MattJL

Thanks! About three days - had a long weekend. I eyeballed the Saturn V stages and engines, and they happened to turn out just about right, which is what I credit to being able to produce them fairly quickly. I'm going to say a tentative yes to both. There's two potential complications I see offhand - one, the TWR of a single Ratite engined launch vehicle might be a bit low. If that's the case, I'm going to have to figure out an alternative (possibly a Rhino clipped into the stage for cosmetic's sake). Two, clipping six or eight orange tanks to form the orange bit of the Multibody could look a bit ugly. I'll give it a shot, though.

Dependencies: SpaceY Heavy Lifters Parts Pack Kerbal Joint Reinforcement SpaceY Expanded Module Manager UPDATE 10/18/15: EYES TURNED SKYWARDS LAUNCH VEHICLES What is SpaceY Saturns? SpaceY Saturns is a collection of relatively low part count replicas of the Saturn family of rockets, both flown and stuck on the drawing boards, made from SpaceY and stock parts. The current edition of SpaceY Saturns features nine different Saturn launch vehicles: The Saturn V: The Saturn IB: The Saturn VIII "Nova": Skylab Saturn V: Saturn IF, Saturn INT-17, 18, 20, and 21 (both manned and unmanned): As well as nine different payload packages for added Saturn family fun: Downloads: Launch vehicles: Saturn IB Saturn IF Saturn INT-20 Saturn INT-21, manned Saturn V Saturn V Skylab Saturn VIII "Nova" Saturn II INT-17 Saturn II INT-18 Saturn INT-21, unmanned Payload packages: AARDV ASTP docking module Centaur kit LEM Habitat LEM Shelter LEM Truck with Rover Baseline LEM Resupply/logistics module Wet workshop Future plans: Four words: Bigger, heavier, and larger. I currently have a liquid booster enhanced Saturn V in the testing phase, and beyond that, probably an Apollo-derived Duna craft pack. Leave any suggestions or ideas and I'll consider them. Happy flying!

Boy, do I have a surprise for you folks.

That's how I "landed" STS-107 during the rescue mission. Neat feature! I'm gonna try launching the 42 ton refueling module aboard Ares V, will report back with what that thing can do. EDIT: So I'm able to crash it into the Mun after a brief powered descent Had to tap into the fuel reserves a bit to actually "land" it. That means a LKO payload of about... 126 tons? Proof: It has a habit of falling over, though: Also, revamped Ares V a bit (basically made it less prone to disassembling itself on the way to orbit) and stretched the SRBs up to five segments: Finally, did some proof-of-concept work with delivery into atmospheres via the upper stage: Then I built a monster of a vehicle (four five-segment SRBs) that I call Ares Vc. Can't see it well (it's identical outside of the number of SRBs), but screenshot: Craft files: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uak7ashg1qksq43/Ares%20V%20mk%20II.craft?dl=0 (Improved Ares V) https://www.dropbox.com/s/3wo6mzvqio2pnw6/Ares%20Vc.craft?dl=0 (This... thing.)

Nice. Looks like I have some fun ahead of me.

I'm honored. Thanks for making such a great Shuttle. Craft files (slightly experimental, if I make any updates/someone points out an issue with one of them, I'll do my best to fix it and send y'all an update): https://www.dropbox.com/s/qmirhrjmzrvgj4u/Ares%20V.craft?dl=0 (Ares V) https://www.dropbox.com/s/22z1w2sgyc6106a/Ares%20I.craft?dl=0 (Ares I) https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yhrm41g86cor4k/STS-SDHLV.craft?dl=0 (SDHLV/Sidemount) - Note: Flies a bit dodgy after SRB sep, I'd advise keeping an eye on the thing. Also, don't do the roll program until you get between 7 and 8 km. Not tested for payloads greater than 11 tons. Might stretch the Ares V upper stage a bit to squeeze a little more delta-v out of it, we'll see. If anyone wants to give that a shot, just pop off the S3-3600 on the second stage and add in an S3-7200. Should still work.

What's the payload capacity like on the Falcon Heavy?

I have to put together a proper Imgur album for these three, but after some tweaking, I give you... Sidemount, the shuttle-derived heavy lift vehicle! A slightly fantastical Ares V, able to send over twelve tons of payload directly to Duna (complete with an airshell)! Featuring a full-size payload bay, meaning that all STS-4 subassemblies can be used with it! And, finally, a more reasonable Ares I, able to orbit a happy medium of about ten tons! Featuring a half-size payload bay! EDIT: Here's a proper album:

Hah, thanks! And I have to give the author of this alt history: http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=270106 a lot of credit regarding the research. That's what inspired me to do this.

