M5000

Absolutely essential for me: -KSPX -KW Rocketry -Kethane -Subassembly Save/Loader -Advanced Editor Tools -Kerbal Crew Manifest -Common Berthing Mechanism (it's the only PROPER way to build large things in orbit.) Fun or otherwise useful, but not essential: -MechJeb (I use 2.0.6 ATM) -Kerbal Engineer Redux -Ordan Industries Telescopes -Kerbal Attachment System -Firespitter Plane Parts -Damned Robotics -Hooligan Labs Airship Parts -ISA MapSat -FusTek Station Parts Pack -FusTek Kappa Pod -FusTek Munox -Bobcat's DEMV Mk2 (My favorite one. ANT is too small, Mk1 is not expandable enough, and Mk3 and 4 don't interest me enough to install right now) -The REALLY old CleverBobCat cart parts (I just install the little Mun rover base with the golden wheels and the RCS systems for it, they're easily replaceable and outdated now, but I really like that rover model for some reason) The above are all the mods I currently have installed in my working game. Some other mods that I enjoy but don't have installed right now to trim load times are: -Kosmos Space Station Parts Pack -Nova Punch Parts Pack -C7 Aerospace (Mk3 Shuttle expansion) -Mk2 Cockpit Internals (I hope this becomes stock) -Bobcat's HOME 3m modules -Bobcat's DEMV Mk1, 3, 4, and 5 -Bobcat's Soviet pack -KerbX -Dragon Rider Capsule -Lionhead Aerospace's ships (All of them) -Romfarer's Lazor System (I usually can't find much of a purpose for this that's worth the effort of using, TBH) -RemoteTech -Binky's RTGs (Some big ass RTGs that I may re-add since they're so cool..) -Binky's Conformal Tanks -Ion Hybrid Engine Pack -Docking Strut (Ended up causing a ton of wobble on my crafts..) -Quantum Strut (Not realistic enough for my tastes, personally..) -Deep Space Mission Pack (Mediocre model and texture quality, provided nothing I couldn't just make myself. Waiting for the developer to refine the parts) -TiberDyne Shuttle Expansion Pack -Mk4 Fuselage System -Modular Multi-Wheels -Bobcat's Lunokhod-1 (I may re-add this, as this is one of the higher-quality models from Bobcat and still retains a bit of the stock style) Really, nothing is inherently WRONG with those mods, I'm just not terribly keen on modding until version 1.0 comes out, then I'll have more parts than I can shake a stick at, likely. And probably several of those mods will be gotten rid of simply because stock features replace them. But all those mods above have at one point been in my game. So I guess you could consider them various levels of "must have".

Good lord.. Yeah at that point, you're actually probably making your engines work harder than they need to due to the drag of the intakes...

I've found that a good, safe number of RAM AIR intakes should be about 3 for each engine, maybe 2.5 (say if you have a two engine craft with 5 intakes). I know it's possible with less intakes, but a good number is 3 per engine and will give you a pretty good heads up.

You mean something like this? That is an SSTO similar to Spatzimaus's design. It's the fuel/engines for a cruiser I've yet to complete. Gets to orbit entirely empty except for the RCS tanks. Again, SSTO, but it will need to be refueled later.. Those orange tanks are NOT the stock ones, by the way. Those are the KW rocketry 3.75 meter ones. There's a stock orange tank on there, but it's kinda hidden. Absolutely dwarfed by those massive KW tanks. Here it is in the hangar, though I think with those tanks filled (the orange ones) and the ascent boosters (the white ones) detached, the actual delta-V was something like 12Km/s... Also, that top nose cone on the propulsion module detaches when you get rid of the main boosters. It's just a support cone with an ASAS module, some batteries and some RTGs and a decoupler. Below it is a CBM docking port to go to the core of what will be the ship, then the command module. But yeah it all depends on what you want to lift. Could I have lifted that payload to orbit with all the fuel intact? Sure. Would it have been a LOT more boosters and such? Hell yeah. Build a lifter for general purposes (Usually something like Temstar's stuff up there will work for whatever payload you want to do) and just use it for all the missions you can fit onto it.

It was kinda an icon of all things spacey for me when I was younger in the late 90's and early 2000's, so it's a bit sad to see it go, but there were an awful lot of failures for what it actually accomplished..

Please please please this. There's literally no use for the Mk3 fuselages right now unless you download mods..Mk2 are at least useful in being lighter and less drag than the standard 1.25m jet fuel canister (why?) but Mk3 has no real utility unless you download C7 Aerospace or FatNose (which is actually a Mk4 size) or things of that nature. Would really like to see some expansion done with plane/shuttle things such as crew fuselages and of course cargo bays.

I'm not 100% sure, but having had my share of education in electronics, I would say that they are not accurate to reality, but are not too far off. They are slightly overpowered, but not much, I don't think. This is all speculation, however.

