Cydonian Monk

I was -9. (Yes, that's a negative nine.) If I saw it I don't remember it. I suspect we're reaching the point where the majority of people didn't see STS-51L live (or hear about it within moments).

Next to the launchpad? Whenever I've done that, the crafts only ever make it through two or three launches before they clip through the terrain map and explode..... Seems more like a form of torture than protection.

Yes. It's not routine, but still not uncommon. Definitely nothing exploding, just a random bit of boom. First few times it happened I thought it might be Mach-1, but my velocity was always too low for the air pressure at the altitude where the boom was dropped. Still not convinced it's not a sound artifact glitch. I get those from launch clamps all the time.

Thanks for the rep. To answer the question (since more than one person has asked) the gifs are just a series of screenshots, not converted from a recording. I assembled them in the GiMP (for OS-X). For this batch I just spammed the F1 key... if I do something similar in the future I'll probably set up a macro to handle the sampling (would give me a consistent rate as well). Cheaper then recording a video (disk space wise).

I finished my 44th reenactment this morning (or late last night, depending), and uploaded the bulk of it to my not-ready-for-primetime website: http://0div0.org/20130720-kerbal-apollo11.html (Link temporarily dead.) Included in there are several animated gifs, some of which are a bit large (5MBs+), so beware if you try to access that page form your phone or a low-bandwidth net connection. A note on the craft file: I included it for completion's sake, but advise against using it. It's... a bit rickety, and somewhat outdated. (I just grabbed a ship I already had on hand to fly this mission and adapted as needed. Jeb and the Bs miraculously survived. The "legal" parts clipping on the LEM ascent module was a poor decision and produces weird physics. Don't try this at home.) To end with an image, here's one from LEM recovery taken inside Columbia by Bill:

I use both a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and an Xbox 360 controller, depending on the environment I'm in. I /really/ like having the 3D axis on the Logitech, and miss it when I use the 360 controller. Plus: Lots of buttons on the Logitech, and it's about $10 cheaper than a 360 controller. But I already had a bunch of the wired 360 controllers, so.... On the 360 controller I use the same as Sordid, except A is SAS Hold and I use the big X-button in the middle for staging. Translation on the D-pad.

Tranquility Base seems to be a bit of a hot tourist spot. I've landed seven different craft here since .20 was released (there's a flag hidden behind the monument from my first landing). I almost landed on one of the other flags this last time.... Oops. BTW - I've been posting a few animated gifs of my reenactment over on the Google+ KSP community. There'll be a couple more once I've finished building my webpage, but here are the two most recent (links only, because they're big. MBs big): Eagle departing from Columbia: 20130720_ksp2354_eagle_in_flight.gif Eagle landing from inside the can: 20130720_ksp2194_apollo_landing.gif

My Apollo 11 reenactment has just completed Lunar (Munar) capture, and is witnessing their first Earthrise (Kerbalrise). I'm still a bit behind schedule... but catching up quickly! Animated gif here: http://0div0.org/images/20130719_ksp1851_earthrise.gif

I'm also doing an Apollo 11 reenactment, though I launched two days behind schedule. Nothing too fancy, just my well-used ULM-1 C/SM with a newly-designed LM (using a proven descent module from my one-kerbal lander can days). All stock. I'm perhaps a bit too proud of my free-return trajectory though.

Today I burned into a very pretty free-return trajectory for my Apollo-11 reenactment. Oh, and launched said reenactment.... 2 days late. Should still make it there by Friday.

Careful design for the most part. I never use my launch/boost stages to reach a full orbit, so they always fall back to Kerbin. If I'm working in Kerbin LKO, the orbital stage stays with the craft until deorbit. Orbital stages for satellite launches (LKO/MKO/KSO) get probe cores and some small solar panels so I can deorbit once the payload is delivered. I try to impact transfer stages on the body being transferred to. Occasionally these miss and end up in Kerbolar orbit or hit Kerbin on a free-return. In my 0.20.2 game there are three pieces of junk in Kerbol orbit from my first Mun landing (2 struts and a docking port), and the transfer stages from my first two Duna and Eve probes. Everything else is dust.

Today I decided to play the Steam version of KSP that I bought when it was previously on sale but never played. Because, Cards. And I wanted to upload a few "look ma, I'm floating 'round my tin can 130km over Kerbin!" screenshots to Steam. Now that I'm Level 5 in KSP (after some card trading and buying) I'm going back to the regular version.

Today I "downsized" my Babylon-5 Starfury to include a "minified" version. Parts count reduced from 265 to 79. Posted the update in the Spacecraft Exchange: SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury (Mk2) - The Minified Version!

