[[WIP][1.8.x] SSTULabs - Low Part Count Solutions (Orbiters, Landers, Lifters) - Dev Thread [11-18-18]]

On 2/28/2017 at 8:17 AM, Shadowmage said:

 

Yeah, still a little ways out (month or two before I can start working on it), but it is the next planned 'big thing' to do. 

Probably safe to start the discussions and planning on it.  Going to be two main lines of 'landers'.  Vertical (the stuff that is available now, with some minor reworking), and Horizontal (all new stuff).

The first is the classic vertical lander setup, much as is available now.  Will include the current LC pods (perhaps updated a bit), and a new set of octagonal MFT fuel tanks.  The new tanks will -not- include solar, rtg, legs, etc; the old system for those was a giant collection of hacks, and I have no desire to go down that road again.  Instead I am working on a system of 'pre-built' leg sets that will ship with KF.  The new tanks will likely also be less of a 'bare tank' look and more of an enclosed fuel tank segment; makes it far easier to allow for the length/model adjustments used by the MFT module (still undecided on this, might be able to get bare tanks working).  When the tanks are created I'll also work on creating some octagonal mounts and adapters for them.  One final bit that I'm going to investigate is allowing for standard rigid/animated landing leg setups to be included in the tanks (probably as one of the adapter/end-cap types); these legs, if included, would feature no suspension functions and would be driven to deployment by a standard animation  (WIP support for this kind of a setups is in place for the cargo-bay modules, can likely back-port it to be usable on the MFT modules -- which would also allow for MFT nosecones/adapters that had built in service bays and the like, and possibly other uses not yet considered).

 

The second line of lander parts will be designed for horizontal lander creation.  It will likely be a bit of a mashup between several existing reference designs, and my old SC-C design:

Horizontal lander, with either squashed octagonal or hexagonal main form factor.  Will include segments with built in legs and/or engines/rcs, cargo bay segments, frame-bays, fuel segments, etc.  These parts will likely not include any form of scaling/MFT support, and will be less of a generically usable system.  Still a bit undecided on these -- would like for them to have a wider range of compatibility with other mods, but I'm unaware of any other mods using similar form-factors for fuselage parts.

 

@Angel-125 is also giving this idea some thought in the DSEV part of his empire. 

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience]

Two part question;

1) I use TAC life support and this collection of mods. Is there a way to stop a Watney Rainmaker setup from burning through all the water (and killing the crew) when it's making LHyd+Oxidiser?

2) Which mod uses 'supplies'?

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

Woah. Duuuuuude. Awesome.

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

5 hours ago, smotheredrun said:

Which propulsion mod is that??!!!,

That's engines, engine mounts and tankage from SSTU.

2 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Looking good! I like how you made use of the centrifuges and saddle truss. It also looks good with the propulsion unit.

I'm doing some work on MOLE and Buffalo right now, but plan to get back to DSEV- you won't see the long hiatus like before. I want to make some updated 2.5m lab and hab modules, and there's my take on the Mars Excursion Module, And of course the NAUTILUS-X...

How hard would it be to alter some of the fit out options (for example; Blacksmith 3D print shop or the Workshop) to include an Extraplanetary Workshops multiplier? 

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

Orbital testing of the Akron continues, using a Cryogenic propulsion bus as development of more advanced propulsion methods is debated at KSC.

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

4 hours ago, davidy12 said:

How'd you get that inflatable?

FYI: @Tokamak has done a great job remaking @Porkjet's hab pack.

The SSTU grouping of mods has a truly comprehensive array of parts and interlocks well with angel125's mod group. An example is the inflatable hab there. It's one part, solar array, docking ports and all. It's set up as the clockwoorks 3D printer, and holds 5 kerbals. 

 

It doesn't however have an IVA.

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

Yup, I got pretty fed up with all the pestering, removed the Copernicus from the lineup, then ran across this picture:

while thinking that DSEV's new hab/lab/greenhouse could be useful as planetary bases if I added a base unit for them (and yes, I know a certain other mod used this picture as the basis for its parts). That circled me back around to the Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0 document, and the Bi-Modal NTR, and I found some old artwork that I did for Kopernicus. It didn't take long for me to clean it up into the pics I posted, so I decided to include them in the upcoming release. The expandable hab has to wait- I'm not delaying the release any further- but the cargo elements are there. You could always use the Homestead from Multipurpose Colony Modules (included in the Extras/MCM folder when you download Pathfinder) for the time being, but I'd rather see if I can make something like what @Porkjet did:

So sad these never saw the light of day, they look fabulous! Maybe I can get close, I've been practicing my skills.

