capi3101

Still in 0.25. The nightmare continues... Today, I decided to try my hand at building a super-heavy lifter capable of lifting a 350 tonne payload to orbit. Missed the mark a bit...the final booster was capable of lifting 450 tonnes instead. I did forget to account for the fact that Vernor engines use LF/LOX instead of Monoprop - had I not done that, I might've had a self-cleaning final booster stage as well. What can I say there besides "nobody's perfect"......

For the first time (which surprises me for some reason), I brought a J64 tank to orbit via spaceplane as payload without having to cannibalize the thing. Behold the Orange Crush 7: Vindicated my math in the process - I was getting worried there for a bit. Takeoff and orbital run was a bit hairy - I didn't balance the intakes and engines properly and takeoff TWR was 0.88. CoL was also based on the final position of the dry center of mass which shifts aft about .75 meters as she flies (data from RCS Build Aid), so she definitely needs all that SAS to hold her attitude. Still not sold on the rendezvous capabilities given the remaining delta-V. She should, however, still be flyable after de-orbit. I'll let y'all know how the rest of the test flight goes. Still in 0.25 incidentally. Still no word yet on an LoadOnDemand update...

If it makes you feel any better, I built and tried out a plane with the features suggested. It failed to make space - the RAPIERs switched over way too early and then promptly exploded. Mind you I only had time for a single test flight yesterday and I knew taking off it had bugs to work out (namely no manual switchover action group, an insufficient number of wings, and (worst of all) no vertical stabilizers (i.e. no yaw control whatsoever)). If I do finally make orbit with the thing, I'll be sure to post a screenie...

Ah - fun times. I myself have made a few attempts on that score my own self...none lately though. Definitely none since I learned how to crunch the numbers. Perhaps it's time to try again... Payload = 1 Jumbo 64 Orange Tank, Mass = 36 Tonnes Assumed Final Plane Take-Off Mass = 36*4 = 144 Tonnes Number of Turbojets Required = 144 /15 = 9.6 (rounds to 10) -OR- Number of RAPIERS Required = 144 / 14 = 10.28 (rounds to 11) Minimum Number of Ram Intakes Required = 30 (with 10 engines); 33 (with 11 engines) Recommended Degree of SAS = 144 * 1.5 = 216 kN, 216 / 30 = 7.2 Large ASAS Modules (round to 8) Number of Wing Connector A -OR- Wing Connector B -OR- Delta Wings Required = 144/2 = 72 (36 pairs) (These I would recommend building in sets of 6 - 2 Wing Connector A with a Delta Wing on the end, add an Elevon 4 as an elevator to the interior Wing Connector and add an Elevon 3 as an aileron to the end of the Delta Wing - you'll need six pairs of the whole assembly. Do that and it'll cover your roll axis easily enough. Use canards up at the front of your plane to augment the pitch axis. Considering the number of intakes you need, you could also add a Cubic Octagonal Strut and Ram Intake to each Wing Connector and Delta Wing in the assembly - that, if I'm doing the math right, will actually give you a surplus of Intake Air) Liquid Fuel Units Required for Orbital Ascent assuming RAPIERs at 144 Tonnes Take off Weight = 144 * 39 = 5616 Oxidizer Units Required for Orbital Ascent assuming RAPIERs at 144 Tonnes Take off Weight and 1750 m/s switchover speed = 144 * 24 = 3456 (In other words, put two Orange Tanks on either side of your Payload orange tank and take out half the oxidizer - get it as close to 1728 units per tank as you can manage) I would recommend you install RCS Build Aid. Among its many useful features is one that will show you how much your CoM will shift in flight based on the current design - with it on, you can design your plane to where the CoM won't shift at all. Best of luck.

Still in 0.25 pending a critical update of LoadOnDemand. Thinking seriously about going back to the old way of doing things (i.e. just play with the graphics turned down to something on par with Pong). Been playing missions for the Apres-Noel portion of the Kadvent Kalendar challenge. Did a redesign of the Rhea to drop a sci probe off at the North Pole, and then designed and flew a resupply shuttle to the M'np space station, returning successfully to KSC.

