CatastrophicFailure

Perhaps this is worth mentioning: I remember reading an article about Bigelow not too long ago (the guys who built the BEAM module that was just put on the station), they say their biggest stumbling block to further expansion at the moment is simple lack of manned launches. At the time, and now, the Russians are the only ones with the capability and their dance card is already full. With a semi-reusable low cost way to put commercial astronauts in space like the D2, I could foresee a significant increase in demand. Then there's Skylon, Dreamchaser, etc... they wouldn't be under development if their developers didn't see some sort of demand for them...

They do if they're nuclear powered!

LOL, reminds of the end of Hot Shots!.

Now to answer the most important question: how many Kerbonauts does it take to change a light bulb?

After the dismal failure of Phase I of my plan to rescue Valentina from Eve, I've moved on to: Phase 1/2. First, I need a craft to rescue her from the middle of the Explodium sea and bring her to a place where a return ship can land. First try didn't go so well, so started over with a move standard design. Getting it to space, however... Testing of delivery methods successful! Now, to build one big a** rocket...

Is the flat-packed landing leg known to be buggy? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Official 1.1 this morning might have broken it too, I guess.

Check the video above, it already did My guess continues to be, they know more about it than us, there's probably a very good reason why they're not... and if they're doing it right, we won't know that reason until they want us to. Now if you'll excuse, I have a crinkle in my tinfoil hat...

Mods, plz. Landing gear, service bay, etc. How'd you do the arm, IR?

Reminds me of a 19th century calliope. Or maybe Beetlejuice.

When last I left her, poor Valentina was hopelessly cast away in the middle of the Evean ocean. And also, upside down. SO today I finally resolved to rescue her. I've never ever been back from Eve before, so this will be a new challenge with several phases. We ALL float down there...

Haven't read this yet, but just a caution that the forum mods may not take kindly to this part. They can be very particular about such things, or linking to them.

Much as I hate to miss an opportunity to slander and malign Android, the problem is the same with us Apple-flavored kool-aid drinkers. New forum just does NOT like mobile... or Exxon...

I does my research

IIRC somewhere near the end of May. Some things in space do NOT move fast...

Exactly what you should be asking right now. That one is still quite a few years away at this point... their launch procedure just hasn't changed much.

