Raptor9

I did consider it couple versions ago, when I was trying to get back into VTOLs. After I made a successful Harrier-alike jet, I was working on making a carrier with a ski-jump type bow, but it was just too many parts, even with the welding mod. I thought the same thing: it would be interesting to try to get a capsule into the designated recovery zone in the ocean. But I reconsidered and decided to focus my efforts elsewhere, like getting more interplanetary craft files developed. Up until 1.1 came out, the majority of my craft files were for Kerbin SOI missions. I didn't even have any ISRU or asteroid redirect capability. So I figured I should start gaining personal experience in those areas instead of surface ships. One of my long-long-term goals is to develop some sort of surface and sub-surface exploration craft for exploring Laythe and Eve's oceans. But that's a long ways off. I still haven't finished my Eve mission architectures.

@Eskandare, have you ever considered adding a tweakable option to make the tail rotors respond to throttle inputs like how the RCS thrusters can be programmed? This would allow them to be utilized as pusher-props like on the AH-56 Cheyenne or the S-97 Raider & SB-1 Defiant.

See you later @DMSP. Stories were always entertaining with the screenshots. I'm taking a break from heavy KSP playing myself due to real-life stuff. But looking forward to getting back into it with a fresh slate in the future. Hope you feel freshly-inspired when you return.

In my opinion, a TDRS-alike would be overkill since more than one antenna on a satellite is a waste (unless you're using Remotetech). In stock you don't need multiple dishes to point at multiple receivers. The first thing I did in 1.2 was whip up a small inexpensive communications satellite called NavComm. The idea is to use these small satellites deployed in a GPS-style constellation to ensure any atmospheric UAV's or robotic spacecraft have complete control so they can "navigate" around Kerbin or LKO without worrying about DSN holes, especially around the poles or high inclination orbits. I made them after referencing pictures of US Air Force GPS satellites, but decided to water them down to what is actually needed from an economical aspect in career mode. They came out looking a lot like those Chinese satellites in the second link you provided, like the DFH-3. The NavComm is a QBE probe core with two OX-4L 1x6 solar panels on each side, a spare Z-100 battery, and a HG-5 relay antenna. I have a pair of them launched aboard a 'Javelin 3' to MKO, from which they're released with a small LV-1-powered payload booster on each satellite to insert them into the appropriate orbit higher up. Total cost for that launch configuration is only 15,621. My designs are built with the intent to properly balance functionality, aesthetics, and career economy. But if you're not worried about costs, I would say pick whichever is more visually appealing to you. EDIT: I think I read somewhere on the forums that having multiple antennas on a craft "boosts" it's transmission range a little, so I suppose that might be a reason to put several antennas on one. Don't take my word for it though.

@zar, sorry I haven't replied sooner. I haven't been in a position to do much KSP. The SVR-16 is a very complex and asymmetric launch system, and requires a lot of practice to successfully launch and deorbit successfully. It's more of a novelty design; my payload rockets are probably a more useful and economical design. Having said that, try using smaller input nudges in the roll and yaw control axes during launch and try to utilize SAS Prograde mode as well to keep you more stable than just the standard SAS hold default. I'm planning to have a revamped SVR-16 in the future. The most notable differences are the OMS engines swapped from Mk-55 "Thuds" to O-10 "Puff" monopropellant engines, along with an upgrade to the launch stack. Cool, good to hear. Thanks. I'm still doing a lot of traveling so I don't really have much time to play around with KSP, let alone upload new/updated craft files and design graphics. However, I have managed to play around a little bit with it recently since 1.2 dropped. The main thing everybody should know is that any design that utilized the O-10 "Puff" monopropellant engine is now defunct due to that part's revamp. These include such designs as the SR-21A/B, LV-1A/B, LV-2A/C, EV-1C, and the ER-V mounted on top the LV-1C. But I already tweaked some of these designs with different propulsion options. For example, the LV-1A & B upper stages now utilize a single "Spark" LFO engine in place of the twin O-10's. The EV-1C has been completely redesigned and now has much better functionality and appearance closer to the US Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory it was based on. Through the redesign of the EV-1C, I even became inspired to revamp the entire EV-1 series. They're now much more fun to use. The EV-1 line-up will include the following craft files: EV-1A/'Arrow' launcher: suborbital early career rocket based on Mercury program. No changes in 1.2. EV-1B/'Javelin 3' launcher: orbital capsule based on Gemini program. A few small tweaks to include a slight increase in LF+O capacity and fuel cell power generation. EV-1C/'Thunder 1' launcher: based on USAF MOL concept of the 60's. Completely rebuilt from scratch to include the mobile lab for LKO science generation. EV-1B/'Javelin 4' launcher: based on a concept to utilize Gemini components for a moon mission. The EV-1B launched on the 'Javelin 4' has the capability to travel to Mun orbit and back. EV-1D/'Thunder 1B' launcher: brand new craft file based on the extended Gemini mission architecture for lunar landing missions. The EV-1D is a multi-stage EV-1B derivative that is launched to Munar orbit, lands, and relaunches back to Kerbin. No orbital rendezvous or docking required. This expanded EV-1 line-up allows players to more easily execute Munar missions at a fraction of the costs as the EV-2A/LV-1 combinations launched on the 'Titan' rockets, and a cheaper alternative to orbital science research than the 'Skylab' station. Unfortunately, again it will most likely be some time before I can upload these as I am mostly at the mercy of my mobile internet connection. For now, all my KerbalX downloads are still only supported by KSP v1.1.3.

