Drunkrobot

Yes, the spacecraft was spinning out of control, but we used the old time warp trick to set things right again.

Reaction Engines was recieving money from both the british government and Europe, although that was more for the LAPCAT A2 and the Scimitar engine than for Skylon and Sabre. If this comment from the chanceller translates into more hard cash for our little phoenix, then I'm the happiest man alive.

See this ship?: This is one of the first ships I've built using KSPX, and I have to say, I am loving it so far! KSPX is my first downloaded mod, and it adds so much to the game that really should have been in already. Those new compact parts (tiny RCS tank, ASAS, heavy duty probe engine etc.) have allowed me to set new personal records in weight and part count. So far, I have only a few satellites and the mercury analogue above, but I want to see your ships that have been graced by KSPX's presence. It might give me a few ideas. Thanks!

I'm thinking of a spin on this flag: Instead of the red circle, there should be a circle part blue, part green representing Kerbin. To the top corners of Kerbin, a small white circle for the Mun, and an even smaller, lime circle for Minmus. Lastly, instead of the KSP rocket, a similarly shaded version of this, my latest Mercury analogue: Thanks to anyone who picks this up. I'm a big fan of simplistic "infographic"-stylised versions of the worlds.

How many other nations have put a space station, even a small one, into orbit, or even has the drive to do so? Without a doubt Russia/Soviet Union is one, and OPSEK is being planned. China now has, and is already planning for a bigger, better station. The US has put Skylab in orbit, though that is ancient history now, and now that their contribution to building the ISS is done, and the shuttles retired, what's next? In terms of having the capability to construct a space station, and the drive to actually build it, China is ahead.

This new complex is gonna be dang pretty! Who else thinks the devs should put the current KSC somewhere on planet Kerbin for us to find. Also, and I know this is extremely wishful thinking, but as the game nears completion, KSC2 should be remade to look like baikonur, since the new KSC seems to look like Kennedy space centre ...wait. Kerbal Space Centre=Kennedy Space Centre. KSC=KSC. Mother of god...

My first landing on Laythe:

The idea of extremeophiles surviving in the lunar environment isn't entirely crazy. Didn't Apollo 12 find terrestrial bacteria surviving in surveyors camera? Of course, life would still have to somehow appear, not too likely in what any ecologist would describe as a boiling, freezing, meteorite-blastered, irradiated hellhole. But there are lifeforms on earth that can take the conditions.

You also have to remember that the James Webb will be sitting out at the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange point, while Hubble has this big, bright, noisy rock underneath it. Hubble being in LEO is like trying to stargaze in the middle of New York.

See this? That is how much fuel the decent stage had after landing. A landing on Duna would be mostly done by parachute. Of course, I will still need rockets for the last stages of landing, such is how thin the atmosphere is, but that would require far less fuel than I used here. I could invest that saved mass into larger tanks and bigger engines on the ascent stage to make the climb to orbit, and an RCS system to rendezvous with the mothership. Thanks for the advice on the rover!

