CluelessModeler

Monoprop for fuel for Delta K wouldn't be a bad idea at all... But I'm going to do like we talked about, and just cut the top of Thor off to be a decoupler for Delta K!

There's plans in the mix. But, I want to get the current series out first. Then I'll worry about making AVH. Plus, it's only a drawing board concept, I don't think there's going to be much of a market for it in the long run... But it will get done eventually. Well, in other news. I'm going through and trying my hand at Unity like I promised! I've actually managed to get the Thor EELT into KSP. However, I'm drawing a blank here, because I can't think of a way to get the Delta K stage seperate from the Thor tank without introducing another part that's not actually there... Kinda wondering if there's a way to make a part a decoupler and a fuel tank, and an engine at the same time. Anyone got any ideas? Is there a config trick I can do? I'll have some pictures to show off in the next couple of days, but, I'm not going to put anything near a date on a release of an pre-release sneak peak. On a side note, would it be bad form to make a "range safety" device for the Delta III? And make some sort of a plug-in that destroys it 66% of the time? (Totally kidding, not even considering it. Just trying to lighten the mood as progress is made!)

Haha, that's the goal! I don't hate, I love everybody!

I was kinda thinking that if it came down to it, I'd do the CCB at 2.5m, and the Centaur at 2-2.25m. I know it doesn't match anything really, but, it'd keep the look of what the AV is supposed to be, and the Payload base would bring it back up to 2.5m for all the payloads anyways. Delta IV would be easier, I could do it either 2.5 or 3.25? I think that's the bigger size, could be wrong. But, that's only if people like what we can put out there! I'm open to suggestions!

Oh, and the rockets are modeled 1:1, so if you want to scale it to 64% or whatever you can! If there's more interest in a slightly kerbalized part size, I can whip up things that would be more compatible with the traditional sizes! I'm open to discussion on that front! This weekend I might get more of a chance to get into unity and try to figure things out! Don't get excited for a release anytime soon though! I'm just going to see if I can wrap my brain around it!!!

Good enough for me! I just didn't know if there was going to be another segment slightly below the main tank in the interstate area or if they'd be more or less bolted onto the centaur! I'll just take some creative liscense on it for the mean time until more accurate drawings come out! Sound fair?

You would be right AngusJimiKeith! I didn't really think of it that way, thought it would just be a simplification for simplicities sake! Anyways, if you guys want me to, I'll make the nozzle on the Centaur stationary! I'm still trying to find decent pictures/drawings of the dual engine centaur for the AV. It would make sense that it'll be pretty similar to the old DEC, but I want to be sure! There's no pictures of the new DEC in the AV users guide! I'll keep looking! Just let me know what you guys want, and I can do it!

I appreciate the compliments fellas! I just wish I had more time and knowledge of Unity in order to get it into KSP! I've tried a couple times, but even with the tuts available, I haven't been able to get the animations to appear!!! WRT the SLS ICPS, it's my understanding that the Extendable Nozzles weren't ever really a concern for man-rating, it was just that they wanted to reduce the amount of things that could go wrong during the launch. (As a not fully deployed nozzle would be a bad thing and trigger an abort.)

Ehh, if BA comes back, that's cool! I'd be more than happy to work with him! But, since Dolin has agreed to do the Unity legwork, that's awesome too! Just have to wait patiently for Dolin to be available again!!! Until then! Screenshots? Delta III Atlas III Delta II Atlas V

I haven't heard anything from him. I'll assume that RL has gotten in the way, which is fine. But, I've rebuilt Delta IV, Delta II, and Atlas V. If anyone's decent with texturing and moving it through unity, I'd be more than happy to just send them this massive .blend file that I have...

Love it! Haven't needed struts... Flies just fine the way it comes for me! (If you got all of the plugins) Able to get to orbit pretty easily, and even did an Abort RTLS with it. Pretty interesting! Good job Dragon01 and co-conspirators! You've done this mod more justice than I ever could have! Now if only I could find enough time to make some payloads for this thing... Hmm...

This looks amazing! Those bump/normal maps are ridiculously amazing! Just one small inconsequential question though, are you going to make an RS-25-esque engine for the bottom? Or an original design? Either way, I'm sure it's gonna be epic! Keep up the good work fellas!

I don't even launch the first version of my Kerbal Ships manned... I wouldn't dare attempt it with Astronauts!!! Simulations and "ratings" only go so far. Remember, it was considered a "Low Priority Issue" that O-Rings in the Shuttle SRB's would flex and not seal properly. I'm not trying to down NASA, but the first flight of an untested system shouldn't be manned. I believe that the Shuttle was different because it was, arguably, the most technologically sophisticated machine built at the time. However, as you noted, we have come a long way in Automation since STS-1. But, lets not forget, we did unmanned tests during the R&D phase of the Apollo Program too. It's not a stretch in the least bit to assume that we couldn't do the same thing with SLS. All-in-all, I still think we shouldn't be rushing into this all-up testing. I'd be perfectly fine if we miss the deadline for a 2017 launch. I'd much rather see funding go to programs that the SLS could actually launch. (Hint: We're not putting any research into that, at least not that is well known.)

