Raptor9

I like those PANCAKE satellites, interesting design and oh so compact. If the new small relay antenna coming in 1.2 is compact enough to fold up on those, that's a relay satellite shotgun blast right there.

LOL!

Yep, that did it. Thanks! @Nertea Those lift fans! Holy smokes. Not only do they look good, but you made them LF and Elec powered with in-flight switching? And those toggleable wing sections so they can be easily integrated into an airframe; your previous work has always impressed me, but that's a whole new level. Those extra-large liftfans look suspiciously like they were salvaged from a crashed heli-carrier from a certain paramilitary intelligence organization...very nice indeed.

I hope I'm not about to be "that guy"... I wanted to check out the MkIV pre-release, installed the mod pack by unpacking directly to the Gamedata directory (I know some assets are shared) as usual, and when I loaded into my save game I got a message at the Space Center screen saying AST "something-or-other" didn't load correctly because part Potatoroid is missing. When I went into the VAB/SPH, no parts were present at all. Unzipped a fresh install of KSP, unpacked the MkIV pre-release, started KSP, new sandbox save. No parts. I tested both 32-bit and 64-bit with the same result, and saved the KSP logfiles from both. Having said all that, is there a troubleshooting step I missed? I don't want to just toss this frisbee back at Nertea. CAVEAT: this is the first parts mod pack I've installed in 1.1, so is there anything that players need to do differently now to use mods?

Thanks for the compliments. If you see something you like, use it. The two reasons I share these craft files is so either someone can use or improve on my craft design techniques; or if someone just wants to fly the game, and not do any building, they can just download what they want to use without doing in-depth engineering and testing. The only thing I would ask is that if you use any of the craft files directly, just credit them. A lot of meticulous design, testing, re-design, re-testing, tweaking, and refinement goes into these.

As much as I would like more planets or more comprehensive EVA/surface activities, I really think that the current KSP polish is still the best option (Option 3) such as a career rebalance on the tech tree (just an example based on my personal opinion), but I am by no means a programmer or someone that has the foggiest idea of what goes into a game besides heart, soul and tears. But like @cantab alluded to, there can be "concurrent" development. I mean, as we speak Porkjet is working on overhauling the existing rocket parts and Roverdude is working on the new Antenna system. There can be multiple efforts at once.

@pTrevTrevs & @Majorjim, On a whim, I did a quick comparison test. I noticed that my LV-4A Duna lander was my only lander out of my inventory that had an issue with sliding across the terrain. I thought it was perhaps a Duna terrain thing, but I realized that my LV-4 is my only lander with landing struts clipped inside another part. I didn't think it was an issue since the decoupler that it's mounted inside is mostly "hollow" anyway. However, I tried turning the spring strength all the way down, and the suspension was still fully locked out (made me think something was amiss). So I slid the struts further down so the suspension "mouth" was outside the collision model of the decoupler, and they performed normally with no sliding. Not sure how you two have your landing legs configured, but you might want to play around with this if they're partially or fully clipped into another part.

Good lord, @Rafael acevedo, what's the Kerbal population of that base? All of them?

Not sure the actual TWR number. During my test mission, while departing Kerbin under ion power, I had an acceleration of 0.5 m/s per second; that was with an LV-3D and EV-5 Hab/Lab module on the front of the SEP truss, with a full load of xenon and monopropellant (something like 85 to 90 tons). After I dropped the lander off at Duna and the crew returned to the EV-5, I departed Duna at 0.8 m/s per second acceleration; craft mass was down to around 55 tons IIRC. And by the time I returned to stable medium Kerbin orbit (MKO), I was at around 50 tons with an acceleration of 0.9 m/s per second. This was a worst case scenario mission to test the EV-5 limits. I departed with the heaviest load I envisioned needing to carry: LV-3D and EV-5 Hab, from the worst place possible: MKO, and returning to the worst place possible: MKO. I ended up using ~95% of my xenon by the time I returned. Ideally, the EV-5 would be staged from Munar orbit, or from a high Kerbin orbit between the Mun and Minmus; and it would return to the same staging point after coming back from Duna. It takes a lot of delta-V, time, and xenon to spiral the orbit up or down to/from any Kerbin orbit below roughly 1,500 km. However, a 90 ton ship departing from medium Kerbin orbit using ion engines isn't too shabby in my opinion, with or without a Kick stage.

I agree, that's a smooth cranked delta wing assembly there.

I consistently had this problem with one of my landers on Duna that had LT-1 landing struts. But my most recent two landers which use the LT-2's don't have any problems at all. Which landing struts are having this problem for you guys? LT-1, LT-2, or both?

It has been a heavy KSP weekend for me, and you'll see why in the following post. Lot's of new stuff published, as well as some updates. Yesterday I updated my LV-3B Mun research lander to have better comms and power generation to actually support ongoing research in a Processing Lab; also updated the BM-H Habitation and BM-PL Processing Lab Mun base modules for lower part count and better solar power generation as well. Now on to the new stuff... The following craft files (6 VAB files & 1 subassembly) has probably been the most complex series of designs I've attempted in KSP ever (although my shuttle development was a hoot ). As previewed in the post above, and prototyped in my video "Red Planet Rivals", I've finally published the EV-5 'Drifter' SEPTV (Solar Electric Propulsion Transfer Vehicle) and supporting landers/lifters. The entire mission concept is Duna-centric and inspired by Boeing's Path to Mars mission architecture. Using an ion-powered "tug" and a pair of landers, my Kerbals now have a full compliment of craft files for a long-duration Duna expedition (EV-3-based mission only allowed a brief Apollo-style Duna landing, and EV-4-based mission set hasn't had it's lander/surface components matured yet).

