Callmedave

Hi, So i have two contracts for recovering a part from orbit. Both are in a LKO, one is a MPL, one is an IRSU unit. I know i can use the claw and chutes to get them down, but do you have any other solutions? funnier the better!

I've heard that they won't spawn until you visit dres, i.e. get a ship in orbit there

I thought of this as more of a guide, rather than a craft. Maybe it's not new, but I had not seen a similar thing, and I have been looking so hopefully it will help some one - - - Updated - - - Glad you like it. Seems kinda obvious once you've seen it.

Ok, so ive been planning to build a base on minmus in career and after watching a few videos i didnt like the way these were assembled, so i have created a forklift! Its still in its testing stage, but works by having a docking port under the COM on the part you wish to move and lifting and moving the part around, look at these pictures: A typical modualr base part The Korklift In position Bro, do you even Done, off to next Im patenting this as the 'Korklift' i wont bother with a craft file as it needs refinment, but you can see how it works, lander gear allows you to lift and move parts around your base. Notes: Test all this in sandbox, try and keep docking ports at the same height so that the one lifter can do everything. The Korklift can recharge itself when docked (you can transfer electricty same as fuel) so it may not require solar panels Its quite important to have the port under or close to the COM to prevent it tipping. I would recommend binding the landing gear to a action group, if you toggle gear, you will raise the lander legs on the part you are moving when you lower it = disaster! Tell me what you guys think!!

In the VAB/SPH when you use a heatshield, it adds some kind of side panels, but after i save a reload a game, these parts are missing, see image The ship is still together, but graphically the part is missing. This happens 100% of the time. Anyone else have the same?

Hi, Ive seen in you tube videos that when you mouse over the staging list on the right, it outlines the part (engine, detachment manifold etc) so you can see it easier. Mine doesn't do this, is it a setting that i need to activate, or do i have a bug?

You can fit one of each experiment (materials, goo etc) in a 2.5M service bay. this can easily be given a heatshield, Chuts etc and landed at Kerbin.

This is difficult to explain, but il try my best. When you have a pilot and are using the extra nav modes, (points at waypoint, point normal etc) these only work when your relative velocity is over 1.0 m/s. I nearly always dock by having one craft facing normal and one facing anti normal (so they don't change as you orbit) but once my speed is below 1.0 relative to the target I can only choose normal sas. If I was to change my nav all mode to orbit, then the options would come back. I don't think this is a bug and I hope I've explained it well enough.

Do mean the blue line in map view? This should not disappear and sounds like a bug. Are you in career or sandbox? I would start a new sandbox game to see if that changes anything. If not, maybe backup your saves and do a fresh install.

Ok, So i have been doing some maths to try and work out the best setup for a mining/converting and refuel station. 1 unit of ore =10kg 1 unit of ore will make 0.9 units of Ox + 1.1 unit of Lq 0.9 Ox +1.1 Lq = 10kg So (if my maths is correct) ore is converted into Ox and Lq at the same mass. It would make sense to have a simple lander with power, a drill an ore tank and enough fuel to achieve orbit and rendezvous with your IRSU in orbit and convert the fuel there. Am i correct?

It has to be a new launch. I have a rocket called sat-Dev1 saved that I use for all my 'satellite in orbit around kerbin' contracts. Each time I get the contract I goto VAB, load the craft, launch, and profit. Also, when sitting on the launch pad you can check the green tick boxes in the contract list on the right hand side. That way you can check if have everything. I almost got caught out not realising I needed mystery goo on one!

You sure that's a class E asteroid?

What are you doing to get thIs science? Science points decrease rapidly for each time you repeat them. There are many combinations of experiments to be run. For example. You can run a crew report on the launch pad, and if you run a crew report while on the runway, this is classed as a different experiment. Then there are the mysterious goo and thermometer (and others) that you can run also. Check the kerbal wiki for more tips.

I've noticed that when I kill throttle with X, I get a message to say 'time warp X1' even when I'm already at time warp 1, is there a reason for this?

On its own it might not be worth it. But try to plan ahead. Could this also be a refuelling depot? Can you use the lab to convert data to science points? Can it be an outpost for stranded herbals? I think you could break even achieving this contract, but it will help with future missions.

I have not yet got a Lab producing science, but my understanding is: the lab can hold up to 500 'data' (next time you run an experiment, you will see it has a data value also) the lab will generate science points at a rate depending on the amount of data it has stored, it need 2 scientists and electric to operate. The amount of science point it can hold has a cap and you need to check back occasionally to transfer the science back to base.

Would the external seats count? This could save a fair bit of weight on my 11 kerbal capacity station

I was lucky enough to get 2 tourist contracts exactly the same. Both wanted sub orbital and orbital flights. I used a probe with 2x mk1 capsules underneath. Put the two tourists in. Got my apo to about 75k, the first half of both contracts completed. I then got my peri up and as soon as it was over 70k the other half of the of the contracts completed and I got the cash! I landed the cockpit and recovered the vessel. It was nice that I could run both of the contracts in one launch but it would still have made money if I only had one.

Just a theory, if i send out an empty mining rover, mine resources on Kerbin, and then recover craft, would i make money? If the vehicle leaves with 0 fuel but returns with X amount of fuel, surely i can profit and repeat?

Check back at the science building and check which experiments are not full yet. You may be able to get a fair amount just by repeating some experiments. Also, you gather more science by using a scientist instead of a pilot. I'm not sure if the scientists xp level has an affect on the amount of science gathered

So, encountered a bug last night, I was looking for a decent asteroid to try and capture last night, Went in to the tracking station, selected my asteroid and clicked, 'view in tracking station' then the bug occoured, I could not select a different object, i could not exit the tracking station, I COULD select the object info (right hand side, info tabs) but was not able to leave the screen i was on. Exit etc were all greyed out an un-selectable. I had to force quit! Running 64 bit, 0.90 Has anyone else had this? Did i do something incorrectly?

If it's a small craft just to satisfy a contract, I might call it <part> test craft. Il delete the file after its done it job. For 'bigger' missions I try to give it a name, I had a Duna craft called Copernicus, my mun and minmus bases are both called 'eden' I have a 'Dave station' too!

Hi, Sometimes i have a problem with my asparagus staging taking out the centre engine when i drop the two side engines, this happens when the side engines don't drop straight down, but turn to point inwards. An obvious solution to this is to use the small boosters pointed inwards to push the debris away from the engine and clear. But this adds cost and part count, and can still be tricky to get right. My solution to this is to induce a small roll in the craft, holding Q or E will rotate the craft around its centre, the centrifugal force will naturally make the side engines fall away from the craft better. Im not sure if this has been covered before, but i searched and could not find it. Hope this helps guys!

Sometimes after completing a maneuver im not able to place another node. Ive noticed this happening a lot since updating, not every time but maybe 50/50 it wont allow me to set up another node. i can sometimes fix by returning to space centre and back to ship or switching to another ship and back. Does anyone else get this? Is there a cure? or something im doing wrong?

Thanks for all the comments Guys, managed it last night, I had four side tanks on, that i was jettisoning before landing, by keeping these on, it kept it upright and i was able to recover it in one piece. Got over 8000 Science for the mission! thanks for all the comments guys.