The biggest problem I have with my Starfury is the parts count. 265 parts is rather a bit to ask of my CPU, so it was only a matter of time before I perfected the "Minified" version. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce the SA-23E Starfury Mini! The Starfury Mini weighs in at 14.72 metric tonnes, with a svelte part count of 79. This could be stripped down by 10 more parts if you remove the forward RCS pods and the two winglets on top of the central core, even more if you cut back on some of the struts. I had to sacrifice some detail to achieve this small of a ship, but it produced something I can fly (in formation even), so I'm sticking with it for now. Action Groups are identical to those of the full-size Starfury, and it handles just as well. Perhaps a bit better due to the lighter weight. One added benefit: The Starfury Mini has a TWR greater than 1, so you can use it in and around the KSC or elsewhere on Kerbin should you so desire. Just beware of weird physics from the 8 wings. As before, feel free to modify and use as you wish. This is built with 100% stock KSP parts. Craft file here: SA-23E_Starfury_Minimal.craft Hope you enjoy!

I'm using an Intel HD4000 on my MacBook Pro for KSP with no major complaints. Sure, I can't run at full graphics resolution, but it's more than capable. You won't get "horrid performance" in the least bit, but it's not going to blow anybody away, either.

Figure out how to edit the persistence file to move my (planted) flags to .21. Followed shortly by figuring out which of my flags on the Mun are now buried in ejecta or floating above a new crater and correct accordingly.

Welcome to the forums! Nice-looking first station. And Mun landings are easier than they look. Mostly.

Today the X-13 kissed the edge of space - Apokee of 65+km @ ~1800m/s. It failed to achieve orbit, but broke both the speed and altitude records of the X-9, so we're calling it a limited success. ~450m/s more in the stratosphere and I think I'll have a working SSTO. (And I think I can get that by adjusting my ascent profile.) Kerbals lost to kerb'd spaceflight: 0. Kerbals lost to spaceplane testing: 34.

Thanks. Yes - a nice big cloud, and an impressive array of explosions. The ocean at the end of my spaceplane runway has close to a hundred struts and i-beams in it right now.

Finished updating and rebuilding my Starfury. Then my home network went nuts, so I didn't get around to uploading it until now (so technically it was what I did yesterday). More in the Spacecraft Exchange: SA-23E Mitchell Hyundyne Starfury Mk2

I decided my Kerbal Space Program was lacking in Babylon 5-ness. So I built a Starfury. If any species was to build spaceships they'd seen in old TV signals, it'd have to be the Kerbals. (Thermians who?) There's a picture of my original Starfury in the "What did you do today?" thread from yesterday, if you're interested. But that "older" build wasn't up to my usual standards, so I started over. This is the result: The Kerbal SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury (Mk2) My SA-23E Starfury is intended for use as a short-range tug and/or space intercepter. With limited fuel and monopropellant capacity, the Kerbal Starfury is best kept near its base of operations. In its default package the Starfury has barely enough delta-V for a free-return flight from Kerbin orbit to the Mun. (Just don't expect to stop back at Kerbin.) Like its counterpart from the Babylon 5 universe it features four radial engine pods, a central core to keep the pilot near the center of rotation, hardpoints for six tools or "weapons," an ejectable "lifepod" cockpit (not currently ejectable), a rear-facing hatch for entering the craft from an airlock, and a towing hitch along the bottom of the ship's core. The Starfury is NOT rated for atmospheric operations. Snacks are not included. Center of mass is aligned with the center of thrust, making for a highly maneuverable craft. Center of mass is also aligned with the rear docking port to assist with stability on launch. (Though launches do drift a bit... may be a few grams too heavy on the bottom.) Total vehicular mass is 28.02 metric tonnes, so it's well within the capabilities of the average heavy-lift launch vehicles. There is a probe core mounted directly in front of the rear docking port. It's highly advised to "control from here" using the probe core, as the cockpit is aligned 90º off-angle. Craft handling is aided by a series of Action Groups: Group 1: Toggle "primary" (rearward-facing) thrusters. Group 2: Toggle port (left) thrusters. Group 3: Toggles upper thrusters, (allows for quick flips). Group 4: Toggle starboard (right) thrusters. Group 5: Toggle retro (forward-facing) thrusters. Group 7: Toggle all RCS pods except those used for translation (aligned with the center of mass). Group 10: Toggle solar panels. Example of a quick lateral spin: With group 1 (primary) active, hit 2, burn, hit 1 and 5, burn to stop rotation, hit 2 to clear the rotation program (after this the retros will be active). Using the action groups takes some practice, but the advertised 180º turn in 1 second is quite possible once you've got it down. The biggest downside of this craft is the extreme number of parts I used in its construction. My earlier designs were well over 300 parts, which made it nearly impossible to fly. This version is a hefty 265-parts, though I do have a "mini" version in the works (if I can get it to cooperate). The mass is also a bit of an issue, as it's heavier than any of the individual components of my space station were at launch. Refueling can be a bit of a chore, as there are MANY RCS tanks scattered about. I made a point to leave them accessible, but there was only room for one of the larger tanks. And I needed to use the toroidal bipropellant tanks to keep the center of mass where I wanted it, making refueling even more of a chore. Also: beware of lag. This beast of a ship brings my 2.9GHz MacBookPro to its knees sometimes. (Especially when I'm flying in Mun's SOI.) Once I've finished the "lite" version of the craft I'll share it here too. (Because I really want to use it, but the 265 part version is more for looks and demos than actual use.) You may find some benefit from running this craft through the part-reducing/welding mod. This craft is 100% stock KSP. Were I to seek out or make mod parts for it, I'd probably only do so for the cabin, thruster blisters (lateral/vertical thrusters... and maybe the retro thrusters), and the "tail" bits that go on the end of the thruster pods. The rest looks good to my eyes with stock parts. There are a couple more images on my website: (Link temporarily removed) Kerbal SA-23E Starfury Craft file here: SA-23E_Starfury.craft Note that I built this in the Space Plane Hanger. Make sure to paste it in the SPH folder or adjust the file for use in the VAB. I hope you enjoy this little diversion of mine. It was fun to build a real Newtonian-styled space fighter and see it work with "real" (aka: Kerbal) physics.

