sgt_flyer

upon seeing your design, i agree with lucius it's not that the engines exhaust are blocked under a certain altitude, it's just that you block your exhausts when you extend your landing legs prior to landing

from your fuel stats, the 8 nuclear engines all firing should give you around 3200 m/s of delta-V - if all the liquid fuel and oxidizer onboard can be used by the nuclear engines - more than enough for reaching the joolian system (and using only 6 instead of all 8 nuclear engines will have almost no impact on fuel savings - you'll just end up accelerating slower - if you want emergency speed, add in a couple of LVT 45's which does not fire normally, and when they do fire in conjunction with the nuclear engines, they will use up much more fuel than the nuclear engines, but they will give you a much higher TWR else, some pictures of my current work (intended to end into my persistence file) : a Duna orbital shipyard (not assembled yet, but there's already several parts of it in LKO, awaiting the Duna transfer window) the LV for the shipyard is based upon my saturn rockets, but with simplified operations, and added droppable boosters. (it does not have the saturn's complex interstage systems: p) in the end, it gave my a rocket capable of lifting 86 tons to a 80x80 LKO, with a 12% payload fraction (in a non asparagus design). some pics of the ascent : the shipyard's core, awaiting it's transfer stage (86 tons in orbit): the shipyard's drydock extension, with two automated heavy orbital tugs(intended for the shipyard servicing) and a transfer stage : and a Valkyrie civilian transport , which has room for 1 pilot and 12 passengers, designed for round trips between LKO's (it has 88 parts weight 40 tons, has 3908 m/s of delta-V and a TWR of 0.3). i think i'll try to make a civilian round trip refueller based on the valkyrie too

Don't mix up weight and mass objects weight nothing in zero G, but they still have a mass - which is why an assymetrical object in space will want to rotate around it's center of mass, and why a s given engine will accelerate an object with more mass slower than a lighter object.

the new probe body looks like KSPX Hex probe core - did Squad added other KSPX parts ?

the ASAS problem should be resolved in the next update the new ASAS is way more gentle than the current one (it should not be overcompensating anymore )

Reusing descent profiles is a good thing - i spent quite some time before finding the good spots on kerbin for my Kliper - once i got them, i sent beacons on the two points i use for reentry - one directly under the spot i have to start deorbiting, and the second one marking the periapsis intended position after the deorbit burn. Although in the end,my Kliper's being a good glider, it makes accurate landings a breeze (i now glide it each time to KSC's runway, and even overshooting it is not a problem -i can just turn around

the 'drills' SRB's are dumb rockets (no controller) plus, adding submunitions would increase too much part count - although that maybe be used on single shot guided versions.

That's a nice class and ship name thanks

yes, i stated that the core stage was the Space shuttle tank nevertheless, complete digital guidance systems is something which is really recent in rocketry - the proton K with it's analog systems still flew until 2012 - even if the proton M with it's more advanced guidance system flew since 2001. (and let's not speak about the onboard space shuttle computers ) if you want top of the line technology, do not go for rockets - go for planes instead

hey Nasa keep reusing and reusing everything they made - simply because it worked even the 'new' Space launch system is made by reusing a lot of old tech : the side boosters are stretched versions of the Space shuttle SRB's, the core stage is a modified Space shuttle external Tank, with modified space shuttle main engines at the bottom (modified notably to save money, as they don't need to be reusable on the SLS) and the SLS's upperstage will make use of J2-X engines, which are an upgraded version of the saturn V's second and third stage J2 engines it's the russian who where king of automation back then - everything was intended to fly automatically (heck, Buran made a fully automatic reentry and glided landing the only time it went to space)

my new combat cruiser : (you can see temstar's supernova on it, i use it as a launch vehicle for the cruiser - the SRB canister is a bit wobbly, but it makes it intact to orbit ) at 390 parts in orbit, it houses 6 SRB propelled 'Drill' Warheads, and 4 antifighter guided missiles. the antifighter missiles are stored on the side, inside detachable systems (so we can replace them) and the SRB's are stored inside a canister which is infact, the whole front of the ship (the canister can be replaced too) - the SRB's are disposed in a circle around a central docking port, and when you 'select' one of them (by undocking it from the canister), the SRB will automatically move and dock with the central docking port, ready to be fired. the cruiser weight around 130 tons, and has 2800d/v with a TWR of 0.28, and can house a crew of 2 (which enter and exit the cruiser through the kerbalholes near the rear docking port) - the crew inside can view things around the central SRB docking port, through the front opening.) now, i'm not good at naming things ^^ so if someone can help me find a good class and vessel name, the crew will be pleased to add the name to the cruiser

struts cancel out decoupler force on standard decouplers - maybe it works too for docking ports (unless you have something partially clipped inside the docking port) (and no, two docking ports connected together in the vab will still use the 'decouple' command the first time. - and the docking ports still generate a small decoupling force, even when simply undocking)