If memory serves correctly, there's a narrow corridor running southeast of the launch site. This is to miss all of the Caribbean Islands, in case of an anomaly, or to drop stages into the ocean with minimal risk to life and property. I think that as they burn the Second Stage Centaur, they are not only building speed and altitude, but if you watch, one of the numbers was actually inclination, and it was moving at a pretty steady pace.

If I had my choice at NASA, I would immediately scrap the SLS program. I don't think that recycling old technology and trying to push the bounds of what it could have done will neccessarily benefit the agency in the long run. Now, there's been growing opposition to this program, as people are finally starting to realize that this is the "Rocket to Nowhere" as there is absolutely zero defined goal to this program. Obamas original proposal to capture an asteroid has gained 0 attention in the senate, because it garners no, for lack of a better term, strategic value to what NASA will gain. I understand that there is science to be done and innumerable gain to actually capturing one of these relics. But sadly, it's not what science you can do that drives innovation and change. It's only what projects and what contracts can be brought to my district that will garner support for NASA doing anything. At least, politically speaking, It's unfortunate that so much of what NASA has accomplished, and still can accomplish, has become mired in politics. I've had conversations with people who've worked at NASA, and I believe that almost everyone who's worked at there believe that the most productive days at the agency are behind them. Now that America doesn't have an ideological for, the USSR, to compete with. We will never capture the imagination of the public, and garner the requisite support from the right people to get another Apollo-esque program going. I guess, in my humble opinion, that in order for NASA to be run more efficiently, there needs to be an incredible culture change. Not only in the agency, but in the country as a whole. Politics needs to be removed from the equation, (Good luck with that) and we need to return to logical steps that will set us up to start exploring the solar system. Smaller steps, like exploring Europa remotely. Which, at last check, was the most likely celestial body to hold some variation of water. I believe that if we start to expand our robotic program farther out, into other worlds. That the knowledge we gain there will eventually allow us to recapture the imagination of the public. Which, in turn, will allow us to return to being the nation that leads the way in spaceflight. /end rant.

Great news Helldiver!!! Good luck, take your time and do it right! I'm learning a lot trying to rebuild the CSS. It's not as easy as I thought it was going to be! Let me know if I can help out some way!!!

Did some optimizations of my own, cut the tri's from 96k to a little over 14.3k for the whole model. Delta IV Heavy (click to view in 3D)

Yeah, I hear ya! Might release a second one with the tank for people who want it. But, that's later on.

I knew that's what you meant for the boat tailless model. That was my plan!

I'll combine the DCSS into one thing. That shouldn't be an issue. Then I'll work on cutting down poly counts. But, should it be below 10,000 for the whole model? Or below 10k for each individual part? Textures should be converted to .mbm when you export from unity, I thought they are at least. If that's true, that shouldn't be an issue. WRT the boat tail, that is meant to be a part of the CBC. I meant the engine and the parts of it to be a separate part so it could be used elsewhere as well. I'll work on that at a later time though. I'm going to give the boat tail another shot without using a subsurface modifier. Only time will tell if it looks ok. Until then, it's time for calculus.

All good suggestions. I'll see what I can do tomorrow. I think it's just going to be best if I just have the engine and CBC as one piece. Not separate. I'll make a stand-alone RS-68 at some point. The bottom is turbosmoothed. It's the only way I could figure out how to make it look like the actual thing without being insanely blocky. The model is dark on one side because I had it set to import the lamps in the scene as well. I've never heard anything being discussed about the size of textures. I'm pretty sure that's not relevant. What does have a big effect on performance is the type of file you use for a texture. For instance, .tga vs. .png and the like. All of them have different amounts that they can be compressed by and such. I'll figure out more stuff later. I'm too tired to deal with this stuff tonight.

I had never heard the 10k rule... But, 96k isn't THAT far over! (Note: Sarcasm) I'm not sure how it'll function, or how I could reduce the tri count without negatively impacting the model. It'll be something to look into tomorrow. The textures, I believe are 1024x1024? I think.

Ha! I finally figured out how to import stuff straight to Sketchfab from Blender!! Delta IV V3 (click to view in 3D) Enjoy! BlazingAngel is working on the Unity part of it! All questions regarding that part of the house should be directed towards him! He's the expert!

Completely understand about the personal stuff! Not sure what it is, but congratulations because it sounds like you've been really working towards it! Hope you find success in all of your endeavors!!! KSP can wait, real life always comes first!!! Good luck!!!

I will, probably tomorrow... Stuck sitting in a 3D CADD course. Making pulleys and stuff. Silently wishing that I could be at home, playing with blender... @DarthVader, I will attempt it again with sketchfab, but I can't get the textures to import with it. That, and I'm not sure if you could see all the detail of it. I'll give it a shot later tonight. (Edit) I'll also be, in the future, making an upper stage to mimic EFT-1, hopefully it'll match up well with Bobcat's Orion!