nothke

Working on the nose cone, still thinking about using a more realistic (rightmost) or more.. Baboon shaped cones =)

Yeah, I lost all the fuel on KTS-37 cause I used the MechJeb's landing AP, I should think twice next time when using it. So that's why I did that ridiculous cross range. Also, I came from an 50 degree inclinated orbit (I intentionally put my station there), so it was quite different than just textbook gliding over the mountains. The orbiter does tend to flip into an unrecoverable stall, but as long as I keep the center of mass forward enough (which I do with the docking module inside the bay), I can prevent it. Also I had a problem with the orbiter rolling uncontrollably on reentry and high mach, but I realized that it's because of the wing tips which I slightly curved upwards. I thought it would improve stability, but actually it does not on high mach. I am not using deadly reentry yet, but will at some time in the future, so I don't care much about entry angles. The orbiter also doesn't have that much lift to be so agile in the thin upper atmosphere. I will probably do the KTS-38 mission today but I am not sure yet depends how much time I have.

KTS-37 crew finally egressed using specially made stairbox, while I was doing preparations and payload design for KTS-38 mission. http://www.twitch.tv/nothke/b/496805192 Very soon, I will design the KTS-38 patch and then designate astronauts to the mission and finally after everything, launch KTS-38! But tomorrow! The patch: Changed OP

Streaming live with commentary now: http://www.twitch.tv/nothke First test =)

Good idea! Forgot about making mod list. Mod list: B9 Aerospace pack (Hull and cockpit) KW rocketry (Thor SRBs) MechJeb (guidance) Shuttle Engines mod (Main engines, OMS engines and external tank) FusTek Expansion Pack (I use the Kuest airlock part for the Shuttle's docking module) DROMOMAN robotic arm parts + infernal robotics (robotic arm) KAS (attaching robotic arm to payload, and stiffening payload and arm if returning to surface with the portable struts, KAS broke my game in the last flight) Global mods: FAR KJR - Kerbal Joint Reinforcement Crew Manifest (for moving crew around without EVAing and making my own Kerbals) Toolbar Some payloads also use other mods such as: FusTek Expansion Pack - CBM ports (I get a lot of lag on these parts, so I will look to change them to something else) RemoteTech for probes and Satelites (I am not using it anymore since it broke my game once) ScanSAT Solar panels from Near Future Propulsion Pack The lists are subjects to change, it is likely I forgot to mention something at some time in the future I will post the .craft file too, I just need to make it slightly more reliable.

Just got an idea: What about adding an ability to detect exceptions, and then, instead of just terminating the program, being able to do something else, like run an abort program. Sometimes, it happens that things happen very quickly, like launching or landing a rover, and you really want to have some fail-safe program behind it. Or you could even run a self-destruct program, as many real world rockets are adjusted to in case of a software error. for example IFEXCEPTION { RUN KerbalX_abort. } Hmmm, maybe a compromise could be made so that each pod includes a computer and a single hard drive for example, and that you could add more additional part-hard drives if you wanted more code on board.

I'll propose the idea to the Bingo Aerospace Instruments Laboratory (BAIL) and we'll see what they think about it. =)

I said I am not actively working on that project, just occasionally

Bingo Aerospace presents you the BLIZZARD! Here is a little project I was working on for some time, but not something I did actively. It's early WIP, and I won't actively work on it, just occasionally. For the beginning I'd say that nothing what you see here is any close to being final. I am intending to make a long design process for the beginning so that I can make sure that everything works, and that I am satisfied with functionality and design. I intend to go "back to the drawing board" several times before deciding to polish the model and textures. I needed a "proper" cockpit for my KTS program, so I decided to start working on the cockpit because I wanted: - Better visibility (possibility to land from IVA, also zenith and aft windows) - Better functionality (IVA RasterPropMonitor integration) - more crew (3 upper deck + 4 in optional lower deck) - to seamlessly fit with B9 parts and style The design process (from bottom to top) I started with the HL fuselage piece that bac9 kindly sent me, I just extruded from it and started shaping it. on the fourth one you can see that I tried to make the cockpit windows part look like the real Shuttle, to make it look more realistic. I realized soon that the HL fuselage is pretty wide, so to make a cockpit where you would be able to look through the side windows, you would need to separate it somehow in a "bubble" like the 747 or Antonov 224 does. But I decided to go then with a more faceted sci fi look where the cockpit would stick out from the main part (inspired partly with Avatar's Valkyrie), which you can see in the sixth iteration. Then, I decided to make the front piece of the cockpit compatible with B9's S2 fuselage, so you can chose to continue it, design your own nose cone, but you can also put the custom made Blizzard parts. Modularity The cockpit in the end will consist of 3 modules where each will have different parts to chose from. For example, for the flight deck, you could put a for example a crewless probe core, or a rasterPropMonitor enhanced cockpit. For the lower deck, you could chose to put crew deck that can take 4 Kerbals, or a lab that takes less but can do science, or a supply container with monoprop and life support supplies, or even a small cargo bay. For the nose cone, there's more choice because it starts with the S2 size and you can practically extend it in whatever you like way.. Reports from the skunk works Early visibility tests Interior design. The textures are definitely matching B9 in quality =P The first mockup enters VAB In game tests: There are several problems with current iteration, for example, the windows are too big, unrealistically big. I think the rear side window is larger than the one in cupola. A lot of the viewfield also goes up (zenith) for someone looking from the commander and pilot seats, which is quite unnecessary, the most important is the looking down into the runway and ground, so that is probably the space I should reduce, you really want to keep windows to necessary in space.