Very nice, and welcome to the forums.

Due to real-life commitments, I will be unable to regularly play KSP for the foreseeable future. Because of this reason, craft file development or updates to existing downloads will most likely not occur. This will probably include updating craft files after KSP v1.2 is released. This is unfortunate, however I do plan to return to KSP as soon as I am able. If anyone has any questions regarding existing designs, I will try to stop by the forums on occasion.

Thanks @Beetlecat. I will admit though that I'm in unknown territory at this point. Everything I do from here on in the Eve SOI is going to be a learning experience for me. It will undoubtedly take me a significant amount of time to get an Eve mission setup designed, tested, finalized and published. To further complicate matters, I'm encountering less time to play KSP these days. EDIT: @Probe 1, wanted to give you a heads-up that the ATSV is now published on KerbalX. Download link available on the OP in the Subassemblies section.

So I'm especially excited about my latest endeavor: a complete Eve mission architecture to include landing multiple Kerbals on the surface and back (something I've never been able to do; and I've been playing KSP since 0.13; early 2012)...Yeah. Getting more than one Kerbal off the surface on the same ascent vehicle was the primary goal, and having an ascent vehicle that could do it from sea level (or fairly close) was a capability that I would like to have. The bottom stage is still being finalized, but this image is the ascent vehicle's upper stage crew vehicle in a 96x107km orbit after probably my 100th or so test launch over the past three days of spare time. The Eve Ascent Vehicle at launch is currently only 6.2m in diameter, and 13.7m in height, but I still need to iron out it's landing sequence in advance of the crew arriving on a separate craft. But I didn't want it to be so ridiculously big in either diameter or height, so I think I'm on track. And this craft was launched from an elevation of 606 meters. Not quite sea level, but close enough in my opinion that should put the majority of Eve's terrain within the capabilities of this craft. I really didn't want to limit myself (or any potential KerbalX downloaders ) to trying to land the ascent vehicle to mountain tops or ridgelines to take advantage of higher elevation launches. So let's do this! EDIT: I'm continuing my near-sea level test launches to try to document a repeatable ascent profile that has a consistent outcome of a low circular orbit. At the moment, I've been able to increase the performance of the EAV to end up at a 100x100 km orbit with over 100m/s dV remaining. No parts are changed or removed, this is simply narrowing down the most optimal ascent profile. Of course, the higher in elevation the EAV is launched from, the "more loose" the ascent profile can be adhered to.

