Death Engineering

As far as I know, no CGI in 2001. Even the screens on the HAL readouts (and other vessels "computer" readouts) were just images displayed on CRT/tv screens.. they weren't ever computer generated. Very fancy photography, large rotating sets and camera trickery (Dave and Frank standing without wires while at 90 degree angles to each other). Oh, and lots of take. Lots, and lots of takes.

Chuck Yeager's encouraging face after every "auger in" kept me coming back for more, even on this slow FPS, low-polygon count flight sim. Hours of buzzing the tower and barnstorming were had playing this game. The follow up to it was cleaner and had more planes and features but somehow the original just had more atmosphere. And of course, Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space. Is there an uncanny similarity with these two images...?

Red Baron! Yes that was an amazing game and ahead of its time in a lot of ways.

The VAB at the Kennedy Space Center. Maybe its because I watched the moon landings as they happened and have always watched the space program intently, but finally getting there and having a look in person was pretty amazing.

I tried it early on in my KSP'ing, but felt it took too much out of the experience somehow. Now using only the Kerbal Alarm Clock mod so that I can have lots of things happening at once.

I think there was a bug in the 0.21.0 update that did not attempt to kill roll. With my smaller rockets this was not apparent but with the big ones, the roll was prohibitively distracting. However, the 0.21.1 patch fixed that. Make sure you have the latest version of 0.21.

Duna Space Program - Mission Log 2 The Kerbal engineers worked frantically through the night studying original design parameters and test results for the Duna Space Program's Antares lifter family in order to rebuild them in the new and improved Vehicle Assembly Building. Having developed the Antares Neutron heavy lifter in the old VAB, the design team were extremely happy about the ceiling in the VAB being raised - now they could actually work on the rocket with the payload attached without having to crawl into the subfloor! After already performing static engine tests on the Alpha, Electron and Proton configurations of the Antares lifter, the only test launch would be using the giant Antares Neutron booster. While sitting around the office late last night sipping on Koors Lite ('lite' because kerbals can't hold their alkohol), the engineering team decided to try strapping some RACC SRB's to it "because we have some in the shed out back". Jebediah was selected as the test pilot for the launch and was happy to be a part of it. Of course, this is because he was not present during the alkolhol infused SRB decision making. As he climbed aboard the tower of rocket fuel with his tiny escape system perched on top, he started to get a little hesitant and had his finger on the 'Abort!' button during the countdown. 7--6--5--3--2--1.. "Hey, where was the '4'?", Jeb asked himself, realizing that this was probably not going to go well. Less than 100m off the ground, one of the SRB's separated from the booster stage and crashed into the fuel tanks! The rocket shuddered than began to emit fire from all the wrong places.. ABORT! The abort sequence shut down the motors and immediately separated Jebediah from the thundering chaos below him. As his escape rocket accelerated away from the explosions below, he remembered the 6 pack of Koors Lite he left in the engineer's fridge. "Can't wait to crack one of those open after this launch!", he thought. As he parachuted down to a clearing beside the smouldering rubble remains of the Antares Neutron SRB vehicle, he radioed back to Mission Control, "Thanks for the launch escape system, guys!". "No problem, Jeb.. and we've got another Neutron booster here for you to try when you get back", Billl replied. "No way, Bill, its your turn to ride this thing next. I have some Koors Lite that needs drinking!" "Yeah, Jeb, about that six pack of Koors Lite..." Jeb Rides the Antares Neutron (until it explodes) Duna Space Program Antares Rocket Family Edit: After a clarification of the rules, and the release of 0.21, the mission has been redesigned and documented in full here.

Great story!

I (foolishly) started by building a space station in orbit from docked modules.. before I had ever tried docking or even before I had grasped good construction techniques. Drove myself nuts trying to maneouver giant modules together, but eventually managed it, and learned how to dock *anything* in the process.

Went there in an Apollo 11 configuration version of the vessel I used for this challenge here. It is harder to spot and perilously close to a large, steep crater!

Best mod available for KSP! Thanks for keeping up with Squad!

I can't even count how many cups of cold coffee I've tossed out from this phenomenon... and yet I still didn't fall asleep from lack of caffeine!?!

+1 on the Falcon 9 Heavy look!

I'm totally feelin' the love for the new update. I just did an Apollo style Mun mission and my craft developed in 0.20 flew perfectly.. even better in 0.21 than it did in 0.20. I also flew a monster asparagus lifter and had absolutely zero problems. Not saying I'm doing anything better or I'm a better pilot, just saying it feels a lot more realistic and was even more fun to fly. (Never mechjebbed, for what its worth).

There has been a small amount of negative feedback on the latest KSP update, but having just flown my Saturn 5-like rocket in Apollo 11 configuration (no rover, no probes, just get there and plant a flag)... just... WOW! Excellent update! The rocket turns and flies like the big beast that it is.. was steady as a rock during ascent.. docking was a breeze.. and flying the lander around looking for the NAM was actually enjoyable! Aligned At the NAM. Its in a crater now! Dusting off from the NAM showing how far the shadows cast

Great mission! Think your vessel could manage the Duna Apollo Style challenge?