Hey all, hope everybody had a pleasant Christmas. Since nobody commented on the exploding Christmas Tree of December 24th, I'm assuming I'm good. I've been home for a day or two now, so I figured I'd go ahead and start in on the Apres-Noel part of the challenge: I'm still in KSP 0.25 pending an update to the LoadOnDemand mod, so I don't yet have access to the new Mk3 parts. As a cop-out though, I made the Ostrich out of as many Mk2 parts as I could manage, so hopefully I'm still all cool and froody. EDIT: And this morning I'm reading that December 29th is the last of the challenges, so that means I've finished the whole thing. Thanks for the challenges; I know I had fun doing them, even if I didn't have the time I needed...

Still in 0.25, all my mods have now been updated except for LoadOnDemand. Unfortunately, that's the critical one. Finished up the Kadvent Kalendar challenge - put a lab module on my station and then moved a Christmas tree off the launch pad. Sorta. Most Kerbal Christmas Tree ever...

Here it is - my entries for December 23rd and 24th: Got a sneakin' suspicion my December 24th entry is no good - but I'll leave that up for official judgment...I do think I've got a strong entry for the "Most Kerbal Christmas Tree" award.

There are a couple of things that come to mind. Let me start with an "is it plugged in" type of question - when you want to use your rover again, are you selecting the option to "Undock" first?

As promised, here's my activity log for the last couple of days: For my space station, I'm using the bits I built when I went to create Space Station Mere - - and no, I have no intention of doing another one of THOSE for this challenge. Though I do need to put one up around Kerbin sometime, I think. This should catch me completely up with everything from December 1-22. Tonight will be the last time I get to play KSP before Christmas for sure; I'd sure like to finish the challenge if I can.

I've done a manual ILS before but that takes time to set up. What you do there is get you a rover and stick a lander can on it, one that the Kerbal can climb in and out of easily enough. Drive to the east (ocean) end of the runway, go off the end and get off of the raised area. Plant a flag. Get the Kerbal back in. Drive off the other (land-ward) end of the runway and get off of the raised area. Plant a flag. Drive inland another kilometer. Plant a flag. Drive another four kilometers inland. Plant a flag. Drive another five kilometers inland. Plant a flag. Plant flags at five kilometer intervals for as long as you like. If you label each flag with the distance to the end of the runway (i.e. 0 km, 1 km, 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, etc.), you can use the whole system as an ILS - the flags themselves will help you with alignment, while the names of the flags will give you your glide slope (take the distance to the flag plus the distance indicated by the flag, times 100 meters, plus 100 meters - and that's about where you want your altimeter. For example, if you're 10.4 kilometers to the fifteen kilometer flag, you want your altimeter to read 2,640 m ((10.4+15)*100)+100 = 2640). If you're higher than that by 100 meters or so, you're too high; lower than that, you're too low. If flags don't work for you, you can also use an automated rover with drop probes. Just rename each one as a base and give it the same labelling you'd use for a flag and you're golden. Best part there is that the rover itself can become a marker once it's out of drop probes. Anymore, I just use NavUtilities - an integrated ILS system mod. I generally combine it with KER's surface tab data during the flare-out to make sure I'm still coming down at a decent rate. The developer has confirmed it works in 0.90 without an update.

My general advice for spaceplane rookies. Crummy font or no, turkwinif has already given you the best place to start - keptin's guide. - and Pecan's given you an admittedly very rudimentary but essentially correct procedure. As for steering issues, you'll need to have control surfaces added; they don't come with the stock wings at all. The Elevon parts are designed for this purpose; though they're generally meant to serve as a combination elevator and aileron, I find that Elevon 3 works best as an aileron (roll axis, on the wing tips) and Elevon 4 works best as an elevator (close to the tail, pitch axis). You'll also probably want a rudder for yaw control; a Standard Canard works well as a rudder, or even an AV-R8 winglet if the plane is very light.