They do come in handy, especially if you need just a little more power supply than what you already have, or if you want to have a mobile power solution on hand to reposition where they're needed. Also, for anyone that already downloaded the A-model 'Meerkat', I recommend you snag a fresh version from KerbalX. I apologize for posting something and turning right around and updating it; normally I catch such a functional design flaw. In a nut shell, the 'Meerkat' layout began as a Mun surface ISRU platform during the design phase, which was adapted to operate on Duna, as well as asteroid mining. The top-mounted docking port was never intended as a resource transfer port, but when I was modifying the IV-1 for the asteroid variant, I thought "well that docking port can be used to offload fuel too." The flaw in that thinking was that the 'Meerkats' aren't designed to hold large amounts of fuel, they would pump the fuel directly into propellant tankers. Therefore, a fuel/ore tanker of some sort needs to be docked to the IV-1A to receive the "overflow", whether it be fuel or ore. But the main solar arrays, which block the IV-1A's docking port, need to be deployed to power the drills and ISRU module...hence problem. I've updated the IV-1A with two side-mounted docking ports that shouldn't interfere with the resource refinement processes, unless you build a tanker so big it blocks the solar panels or bangs into the radiators.

Doubtful, I was still having issues with it even when starting a new craft file from scratch in 1.1.3. Also, I no longer have a desire to do VTOL's of that sort with the current selection of stock parts. I still hope that maybe down the road we will get some dedicated air-breathing VTOL tech to help with moving around Laythe (or Kerbin of course). However, if anybody wishes to build such craft, I recommend getting @Nertea's Mark IV Spaceplane System mod, which includes several different kinds of liftfans. The liftfans have tweakable wing segments in the VAB/SPH to easily embed them in wings, and they're switchable in flight between liquid fuel-burning and electrically-powered. Which means they can be used on Eve if given adequate power supply. EDIT: A new round of subassembly rovers are now published on KerbalX. The first is a larger ore transport/storage rover, the MIR-2O. The rest are dedicated power generation and communications rovers. The SRTG and MPC have technically been released for a while, pre-packaged on the HLV-6A 'Warthog', but now they're available as standalone subassemblies. Additionally, the MPC-L and MCR are available to round out the capabilities nicely. A few more things in the final testing phase are designs in Project 'Meerkat'. Expanding the ISRU capabilities, these craft designs are inspired by this image from ULA's CisLunar Economy document from this past April. These designs will enable more robust and efficient surface/asteroid resource extraction with a lower part count and decreased logistics to emplace them when compared to the MIR-series of ISRU rovers. EDIT (Again): Three new craft files are now available for download via KerbalX download links in the OP (VAB>Robotics). The IV-1A, B and C-models are single-module ISRU vehicles that only require a single launch. Like with most of my low-gravity landers, these three 'Meerkat' variants come equipped "out of the fairing" with large docking clamp mounts for mating propulsion modules to send them on interplanetary transfers. This is obviously important for the IV-1C since it's designed for Duna mining operations, but the IV-1B could be sent to Ike or Dres for surface mining, and the IV-1A could be sent to Dres as well for Dres SOI asteroid mining. As surface ISRU hardware, the B and C 'Meerkats' are compatible with existing resource transfer systems such as the MIR-series.

Another screenshot collection of my Career progress. Not that I expect anybody to be especially interested in my career save, but I'm enjoying some personal playtime after a summer full of project testing and publishing, and personally I like seeing these designs in use outside of test missions. The "cis-Munar" space region is getting very busy. Using my latest published craft files, I've finished 'Frontier Outpost' with a nearby ISRU site. Using left over LV-3C's from the base module delivery flights (which had a significant amount of fuel left over in each), a PD-64 propellant depot in low Munar orbit (topped off by a PD-32 in LKO before departing for the Mun), I was able to support 6 HLV-5C trips to the surface using a single HLV-5C to deliver all the ISRU equipment and the outpost comms tower. Barely enough was left over in the PD-64 to refuel the HLV-5A crew lander for it's own Mun landing to deliver additional personnel. I already have a Class A and a Class B asteroid in medium Munar orbit to support additional propellant generation, with another Class B on the way. Plus, 5 empty LITE reusable upper stages are standing by in low Munar orbit for consolidation at a central refueling and distribution station (I have yet to build) for shipping propellant back to low Kerbin orbit. I still need to develop a robotic asteroid mining spacecraft (so much to do, so little time ). It is my own design, and publishing it is on my short-term To-Do list. Not just the ATSV (as I call it All-Terrain Survey Vehicle ), but also the MCR (Mobile Communications Rover), SRTG, MPC, and additional ISRU equipment I'm developing, like the MIR-2O ore rover (which can hold twice the ore compared to the MIR-1O). The SRTG and MPC are already pre-packaged with the HLV-6A Duna lander, but I'm going to release them as standalone subassemblies like the rest of the ground support equipment.

