Landge

That capsule flip flopping to nose first has been aggravating. I surprised myself deploying the parachute in the upper atmosphere during reentry stops that. I would have thought the chute would burn up. Thanks to Jebediah's "Scorch Guard" in aerosol spray, the chute survived as did the capsule and it's pilot.

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BE THIS! Harv is finally going to fix the issue with mirrored or radially copied parts not copying the action key settings! This is probably the most aggravating issues that's been around in KSP since forever! PLEASE BE THIS!

Removable wheels... I seem to remember seeing a tutorial on base building that was quite good...Temstar's The Art of Modular Base Building. Links to KSP Base Building videos... http://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ksp+base+building&tbm=vid I am sure there are other good tutorials out there. But as others have said, with the release of 1.0 you will probably have to modify your delivery system. It can't hurt to practice building them in the SPH and rolling them out on the grassy field on either side of the runway to see how they will fit together until then. Please post pics of your accomplishments!

Why can't a base be a rover or a rover a base. It has several Hitchiker Cans and a Mobile Science Lab. It can't be a Mobile Science lab if it's not mobile! But if you want to you can use radial decouplers and the little SRBs to jettison the legs and rockets after you land like this... I didn't like the little rover attached on the nose so I kept the landing legs and relocated the rover to hang underneath. Covered parking!

I haven't used MKS parts but can you just attach them as upper stages to rockets without having to carry them as cargo? As far as sending bases to other planets... Other ones with video can be seen in my sig...

Persistance. Keep at it and it will eventually click. If you get frustrated and fed up, step away from them for a spell. It has taken me nearly 2 years to get the hang of them. First is getting them airborne. Then landing them intact. Then getting them into space. Eventually when I finally get one into space I couldn't repeat it. AUUUUGGGHHH! SSTO's are THE hardest thing to build, for me at least, in KSP. For a time I stuck them to the sides of rocket boosters to get them into orbit. I just recently successfully created a viable Mk-2 SSTO Yes it has a transfer stage, launched separately, but with it's own single LV-N rocket engine it can pretty much go anywhere by itself. Flyby's anywhere? Sure. Land and take off anywhere? No. It can only do that on Kerbin and Laythe. I haven't had any success with a Mk-3 but then I haven't really felt the urge to try. Rockets are my comfort zone. Then once 1.0 arrives you can toss everything out the window.

After KSP 1.0 is released what DLC would you like to see the dev team focus on? For me I would like to see base building taken to the next level. The ultimate sandbox! To keep it simple, road paving equipment with tracks instead of wheels, that can be attached to rovers to build roads, bridges, and runways. One that can fit inside a cargo bay... You would make the road paver to be the active unit. From the side menu you would then select the type, road, bridge, or runway just like you do for parts now. That road, bridge, or runway "square" would become a 3D cursor that you would then pick a starting point on the ground and drag it to an end point, highlighting the direction on the ground where you want to build. We already have the ability to build base structures. What I'm suggesting is bigger and less CPU extensive. Domed buildings with multiple underground levels that you can wander around in IVA mode and wouldn't impact CPU rate. Launch pads, and offshore platforms that would require parts to build a larger mobile construction unit. Link: http://www.esa.int/Highlights/Lunar_3D_printing As with the road paver the building construction unit would have it's own set of buildings to choose from, placed on the location you choose. A single click to place in this case. Construction would then be an automated event that takes time to finish. Roads would be faster than runways, which would be faster than bridges. Buildings of course would take even longer. Materials would consist of local materials and structural/construction materials ferried from Kerbin. I'd like to hear your ideas for Kerbal DLC.

I believe this to be the one you are referring to. I thought it might have been lost in the wake of the great forum purge. The Hanging Gardens of Mun

You mean like this? Thanks for reminded me of my first South Pole landing. 0.19 I think. Rover wheels were invented but I had not yet modified my rover. . Caption: Bill was all panic like when he was told they were landing on the South Pole. "SOUTH POLE! ARE YOU NUTS! WE'RE GONNA FALL OFF!" Jeb wasn't sure but was willing to chance it. Who really knew? Part of this Mission Album. Edit: OP: Any location that has a great view of Kerbin, just above the horizon, is a good location.

Some pics would help. I'm assuming you are using a drogue chute or two. It also helps to use your rockets to slow your descent before the main chutes fully open. If you still are having spontaneous disassembly try using 2 or more struts to hold the chutes to the ship better. Attach the struts to the structure surrounding the chute first then the other end to the chute's outer ring.

Drogue, Drag. Thanks. I corrected my original comment to read drag chutes.

Yes, that is a pain when the optimum thrust is set in between keyboard taps. I did something similar using the grabber on a downed probe I had on the moon. Watch out though. It could throw your CoM off. That is if you are trying to do a salvage operation.

Try doing it without mods at first. All it takes is practice and patience. Jet engines are the hardest to control in VTOL due to their spin up/down delay... Here is a rocket powered VTOL Mobile Base I made for Duna, landing without parachutes... How one design can lead to others... Testing out a VTOL Fuel Truck using only stock parts. I've since switched to KAS because trying to dock on the ground was too much of a pain (differing gravities and uneven terrain) trying to line up the docking ports.

Stock chutes disappear on contact with the ground. You would need to use RealChutes mod that has drag chutes for what you need. But IMO if you are landing at 80 m/s that is slow enough to just use your brakes. Edit: Corrected drogue to drag.