Real life rasterprop =) (Jump to 2:30)

KTS-37 mission completed and Horizon-3 program officially started!!! You can see the recorded footage, the overview images and the mission assessment in the original post now. Thanks to everyone that was watching it live. Next one will have some commentary in =)

About to start the mission. Just editing some data.. http://www.twitch.tv/nothke You can read about the mission in the OP No commentary however, cause I just want to see how it's going on this streaming thing xD

Just to make an announcement: I am planning to do live streams of my missions from now on. I will do my next mission, KTS-37 some time tomorrow. Preparing right now for it. You will be able to watch it on my Twitch channel http://www.twitch.tv/nothke Video of the entire previous, KTS-36 mission will also be uploaded.

This is a great idea to make infernal robotics even better. I already tried that with DROMOMAN, but now it will get better with more bigger stuff as I just specialize in robotic arms =P Only thing I would suggest is to cut down the number of parts. What I didn't like about IR is that it has too many parts, most of them never used. In dromoman for example I made just 3 limb lengths, 0.75, 2, and 3 meter, combining these you could get any other length and you really don't need bigger than 6m since things get really wobbly over. Your parts look really good btw =) Keep up the good work!

I am well aware of the "puffiness" of the smoke and I am using real images and videos for my particles. The problem with current particles is that you can't control emission. The particle shader makes them always bright, even in the night. A workaround is to create 2 systems, where one has a particle shader (the bright yellow part) and a second has a diffuse shader. But multiple systems are tricky and buggy to make. We will probably be able to make them in a next PartTools fix. Another problem is that all particles are "flat". There are no normals and you can't really recreate the proper lighting, like the "pillar of smoke" look, where one side is lit in the sun and the other is in the shadow, which would look drastically different if it was possible. So anything I am doing right now could really be termed "early experiments"

Different angle:

This is no ordinary launch

I am planning to do these as soon as someone with plugin making skills joins. And not only this but also expanding exhaust according to pressure, condensation between multiple engines, proper condensation on engines in high altitude (not anymore near the ground), ground and water billowing effects, launch pad side exhausts, reentry long duration trails and maybe more..

Yes, but only with a custom script.

Working on some more realistic SRB smoke + longer trail effects

Importing new particles is very very buggy. What I did is just change the ModelName of MODEL_MULTI_PARTICLE in the rapier to my model, and it works, but only on a first filght. If I try to revert the launch, everything just disappears from view and debug reports Null Reference Exceptions all the time. If I go back to Space Center, I just see stars =P well at least some longer duration trails are possible =) Also, I don't see the option in particle editor for "size over lifetime". I see that stock effects are using it, but there is no option for changing size during lifetime in the editor. adding a "size = 0.0 0.0" line in .cfg doesn't work either, is there a way to do it?

Yeah, I will, I have all the layers set up to work like that, just blending the color layers on top. I have to just refine the effects a bit.

Strangely enough, I have tried that. In the current particle system we can add different effects and place them where we want such as seen on the rapier, but we still can't export actual new particle systems with new textures and we are waiting for new part tools to arrive (though Majir's plugin can do that). For now we can only officially use stock systems. There's a few things I have in plan to do: Expanding nozzle exhaust according to atmos pressure Launchpad side exhaust effect Billowing dust when thruster is close to ground Splashing water when thruster is close to it Splashing water when flying over dependent on speed and proximity Bow shock effects (both mach and reentry) Condensation between multiple powerful engines Wingtip condensation (??) But I am no plugin maker, I just like particles xD so I would need help I guess EDIT: OH WHAT!!! NEW PART TOOLS ARE OUT!!!!! WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?? Ok... lets get down to work

My favourite, Shuttle above the clouds Interesting Ares' cylindrical mach effect

Ha! Very interesting and logical, thanks for the very good explanation. So basically, the sound just doesn't travel "far" enough and finally disappears when there are no molecules to transmit to. Well except to the hull and the cabin air if there is any =) Here's a more difficult question.. How would putting a mike in the exhaust of the working rocket engine sound in space? xD I am sure players (me) would put the camera inside the exhaust and wonder.. What.. Nothing??