Perhaps a design that has a Hitchhiker module as additional habitation for long-duration trips to Minmus, which takes a few more days of travel than a hop to the Mun. Making it capable of reentry as well as the main Mk1-2 capsule would be quite a bit more weight with the additional heatshield and ablator. I'll toy around with it and see what it comes out like. In other news, the latest screenshots from my career save. Jeb, Bob and Bill have returned from their short Apollo-style landing on Duna, and are on their way back to Kerbin. The mission already generated enough revenue for the next Duna mission, which will consist of a Constellation-style architecture. By the time Jeb's crew returns home, the HLV-6A and HLV-6B landers will have already departed in the next outbound transfer window. Meanwhile, Valentina is commanding a Kerbin science expedtion & field training exercise with 4 rookie scientists and 1 rookie engineer, along with two additional pilots and an engineer that are veterans of Mun or Minmus landings. They're making two stops in the Northern Grasslands just south of the Tundra to conduct a series of contract-related surface surveys, before heading up to the arctic ice caps.

A couple months ago, when I was expanding my Station Module Subassemblies to include more Soviet/Russian-style modules, I had planned to make a D-model EV-1 'Skiff' that would be a Soyuz-style spacecraft, and sort of bridge the gap between the capabilities of the EV-1B and EV-2A. However, after playing around with it in the VAB a few times, I couldn't come up with a design that seemed logical for a one-Kerbal pod. So then I tried making a larger three-Kerbal version, as an EV-2D. Again, I couldn't get a design to my liking. Another thing that worked against my methodology was the fact that I already had several versions of the 'Runabout': EV-2A as an early-generation capsule like Apollo, EV-2B as a low Kerbal orbit service craft like the CST-100, and the EV-2C as a crew vehicle to support later generation Mun/Minmus landings and deep space exploration like the Orion MPCV. I couldn't find a "capability gap" that required another EV-2 version, which would most likely be fulfilling the same mission set as the EV-2B, but would undoubtedly be much more expensive due to the additional hardware like the spherical orbital module. Having said all that, if you have any ideas or thoughts on how I could integrate such a craft into a mission set, I'd be happy to give it another go.

TWR of 8?!....and 850,000 m/s dV??!! [Shaking head rapidly] WHAT!? No kidding! Best analogy would be...Existing NF Propulsion: NF Dev thread:

Thanks @Talos, it's great to see screenshots of other people getting use out of these designs. They of course seem useful and practical to me when I build and fly them, but if it helps other players in their KSP than that's cool to me. EDIT: Meanwhile, now that I've had some time to catch up in my career save. Mission Control is getting fairly busy. Ongoing missions in progress: 1) My first Duna mission is still outbound, about 1/3 of the way there. Their chariot: an EV-3 'Clipper' with an LV-4A 'Armadillo' lander 2) 'Frontier Outpost', my first Mun surface base, is almost complete. Still need to finalize a design for a comms tower that can be docked to the BM-U surface module. A PD-64 orbital propellant depot is already staged in low Munar orbit, waiting to support ISRU equipment deliveries by HLV-5C's to a site a few kilometers south of 'Frontier Outpost'. 3) 'Pioneer Station' (my ISS-alike station) is now 100% complete with the first expedition crew arrived and beginning research. At almost 600 parts, it was a bear to complete and taxed my physics framerates fairly well . I switched to lifter rockets late in the game so I didn't have to deal with my higher part count SVR-16 shuttle delivering the rest of the modules. 4) Minmus landings are on hold to free up funds and Kerbalnauts for the other mission sets, only 3 biomes haven't been surveyed. 5) My first official Asteroid Redirect Mission is in progress. Currently I have a contract to deliver a Class A asteroid to Kerbin orbit, and another identical contract for a Class B. There were two Class B's on collision courses to Kerbin within 3 and 4 months respectively, so I sent a SEP-AC Mk1 to both. The closer one I nailed the outbound intercept trajectory like a boss ('Titan P' payload stage exhausted last drop of liquid fuel & oxidizer just as I brought the relative velocity to zero 300 meters next to the asteroid. Such a perfect rendezvous will never happen again, lol). The second I borked up and missed by a mile (or several thousand kilometers actually). The image below is the trajectory being redirected to bring it into a high Kerbin fly-by and then enter a retrograde orbit around the Mun. A crewed mission will follow shortly thereafter.