Don't know if this counts for anything, but I acted out an STS-107 rescue mission (alternate STS-114) using Intrepid. I'll be honest - I had to do a savefile tweak to send STS-107 on a collision course with Kerbin (didn't want it landing on KSC). Here y'all go:

Oooh, shiny! Speaking of parts count, I just checked the INT-20 - it's at 261 parts. And, as promised (one fresh install later), Saturn IF: Made it to orbit with a decent propellant margin: Also threw together a quick Saturn Multibody (though no orange tanks, I'm not that much of a wizard): Managed to orbit a full S-IVB, so it could probably be used as an alternate Apollo LV:

Two hundred something-ish. I didn't check when I built it. (Will note that the LEM is really difficult to take out). How exactly did you clip the Mainsails inside one another on the S-IC? I had difficulty replicating that when trying to hash together the Saturn VB (which I'm replacing with a Saturn IB-alike, though minus the clustered tanks on the first stage. It'll be more like the "Saturn 1F," seen here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13959.0;attach=93019;image). With your blessing, I might try and duplicate the spacecraft of Eyes Turned Skywards, which is frankly one of the greatest alternate histories ever written.

So I modified this into my favorite never-flown Saturn family concept, the Saturn INT-20. It turned out pretty well, IMO: And managed to make orbit with a reasonable fuel margin: Might do the stage-and-a-half Saturn VB next.

Outside of backing by companies, there's ~3,000 kg of mass to work with aboard the Proton that launches Phoenix to the ISS. That's enough for a decent sized satellite (or several thousand CubeSats) and thus acts as another source of funding. There's also a small amount of room aboard Taiga for an experiments package (think ALSEP) that could be deployed on the Moon. Total cost is projected to be $426.5 million, so on paper, the launch could be paid for by charging $143,333 per kilogram of additional payload. This is just over twice the cost for a standard CubeSat. Frankly, I don't feel that 144k is an unfair cost for universities/countries around the world. ISS usage could probably be fiddled with through the Russians, as Phoenix would technically be a Russian spacecraft.

So, I've had this idea. It's nothing new - I've been working on it since April of 2009 - but a series of events (a very long story) has led to me going public with it in several different places. I'm currently working with three people from around the world to help put together what I'd like to call Project Thoth. The goal is simple: Put a man on the moon and bring him safely back to the Earth. The big catch, though, is that it'd be the product of non-governmental work and use largely existing architecture (namely Soyuz, Proton, Atlas V Heavy, Centaur, and Fregat-SB. Possibly Dragon, Falcon Heavy, and Falcon 9, too). Only the lander would need to be developed. I've been carving out the plan with an associate from France (who I will not name at the moment, because I'd like to ensure that I have his approval in naming him in general). To be completely honest, he's done almost all of the work. I'm just the spokesperson. It looks something like this: + Launch 1: Crew to ISS. Either Soyuz or Dragon could pull this off - likely Dragon, as Soyuz will be involved later. The crew will wait at the ISS for the rest of the spacecraft to be assembled in low Earth orbit. + Launch 2: Soyuz/Fregat-SB to ISS, unmanned. Proton is the go-to launch vehicle for this one. This will serve as the command module for the lunar expedition, and I have christened it "Phoenix" (or äõýøúÑÂ, if you want to go with the Russian name). It will hang out at the ISS and wait for launch number 4. +Launch 3: Lunar module/LOI stage/Centaur tug to trans-lunar injection, unmanned. Atlas V Heavy is likely the launch vehicle to go with for this launch, as it is the heaviest-lift launch vehicle that is closest to operational status. The lunar module, the only new hardware in the plan, will be named "Taiga" (âðùóð). It will wait in low Lunar orbit in a 27 degree frozen orbit for Phoenix. +Launch 4: KTVK/docking hardware, unmanned. Second Proton launch. The space tug for Phoenix. Almost immediately after launch 4 is confirmed to be in a stable orbit, the three Thoth astronauts/cosmonauts will board Phoenix, power it up, and undock from the ISS. Phoenix will then dock to the KTVK, which will burn for the Moon. Phoenix, after LOI, would then rendezvous and dock with Taiga. Taiga would be powered up in preparation for landing. The surface stay would last for about thirty-six hours, including a four-hour EVA, and then the ascent stage would launch to rendezvous and dock with Phoenix. TEI would occur twelve hours after discarding Taiga's ascent stage. Landing would take place in Kazakhstan. A standard mission, taking into account the ISS stay, would last about two months. So that's my big plan. How does it sound? Anyone have anything to contribute?

Apollo 13 (the film).

The Fregat-class upper stages do the work of LOI. Lunar orbit mass (post insertion) is on the order of 12 tonnes. Referring to getting into polar orbit: Good catch. Didn't think of that at all. Perhaps there's some wiggle room left in the Fregat-type stages. I don't have my numbers right in front of me at the moment, so I dunno. EDIT: *smacks head* Oh, duh. If I recall correctly, the mass to TLI is actually ~13t for Phoenix and ~14t for Artemis - at the upper limit of FH's performance. 16t is FH's payload to geostationary orbit.