Chapter 52: One Giant Bleep "Tee minus 10 minutes, clock is holding for final launch status check. Attention all stations, standby for final launch status check." Gene's voice echoed across the Space Center from dozens of tinny, tiny loudspeakers. After another day, and a brief squall of very confused squid, the weather had finally broken. The ground crews had emerged into the brilliant sunlight and bustled about like ants, replacing Burdous's rocket on the pad and washing away any stubborn ink stains. Today, the dawn brought cooler temperatures and a balmy sea breeze that chased away the last hints of humidity, but not the uncomfortable wad of anxiety in the back of Valentina's mind. She once again stood in a crowd atop the Mission Control building, a considerably better view afforded by a large box she had grudgingly agreed to stand on. The lunch lady's back was even worse than her face, as it turned out, and Valentina was nothing if not practical. To his credit, J.R. had wisely advised her to stay upwind as well. "BOOSTER?" "GO" "RETRO?" "GO" "FIDO?" "GO" "GUIDANCE?" "GO" "SURGEON?" "GO" "EECOM?" "GO" "GNC?" "GO" "CONTROL?" "GO" "INCO?" "GO" "FAO?" "GO" "CAPCOM is GO, OTC?" "GO" "TBC?" "GO" "PTC?" "GO" "ILA?" "GO" "ZILA?" ..... "ZILA...?" ..... "ZILA need you to report station readiness." "ZILA is go." Beside her, J.R. sighed and rolled his huge eyes, "need to have a chat with them folks. That island livin' makin' is 'em soft. This is becoming a bad habit. Stubborn folk, them Gednalnans." "LRD?" "GO" "OMG?" "GO" "LOL?" "GO" "ROTFL?" "GO" "LMFAO?" "GO" "LMAOROTFBTCSTCNDBFOOTWIFOAGWLLBGWTHROOTSAIAKBAYB? And do not make me repeat that!" "GO flight!" J.R. sighed again, and this time put a hand to his face, "our launch procedures could certainly use some streamlining, too." "GNN?" "GO" "RSO?" "Range is clear, range is clear, you have a go." "PLT?" "Go flight!" Came Burdous's nasally, jubilant voice echoing through the air. "All stations report 'GO' for launch." "This is launch control, you have permission to launch. Terminal countdown has resumed at tee minus ten minutes." Valentina and J.R. looked on from their place in the crowd, as the flight controllers steadily worked through their procedures. Like so much here, it was all very familiar, yet surreally different. The crowds, for instance. Other than here on top of the Mission Control building, there weren't any on the center grounds. She could just see them, thousands of green faces, plastered along the outer perimeter fence. Anyone else on the premises was battened down in heavily reinforced buildings. She related this to J.R. "Well it's a dangerous business, rockets," he replied, glancing at her but keeping his focus on the distant launch pad, "wouldn't want any, er, civilian casualties, now. That is a Rockomax booster under that capsule, after all." "But we are expendable?" She said, not quite looking at him. "We have a top notch health plan here. Besides," he grinned, "y'all signed a waver just like the rest of us." "I do not recall signing any waver." J.R. chuckled a bit at that, "ma'am, if you remembered half of bovine byproducts you signed comin' through immigration, Ah'd... why, Ah'd eat mah hat. Shoot, Ah'm in the business of signin' things, and Ah don't even remember half of what Ah signed to get into this country." "Tee minus seven minutes," Gene echoed again, "begin auto sequence start." "Have you thought any more 'bout our lil' offer?" he asked carefully, still watching the distant rocket. Valentina let the moment drift on a bit, giving her mind time to work as the disembodied voices continued their sermon, "in my country, are many rules..." "That there are," J.R. nodded thoughtfully, "Ah have people well versed in just those sort of rules. Arrangements can be made." An uncomfortable pause stretched on, as Valentina's mind continued to race, leaning this way and that. "Core LOX purge." "Core purge." "Upper LOX purge." "Upper purge." J.R. raised an eye... bulge, "don't trust me, do yah?" "Uh," she stammered, "certainly I do..." He then gave a deep, bitter chuckle that chilled Valentina to her core, "really, Mizz Kermanova, Ah imagine yah think Ah'm all sortsa nasty things, and yer probably right. But one thing Ah am not, and never will be, is a liar. Ain't got no grace for the breed." "So why don't you and Ah start with one small amity, hmm?" He turned fully to her now, "let us agree to extend this courtesy to one another, that we won't lie to each other. Can we agree on that much?" "Fuel tanks to flight pressure." "RCS purge, nozzle check, tanks to flight pressure." An uneasy feeling crept over Valentina, as J.R. stood there in the bright sun grinning at her, one she had not felt in a very long time, but knew all too well. Anyone who lived in the taiga came to know the feeling, to come to terms with it, and above all, never to ignore it. She knew well when a predator was stalking her. And you never, ever, ran from a predator. "Batt heaters off." She'd had the feeling, too, when the voice had whispered to her all those... PЦTIЙ, had it really only been a handful of weeks? But this was somehow different, more visceral, more real. You never ran from a predator, you'd just die tired. Instead you waited, stalked it back, and always kept one eye on it. "Firing command enable." "Firing command on." "We have the firing command." "All right. Fair enough," she said. "Well that's just excellent!" J.R. beamed, "y'see? We're agreein' already, and negotiatin's nothin' but findin' one agreement after the next. Findin' the common ground." "This is so," she kept one eye on him as the launch clock continued to count down. "Terminate LOX replenish." "Close topping valves." "Closed." "Close vent valves." "Closed." "Take Mister Burdous there," he gestured toward the waiting rocket as plumes of fog began to drift from its flanks, "real piece of work that was, feller's as stubborn as a mule, just had to find the common ground. He's a real team player, now." Him too? Who else was on this 'team,' she wondered, "is that so?" "Yes, indeed. Stubborn as a mule, mouth like one's back end, too, but absolutely brilliant. He's got idears on nuclear propulsion only Dr. Fermi can fully grasp, but one day he'll do even greater things for the team." "Doctor... Fermi?" Valentina asked. J.R. pointed off toward the Research Center, "Dr. Fermi Kerman. The usual source of all these, er, seismic anomalies you've no doubt noticed. World's leading authority on applied nuclear physics. Team player since the very start. We brought him out here and built him that lab after the powers that be back in Exast were... less communally minded. There's a place for you, too, here among the great." "Tee minus one minute." Valentina frowned, "is wise to discuss such matters so... publicly?" "Why ma'am, transparency is one of Layland Heavy Industries' most treasured values. And besides, you might be surprised just how big this here team is." About this time, the lunch lady turned around and scowled at him. "Mornin', ma'am," he said to her, tipping his enormous hat, "beautiful day, ain't it? Boy howdy, you are a vision." Her expression darkened, and she waded off through the crowd. "I