Thanks @ryan234abc. I fixed the broken link, thanks for reporting that. It's hard to say which is my favorite. When I get inspiration to create something new, or improve an existing design, I guess it would be my favorite at that time. When I get a concept or idea working as I envision it (or as close as KSP allows ), it's really gratifying to see the efforts solidify into a practical design. So to answer your question, I don't really have any single design I like more than all others.

It's always sad for a story to end, no matter what medium it comes in.

Well, I don't have a dedicated craft file for that, however if you download the SM-N1 and SM-PL from my Station Module Subassemblies, add a couple solar panels to them and mount it all on the Titan 3P, that would essentially be the same thing mounted on an SLS Block 1B. I modeled my "Gateway Station" (example in OP under VAB>Stations) after the conceptual Gateway Exploration Platform. However, mine has an additional module in the form of a lab. Thanks @Beetlecat. It does take a fair amount of time to design, test, revise, test again, polish the rims, and generate the graphics for publishing. Regarding the drop tanks, I did some testing a little bit ago. My X-5 and X-6 drew fuel from the drop tanks as soon as I turned the engines on, as usual without any interaction from me. However, my X-7 did not; it drew fuel from all tanks simultaneously. The difference is the X-5 and X-6 were craft that I built in 1.0.5, whereas the X-7 was built in 1.1. When I was upgrading my new craft with the updated landing gear after 1.1 came out, I simply opened the 1.0.5 craft files, re-geared them, and saved them as 1.1 craft files. I'm guessing some of that 1.0.5 behavior carried over. Since the X-7 was a new build after the 1.1 switch...well, it doesn't behave as I originally intended. I tried it with the drop tanks "staged", and "not staged". Made no difference. I can say though that pre-1.1 the pylons treated fuel tanks appropriately as drop tanks and drew fuel from them first. Maybe that will get fixed in the next patch. I don't think it's a major deal at this time though.

The EV-2L is basically an EV-2C 'Runabout' with an alternative service module/propulsion section. Instead of the existing SM, a LITE upper stage (hence the "L") would be used as propulsion, control, and power generation. The inspiration is a real-life concept proposal to use a ULA ACES upper stage as the service module for an Orion crew capsule. My LITE upper stage is inspired by the ACES, and my EV-2C is inspired by the Orion MPCV. The goal is a more efficient and cheaper alternative within the Kerbin SOI than the EV-2C/'Titan P' upper stage combination.

No need to apologize. Also, since I don't build exact replicas, it wouldn't surprise me if someone skimmed through some of the stuff and not recognize the analogous craft builds.

That being the case, I was pretty much asked the same thing higher up on this page. At the risk of sounding repetitive, pretty much all of what is seen on that thread you linked is already available for download on this thread's OP. The exception is the probes. I haven't really used probes so far in my career save, so I haven't published any. Just for clarification, all the craft available here are designs that I design for myself and my style of play. Since I haven't really used probes so far in my career save, I haven't published any for download. I've been playing KSP since v0.13, and the furthest I've made it for landings is Duna. Haven't been to Ike just yet, that's in the near future with my existing Mun-designed stuff (after I ship it there). I've made it safely to low Dres orbit and back, and made a few attempts to get to Eve and back with enough fuel with not much success. I'm a bit OCD in the fact I want to ensure I have a solid working knowledge and skill getting further and further out before I go all in and throw ships at deep space.

@Gojira & @Deimos Rast, I've been looking into how I could do something like that, but still make it relatively painless to update whenever I have a series of updates or new craft I want to put out. I will admit, the number of craft files and subassemblies that I've put on KerbalX has become quite large. Thanks @DMSP. What SLS payloads were you thinking? I've actually published a number of SLS payloads already. If you go on KerbalX and type "SLS" in the search box, you'll find quite a few with my tell-tale imagery. EDIT: LV-2D 'Cricket' reusable Mun lander is now available for download.