Here is a VTOL lander-rover, undergoing a field trial at KSC. I designed it for island hopping on Laythe on an upcoming mission. It has taken many long minutes practicing how to fly this thing consistently without crashing. All is required is a booster stage to get it into a LKO parking orbit then a transfer stage to take it to Laythe. I have since removed the RCS maneuvering thrusters, reduced the 8 O-10 RCS engines to 4, and removed the 2 redundant side lights from the rover.

Kerbal Duct Tape. Use struts by attaching them to the floppy parts.

You're welcome to modify the craft files if you like. I choose not to use the claw for fueling because of the uncertainty torque might cause on the merged craft while on the ground. KAS provides a way that makes sense and IMHO should be stock. Re-enacted above scene in KSP. Although I highly doubt his fuel truck in the pic is VTOL capable.

Thanks! I gave props to Brotoro in my post. Plus the name J-Bird was in reference (reverence) to his Bird Dog design. Edited: Now in Bold Italics so it stands out better.

KINDIGO: Laythe Jet Transport-Jool Transfer Stage: [stock] 339 Parts, 5 Stages, 1097 tonnes Total Mass with a payload of 178 tonnes. 4 XL SRBs, 7 Mainsails paired with 16 LV-T30s (Asparagus Staging) for max thrust (at launch): 16,540 kN. Once in orbit 8 LV-Ns provide a total thrust of 480 kN. Minimum Crew: 0, Max Crew Capacity: 10. I recommend keeping at least 1 crew member on board at all times to help out in the science lab when a pilot docks to deliver his collected science data. Launch Notice: All rockets are built facing EAST. If you want to reset the ship to it's default state, inside the VAB, click on the main capsule and press the spacebar. KINDIGO.craft file Action Keys: 0 - Antenna Array JET FUEL DEPOT (Lander): [KAS required for fuel transfer at landing site] 161 Parts, 3 Stages, 302 tonnes Total Mass with a payload of 39 tonnes. 3 Mainsails for max thrust (at launch): 4,500 kN. Minimum Crew: 0, Max Crew Capacity: 6. 4 LV-909s are for deorbit burn and power assisted parachute landing. The Jet Fuel Depot is intended to be used as either an outpost or as part of a larger base settlement. JET FUEL DEPOT.craft file Action Keys: 0 - Toggle Antennae 1 - Toggle Engines 3 - Shutdown Engines 6 - Ladder J-BIRD SSTO (2 recommended for balance): [stock] 71 Parts, 1 Stage, 11 tonnes Total Mass. Crew: 1 (required). 1 Turbojet: 225 kN (at launch) and 2 Rockomax 48-7S: 60 kN (in space). Equipped with all science gathering devices the J-Bird SSTO can return to orbit to offload the collected data at the orbiting transfer stage. Note: Raise front landing wheel to enable rover wheeled mode of operation. Props go to Brotoro for this idea he used on his BIRD DOG Laythe aircraft. J-BIRD SSTO.craft file Action Keys: 0 - Toggle Antenna and turns on/off devices (Acceleration, Atmospheric, Gravity, Pressure, and Temperature). Does not scan or transmit data. 1 - Toggle Turbojet Engines 2 - Toggle 48-7S Engines 3 - Shutdown All Engines 5 - Toggle Docking Shield 6 - Ladder 7 - Scan and observe all science data and crew reports. You can either choose to transmit, store, or discard data at this time. Here she is, fully assembled in Kerbin Orbit, waiting on the transfer window to Jool: REMINDER: Disable Crossfeed at the Jet Fuel Depot's Clamp-o-tron Sr. as well as both J-Bird SSTO Clamp-o-trons, as well as their RCS tanks, whenever you are docked with the transfer stage to prevent unwanted fuel loss during transfer burns. Feel free to kick the tires, take it around the block for a test drive and let me know what you think.

2 meters! That's more than close enough. Unless you were zooming past. You need to switch to the Kerbal using your bracket keys [ or ] then press the R key to switch on his jet pack to move him to your ship. He won't move on his own. Switching to another craft or Kerbal using brackets only works with-in a 2.3 km range.

@Starchaser: Congrats on your 1st rescue! @Mapoko: You also have to be within physics range, 2.3 km or less, for the [ and ] bracket keys to work.

The only thing I'd want Laythe to have would be active volcanos.

My rule of thumb when closing the distance to a target is keeping my speed proportional to the distance remaining. You will have better control to prevent overshooting your target. All depends on how much time it takes your engine to slow you down. Quite similar to docking or landing on a airless moon. 1st number is Distance to Target. 2nd number is Speed to Target 100 to 50 km ~ 1000 to 500 m/s 50 to 10 km ~ 500 to 100 m/s 10 to 5 km ~ 100 to 50 m/s 5 to 2 km ~ 50 to 20 m/s From here on in use RCS if you have it. 2 to 1 km ~ 20 to 10 m/s 100 m to 10 ~ 10 to 5 m/s 10 m or less ~ 5 to 1 m/s

If your 3 km apart can't you set your rescue as target and zero out your relative velocity by firing retrograde to your target? Once you are near matching speeds switch to Helmut and jetpack to the ship. Rats ninja'd

I haven't been able to build a viable large Mk 3 spaceplane. My Mk 2's capacity is too limited and would need to make several trips. My personal favorite is Vall, if you are going for bulk surface drilling. Bop would probably be the easier of the two to land and takeoff. That is if you can fine a relatively flat drilling site. Utilizing both moons, ferrying fuel up to orbital fuel stations around each, you have travel to both the inner and outer moons covered.