I call it Thoth (based off a four year study of my own): Launch Vehicle: Falcon Heavy Spacecraft (only 'new' developments): +Command/Service Module (Block 1): Phoenix. Mass: 16t (including Fregat-type upper stage). Crew: 3. (Similar to Soyuz). +Lunar module: Artemis (Block 1). Mass: 16t (including Fregat-type upper stage). Crew: 2. (Derived from Soyuz Orbital Module and Fregat). Derived spacecraft (using developed technology): +Phoenix/Artemis Derived Habitation Module (FADHM). Mass: 16t. Crew: 5. Derived from Phoenix's Orbital Module, Artemis's Decent Stage, and Phoenix's Service Module. +Phoenix Derived Cargo Shuttle. Mass: 15t. Capacity: 10t. Derived from Artemis's Decent Stage. An exploration style flight would require two Falcon Heavies, one launching the unmanned Artemis to LLO, and one launching the manned Phoenix to LLO. Phoenix would dock to Artemis and transfer crew in lunar orbit. Remainder of flight would be similar to Apollo. Schedule: Thoth 2: Lunar orbit sortee with Phoenix. Thoth 3: Lunar orbit rendezvous with Phoenix and Artemis. No landing. Thoth 4: Lunar landing. Exploration flight #1. Target: Sea of Crises. Thoth 5: Lunar landing. Exploration flight #2. Target: South Pole–Aitken basin. Goal: Search for water ice. Thoth 6: Lunar landing (reserve). Potential exploration flight #3. Target: South Pole–Aitken basin, southern limb. Goal: Search for water ice. The first round of flights would cease in January of 2018, paving the way for the colonization flights. Colonization flights would be a direct delivery of five crew and one habitation module (a la Hitchhiker). Each Cargo Shuttle would be able to sustain five FADHMs, providing two ton of food and dry consumables/FADHM. Water, electricity, and oxygen would be derived from local water ice. Ideal location would be the South Pole. Schedule, post 2018: Thoth 7: First FADHM. Thoth 8: Second FADHM. Thoth 9: Third FADHM. Thoth 10: Fourth FADHM. Thoth 11: Fifth FADHM. Thoth 12: Cargo shuttle. Settlers: 25. Thoth 13: Sixth FADHM. Thoth 14: Seventh FADHM. Thoth 15: Eighth FADHM. Thoth 16: Ninth FADHM. Thoth 17: Tenth FADHM. Thoth 18, 18A: Two cargo shuttles. Settlers: 50. Thoth 19: Eleventh FADHM. Thoth 20: Twelfth FADHM. Thoth 21: Thirteenth FADHM. Thoth 22: Fourteenth FADHM. Thoth 23: Fifteenth FADHM. Thoth 24, 24A, 24B: Three cargo shuttles. Settlers: 75. Thoth 25: Sixteenth FADHM. Thoth 26: Seventeenth FADHM. Thoth 27: Eighteenth FADHM. Thoth 28: Nineteenth FADHM. Thoth 29: Twentieth FADHM. Thoth 30, 30A, 30B, 30C: Four cargo shuttles. Settlers: 100. Each cargo shuttle would enable a "neighborhood" of FADHMs to survive for 300 days. Resupply flights, thus, should be launched every six months to ensure a safe overlap.

I'm a sort of veteran. I downloaded the demo (?) a heck of a long time ago (maybe .12 or earlier) then became confused (couldn't make it full screen) and just gave up. I re-downloaded it after re-discovering KSP in March of 2012, and stuck with it (humorously enough, this was on March 3rd, which I just learned was the day .14 was released) My first paid-for version was .18. Yep, it took me a year to get around buying the thing. One thing I miss about KSP is, oddly enough, the almost black void of space. I just like how it looks.

My first Mun landing was in the demo version with fins and radial decouplers. I called it Iron Bell (very subtle Pink Floyd reference). In an unintentional imitation of NASA, I haven't been back since .19. Space station program is going well, though!

Kurtjmac, who I came across through Far Lands or Bust. So I guess Minecraft got me here, in a sense.

Caught this alignment in the middle of a rescue mission. Edit for clarity: From top to bottom, that's Kerbol, Kerbin, and the Mün.

According to one Russian source, one of the engines did indeed fail at T+4 seconds - this being precipitated by one of the combustion chambers reaching three times the designated limit and the rocket itself lifting off about half a second earlier than scheduled.

Voyager 1, which is currently half way to Jool. It's not on an escape trajectory, though.

So far, I haven't done anything too exciting. I'm considering visiting the Mün for the first time in .20 (with a two launch architecture). I'll post pictures if that goes well. I accidentally posted in the wrong thread today, so I had to cover my tracks with a quick edit. Yesterday, I de-orbited my first space station (Skylab A) because it was stuck in a horribly inclined 180 x 509 kilometer orbit. I launched another one to replace it (Skylab . Considering visiting it today to deliver a cupola and/or some crew. That's all I got lined up ATM.