TerLoki

So I recreated a magic boulder, then had to reinstall KSP and lost my save. So I spent most of the day working off a quicksave and trying unsuccessfully to recreate that mission.

Well, on the one hand it seems like a very minor thing, but then again there's no real reason for it to be incorrect and this would be a very simple change. Maybe just change it to something like "Don't let the trefoil and radioactive core fool you, this engine doesn't give off any radiation (usually)."

Heh, great minds think alike: The third node isn't necessary. All you really need for something like this to work is an "inside" node attached to a docking port to connect to the spacecraft, and an "outside" port on a flat spot on top for the LES. The service module then sits directly on the decoupler like normal while the fairing edge goes all the way down to the top of the decoupler, but doesn't actually connect.

If nothing else I think a one-piece fairing with removable LES, like what the SDHI system uses, would work just fine for the Soy-Juice. It would give people the option to use whatever launch escape system they want, but still keep part count low and maintain that sleek Soyuz look.

Thanks guys! I'll have to see about getting a stock adapter up to the boulder so I can share the save, as it is I'm using KSO and Mechjeb, but once that's done I'll gladly go digging in the code and grab it. Edit: It may take a couple of days to get that up and going. I had to reinstall KSP and, though I did manage to keep a save file, it was a save before I got the boulder to Duna. Currently it's sitting over Kerbin. I just tried to redo the mission, but something went a bit wonky and I ran out of fuel. I'll give it another try though, I won't give up on the magic boulder yet. Well I never went to the boulder myself, but from the images I saw a class B is roughly the right size, though I'll admit it was a bit hard to tell scale without using the same craft as in the vids. For reference though, the ADA unit sans propulsion module is about the size of a Mk. 1 pod plus a fuel tank and LV-N.

Yes, a launch fairing for the Soy-Juice would be really appreciated, of course the service module still has to be sorted out before then.

Really like this little pack now that I've tried it. I actually managed to finally make an Apollo-style two stage lander that I'm happy with thanks to these parts.

Oh yeah, all the time. Though, comparable to Zaryulenko's story, I once had an ion-powered interplanetary mission take so long for a transfer burn that I just went to bed and left MechJeb's maneuver planner on in case I overslept. 9 hours of continuous running to intercept Eve... .

Grazie. Catching up with the space program, the higher ups have decided that it's high time to actually do something with the E class asteroid grabbed by the Titan asteroid tug. So a Taurus 3 rocket was prepared to send up the ADA 4 mission was launched to supply a permanent docking port for the asteroid, now named "Kevin". The ADA 4 also has the job of flight testing a new cryogenic upper stage being developed for the planned Draco heavy lifter and Duna next generation crew vehicle. With the ADA in place it's time to send up the crew. Bob, Sherfrey, and Ergan take off on the main flight of the Laythe Enhanced Endurance Crew Vehicle to rendezvous with Kevin. Bob and Ergan chill in the orbital module, much more spacious than the standard Laythe CTV or Laythe 2M's OM. Seriously, that's one big rock. Docked with Kevin. Our crew's mission will be a month-long stay to study surface samples and study long-term living in space. Bob on EVA. After a rather long stay, and with Kevin approaching peripasis around Kerbin, our crew departs. Reentry pointed out a design flaw with the Laythe EECV, that being that the orbital module has less drag than the return module, causing the two to actually reconnect during reentry. Thankfully a bit of maneuvering once the craft was down below 1000m/s was able to dispose of the OM, and gave our crew a nice safe landing. Despite urgings from our engineering teams that new technologies still need to be perfected before planning out the Constellation program, a system of at least three space stations around Kerbin and its muns to facilitate long term exploration and manned interplanetary flights, design and ground-testing began on a concept for a self-contained surface habitat for use on Minmus. Also slated for launch are Laythe 4, Bill's Minmus landing; and the new Cygnus Sensor Palette/Adaptor, which will add a telescope, kethane detector, multispectral analysis equipment, and docking adapter to facilitate visits by Laythe spacecraft.