Still in 0.25 awaiting word of LoadOnDemand's compatability with 0.90. Since I was finally caught up with the Kadvent Kalendar, I didn't do much yesterday aside from flying a crew of six to the nascent M'np space station as per the terms of the December 22nd challenge entry. Today will be probably be my last day to play KSP until after Christmas, so I'm hoping the challenges for December 23rd and 24th are posted early enough for me to finish the challenge.

This evening I can report that I'm (finally) caught up - yesterday I was able to get a lot accomplished, including putting that rock in a 300x100 orbit, blowing up a rocket, sending up a core module and sending my guys to Duna. Today I docked a habitat module to the core and brought the guys back from Duna after puttering about a little. Report forthcoming. I do need to know if the challenges for December 23rd and 24th are going to be released early. I'll be travelling, and where I'm going I already know I won't be able to play. I've gotten this far along with the challenge - I'd like to finish it if I can.

Caught up on the Kadvent Kalendar. Finally. Docked an eight-Kerbal habitat module to the core I sent up yesterday, farted around with the six Kerbals I had on Duna and then sent them home. Didn't bother to check mods today - maybe tomorrow.

Still in 0.25; down to six mods yet to be updated with only one of them "critical" (LoadOnDemand). Not holding out hope for an NRAP update ever. Yesterday was a busy day - I put a Class B in an 300x100 orbit of Kerbin (didn't have enough delta-V left to get it down to 100x100 or I would've), blew up a rocket on purpose (thanks to Xacktar and his design for a self-destruct contraption), launched a space station core and landed six Kerbals on Duna. All for the Kadvent Kalendar. I'm almost caught up with the challenge (finally) - just need to do some experiments on Duna and head home. And then do the Dec 21st challenge if it's up.

Told you wrong; upgrade Mission Control and you should be able to track him. If you already upgraded the astronaut complex, my sincerest apologies. Also, have you considered using Docking Port Alignment Indicator? That one and RCS Build Aid really make manual docking way easier.

Y'all don't mind me; I'm just making my list and checking it twice... √√ 12/01: To land inside on of the tracking stations dishs √√ 12/02: Land on all the facilities at the KSC with one craft √√ 12/03: Attempt to create the fastest air-breathing plane that is still controllable √√ 12/04: To launch a new satellite network within Kerbin's SOI √√ 12/05: Begin working on a lander design to land kerbals on the mun √√ 12/06: Test the lander designs in orbit around kerbin (get your apoapsis to 1,000KM and your periapsis within the atmosphere). √√ 12/07: Send your Mun lander and command module to the mun and return using a free return trajectory √√ 12/08: Land on the Mun! √√ 12/09: Bring a rover to the Mun with the lander! When you land the rover, then you must drive at least 5km away from the landing site. √√ 12/10: Land on Minmus. One crewmember must be Jeb. √√ 12/11: Build a small solid fuel ship that can carry a probe core to an altitude anywhere between 12 and 70km √√ 12/12: Send something out to investigate the second KSC √√ 12/13: Begin constructing a vessel to redirect an asteroid • 12/14: Redirect an asteroid to a periapsis of 100km √√ 12/15: Begin work on a new Duna lander and transfer stage • 12/16: Launch your Duna lander into LKO and set yourself up for Duna transfer • 12/17: Land on Duna • 12/18: Carry out experiments on Duna before heading back to Kerbin; Time warp until you can get home! • 12/19: Build a rocket that can explode at a controlled point in mid-air • 12/20: Build and launch a space station core module into LKO • 12/21: Not yet. • 12/22: Not yet. • 12/23: Not yet. • 12/24: Not yet. The challenge for Dec 19 looks interesting...going to have to channel my inner Xactar, looks like.

No arguments here. What's your tech level look like? What's your current part count limit? I think you can pull off a rescue mission for less than 98k...though without the ability to target the kerbal it might not be worth it.