@Dafni & @Beetlecat, thanks One thing I forgot to mention. Not that important, but it is useful. Until ISRU-supplied propellant can be brought up from the Mun surface, Kerbin-launched propellant is the only means to refuel landers in orbit (obviously). This was the sequence that I believe leveraged the most efficient process to get the initial MIR components on-site. 1) A PD-64 is launched to LKO (70-80km) and retains its LITE upper stage; PD-64 is only 50% full due to payload limitations. 2) A PD-32 is launched to rendezvous and transfer propellant to the PD-64, after which the topped off PD-64 is sent to low Munar orbit (~15km) 3) Initial HLV-5C with MIR-1D on board is launched to Munar orbit and rendezvous'/refuels at PD-64. The HLV-5C then initiates descent to the Munar surface to deliver the MIR-1D. On-board surface scanner confirms local ore concentrations as suitable for extraction and refinement. 4) HLV-5C returns to PD-64 and tops off on propellant. 5) A 'Lightning' rocket with a HLV-5C Cargo Rack and MIR-3C on board is launched to Munar orbit and rendezvous' at PD-64. Cargo rack is docked to side of PD-64, LITE stage decouples, HLV-5C decouples from it's empty cargo rack and docks to the second one with the MIR-3C on board. 6) HLV-5C delivers MIR-3C to ISRU site at which time initial propellant production can take place. *These dockings can be dicey at the moment until the wheels are updated in Unity. The phantom torque of all these wheels in orbit will make spacecraft work extra hard to maintain rotation and velocity stability. **Ensure you have Kerbals already on-site to drive rovers off the cargo rack. None of the MIR rovers have autonomous capability. ***To minimize gravity losses during Munar landings, burn retrograde when on opposite side of the Mun of the landing site and bring periapsis to around 6,000m (give or take due to terrain in approach path). As you approach the landing site, initiate a retroburn so by the time the lateral velocity becomes low enough, a vertical descent won't have built up yet, and you will only need to deal with gravity losses the final several thousand meters. Easy peasey. I toyed with Falcon-style rockets in 0.25 and 0.90, but haven't had much success in 1.0+. I even posted a video of one over a year ago when the soup-atmosphere made deceleration a cinch. It's one of those things I keep coming back to and trying different configurations, but never seem to get a design that works well enough for regular use, let alone a usable payload fraction. As for replicas, I'm not a big fan, due to limitations of current parts. Example, my EV-2B is based on the CST-100 'Starliner', however it has the classic Launch Escape Tower for it's abort mechanism. The real CST-100, as well as the Dragon v2, uses the capsule's engines as a pusher-Abort-system. Unless I start doing some engine clipping (which goes against my design style), there's no 0.625m engine powerful enough to accomplish such a feat. We'll have to see how things go in the future.

Another big update. Not as complicated as some of the more recent projects, but this has the most individual craft files involved. Modeled after ULA's Cis-lunar 1000 concept, as well as their concepts/plans for the Vulcan rocket, ACES upper stage, orbital propellant depots, and the XEUS lander. The ISRU rovers are of my own design, but they fit well with the HLV-5C for Munar surface delivery. I revised the MIR-3C converter rover to have the same back end as the MIR-2P, so both can be plugged into the landers/modules in the list at the bottom of this post. This allows an even more austere mining operation; plug the converter into the lander and attach the MIR-1D drill rover to the MIR-3C. Those two rovers alone can now refuel landers if the situation requires. Compatible landers/modules available (ie small docking ports appropriately placed to allow refueling): LV-2B, LV-2D, LV-3A, LV-3B, LV-3C, HLV-5 (all variants), BM-U Base Module Utilities A few final notes. This entire ISRU infrastructure, from the rovers to the fuel transport and orbital depots, is a first generation concept. I do plan in the future to refine this set up and have larger rovers utilizing the larger, more efficient ISRU equipment, larger fuel lifters, and possibly more robust depots. But for now, this should serve the needs of modest surface bases and/or moon expeditions to Mun, Minmus, Ike, Dres, etc. All these craft files and rover subassemblies are now available on KerbalX, download links in the OP in the appropriate locations. (The orbital depots are in the VAB>Robotics section). The one exception is the LV-2D, which will be uploaded tomorrow.