sojourner

The logical thing to do would be to just launch and build your ship in orbit rather than use "launch to transfer", then once it's built use maneuver planner to do the transfer. No new functionality needed.

NASA just renewed the "lease" on ISS to 2024 with an extension to 2028 probable.

^Which version of the mechjeb2.dll are you using?

As a test, does it work in sandbox? Also, get the latest mechjeb2.dll from here.

^Meh, that old thing? Here's F9R doing a 250m hop with slight divert to land.

SpaceX is hoping to do a manned flight next year or early 2016.

On the launch today the first stage had reached 55 miles (kilometers?) down range just before main engine cut off. The plan, as restated in the after launch press conference today is for the stage to land back at the launch site.

I'd like to report that Mechjeb worked flawlessly on the SpaceX CRS-3 launch today.

The up arrow means I was replying to the post above mine.

^Do you have the latest mechjeb2.dll?

The whole kit and kaboodle evolved the way it did due to weight limitations.

Launch scrubbed for today. SpaceX will recycle for Friday unless otherwise noted.

The stage will be over the horizon from where the uplink is when it attempts touchdown. There won't be any live transmission of the landing. They said during the press conference that they would have to retrieve the data from the rocket after splashdown.

^Read the last couple pages of the thread.

Get the latest mechjeb2.dll

Easy way to find out. Try one of the rockets with the AR202 part instead.

I may not have the latest version of FTmN, but it does seem to be working with no problems for me.

Docking using build 216, couple of issues I've seen: Upon completing the docking, the RCS thrusters on the docked craft will continue to fire. sometimes. Closing the docking AP is the only way to shut them off. Sometimes the Docking AP will shut off just before the dock is made, this is made worse if you left some command active in Smartass, which immediately starts to re-orient the ship, thus ruining any chance of the magnets completing the dock. Activating "Smart Translation" in the RCS Balancer causes the RCS thrusters to "lock up" at random during docking ap use. I've had them lock while firing causing the craft to overshoot the target and accelerate in whatever direction docking ap was attempting to move. I've had them lock and not fire when docking ap attempts to causing missed maneuvers. In all cases deactivating Smart Translation has allowed Docking ap to regain control.

^Did you attach the mechjeb part to your rocket? (ar202 under control parts)

better, but I would try it without those half tanks. You've got more delta-v than you need by about 900, which means you're carrying too much fuel.

For anyone having Delta-V problems, make sure you have updated to build 213 of the .dll.

Too much fuel. Instead of using 3 big tanks per stack, use 2 tanks per stack. Most of your performance is being lost trying to overcome the low TWR. Also, fire the SRBs in stage 5. carrying them to altitude is just dead weight. Heck, you might not even need them on the rocket at all.

My first rocket with the new parts topped out at 638tons for the payload. That was using 2 stages, no asparagus. Asparagus staging with these new parts should easily lead to 1000+ton payloads. Now just to figure out what to do with all that capacity....

EFT-1 is unmanned, but yes, last I heard it was going up on a Delta-IV Heavy.

So, I finally sat down and played with the new parts today. Without even resorting to asparagus staging, I was able to build a two stage rocket that can lift 638 tons of payload which is 7+ of the big SLS tanks into a 200km orbit. Those new engines are damn powerful. It really seemed to take the challenge out of the game and felt "cheaty". Not much reason to measure by orange tanks anymore.