A dark, secretive meeting outside a government building...how cryptic.

I'll just leave this here :

I like how you combine style with low part count and functionality

That is definitely one of the most impressive builds I've seen. Congrats on making the Spacecraft Fridays List

@selfish_meme that SR-71 is really nice. I love the Blackbird; most of my spaceplanes have the same airframe layout.

@DMSP, I've been working on that ion-powered interplanetary craft you were asking about. Tentatively designated the EV-5 (no name yet), I've based the ship's truss on my space station truss, and it's much more sturdy and robust. I've added an improved propulsion section, better solar array arms, and an upgraded habitat/lab module. The craft not only works better than the prototype from Red Planet Rivals, but it has more delta-V as well (over 7000 ); and it's much easier to assemble in orbit (only 3 launches). The next step will be to finish updating the Duna lander that will be attached to the front of the EV-5, which I anticipate will take more time, but I'm looking forward to it. The latest variant of the EV-5 is turning out awesome, can't wait to take it on a test mission. EDIT: Preview image

The docking port...is on the bottom?? Blasphemy.

I've read a lot of the same source material, I'm fairly certain the FSPS powered the ISRU to fuel the MAV. The FSPS was a separate system than the ISRU on the cargo lander. The FSPS (Fission Surface Power System) was basically a wheeled platform carrying a small nuclear reactor with radiators and a power cable that would unwind as it was driven a good distance away from the lander. If you're looking at this video at 3:00, you will see the DIPS Power Cart (Dynamic Isotope Power System, a robotic rover powered by an RTG-type power system), that pulls the FSPS to a safe distance from the cargo lander while trailing the power cable behind. @Majorjim If this is what you meant and I'm splitting hairs, I apologize. Just figured I'd offer my two cents.

Not so much trickery, just technique. I set a template craft file, that is built to mark certain angles and such, in the correct orientation in the VAB/SPH KVV window. I toggle the KVV off, then I open the craft that I want to take a KVV picture of, and it will be in the same orientation as the previous when I toggle KVV on. Then I open another, and take a picture, and another, and so on. A couple caveats. You of course may need to re-center/re-size the KVV window for the next craft file if it's something drastically different in size/shape, but that's easy. If you exit the VAB/SPH, it will reset the KVV orientation settings so you will have to pan around again to set your view angle.

well...that took a harsh turn, lol

Whew, I finally finished my Station Module subassembly revamp. As the SM list grew I had to split the original graphic into three separate prints, and added a certain theme to each category, much the same way I did with the Rocket Market launchers. Along with the KerbalX link to the SM hanger, I've also expanded the VAB>Space Station section to include a series of example space stations that can be assembled with the SM subassemblies. Each example station has each module labeled so anybody can accurately select which modules they need to download to recreate say "Mir" or the ISS. Choosing which modules to use for a space station will carry certain pros and cons. The Rockomax/Probodobodyne modules are expensive, however they can generally perform their own rendezous and docking, eliminating the need for an expensive/complicated delivery system. Plus, each of these modules can power themselves, eliminating the requirement for additional, dedicated power generation modules. The modules produced by Jeb's Junkyard/Integrated Integrals are much cheaper, but must be delivered by something like a space shuttle equipped with several EMU's, or some other spacecraft that can handle a large payload placement onto a station. Not to mention that if you want to power those modules, you will need to purchase and launch something from Dinkelstein/Maxo Construction line-up to power/control/cool those modules.

Craft update time. The first is a brand new design, the SR-21B 'Phoenix'. A payload-version of the SR-21A, it's capable of carrying 3 tons to LKO, and also utilizes the new Mk2 Inline cockpit. The second update is a redesigned X-7 that might as well be brand-new. The original X-7 wasn't a design I really cared for, but this new one is much more stable, and also much closer to it's real-life influence, the JAS 39 "Gripen", an awesome light fighter. I'm really satisfied with this new and improved X-7. Additionally, I've also updated the latest optimized SR-21A, as well as updated the X-14 Unmanned Flight Test to have a better wheel suspension.

Now that I've had some time to play a proper career (haven't done that since last summer ), I've finally gotten to the point where I'm over the initial funds/science grind and I'm doing my first missions to the Mun. I don't know why, but my 3rd Mun landing mission has had one photo opportunity after another. Maybe I'm just enjoying playing with my own craft designs instead of the relentless 1.1 update testing as of late . As I was coming around the dark side of Kerbin performing my trans-Munar injection burn, I was greeted by a Munar eclipse. In the main portion of the photo I've just extracted my LV-1B 'Frog' lander from the spent 'Titan 5' upper stage. The Munar insertion burn was tricky since I had to enter into a polar orbit. My target landing site was near the south pole, since my contract required me to take several temperature readings at three different sites "down under". After I inserted into a 25km circular polar orbit, I came around the bottom of the moon while Bill and Melrie transferred into the lander, and I saw Kerbin peeking at me above the Mun's horizon (top right inset). Even though I had put my orbit over the landing site, the landing itself was still a handful, requiring several course corrections and searching near the edge of a crater to find a level enough place to set the 'Frog' down. The B-model LV-1 already sacrifices some fuel capacity to carry a rover, so by the time I landed, I had about 3% fuel remaining in the descent stage (however that's more than enough to power the lander's fuel cell through the entirety of the ground exploration phase). I had to take a break from KSP for a while, so the contract survey phase will be later tonight. But Bill already hopped out to plant the flag and unpack the ER-1 'Rat' rover, while Melrie took some good ol' science data in the field lab on the side of the descent stage (bottom right inset). After getting a surface sample, Melrie hopped back in the lander, followed by Bill after he set the parking brake on the rover. They'll have some snacks before setting off in the rover later. Should be a fun drive.