inigma

Exploration ship Innovation and shuttle Excursion undergoing proof-of-concept trials.

Exploration ship Innovation and shuttle Excursion undergoing proof-of-concept and standard operation trials. I'm pretty satisfied with the final layout, now it's time to think of lander ideas, and stuff to fill up the cargo bays with.

Not to hijack the thread but to encourage the OP: I think it all comes down to intent. I view clipping unlike parts together as a form of miniaturization which is perfectly acceptable due the lack of stock parts. But clipping full fuel tanks inside full fuel tanks, is where I suppose most would draw the line since logically it would mean that the intent of such an engineer would be to extend the range of the craft unnaturally. As long as the intent is to extend range unnaturally, most people would view it as a cheaty craft. But clipping parts of tanks into others to maintain aesthetics, since aesthics is the intent, most people would be fine with it. Even more people would be fine with it if such an engineer would compensate the clipping with emptying out clipped tanks accordingly. This craft does a beautiful job of keeping aesthetics without appearing cheaty. That's my observation. Well done!

very awesome, compact design. essentially a single stage to minmus SSTM ship. Once anyone can make an SSTM, then it can go almost anywhere.

Oh awesome. I will try the mod. As for interface, I highly recommend being able to browse kX from within the game and download what you see much like selecting craft as seen in that vid. Incorporating local crafts in such an in-game hangar mod with kX would totally rocket that mod to the list of top mods in ksp. Making browsing for and loading local and kerbalX crafts easier in-game for users just make sense and has been a need for a long time. I could even see ksp knocking on your door for ksp inclusion at some point if you are successful. I imagine that vid showing local craft and kerbalx browsing and loading and uploading...and I start to salivate. It will couple well with ksp's push for multiplayer.

Looking forward to it!

As promised. More. The Innovation proof of concept prototype. Detachable shuttle named Excursion is fully capable of science excursions, and mining enough ore for 2:1 return to mission from most airless bodies except Tylo. The Innovation has four cargo bays, not counting the docking bay for the Excursion (which in this test run was open, but is actually designed to remain closed permanently for nice clean docking). This is the first dry run of the prototype in orbit. Many of the internal systems are not yet developed, although there is an orbital scanning satellite tucked in one of the forward bays. I've never ventured beyond Minmus. I plan to do so in style. ...concept was loosely inspired by the Star Wars Rebel's Phantom and how it docks up in the rear of the Ghost.

Ok... so i've been working on a top-secret project. A miner. Shuttlecraft style. To be attached to an orbital mothership, neatly, beautifully. Some variants (all work great for non atmospheric bodies, except Tylo). I'm beginning to find out that the engine and mining module is actually quite versatile and can incorporate multi mission roles depending on the service and command module. The Excursion prototype shuttlecraft Science version (with cargo bay packed with science instruments, more fuel, and more returnable ore per mission) Pure Miner. Minimal science. This guy is smiling. (My daughter's suggested single-seater version) I like making functional craft...look good. More to come.

Awesome, thank you!

Katateochi check out And tell me if its possible to link that add-in to pull search results from kerbalx and even download install and load them in-game (and do the reverse: upload crafts with a sph/vab screenshot)? This could take kerbalx to the next level if so.

What's your shuttle name? - - - Updated - - - Yes you do! I'll add you to the Astronaut Corps roster shortly! Here are your badges: Congratulations! Feel free to also try it with the STS-7E: http://kerbalx.com/inigma/STS-7E-Space-Shuttle

This thread could use a little STS inspiration. Enjoy.

What Kerik said. My all-stock STS-7E above is as fast to launch and orbit as a rocket, and as much fun to land as an ssto. The best of both worlds capable of paying for itself thus justifying it as a workhorse for under 42 ton mk3 cargo bay payloads up to 400km orbit. I like to weigh in efficiency with the fun factor as well as the practical factor. Try flying her. You will see what I mean. Accidents are also more fun with the "lego" wings rather than the mk 3 wing parts.