That was an interesting read on the star rally race

Mmh - i don't think your ion thrusters will be usefull for propelling the whole ship (although only the core, that's another story ) All engines firing gives it a TWR around 0.21 - Which is a nice value. How much fuel does the engines have ? Edit : my combat Battlecruiser has made it to orbit (thanks to Temstar's supernova - take off weight around 1000 tons, for 645 parts at liftoff) (and intercepted right away the vanguard hull i keep in orbit for weapon testing , but a direct interception on ascent was not planned - but hey, we take good things when they happen ) i'm intending for it to be stationned around duna inside the persistence file - with a planned duna orbital shipyard and support vessels - all of that will be taken over by Hanland after a Hostile Takeover by hanland(which then fired all of the current duna employees to replace them by their own) - of all those ships, only two prototype bombers (which i displayed earlier) will escape the takeover and flee to the joolian system, thanks to intrepid pilots, who will help Spiritwolf. (although those prototypes need a complete refit after firing their only torpedo - at least, they will be able to use the bomber itself as a projectile, and eject before impact thanks to their ejectable cockpits )

so you'll have turtles in a tortoise ? - nevertheless, remind's me a little of star wars rebel galofree medium transports in episode V do you have some stats about it ? (weight / TWR / delta-V ? )

the game say 390 parts in orbit - with all it's ammunition (the main part of it is the SRB's canister in the front of the ship - it accounts for around 200 parts - SRB's included) it's 645 parts at liftoff with the supernova's below it. i managed to get it to orbit (the SRB canister is a bit wobbly during ascent, but nothing breaks ) - i tested emptying the whole canister in orbit, and it works (all SRB's are protected inside the canister, until they are chambered at the center for firing, 1 at a time) before each subsequent shot, you only need to eject the spent casing which remain docked at the center, undock the next SRB, let it dock on it's own at the center, and translate a bit to avoid firing through the previous spent casing (yup, the SRB's goes automatically to the center docking port when you decouple them from the canister - without any other action needed (spent quite some time perfecting the SRB's loading system ) the whole front canister can be undocked and replaced if the need arise i know it's above the 300 part limit but hey we never know ^^ - i also tested out 'charging' a SRB before firing, it goes away at impressive speeds if you let the SRB empty almost all of it's fuel before releasing it note : only 1 part was needed for each SRB for 'pushing' it out of the canister. in the end, i'm still searching for a class name / ship name can't decide so if you have some idea's

Hello i would like to know what was your fastest orbital interception (being at less than 2.3 km from your target, with a relative speed < 10m/s) i just managed to do one it was my intended interception target, but i never intended to intercept it before circularization.... -it just happened that i reached my apopasis at the same time as my target so i directly matched velocities with my target instead of normally circularizing so i would like to know what was your best time to interception ? (your pictures and stories are welcome ) here, 11 minuts after takeoff (the other ship is macey dean's vanguard class battlecruiser on the image)

here's preview pics of my combat cruiser (you can see the Launch vehicle decoupled under it, temstar's supernova shllv ) the whole front part can be decoupled and replaced by a new one, if you need to reload those SRB's (i did not test yet how the action groups will behave after replacing the SRB's, but it's possible to load the SRB's and eject the remaining manually) the same for the guided missiles, they can be decoupled and replaced. custom actions : key 1 to 6 : decouple the SRB's in order, so they go docking themselves with the central docking port. key 7 : undock the remaining docking port and decoupler after you fired your SRB, making the central docking port free for the next SRB. the antifighter guided missiles use 6 parts : 2 oscar-b, 2 24-77, a Okto2 probe and a nose cone. (they have no batteries, so there's only the probe core battery after decoupling - it's for making them only viable at short range) - the 2 24-77 at full thrust gives it a high TWR at full thrust - but there's only 9s of fuel so you just adjust your target with almost not thrust, then make them go full thrust once you acquired your target. it has space for a crew of two inside it (which can get out by the openings near the docking port). will be intended for Hanland (i have the backstory for it too )

The problem will be part count after that - and srb's only overheat if you don't attach it to something Also, while testing out my Drills, i found out that you can charge shot most Srb's for increased effectiveness at low ranges (the downside being that it will be harder to keep your target lined up during the charge time) Basically - fire the Srb, but decouple it only when there's 1/3rd or less of solid fuel remaining, resulting in a much higher TWR at release. Note : i've almost finished a small combat cruiser armed with 6 of my drill SRBs, built around a modified version of the reload system i presented - which allows for a compact platform - just need to get it into orbit. Cruiser stats : structural panels armor, 386 part, around 130 tons, 2800 d/v with a 0.28 TWR. Armament : 6 'drill' Srb's launched from a center point, and 4 small guided antifigther missiles. (all of that designed to be reloadable)

nah it was about the kerbals manning the rockets themselves

Mmmh as i see, you made the skylab as it was after the partial sucess launch (with one of the solar panels missing) - do you plan to add the sun protection the astronauts have hanged between your telescope and the station ? (they had to add it because some of the thermal protection was ripped off from the lab when the other solar panel detached from the skylab during ascent)

You can also do multi-stage transfers - but it requires thorough planning if you want your first transfer stage to be able to go back to kerbin SOI after jetisonning it at mid transfer burn and be able to reuse it. Basically, your first stage will bring you mid or 2/3 of your transfer burn, you decouple it and let it return to kerbin, while your second stage has enough d/v to finish the transfer burn and for the return trip.

Well : regarding my warp drive, i did not meant it to be an instant movement i was more thinking of having something like the current timewarp - but only for your ship so you'll still need to think ahead for planning your transfers, because gravity still comes into play. (and most planet to planet transfers would be done like this : escape the planet's SOI, then timewarp your kerbol orbit (which will go much faster than the planets while you are warped) the make your transfer burn when you reached your transfer window. (note : those transfers would be different from regular KSP, because the target will not move very fast compared to your warp speed)

"Keep trying until you are in space" "Go to space ! Preferably in one piece"

but minecraft is still a sandbox game the basics of sandboxes, are to let people do what they want with the game mechanics - it's not guided multiplayer like FPS multiplayer where you have to go after objectives, etc - try to force a certain type of gameplay on players in a sandbox environment, and they will most surely dislike it, if they can't play 'their' way - the key in sandboxes, is for players to create their own objectives imagine : want to make space races in KSP ? someone will make a bunch of rings in orbit to create a racetrack want to make giant wheeled rovers trying to topple each other - it's possible etc - (and resources management are something which is planned in future versions of KSP), so if players want to make corporate style groups, it's possible