whatever we decide to do we still have a few months before any of the transfer windows opens, so… SID: What is it? DANREY: It's strange, but LAMGML is detecting something on low Ike orbit. SID: Holy moly. Could it be an asteroid? Captured meteorite? Remnants of some probe? DANREY: I don't think it could be a probe, the orbit is too inclined and highly eccentric. SID: An asteroid then. The mun of the mun… But so close to the Duna it's impossible to maintain stable orbit above Ike, it must be something relatively new. DANREY: Hmm. It's seems that this body is highly metallic. SID: Fascinating. We have to investigate! Patch me up to “Proteusâ€Â, I need to speak with Jeb. We still have consumables for a next day or so, right? Do we have enough delta-V for randez-vous? DANREY: Yes, I think so but I need more date for the computer to calculate this. SID: Good. Who would've thought that we discover something like this, huh? I guess this mun has more secrets than anyone could've anticipated. *** MISSION STATUS ***

I guess you didn't read the "Jool of Kerbol system"

Yes! Finally Mars Excursion Module mod! First bug detected - top node of the command pod doesn't work

And by the way - thanks to the Space Factory mod there certainly will be some chapters from the Red's perspective

There will be MOAR this week, not only for the Grand Tour but Space Race as well No problem, I always try to answer for all questions Thanks guys!