Tw1

That's a crazy looking plane! I need something like that to get my kerbals back to the station, now they've all jumped back down.

Otherwise, you may have inadvertently discovered a way to increase orbital energy without any power? It would be cool to see someone use this to get from Kerbin to the Mun. hint, hint.

Here's something to get you started. I've got a ground shuttle to take kerbals between locations, as I spread things 2.5 Km to avoid lag, a big crane for moving stuff, (carried those habitation modules to the site), and I'm planning exploration vehicles, for trips to places on the Mun I haven't been yet. I've got a few return rockets, that hold nine, on standby in case of emergency. Also, testing a space barbecue. For parties, and special events.

A tip: Use the aircraft gear as reinforcements to rover wheels. They can take a lot more impact, and hold the vehicle up while your kerbs go and fix the tires.

At important moments, like before a landing, or anything that would endanger the mission. That makes each failure a "simulation", a test of the design. Btw, there is no point quicksaving before launching from the KSC launchpad, the game does that automatically. Launching on a different planet is a complete other matter..

One way to find out! Timewarp! Patience, young(?) padawan, patience!

Balloons are great for assisting rockets. This was the Totally Hypothetical Eve Launcher, testing the concept. (Named so because nobody wanted to scare the public by saying they were actually considering sending someone to Eve.) Engines were engaged, and folding the balloon straight away, or leaving it up, were tried in various combinations. Ended up on an orbit almost at Jool, I think. Looks like the scientists got their way that day, unlike in M5000's brilliant write up.

That moment when the rover on the side of your probe is clipping a (folded) solar panel, and takes it out during deployment. That moment when your can deploy the payload to KSO, because you stuck it to the docking port wrong in the SPH...

It's 72 Km/h.(about 45miles) Not sure where 10 miles (16km) came from. (20 X 60 X 60) / 1000 = ? (Then convert to miles, if that's the way you roll.) If you look the steering on your back wheels, skidding will be reduced. Edit: Ninja'd I like them. You can still use a plane wheels + ion engine set up if you want. It's heavier, but may be what you want.

I posted this somewhere before. A pre-0.19 lander that changes centre of mass for flying and driving mode using drop tanks. Prototype on Kerbin. Landed on Moho. Those bottom tanks will be dropped in orbit, restoring the correct CoM for space flight. VTOL can be tricky. This is why I'd like better placement guides in the editor modes.

Interplanetary injection burn is probably fine, I use transfer burn myself though. But I don't see why there would be any difference between taking of from the Mun, and from LKO. You might not get as close to the ideal transfer though, as it could take up to 1.6 days for the Mun to be in the right position to perform the transfer burn. In LKO (low kerbin orbit), the ejection angle is quicker to get to.

Nice! Take note of that spot, you may want to visit again one day!

That's what I meant. I was asking if parts were the same, so they'd overwrite the parts from the mod. And they are! Awesome! I'm glad the radial tank is distinct from the KSPX tank that also uses blue. Youngdevil, have you considered contacting the managers of the kethane mod, so perhaps that magical substance could be used to make oxigen? (Or at least carbon dioxide, that then can be put through the recycler.) That would make setting up permanent bases easier. Or would you consider that making it too easy?

The B9 pack is very extensive already though. I only use a few parts from it, to save my RAM. Perhaps it will only need maintenance, and bug fixes from now on?

Thought it would go with out saying, but sure. No reason why not

I find it sort of encouraging, as it means Squad must be doing well enough to hire more people. But I agree about the mod packs. I feel sorry for those that use the Lazor mod, it looked a little too sci-fi to be included in the stock game. But I hope to see awesome parts from Bac9 in the future!

Ok, lets get this started. This was my attempt. I've used mechjeb, and some novapunch struts between tanks, and novapunch landing legs. I stuck my little SSTO rocket on my 48 ton lifter. (The SSTO is a fraction of that.) The Mun was almost in a perfect position. At about ten kilometers, I set my target as the Mun. No mucking around in orbit this time. I continued to burn until the last stage of the launch vehicle was used up, with Danfrod there thinking I'm crazy. After some small corrections, I had a trajectory straight for the Mun. I entered the Mun's SOI with more speed than I'd ever done before. I began cautiously slowing down. - no prize if you end up a splatter on the surface. Taking advantage of my high TWR, the main deceleration burn was undertaken a lot closer to the ground. And we've made it! This was a one way trip, so it doesn't matter that I didn't exactly land straight. One hour and 19 minuets. Very fast. But I reckon You can do better!

Doesn't look like this challenge survived the form wipe, so I'm gonna revive it. The aim is simple: Get from KSC to the Mun as fast as possible. Rules: No hyperedit, teleporting, save editing, etc. Engines, fuel tanks, and command pods must be stock, or KSPX. You may use whatever you like apart from that, but must declare what you've used. (See below for the exception.) Required are photos with MET visible at take of, and with MET visible on the Mun. Your time will be judged based on this. For return trips, two more photos are required. The moment you throttle up on the Mun, with MET visible, and the moment you touch down on Kerbin with (-you guessed it-) MET visible. Extra photos illustrating the trip are appreciated. Also, it does not count if the Kerbal or probe does not survive the landing. Loosing parts is OK, but simply smashing something on the surface does not count. There will be two main categories: One way trips and return trips. Subcatagories will be added based on the number of kerbals that went for the trip, if this gets enough replies. Another category may be added if someone wants to try using spaceport ion engines (mod ones or otherwise) to see how fast they can get there. But you must declare what engine pack you're using. The leader board will be made here once there is one.

I wish... Or maybe seasickness cure will work in this case?

I've suspected masks might be needed Laythe for a while now, at least for short periods, like how people use oxygen when mountaineering. Maybe we'll get to develop medication in career mode. Mediation that reduces bone demineralisation, and medication like was seen in the very first story about the Daleks, that allowed people to survive on a very radioactive planet.

If the probe was given anthropomorphic qualities, and made emotive sounding beeps, and the move well publicesed, quite a lot.

Otherwise, I'd enter Wehrwin's jump as written about on the Vanguard tech thread. Kerbals are such obedient guys sometimes, the things we get them to do...

Use what you've made, and aerobrake with it. It you're going for minimalism, take out most of the DV you used for the capture burn, leaving enough for maneuvering, and you'll get there. Aerobreaking is basically free, except for the maneuvers used to set it up. With a parachute or three, you should even be able to land something, should you so wish.

What about super sunscreen? SPF 5000+ Maybe not habitable, but visitable at least. I hope that ships will be shielded from radiation, and that it's more of a concern when you leave a kerbal out for more than say, 30 min. If it's not even barely habitable, then it will be a "so close, yet so far" moment for Kerbals looking for a proper home away from home.

Are you using the LV-N as your engine? Also, aerobreaking will change the way you fly forever!