This is a breakdown of the EVA Jeb and Bill Kerman performed the first manned minmus mission on my current save file. This mission was also a test of my new non-atmospheric lander, Hadley. While my older design was sufficient as a basic LMO-to-muner surface shuttle, but if I was going to carry advanced equipment to the surface, such as a rover, or even bring along modules for a future muner base, I needed something heavier, and more capable. To clarify, Jeb and Bill are the two on EVA. Bob couldn't come along, since there is only space for two, so he is manning CAPCOM in mission control at KSC. Sea of Hadley, Minmus. Jeb: Hadley to KSC, Hadley to KSC. We can confirm, contact with the frozen sea! Bob: Oh dear kod, I dread to think... Jeb: I should also mention that nothing has broke! Mission control: YAY! Jeb: Had you all holding your breath down there, didn't I? Bob: Just get on with the mission, will you? Bill: Thanks for letting me have first step on Minmus, Jeb. Jeb: First in space, first EVA, first on the Mun- I already have my claim to fame. Besides, you having something like this is bound to annoy Bob even more. Bob: Shut up, Jeb. Bill: Hey Bob, remember the old stories? How Minmus, the youngest of Kerbols three sons, was always pranked on by his older brothers Kerbin and Mun? Bob: Can you please begin the EVA?- Jeeze, 47,000 km away and they're still getting on my nerves... Bill: OK, on the surface. Gravity feels just like in the simulations. The landing dampeners on the legs don't seem to have engaged- Bob: REALLY?! That's your first words? Bill:...AWWWWWW! I had a speech and everything, and I forgot! Jeb: It's ok, go ahead. Bill: Alright... "As I stand out here in the wonders of the unknown at Hadley, I sort of realize there's a fundamental truth to our nature. Kerbals must explore. And this is exploration at its greatest." Jeb: Wow! Almost as good as my speech! Bill: Thanks! Jeb: Ok, KSC, I'm coming down the ladder now. Bill: Be sure to not lock the hatch. Jeb: (Laughs) Yeah, good point. Bill: Couldn't you fold the flag neatly, like a decent lifeform? Jeb: What's wrong with it? Bob: It's crumpled! It looks like it's flapping in the wind! Jeb: Come on, what sort of idiot would make that leap of logic? Two hours later, and Bill Kerman climbs back into their celestial chariot, to unleash their noble stead... Jeb: Don't scratch the paint on that car, it's brand new! Bill: At .05 m/s^2? I think the rover can handle it... Bill: There we go, smooth drop- Jeb: DIBS! Bill: DI- DARNIT! Our brave explorers leave behind the site of their drop from the heavens, and navigate this ancient, frozen sea... Jeb: Alright, KSC, we've finished the last target site, the rovers charged up, we're coming back. Bill: Can I drive? Bob: Don't do it, Jeb. You've never had to carpool with him, you don't know the dangers. Jeb: Bob, what's the worst that can happen? Bill, the keys are in the glovebox. Bill: Yeah! Everything's coming up Bill! Jeb: KSC, based on the samples we've collected, we are sure of concentrations of Oxiumated Dipropellium. I know it sounds crazy, given our distance from Kerbol, but we used every spare instrument to check for equipment failure, so we can confirm it- Bill: Hey, what doe's this button do? Bill: MUMMY! Jeb: REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VESSEL! Bob: Jeb: Bob, tell the lab rats that I would recommend some sort of attitude control system, for the rover and for you, as well. Bill: 47 million meters away, on a frozen lake, and I still felt that burn. Back at the landing site. Bill: Sure looks pretty... Bob: Guys, the guys in R and D are going crazy! They're babbling about "resources" and "mining from other worlds". The cafeteria is running out of napkins for them to scribble on! Jeb: Cool! When will such systems be ready? Bob: They expected you will ask that, and they said "shut up and wait, this stuff takes time.". Jeb: Jeb: Alright KSC, as we leave Minmus at the sea of Hadley, we leave as we came and, Kod willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all kerbalkind. So, what did I learn from this mission? • The lander is extremely capable, dv-wise, using less than half of it's descent fuel, and the ascent stage alone making it all the way back to Kerbin. • The rover does what it needs to do, and the system of hanging it directly below the descent stage removes issues with centre of mass. • Don't let Bill drive. What modifications should I make? • The descent stage can handle a much larger payload if needed. If more space is made underneath it, then base modules could be placed underneath, and released when on the surface. Alternatively, a larger ascent stage is possible, and with parachutes and MOAR STRUTS, it could become a planetary lander, at least Duna-capable. New features in future updates (mining equipment, for example) should be accommodated by it's spare dv. • The rover... needs work. I need to make it much more stable, as a simple turn could send it into the non-air. Also, on the flat Minmus oceans, it would stay put when deployed, but on any sort of hill, it runs off, meaning my guys have to chase it down. A probe core should solve that problem, and I need to swap out that solar panel in the back for an RTG. If you have any suggestions on what I should do with the lander, or general feedback, tell me!

My favourite part of this game may be that awesome feeling you get when you feel like you've pushed your limits, and you've done something incredible. Exploring the Muns' south pole: Building my first space station: Sending my first probe to Laythes surface: Before I knew about this game, I didn't have a clue how these things could be done. Know I'm thinking how I can do even better. So improving my capabilities would be my answer. I suppose landing on planets would be the closest answer allowed.

I had a quick look through what does, and I'm liking it! It should make those interplanetary missions much more doable.