thought you said you did not lie," Valentina observed. "Well, Ah didn't!" J.R. threw up his hands, "didn't say she was a pleasant vision, now." He sighed, "Kerbelle's got more wool than a sheep on sheerin' day." "Tee minus twenty seconds, start engine gimbal test." "Watch," he said, putting an unwelcome hand on Valentina's shoulder and pointing, "here comes the best part!" "Tee minus twelve..." "Eleven..." "Ten..." "Nine..." "Eight..." "Seven..." "Main engine start... we have ignition." Out on the pad, a bright flash precluded a billowing, roiling plume of thick grey smoke, and was followed a moment later by a low rushing sound quite unlike anything Valentina had heard before. A hush grew over the crowd. "Four..." "Three..." "Two..." "One..." "Booster ignition and... lift off!" Burdous's voice thundered from the speakers, just before the blast of the solid boosters chased away all other noise. "HOLEY <bleeeeeeeeeeeeep>!" J.R. buried his face in his hands as the rocket leapt into the clear blue sky. The boosters drowned the world in a deafening roar, and a smile crept onto Valentina's face. Yes, some things definitely were the same the world over. Like the barely restrained fury of solid rockets, and the need to keep certain pilots on a broadcast delay. The rocket continued to climb, pitching out over the ocean on a gray tail of smoke. Valentina felt her own apprehension rise with it. The crowd remained mostly silent in breathless anticipation. Higher and farther the missile shot, the smoke trail deforming into a zig-zag pattern as it passed through varying wind layers high above. Valentina strained her keen eyes, and there, just on the edge of visibility, she saw the plume of smoke abate, and three objects tumble and flash away. "We have booster separation... Booster separation is good, all systems remain go!" The gathered Kerbals finally let out their collective breath in a triumphant cheer, and Valentina realized she had been holding her own as well. "Well now, fancy that, a Rockomax rocket doin' what it's supposed to," laughed J.R., "Ah do hope we'll talk more later, though Ah believe a good faith gesture may be in order." He tipped his hat to her, "y'all have yerself a lovely day, now," then made his way off through the crowd. Valentina frowned after him. Who else was he talking to? She sighed, and blew at the wandersome hair in her face. A quick glance told her the rocket was far out of view now, even for her. With the continued reports over the speakers, there was no more need to stand out here in the sun. She decided to beat the rush and head down to the cafeteria for a cheeseburger. Mmmmm, cheeseburger! *** A guilty grin crept across Valentina's face as the last colors of the vision faded away in her mind. That fellow could certainly play the flute well with such a nasty head wound. Something about a feathered hat and... pasta. The post-launch crowds had come and gone, indicating an uneventful flight thus far. Only a few dispersed diners still lingered in the cavernous space. Valentina was just about to leave herself, when a new wave of anxiety and trepidation washed over her. Stunned for a moment, a sudden outburst from across the room drew her attention. "Ugh, as if!" She craned her neck looking for the source. It was a pretty young cadet she didn't recognize, talking to... "I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last Kerb in the world!" The cadet spun around and stalked off, "loser!" Valentina frowned. That seemed a bit... harsh. Still standing there, with a fragile, hopeful smile frozen on his face, and holding out a very particular flower, was the simple fellow from the hallway the other day. What was his name again? Gas-man? But... where was his friend? Before her eyes, flower, smile, and Kerb wilted. He turned and wandered away slowly, studying the floor. Valentina's frown deepened. Those flowers were not easy to come by, the least the young lady could have done is show him a little courtesy, even if she weren't interested. A deep, familiar sadness flowed through the back of her mind. She wished it would stop, it was very distracting when she was trying to think of what to do about the poor boy. Perhaps she should go talk to him? Give him an encouraging word? He did seem to have a liking for her, even if it was a bit... uncomfortable. She nodded to herself. Yes, yes that's exactly what she should do. He was still shuffling toward the door. Go talk to him, just be kind, and hope he hasn't eaten rec-- She rose quickly, without looking, and stepped into an explosion of ketchup and expletives, with not a bleep to be heard. "YOU AGAIN?!" Oh, PЦTIЙ. "Excuse... did not see..." "You're damn right you didn't see!" D.N. screamed, throwing the splattered tray and ruined meal to the floor, "you've got a habit of not seeing!" He looked down at the red, meaty mess on his torso, "my shirt... I love this shirt... THIS WAS MY FAVORITE SHIRT YOU--" Valentina went from apologizing to snarling. The other fighter pilots stepped up behind D.N. "You!" He raged, "you... you... shake my nerves... and you rattle my brain!" "Too much love drives a man insane?" Waterfowl offered helpfully. D.N. stopped in mid rant. He blinked twice, then closed his mouth, thought a moment, held up a finger to Valentina, and turned to Waterfowl. He looked the other pilot deeply in the eyes, which wasn't easy, slowly waved a finger back and forth in front of them... tapped the left side of the other's head, tapped the right, moved it around this way and that... pulled his mouth open and had a careful look inside... felt for a pulse at his neck... "Y'know what is it with you, lately?" D.N. said to him, "you hit your head on the canopy or something?" Waterfowl just shrugged. D.N. put a hand to his temples, cleared his throat, and spun around again. "YOU!" he snarled back at Valentina with twice the fury, "oh yeah, I know all about you! I've been reading--" Garter Snake began to clap slowly, but stopped after a glare from his leader. "You're a magnet for trouble. It seems to follow you around like a cloud. I read, that all sortsa bad things happened around you back in Ooski-land, and now that you're here, it's followed you!" Valentina clenched her teeth to hold her tongue. "Suddenly you're here, and Rockomax keeps blowing up... real convenient if you ask me!" "Um, but, boss," Ivylog tapped him on the shoulder, "today's launch went fine, and Rockomax has been blowing up a long time before she showed up." D.N. shoved him away with a scowl, "you grew up as some kinda wild child, raised by wolves out in the forest or something..." Valentina took a step... "...and then they found you and sent you to the orphanage..." ...another step... "...cuz your parents got arrested..." ...her hands balled into fists... "...for being terrorists." ...she drew her arm back... D.N. gave a feral grin. "Go on, punch me!" He squealed, "punch me! Get your diplomatic visa revoked! Get thrown out of the country!" ...you will do absolutely nothing that might compromise the integrity of the Ussari Union... He threw his arms wide, "punch me!" "PUNCH ME!!!!!" She didn't punch him. Instead, she punched the wall. The concrete wall. Bleep.

