thescientist

1. Yes, they're not included. 2. Yes, but you don't need the decoupler. Just right click on the docking port and tap "decouple node". It works like a decoupler. Click here and scroll down, the tip #1 of the 67th post shows an example. 3. It's a bit weak. To have stronger joints you might use bigger or multiple docking port

KSP throttle uses a linear equation to caculate the thrust output; the big notches just divide the throttle in three parts to help you to remember the throttle level easier.

On Laythe there is free oxigen, so jet engines works (mostly) fine. That could be a good way to reduce Dv. Theorically you might even need 0 Dv using the infiniglide bug/cheat/feature.

Luckily the amount of science that "recovering a vessel that has landed..., orbited..." is minimal, so you don't need to worry too much about (unless you have 4999 science point:))

Landing on the jetpack looks to work very well on the ground

Water physics is really, really bad at the moment. In KSP water is an extremely dense fluid, and each parts tends to float (exept for full jumbo tanks and similar ultra heavy object). Intakes are very light and they have a very high water line. The game calculate the floating line without considering that clipped parts subtract volume, so your packed intakes are have an enormous volume for the game physics, and this, combined with their minimal mass, makes your intakes to be a perfect float. The water physics makes also splashing more dangerous than landing. Instead of increasing your crash tollerance, if you came in hard the parts that collide with water just explode without reducing your speed (instead this happens on solid ground), so "lithobraking" landers don't work in water.

SSTO and engines reusability has pros and and cons. First, let's talk about SSTO. In real life there isn't any, because: 1. It's very very hard to fit 8 Km/s of Dv into a single stage 2. They're inefficient to bring payload to orbite (low payload mass percentage over total mass) 3. Reusing them might be dangerous The third point came up when the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch, due to an heavy hot exaust leakage in the right booster. The reason has been attribuited to the low temperature, but since that tragic day the SRB have not been reused any more. Reusing it's a big word for space ingeneers: it means saving loads of money. However it's not so easy. Re-igniting doesn't mean reusing: engines (and pumps and takns and heating coils and auxiliary power units...) are designed to work for a certain number of seconds or minutes, either for a determined amount of times, so yeah, reusing and Arian V engine mean likely creating an huge hole in the ground (and in your capital:)). The worse thing is that usually the more is powerful, the less is resistant. Your RAPIER could hardly go past the third use without heavy manteinance, not to talk about your booster. Reusing is hard, requires high expenses in manteinance and needs advanced ways to check damage on the components without being invasive or distructive.

I think the game has some problems to simulate exactly the position of x7 simmetries and such. Anyway, I think the goal of the mod is exacly filling that gap to give you a better playing experience.

Con la 0.23.5 i motori ionici sono stati pesantemente potenziati, il che li ha resi assai interessanti per molti applicazioni prima inaccessibili o troppo difficili. Dopo aver rivalutato questi motori assurdamente efficienti, ecco un paio di prototipi dalle mie officine: Anche voi avete fatto il vostro più o meno trionfale ingresso nel mondo dei motori elettrici? Postate le vostre creazioni e tenete vivo questo subforum!

Banned because you posted two blog articles

"can a Kerbal collect science from a probe that has an unmanned control center?" It is a 0.23 feature, so yes, you can.

Banned because you are reading this post

This craft mean two thing. First: if you need it, check you ISP, they should be over 3-4 at least. If they aren't, it's a good idea to change them. Second: your VAB is bigger inside. It's a TARDIS model 86? Anyway great job. My laptop is crying with terror just looking at the photos:)

If you don't like intake spamming, you might use your jet as well as possible. As usual, experience helps you, but there are some way to squeeze all the power your engines can give. Here there are some: 1. Throttle down as you get higher (and faster). Your engines should work for some extra km without flaming out, because reducing the throttle also reduce the required fuel/air to keep them going. 2. Steep ascent are good only for takeoff. Keeping your vertical speed low as well as your AoA should let you go faster. 3. Keep the intake straight. If they aren't, the intake air will fall resulting in flameout. 4. Use a smart design. Remember that a big plane needs more fuel and engines that a small one. Big spaceplanes might be very inefficient at getting high speed without falling apart. 5. Use ram intake (because they have an higher intake area with a small physical footprint) and bicoupler to increase intake without "spamming" them.

Banned for having filled your Duna spaceship with rotten snacks