Not very efficient, but certainly STS shuttles are a lot of fun: And they can really carry a lot of cargo, making these real workhorses (42 tons to 500km orbit is a sweet deal IMHO): (yes that orange tank AND rcs tank are part of a fuel depot that is being lifted full of fuel into orbit, not a drop of it used to do so) At 451,834 kredits with all but the External Tank recoverable (and you can recover that too if you desire) with a recovery mod, cost per ton is about 2-3k. Not efficient by any stretch but it can pay for itself. If I had gimballed parts that actually worked as well as the engines it has now, and mk3 SRBs with fuel extensions, the cost could very well drop to below 1k per ton to 400km orbit, and the part could would nearly drop to half what it is now. No more SAS stacks to make up for realism, or sacrificing 42 tons to 400 km orbit performance. These things are so durned beautiful: Bob Kerman on EVA flying an MMU to attach a solar wing and docking port to Alpha Station Completed docking to Alpha Station You can download this latest version of my STS, the STS-7E which has SRBs from KerbalX and everything you see here (except the station): http://kerbalx.com/inigma/STS-7E-Space-Shuttle

Amazing story. Amazing landing. You sir, are an amazing pilot. I probably woulda flipped it at landing approach. Hah! - - - Updated - - - Amazing blueprint. Posting to OP for sure (and to KerbalX for the non SRB varient) - - - Updated - - - Thank you Jon. It's good to know people like it! It really did consume a lot of free time in January '15. The shuttle is designed on the shoulders of giants who came before me. Shuttle building was always the most difficult design challenge in KSP for years for many people. Only a few look-alikes were published here (I could only count two). Then Westi's shuttle was just simply a stroke of genius with his use of a stack of SAS modules. I ran with the mk3 parts, made a full STS size shuttle, learned from gliding attempts by Rune, and cargo attempts by Naito, and took all that they learned to the final level of a mk3 shuttle capable of orange tank lifting. And the idea to make all kinds of cargo modules for it too (and a video). Was a lot of fun. Now Naito, and finally a few others are keeping up the shuttle building race and exploring new ways to keep things efficient. I look forward to 1.0.5 and 1.1. - - - Updated - - - I'm glad you find it useful and fun. You are correct that the older KR-2Ls looked better, but 1.0 dropped their performance drastically, making 42 tons to orbit (which is my design target for this craft) not a reality without using two KS25x4 boosters. Naito pointed this out and was the first to adopt them, so I simply ran with his discovery during the update. They've worked beautifully since. But it did lead me to finally develop the holy grail of SRBs that would lift the shuttle and 42 tons cargo to orbit. STS-7E is that magnum opus. I'm looking forward to testing the new SSMEs, but as what happened with 1.0 mk3 wings by Porkjet, I don't have my hopes up that they will actually complement the design. We'll see. I may have to rebuild entirely when 1.1. comes out. - - - Updated - - - Amazing blueprint. Posting to OP for sure (and to KerbalX for the non SRB varient)

Amazing craft! Great job! I am impressed! I love it when someone publishes a replica spacecraft You put a lot of thought into your craft. I like your ideas... and might use a few in my STS-8 when 1.1. comes out.

You are a worthy STS architect. Hats off to you (and for finding the surface attach vs clip heat fix). I'm learning from you and will develop STS-8 when 1.1 comes out with it in mind assuming its not fixed by then. Thank to you and everyone for providing support for the STS shuttles. I've been off and on away from KSP the past few months. In the meantime my 7 year old son and I have been building this in a multiplayer KSP: - - - Updated - - - Wow! Amazing guide Araym. Mind if I add a link to this to the OP? - - - Updated - - - Are you sure you're not also adding the STS Service Module? If so it requires KAS, KIS, and IR. The shuttle itself is 100% stock. Redownload the shuttle. There should be nothing in the bay. If you're still getting mod warnings, make sure your universe doesn't have a modded ship somewhere interfering. - - - Updated - - - Thanks ExplorerKlatt for helping out. You guys make working in Spacecraft Exchange awesome!

Already done! Please confirm! - - - Updated - - - Sure thing!

Ok, behind the scenes for my first mk3 SSTO. Goal is to make this thing an STS Fuel Pod to Orbit capable SSTO...42 tons to orbit.

Very beautiful! Adding this to the OP listing for related crafts! - - - Updated - - - You bet! - - - Updated - - - Amazing piece of engineering here. Added to the OP!

Been busy here too! - - - Updated - - - I LOVE it! Two things: - The shuttle is not centered on the SCA when looking down the fuselage - Try hiding the struts using offset Flies insanely better. High quality! I love the engine nacelles!

oooh. no i didn't. looking forward to it!

Wow! I love it!

I need useful satellites and cargoes built for my STS Space Shuttle. Care to take a crack? It all has to fit inside a large cargo bay.

Very beautiful! can you mate this with the 7E solid booster stack and does it still lift 42 tons (the STS Fuel Pod)?