The exact wording of the challenge is Redirect an asteroid to a periapsis of 100km. I assume there's some tolerance in the figure. Maybe a pin the tail on the donkey award or some such - whoever's closest wins or somesuch. Me, I'm just glad it's not an orbit; my little probe only had 97 m/s of delta-V after it clawed on to the rock... EDIT: Alright. Here's my activities from yesterday evening: Tonight I pin the tail on the donkey and get ready to go to Duna. Almost caught up.

1. Well, it sounds like you didn't add any control surfaces to your craft; the stock wings don't include them (the only part that does at all is the Delta-Deluxe Winglet, and you won't want to be using that as a main wing body unless your plane is really, really light; as a control surface, I'll just say there are better options). The Elevon parts are the ones you want to add; I find Elevon 4 good for elevator controls and Elevon 3 makes a pretty good aileron. Standard Canard is a decent choice for a rudder. The AV-R8 winglet also works well as a rudder; never really have tried it for any of the other control surfaces but if your tech level's low you might give it a shot. KSP's stock aerodynamics also favors the use of canards up front to help out with pitch, but they aren't 100% necessary. The other thing you might be experiencing is having your rear gears too far back; you want them positioned so that they're slightly behind the CoM of the craft - too far forward and your plane will pop a wheelie before takeoff, too far back and your plane won't take off until it hits the end of the runway. Using the entire runway to takeoff isn't necessarily bad - you definitely avoid the risk of tail-strike entirely that way - but it is satisfying to see the thing take off much sooner. 2. Again, I'd have to see what kind of control surface you're using. But if you weren't using any control surfaces at all, I imagine that would have a lot to do with it. Not trying to be facetious here...

You don't have those capabilities from the get-go anymore, no. You'll have to upgrade your facilities before you can do that sort of thing (I think the Astronaut Complex is the one you need to focus on, but I'm not 100% sure). Where are you on the tech tree, how much have you upgraded your facilities so far and how much cash on hand do you have? What contracts do you have at present?

Still in 0.25 for now; I've got seven mods that still haven't been confirmed as working in 0.90 yet. Still catching up on challenges for the Kadvent Kalendar; last night I sent a crew of six from Mun to Minmus, rendezvoused with their lander, landed on the surface of Minmus, got Jeb out for some publicity, got them back to their capsule and sent them home. In between doing this I made a final rendezvous and capture of a Class B asteroid outside of Kerbin's SOI and put it on a 45,000 meter periapsis, averting a Kerbin collision - unfortunately the specific challenge was to bring the periapsis to 100k, not to put it in a 100k orbit like I'd thought, or I would've had that done for the Kalendar last night as well. Good news is that all I need to do to finish up that challenge is just give the engines a little puff, something that can easily be done first thing tonight. Then it's on to Duna.

Gah...could've gotten myself finally caught up to December 16th today had I read the requirement for December 14 more closely...I just needed to get the periapsis to 100k. Didn't need to actually put it into a 100k orbit like I thought. I guess the good news there is that I know my little probe can do the job - and it'd take just a little puff of the engines to do it, so that'll happen tonight! Report of last night's activities is forthcoming.

Hmm......well, let's start with a) what techs have you unlocked, what all have you done so far to earn science, and c) how much money do you currently have? Where are the survey sites in relationship to KSC? I played with FinePrint in 0.25 and so I've got a fair amount of experience with the "new" contract types. For aerial survey missions, bandi94 is right; an airplane is the way to go if you have the necessary technologies. If not though, there's no need to fret; you may have accepted the contract but you do have some time to get it done, and in the meantime you can attend to other contracts that are more in tune with your current tech level. When you do go to do them, I'd suggest going high - especially if the sites are halfway around Kerbin. High altitude = high speed, especially if you're using Turbojets. When you're approaching the site, descend to where you need to be and wait for the message to move on to the next site. If you overshoot, throttle back to around 1/3, descend as rapidly as you can manage, come around, throttle back up and ascend to where you need to be - this is as inefficient as it sounds, so try not to do it too often if you can.