What could possibly be drawing that much power that you need 4 sets of Balka Solar Wings?

Well, I have your "lowest orbit" right here: 3.8Km circular on the Mun. Everything seems to be remaining stable after several orbits. Which makes me happy because that means the high TWR I originally designed in case of emergency corrections isn't needed. I plan to go lower and try a larger, flatter planet. Maybe Vall or Tylo, or possibly Moho or Eeloo. Something flat though. Or maybe Gilly.. Hmm...

Why not just use Damned Robotics or the Canadarm addon?

Just finished my Mun station, KerbLab Two, a sort of Skylab analogue of sorts. I'm planning on using it as a small crew storage and rendezvous point for crew transfers. I'm slowly working on a base on the surface. The object will be to launch crew to the station, THEN have a sort of orbital "bus" come and get the crew and take them back to a station in LKO, which will then have a small, cheap vessel that can de-orbit itself and parachute to the surface. I know it seems like a lot, but I figure if I'm going to play with actual cost/force limitations on myself (or try to), then it would be cheaper to keep a high-capacity bus in orbit than to launch a separate mission every time. I also plan to have a bit of fueling and such that the bus can carry, so it'll really be a multi-purpose type thing. Anyhow, here's my kinda boring station with two recently decoupled orbital tugs:

DAMN that thing is cool. WOW...

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes.

I just pulled off my first SSTO space plane. I am absolutely ecstatic right now. My palms are basically their own little ocean and there is a huge smile on my face despite having really low blood sugar. This is the same feeling I got from landing on the Mun the first time. I'm just super happy because not only did I pull it off, but I pulled it off with an actually awesome looking craft that has all the systems I want it to have on it. (RCS, docking, electricity, EVA-on-ground). I was so afraid my first SSTO was going to look like absolute horridness. It goes by the name X-10 Jolly Rancher Light SSTO. A bit of a mouthful, but we can just call it the Jolly Rancher. I'm sure my ascent profile wasn't the greatest and there could be many improvements, but IT WORKS. And you know what else? It's ALL stock except for two parts, which are KSPX, and probably could be replaced with stock parts.. Gorgeous.. Ahh it ain't the most useful, the most awesome, the biggest or the baddest. But it's mine. And it will always be my first. Here's some pictures: When I first broke orbit and got all sorted out emotionally: Look how ugly it isn't: Underside with docking port: It feels so freaking weird to have something that isn't basically a cylinder facing retrograde. Also, gear down for comedy: I still have no idea how I did this. Anyone care for a .craft file of a basically useless-but-working SSTO? Don't expect me to tell you how to fly it, because even I don't know.

Yes, this problem has happened to me countless times for seemingly random parts at any given load-up. Sometimes it's an SRB, other times it's a Kethane refiner, still other times it's a solar panel. I have no idea what causes this but it can be fixed by reboot. Know you are not alone.

I've been trying a lot longer than you to get a working spaceplane, OP, and more importantly a working SSTO spaceplane to add to my grand tour vessel (because a corresponding rocket SSTO would be far too heavy) and I've never gotten a working spaceplane. About to go build though.. Keep going.

I imagine they might do something like that in the future but it cannot be very high priority. Even so, I don't know why you'd even want to, as it's not in an optimal location for anything..

No way. Get out of here...

Yeah the only non-stock docking system that I've ever found to be even close to worth its weight in usefulness is the Common Berthing Mechanism..

Protip: If you're in orbit in the opposite direction of a moon around a planet, you're going to be going past it at two times your orbital velocity.. Also, ion engines are horrible at correcting collision courses... (half a second before impact, speed was about 7Km/s in reference to Vall. (below) It's a cold and dark universe out there...

Someone's got it.

Might as well rename it. Hahaha

Well the tag does say "Sci-Fi Theory" Keyword: Fiction. I don't know, I just like talking about interstellar drives. Let's just say this: The proposed method I put up, I think, could only work in a String-Theory based universe, as that's what it relies on. Changing the resonant frequency of these subatomic strings, then allowing them to quickly break down.. Also, I imagine deceleration could be done in the same way that acceleration happened, except it would be a bit more complex. You would have to have the ship become matter for a split second, annihilate the fuel, convert to the tiny energous point again as the fuel is annihilated, and allow that force to cancel out the force that sent you going, at this point it's safe to permanently materialize.

Yay! I'm not the only one who has positive thoughts! Keep the good feels coming haha

That would be called a "tailsitter" methinks.. I love how everyone has all these light and efficient and pretty looking SSTOs while mine's pretty much a single-purpose behemoth... Also, RoboRay, I REALLY like that second SSTO you posted. It's different, but it can still carry three Kerbals. Love love love it.