Probably wouldn't take a huge modification to make it Dunable .. I don't remember what it uses for the CM engine but I bet if you swapped it out for a nuke and moved some of the fuel from the descent stage to the ascent stage you might just get it to work. I tried your Apollo-like craft a few weeks ago but got dismayed when the CM and LM wouldn't dock. I bumped them together several times but they just wouldn't "mate". Sure was a pleasure to fly, though! Still made it into an Apollo 8 mission just to say I flew it.

The engineers at Death Engineering have been working round the clock (between annoyances like work and sleep) to lay the groundwork for the Duna Outpost Mission. A single main rocket design has been prototyped, tested and blown up.. all the necessary steps! Using the "Pretty Sure We Can Send You Supplies Later" (PSWCSYSL) philosophy with a nod to the "Someone Downstairs Had a Good Idea For a Return Vehicle" (SDHAGIFARV) design principles, the first 10 launches have been planned with the first three being completed by day 12. Duna Outpost Mission Log 1 "Thinking about it is half the battle. Now please make me some coffee." Hardware: Antares Class Duna Lifter. Available in three configurations: Alpha 1 - Single stage lifter for small payloads like crew vehicle launches and resupply missions to the Kerbin Orbiting Outpost. Incorporates the SASAFDS ("Share and Share Alike Fuel Distribution System") to allow the four LV-T30's and single Skipper to be fired on and off as needed during launch while ensuring that fuel for all five engines is burned evenly. Proton - Two stage lifter to carry the Kerbin Orbiting Station and other medium sized payloads into orbit using the Alpha 1 as the second stage. The Proton stage is recoverable. Neutron - Adds a lower stage to the Proton of 5 more Mainsails and 12 SRB's. All SRB's and the Neutron booster is recoverable. This is for lifting the Duna 2x2 and Duna 2x4 Duna bases into orbit before they are crewed and launch for Duna. Using the SMLIMMEW ("So Much Lag it Makes My Eyes Water") design, this is over 1000 parts on the pad! Reusable Interplanetary Transport vessel capable of automated Duna roundtrips for all Duna supply missions: Duna 2x2 Base: (2) 2-kerbal base units and 150 days supply for 4 kerbals and 4 SEV (Small Excursion Vehicles) Duna 4x2 Base: (2) 2-kerbal base units and 300 days supply for 4 kerbals Duna Large Excursion Vehicle: (2) 4-seater Duna Excursion Vehicles for long drives Testing the Alpha 1 SASAFDS Duna Outpost Mission 1 - The First 11 Days The First 10 Launches Kerbin Orbiting Station Crew Return Vehicle to KOS (unkerballed) 150 days supply for 3 kerbals to KOS Duna 2x2 Base to Kerbin orbit Duna Large Excursion Vehicle to Kerbin orbit Duna Supply Mission 1 - 200 days supply for 4 kerbals Duna Supply Mission 2 - 200 days supply for 4 kerbals Crew Transit 1 (3 kerbals to KOS) Duna Crew Return Vehicle 1 to Kerbin orbit Duna Crew Return Vehicle 2 to Kerbin orbit Edit: After a clarification of the rules, and the release of 0.21, the mission has been rethought and is documented in full here.

Leaderboard updated, 90 points by my count but correct me if I missed something. Great mission!

With some changes to staging and relocating the landing gear, I bet my Eve ascent vehicle could manage a few.. cool idea.

Fantastic mission report. Photography and vessel design kudos!

What often gets overlooked is the artisan work that went into actually constructing the Saturn 5. I mean, the specs are all there - I have blueprints of the Saturn 5, the F1 engine and the CM/LM on the wall behind my model rocket collection, but the skills to build them are gone. This is because the people who did the welding and knew every inch and every bolt on these machines started on the smaller rockets and were there when the techniques for constructing them were being developed. When the programs were cancelled, the skilled laborers went on to other things and took their knowledge and experience with them. Not to say that those skills could not be learned again, but when people say that the Saturn 5 could not be build today, its partially true.

I'd like to see more of the launching/staging to see how it got into orbit.. care to share?

VERY impressive!

NASA has one VAB, one crawler, and one pad big enough for a Saturn 5. There's only one mission control, one ground support crew, barely enough computer power to support the mission, etc... Basically, trying for accuracy, but you're right about multiple Gemini launches. However, there was a lot less at stake with those launches. If something went wrong with either of the launches that relied on multiple launches for a successful mission it would have meant cancelling the mission even though one of the launches was perfect. Its also just too complex, which is why NASA developed the Saturn 5 in the first place. Technically, multiple Saturn 1B launches could have made a moonshot.