 

Would you accept sunside orbit as light of day?

 

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Mark One Laboratory Extensions (M.O.L.E.)]

The Clarke Method. Get into orbit. Develop reusable rockets. Build your Munship in orbit. Skip the whole Saturn V thing. Vulcan Station, Hercules cargo lifters. 





Parts by Wild Blue and SSTU.

 

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

One is experiencing a certain amount of anticipation regarding this modification installation.

Adjusts monocle. 

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

Buffalo just got it's cockpit updated. Does the Bison need an equivalent update?  

4 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

I've actually considered that, and do have the ability to set up the parts. The downside is that craft out in the field will be adversely affected and need to be recovered. Doable but slightly inconvenient.

Make the switchable parts optional for the next few updates, with different designations/file names (The HL-10M has a cloned and adjusted part, the HL-10M/MF). 

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

Suggestion: The ability for sections with LF storage to swap it for Batteries (EC storage).  And possibly electric ducted fans.

For those making nuke/solar electric Zeppelins for use on Duna, or for really long range exploration at home. 

[[1.12.x] - Modular Kolonization System (MKS)]

Just now, voicey99 said:

 

Yes, that is MKS. You need to have MaterialKits storage within 150m, though

my kerbal is hanging off an empty Material Kits storage tank while pulling parts apart. (It's in orbit)

[[1.12.x] - Modular Kolonization System (MKS)]

Is the 'Disassemble Part' action is from the MKS mod cluster?

(I'm having problems working out what else I need to have to collect the material kits.)

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Deep Space Exploration Vessels - Build NASA Inspired Ships In KSP]

It's not polite to froth at the mouth about an update....but i appear to be frothing just a little over this.

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

15 hours ago, Bombaatu said:

There is a mod called Hanger Extender that can help with this.

That appears to have done the trick. Thanks

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

Questions.

Where's the best place to assemble airships? They're large, and I am having difficulties assembling even a small one in either the VAB or SPH. Are there mods that make these spaces larger to accommodate these parts?

Whats the best way to attach wheels to the Bison parts? The Buffalo chassis parts don't really work, as far as I can tell.

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience]

4 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

That's an interesting idea... It might work, you'd have to connect to something like the trailer hitch, or a small underside docking port, but maybe it'll do the job.

A docking node connected to a regular node in the VAB will decouple from it without issues. I don't know if this works with KAS. Give me an hour.

Edit:
Went with:

It can be fiddly, but i managed to get a working rover out of a box of parts. A scene change (quicksave-quickload) is necessary to activate the docking port.

 

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience]

Random thought...re the wheeljack, Buffalo, KAS assembly and problems therein...what if the top node on the wheeljack was a docking node?

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience]

One thing I have noticed...If you use the workshop mod to make one of the inflatables, they weigh too much to be carried. More details when i can get screenshots.

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

I'm  uncertain why it happens as well.Maybe i should change the name. HMAS ELECTRON sounded like a good name to begin with...

[[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Pathfinder - Space Camping & Geoscience]

I can see that SEP conversation taking place between Bill and Bob, on the Mun while they kludge an interface together from ummm 'spare' parts. Then Jeb being annoyed because said 'spare' parts coming from the microwave and Koffee maker.

[[Minimum KSP: 1.12.2] Heisenberg - Airships Part Pack]

I'm having a small problem with this mod, and it's interaction with MechJeb. If i open the MJ planetary data tab to check my location, the speed indicator on the navball goes NaN. 

Any ideas on what causes thid?

[[Min KSP 1.12.2] Buffalo: NASA Inspired Modular Space Exploration Vehicle]

Buffalo Soldier - Jeb gets dreadlocks.

 

[[1.2] OSE Workshop - KIS Addon: (v1.1.0 - 2016.11.03)]

Is there a way to link the workshop categories to the custom category areas that some mods generate? For example... MOLE has a custom tag for it's parts, but they also appear in their stock categories. The MKS constellation of mods has a collection of custom tags but doesn't also drop them in their stock categories, making them unavailable in workshops. Is it possible to generate a patch to match up the category lists? 

[[Min KSP 1.12.2] Buffalo: NASA Inspired Modular Space Exploration Vehicle]

19 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

Ok, well if it happens again, then I'm guessing it's a no.

Retest. The planet seems to have gone....away. What sort of explosive are you using in your self destruct packages? Quarkium? Strangelet pairs?