Oh well, IBTL. This saddens me greatly. RIP SmartParts, you will be missed. Someone cue Taps.

I had foolishly passed over this at first, this is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! So of course my question is the stoopid one, how'd you get multiple Kerbals wandering around under the big miner rover??

Hi all. Been playing around with this for a few days and generally figuring things out, but I'm completely stumped with the main thing I'm trying to do, which should be the simplest. I'm trying to make a very small VTOL with a single engine at the center of mass. I can get several designs like this to fly without TCA, at least for a few seconds. But with TCA it keeps killing the thrust. I've tried setting the engine to balanced, main, etc, but I'm obviously missing something very important and probably also very simple. Here's an example: Tried all the control settings, hover, etc, but I'm stuck. So... what am I doing wrong?

Awesome, thanx. THIS I can work with!

I missed around and made a Police VTOL. Anbas Kerman stole it. He does not look happy now. You should have thought of that before you robbed the cops, Anbas. Better take it back, Anbas. Don't look so happy. That got you time off for good behavior. On Eve.

Hey what are you using for the actual vertical thrust here? I've just spent the last half hour trying to find working VTOL engines for 1.1 or even x.05 and I got nuthin.

Excellent as always, tho with each new success for the characters, I'm getting worried that when something does finally go wrong, it's gonna go really wrong! I'm reminded of the line from Armageddon about sitting in a thing with a million parts each made by the lowest bidder. Perhaps the KIS's success is because they've specifically avoided this? Also, is a "guard beast" anything like a roast beast?

Whoops, somehow I missed these two questions! A) It's either the spoilers, or all the images on the page try to load at once and it scrolls & bogs. Bit of a darned if you do, darned if you don't thing. B) Found the logo from a deadpost on here and just added the star. I'll have to see if I have the original. Meanwhile, here's a freebie I never used: Welcome, and thanx!