JordanCox2

As I\'m building the lander, I\'m working to balance my rockets as well. Version 1.4 will correct a majority of power issues. I want it to be a challenge, but as venku122 mentioned, I don\'t want it to be so challenging where you have to follow an exact flight plan with no margin for error... I\'m fairly satisfied with the changes I\'ve already made, but I still have a few more things to tweak.

Hey guys! Here\'s another Altair progress update! As you can see in the image below, the descent fuel tank, descent engine, legs and RCS block models are finished. I remodeled the lander leg that\'s currently in my pack to better accommodate Altair. I still have a long way to go, but it\'s finally starting to look like an actual lander now

Yeah, I\'m working on finding a solution to the lean problems, but I\'m pretty satisfied with the Intrepid V\'s power. It\'s only supposed to be used to deploy satellites and probes, so I\'ll probably keep it the way it is until I build Aurora. Don\'t forget, you can always add more SRB\'s to give the Intrepid V more power.

The entire lander will be devoted to the SLS. As you can see in the small image below, the Ascent Module is going to be the new 'Command Pod.' The Intrepid II CSM isn\'t getting its true Orion makeover until we can rendezvous and dock with other vehicles.

It will have both descent and ascent modules. The ascent module will be the SLS\'s new custom command pod until we can rendezvous and dock with other vehicles.

Yeah, 3.25m is obviously my limit due to the SLS\'s payload fairing size. Since we don\'t have animations yet, I can\'t design the legs to be folded in during liftoff then extend afterwards, so I had to take the extra leg length into consideration as well. Honestly, I don\'t. Aurora is my long-term project. I want it done right, so I\'m definitely going to take my time on it. I\'m actually waiting to see how Deusoverkill configures the Kliper he\'s been working on. However, I know for a fact that Aurora will be composed of several parts (command pod, RCS, ASAS, etc.), and once assembled, it will look like a spaceplane. That\'s really the only concrete plan I have at the moment...

Alright, everyone! I was able to get a lot of work done tonight, so here\'s a WIP picture of Altair\'s frame. I still have a lot to do, but getting the frame finished is a HUGE step in the right direction! Obviously, it hasn\'t been textured, but the model is finished. Enjoy! By the way, the diameter of the frame alone is 1.8 meters... just in case you\'re curious.

In other news, I started working on my Münar Lander today, since I\'m still waiting to receive more documents for Aurora. If you haven\'t been following my previous posts about the lander, it\'s being modeled after Altair. It\'s also going to be big enough to fit snugly inside the SLS\'s payload fairing. From leg to leg, it will be around 3.25m in diameter. Once things start to progress a little bit more, I\'ll post a few WIP pics.

It\'s a known problem. I noticed it while I was testing the Intrepid V, but I didn\'t find the lean substantial enough to delay the release, since it\'s easily correctable. However, I\'m working to find a solution for version 1.4.

If you can\'t get to the Mün and back with the Intrepid II (without any modifications), you\'re using it wrong. It\'s the easiest ship to fly, and it\'s the most 'unbalanced' ship in the entire fleet. The Intrepid II shouldn\'t be used for Münar missions... However, I built it before the SLS, and really wanted to get to the Mün. Now that the SLS is finished, I\'m working to make the Intrepid II more balanced (e.g. lower fuel tank capacity for Soteria and Orion, higher fuel consumption for the Atlas IV Engine, etc.). Version 1.4 will fix a lot of those issues. Don\'t forget that I\'m also working on my Münar Lander that\'s based off of Altair. Until I get the information I need to start working on Aurora, I\'ll be working on the lander... Thunderbird is right. My rockets aren\'t configured to ascend straight up off the launch pad. That\'s probably why they seem so powerful to some of you. You\'re supposed to angle your rocket downrange during the ascent... You know, like a real rocket

No I didn\'t.

Hahaha! I try my best... That explosion sounded sweet, by the way! Awesome! I\'m glad you\'re enjoying the rockets!

After doing some research today, I\'ve decided to model Aurora after the Dream Chaser spaceplane. It was a tough decision to make, but I feel like more progress can be made with this selection. One of the main reasons why I chose the Dream Chaser is because it\'s a near replica of NASA\'s old HL-20 Personnel Launch System. I\'m fairly confident I\'ll be able to find a lot more documentation of the HL-20 and Dream Chaser than some of the other choices. I also took the time to email the Sierra Nevada Corporation in hopes of getting some reference images or design plans to build my model from. That\'s pretty much where things stand at the moment. I\'ll keep you guys updated once things start to progress.

Yeah, I think I\'ll have better luck going after the Dream Chaser or NASA\'s X-38.

That\'s not a bad idea! I\'ll see what I can do.

Unfortunately, Google isn\'t going to be anyone\'s friend at this point... Must. Keep. Looking!

I\'ll see what I can do. Regarding everybody\'s posts about the spaceplane design, it\'s going to be a tough decision... However, I think it\'s going to come down to which spacecraft has the most blueprints to model after. I just started modeling 3 months ago (just for this game), so I\'m pretty much learning 3ds Max 2012 as I go! The X-37 is more popular than the Dream Chaser, but the X-38 looks pretty nice as well. Hmm... Decisions, decisions...

Hahaha! Nice.

Hey everyone! Version 1.3 has just been released! It includes everything you need to build an Intrepid V 400/500 Series rocket. The handling is pretty much the same as the Intrepid II. Just make sure to keep S.A.S. activated the entire time. If you find any problems, just let me know! I hope all of you enjoy the Intrepid V!

Not yet. I\'m solely focused on finishing the Intrepid V right now. Once that\'s finished, I\'ll start worrying about Aurora...

While that would solve the stabilization issue, you wouldn\'t be able to jettison the SRB. I don\'t know about you, but the 411 configuration looks odd enough as it is... We don\'t need an SRB tagging along until MECO. I\'m working on a few solutions, but I won\'t let this issue push back the release date. I\'ll work to get it fixed in a later update. Until then, just use KSP\'s available symmetry options. You will have both. Option A (as seen above) will make the Intrepid V look like an Atlas V 400 series rocket, and Option B (as seen on pages 1 & 11) will make it look like an Atlas V 500 series rocket.

With the addition of a 1.25m to 1.00m interstage and 1.50m payload fairings, the Intrepid V can be configured like an Atlas V 400 series rocket as well.

Duly noted.

Are we able to gimbal 2 nozzles on 1 engine?

Already tried... Ain\'t happening... That is, unless you want death and destruction! In that case, the 411 setup is perfect for a quick and timely death!