I have not done many interplanetary missions outside of small one-way probes and landers. I also haven't many crazy "for the heck of it" missions like trying to make a spaceplane land on the Mun, or planting a flag on Jool. But when I heard that one of fun easter eggs in the game had been removed before the ARM pack, I knew what had to be done. So with a surplus of asteroids of appropriate size around Kerbin, I set out to save the Magic Boulder. Of course this would be no easy task, the mission required intercepting an asteroid, stabilizing its orbit until a transfer window opened, sending it to Duna, and finally putting the whole thing into the correct orbit around Ike. Of all my asteroid tugs, only one was both up to the task and reliable enough to see it through. First stage and fairing separation on the ADA 3. This tug was initially designed to catch a class D asteroid, so it's definitely capable of tackling our rock of choice: A class B coming in on a orbit set to intercept the Mun. Captured. Even with nearly half of the orange tank depleted the ADA 3's four LV-909's had around 3km/s of dV. Munar flyby. To maximize the Oberth effect our space rock has will need to be in a low Kerbin orbit, luckily a quick gravity assist was all it took to change orbits from Kerbin escape to LKO with a periapsis of 125km. Not wanting to take any chances on running out of gas, and with the orange tank depleted, a tanker was sent up in the form of an old Titan asteroid tug to refuel the ADA 3. This is probably the smoothest that I've ever gotten one of my Antares series rockets has ever run. Refueling in progress. Fun fact: Asteroids make great fuel lines. Also, docking something that massive at 5m/s is a... Well, "fun" experience. Arrival at Duna. Luckily enough the craft was on course for an Ike encounter right after its Duna periapsis. After a few maneuvers to capture, change planes, and circularize into a low orbit the propulsion module separates and the mission is complete. Long live the boulder! Proof that that is in fact Ike. The orbital characteristics are 15x15km at an inclination of 80 degrees. Details on the boulder and its orbital characteristics were taken from Scott Manley's video series. Edit: Persistence files: Stock The Magic Boulder with no mod parts (hopefully). Features the boulder in Ike orbit with a stock probe-based docking adapter, complete with green lights. Mod The Magic boulder with the modcraft Advanced Docking Adapter (ADA). Features the boulder in Ike orbit with a docking adapter complete with RCS and MechJeb control. Needed Mods: MechJeb 2, KSO (Phase II or later), RLA Stockalike

Sent one of my more ambitious missions to Duna and Ike in career mode, not for science or my space program, but for the good of KSP:

A 30 on a lander? Talk about unnecessary overkill.

I still get it on a few engines kinds of engines, though it's not too much of a problem as I find putting a little tank between the Jumbo 64 and the engine makes it look better anyway.

Orion seems to be a big part of what's needed to get space exploration kicked back into gear and out of LEO, and that seems a worthy goal in and of itself to me.

That I honestly can't remember. I have a space station with both, so I can try to test it later. I know the reports don't look any different.

I just snagged a class B and brought it into a nice 125km equatorial orbit of Kerbin thanks to a gravity assist at the Mun. Now to refuel the tug for phase two of my ridiculous plan.

Well most of my rockets are Delta/Falcon hybrids anyway, so the orange tank works great for me. I just wish they'd fix that stupid engine heat bug it has.

The KerbalLab is basically just the MPL in KSO style (and with an actual interior), the GreenLab is actually a science Jr. equivalent, and can do material analysis experiments, but has to be reset by a lab.

From my current career: The Ike M, which performed the first Minmus landing, piloted by Bob. I tried to do something of an Apollo/Soyuz hybrid design with this little lander, though it takes off and returns in one piece. Jeb's lander for the second Minmus landing, the Ike 2M. An upgraded version of the Ike M with greater fuel capacity, simplified RCS, new solar panels, and improved life support. Once back in orbit and docked the propulsion module separates and deorbits automatically, leaving the command pod to act as orbital module for the return capsule.

I still do sandbox from time to time for testing the odd idea or doing something crazy, but ever since I started my first career last patch I've been hooked. I just hope, terrible as it is, that I get more time between now and 0.24 than I did before 0.23.5 came out so I can do some of my awesome big missions I plan out.

I know it's weird given that Laythe has an actual atmosphere and oceans, but Vall always seemed the most interesting to me.

Liftoff! Quick, someone find us a kickass soundtrack for this bad boy!

The tower is retracting, I'm so excited!

Watching the live launch coverage at around T -16 minutes. Am I the only one that would love to have a cargo transfer bag as a suitcase?

Got frustrated trying to move a class E asteroid I had previously rendezvoused with, so after hooked a docking port to it I unlatched my tug, jettisoned the docking adapter's propulsion module, grabbed it with the tug, then moved off to about a kilometer and a half and gunned the engine full throttle right at that big stubborn rock. The impact only made it start to spin at about one revolution every four seconds. That's the most I've ever been able to budge the darn thing.