I've just started using mods! So far I have KSPX and Protractor, and I've tried Kethane, but got rid of it (I don't hate you, kethane, it's just that your too much for my computer to handle.). What other mods should I download. I want to focus on mods with new features and instrumentation, only new parts if they really fit into the game (though b9 aerospace is awfully tempting...). What I would really like is something like mechjebs information displays, without the autopilot. Mechjeb's ability to predict the dimensions of my orbit after an aerobrake would on its own persuade me to download. Also, if there is such a mod that you think I would enjoy, but isn't compatible with 20.2 yet, tell me anyway, so I could keep an eye on it. Thanks!

Here is a game I thought up three seconds ago. Post an image of something going horribly wrong and/or something with no sane context, and try to give the latest image in the thread a subtitle, or some sort of meaning. For example: Try to give context to this image, and if possible, enter your own image for the next player to explain. Have fun! EDIT: I should clarify that the image must be a kerbal space program screenshot.

Ever since Vanguard TV3 fell flat on its face, then exploded, the chance of failure was a very real aspect of any space mission. We have to accept that some fantastic ideas will remain just that-ideas. But then there is that spacecraft, that one you heard was going to happen a few years from now. You read about it, you developed an interest in it, you memorised every detail of it, all its facts and promises, and you fell in love with it. You mostly continue your life as normal, but every so often, you quietly hope that some engineering bug or short-sighted politician doesn't come along and kill it. Mine is Skylon. What's not to love about it? It's a plane, which is cool, but it's also a rocket, which is even cooler. It dares to think big-it promises to make the impossible routine, and bring humanity half-way to the rest of the universe. It might actually work-much of it has either already been done by any space program worth its salt, or has been shown to work by Reaction Engines. But also, and this important for me-I'm 16, Skylon starts working at around 2020, so we both begin our working lives at around the same time. I want to work in the space industry, and I'm British-I may end up working on something Skylon makes possible. My life could really be greatly effected by how Skylon works... or how it doesn't work. Anyway, enough about my hopes and dreams, which spacecraft on the drawing board do you most want to see succeed, and what makes it hold such a special place in your heart?

Great craft! I'm about to work on a slightly stripped down version so even my poor little laptop could run with no lag. My munar orbit rendezvous craft is about to receive a significant upgrade.

That would murder my little laptop! Still, looks amazing!

I'm not a space technologist or anything (yet), but as it was said earlier, everyone and their mum knows how to build a rocket engine. Most of the components in skylons design have been already. The "oh so exotic" heatshield is loosely based on the SR-71, and already reaction engines have produced examples of the "wonder" material. Pretty much the only thing that has stopped skylon from existing was the precooler, which works, and belongs to RE.

I was assuming that with more money, and greater resources, reaction engines would've solved the problems of the precooler much earlier. Then again, people with much more money, skilled workers and equipment have tried and failed to produce similar tech.

I never heard of these claims myself, so I'm assuming they were assuming they were given the funding needed at that time. They could've had the entire skylon project done by now, with a successor in development, if they were given the full funding thirty years ago.

My first paid version of the game was 0.18 (I downloaded the 0.13 demo) so I see this as a proud citizen of an established, yet still growing, country visiting a museum to see the artifacts of his forebears.

The orange suits are based on the suits worn by, say, the space shuttle crews on the ascent and reentry. They were worn so the astronauts could "bail out" if needed. The orange is so they are easily spotted if they landed in the wilderness. They can't work in a vacuum, as far as I know, hence the need for the EMU/Orlan suits.

When looked at from a technical point of view, it can defiantly fly, with 12 (possibly 15) tonnes of payload, go into space in a single stage, release that payload, glide back down to earth, and be ready to do it all over again in two days. Can the same be said of any other design, with component tests to back it up? No. They will need money to build their bird, though. But when (or if) they have the engine built and tested, then every aerospace company and government space program on earth will either sit up and pay up for the new technology, or will become obsolete.

The game is still in early development, so content that will eventually be stock anyway, like Kerbal engineer, or subassembly loader are fine. Hell, it is a sandbox game, so you should do whatever you want. When career mode comes around, then it may be a little cheaty to use mechjeb, or OP parts.