Today I decided my Kerbal Space Program needed more Babylon 5 in it, so I built a StarFury. Something only total sci-fi geeks could appreciate.... Totally stock/vanilla parts. Still has some kinks to work out (such as which way is up), and it murders my poor 2.9GHz MacBook Pro (it only has 214 parts... my space station is more and doesn't lag, so I'm not sure what's up there). It does handle like silk before the lag gets overly severe, thanks to a liberal application of RCS ports (it's a space fighter, ya know). Once it's more polished (and I'm happy with it) I'll release the craft file.

Hudwin. Second Kerbal to unofficially land on the Mun. He's been stuck there in my test campaign since his landing craft spontaneously suffered rapid unplanned disassembly several days after landing. I've never bothered to send a rescue as his mission didn't officially exist, so he now serves as my Munar rover test-driver. We occasionally send up some snacks for him.

My "national" program flag is just a twist on my usual avatar, with white trim (so it shows up in space, but you can't see it here because of the white page background....): Here lately I've started to use mission-specific flags. These follow rather simple rules: All mission flags feature the black-background standard logo in a white circle. Orbital operations get an extra circle inside the white circle in a color that matches the planetary color. For landings, the flag is split by a white line and the lower 1/2 area is the planetary color. (Planetary colors are color of the primary planet of the body being landed on, except for Mun and Minmus which use their own colors.) If the body is a moon, the white dot at 45º is added. The number of white dots indicates which moon this is in the system. Any mission text (for significant operations) is placed in the upper right corner. Some examples: Minmus Lander: Duna Orbiter:

The crew at the KSC Orbital Test Sciences division finally developed a launch vehicle and counterweight that could place one of our Rothar Series A rovers on the Mun. (Or any other body this side of Jool.) I decided to send one to Hudwin as a gift, as he's been stuck up there since his lander weird-physic'd out of existence (rapid, unplanned disassembly several days after landing). Plus I wanted to replace his first-gen rover (that barely makes 9m/s) to open up some more exploration opportunities. Here we see Hudwin with said rovers at the "first" Munar landing site (10km from where he landed). The Rothar Series A features four TR-2L rover wheels, a series of solar panels to keep the two Z-400 cells charged, self-righting dual LT-1s, four Mk2-R parachutes for atmospheric needs, a full RCS system, a Clamp-O-Tron Jr for refueling, and it seats three. Also features an OKTO-2 probe core for autonomous operation. Comes in your preferred color of silver, grey and white, or white, grey, and silver. It's got all the power you need! (Perhaps too much?) Capable of a sustained and stable 16m/s on the Mun, and well over 20m/s on Kerbin. It certainly made Hudwin happy. (Then again, it was packed full of snacks....) Should distract him from the knowledge that since his Munar mission didn't officially "exist," he's not a high priority for rescue. How can you rescue a Kerbal that never landed on the Mun? Craft file here (rover only): Rothar-A.craft