photogineer

I am trying to make a new lifter for my space station project and it won't let me subassemblyize it, any idea why? Matt

So, after (finally) rescuing all of my Kerbals from Mun attempt errors (and one successful landing!) I decided I really enjoyed all the rendezvous and docking I had to do to rescue all of them. Thus, my next project was born, the Kerbal Space Station, KSS for short, in LKO. It would serve as an orbiting gas station and recharging port for spacecraft and cell phones. So I designed and launched a station core with two Gigantor panels, and docking ports on either end. I used the launch vehicle to put that in to orbit. Next I built, launched and attached a station propulsion unit and construction tug, and after some harrowing docking, put it all together: It looks too small, I realize it's just 3 components, 1 of which is temporary, but after seeing videos and screenshots of other stations I expected the solar panels and everything to be bigger. Are those stations just using different part packs? or is there a bigger solar panel I missed? I realize this is kind of a silly aesthetic thing, but I enjoy building big things! Right now this looks more like a gangly ship than a station. I am planning a few additional modules: Command Control Module - with a Cupola observation deck and all the ASAS/probe body things (role currently held by the construction tug) Habitation module - probably made from hitchhiker pods, unless there is something better to use? Fuel tanker modules - large fuel tanks for storing LF/OX for ships to refill from Multi-ship docking adapter - for the ships to dock to for refueling/parking Crew Escape Vehicle - something that can be loaded with Kerbals and cut loose in the event of an emergency So, I guess I'm looking for general advice to make sure I'm on the right track here, what does everyone think of the initial build, the plan and my not-so-Gigantor panels? Any other key modules a good station should have? Also, I learned my first lesson the hard way, RCS thrusters are no good without some kind of fuel! My propulsion module (opposite the tug in the above image) was unable to dock because it had no way to translate and make small maneuvers. I ended up getting it close with the main engine on it, swiveling it around to mostly line up, and then docking the station to it! In reverse! Have you ever tried to dock in reverse? It's kind of thrilling... and terrifying. So much fun! Matt

Aha! Alright, that all makes sense, and I see my error, I was treating the radius of the ellipse at the longer end as my semi-major axis, that was an error on my part, and it all now makes sense to me. Thanks all. Matt

So, in my quest to do less eyeballing and more mathy stuff I thought about trying to figure out how to calculate and predict orbital intercepts for docking instead of just yanking at nodes until things line up. I've hit a weird stumbling block, so I am hoping more experienced rocketeers can help me out. Stupid question below I am trying to understand how to calculate the period of an orbit, elliptical or circular, and in my searching I came across this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_period#Small_body_orbiting_a_central_body That is simple enough, and it makes sense, but I'm a little perplexed because the article says the formula is for elliptical or circular orbits and only depends on the semi-major axis. Does that mean in a situation where you have a circular 250km orbit, and a 250kmx150km elliptical orbit, they have the same period? I know the velocity will vary over that orbit, but it seems like they shouldn't be the same, am I reading that correctly? Matt

Success! Sort of. I rescued the rescue team. I realized this morning that the A3 had enough fuel to orbit Mun, so I sent up a modified version of the rocket, the Avenger III-P with some minor refinements to the staging, a probe core, and two smaller engines to help boost the weak middle stages. During launch there was a problem with the first stage separation that destroyed the second stage, but I just spaced right through them and continued on, making a lower orbit than planned, but otherwise fine. My very own ATO! I sent the A3-P on a shot in to Munar orbit and met up with the stricken A3 to transfer the crew and brought them home to Kerbin, I have pictures: So, I am getting pretty good at rendezvous, maybe I should putting docking ports on these things! The Avenger program has two different versions of derelict Avenger III spacecraft orbiting two bodies now, and there is still one team left on the Mun. However, I can now land on the Mun, so retrieving them is a matter of practice/time so I can not use as much fuel when I land. So, thanks for the help everyone, I'm marking this one answered! I may feel compelled to do a mission write up once the last team is home, if there might be interest in that. Thanks again, Matt

Alright everyone, there's good news, and there's bad news.... Good news The landing legs were switched out and realigned and now keep the engine bell from impacting. A number of tests involving ditching the first stages of Avenger III in Booster Bay and doing parachute/powered landings at KSC proved that even with a simple solution, Kerbals can waste a lot of rockets and money. Oh, and the new landing legs solved the problem. Avenger III successfully made orbit with it's crew of three to test a land and return mission from the Munar surface in anticipation of their rescue mission. The team successful made Munar orbit and began a powered descent, ultimately landing on not quite perfectly level terrain. The crew were all EVA'd and planted the first Kerbal flag on another world. Then they got back in and started preparing for liftoff and return to Kerbin, which leads us to.... Bad news The team has computed that they have insufficient fuel remaining, with a remaining dV estimated at 733 m/s by the computer, they can't break Munar orbit. A number of simulations have been run using the industry standard QUIKSAV simulator and they were unable to find a viable launch solution. The team is currently awaiting instructions. I've tried to use an imgur album this time to share the triumphs and downfalls, let's see if this works: So... definitely progress! Now how to rescue my rescue team... (this is sort of like rocket fuel, the more fuel you carry, the more you need, the more Kerbals you send to rescue, the more that need rescuing!) Any advice guys? Matt

I shall, I expect to finish this adventure this weekend. Just earlier this week I had a successful orbital rendezvous between an early A3 prototype and the latest to recover some crew stuck in orbit with no LF and no parachutes. I had to use the stricken ships RCS thrusters to circularize their very elliptical orbit. I of course got some photos: Two ships next to each other: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xaneipg8hfb67n6/screenshot373.png Another angle, you can see that the one is lacking parachutes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/beda0kh762a264c/screenshot375.png Bob about to get aboard the rescue ship: https://www.dropbox.com/s/iqu8oyq7pkess18/screenshot380.png Leaving the stricken ship behind (it's still in orbit!): https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ds4phx4teuxpon/screenshot403.png Hitting the hot part of re-entry passing over the space center (I'm getting much better at targeted landings!): https://www.dropbox.com/s/vtxm9lgmwfy11sg/screenshot407.png The boys are home: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lskswd10yljo565/screenshot412.png Pretty close to KSC in fact: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbkpc51vnbebybk/screenshot413.png The design is coming along well, though it has a slight flaw... the landing legs aren't long enough, so during a parachute landing to Kerbin land to test them..... well, this happened: Right before touchdown: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipn85odjsvie5ec/screenshot303.png Touchdown: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wpx5smsea9w1u1g/screenshot304.png Right after: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gicdch28n5xn7jx/screenshot305.png Oh well, it's progress! Matt

Hey everyone, just letting you know I haven't forgotten about you, KSP is generally a weekend activity for me, so my progress has slowed, but I'll be back, the bugs are pretty much out of the new launcher/lander set, just practicing ascent profiles to reliably get in to orbit! Still have two Kerbals in Kerbin orbit to rescue, I consider that practice, and then I'll go get the guys on the Mun. Matt

Here are some! The new lander is much more compact, but the launch vehicle needs more work. The first prototype I launched also lacked parachutes so after a successful Mun flyby I was left in a wild elliptical Kerbin orbit with no chutes and low fuel! I tweaked the lander stage to have chutes, played with the staging a little and sent up a rescue ship with the next revision. I was able to rendezvous with the first Avenger III capsule, only to realize I forgot to de-crew the ship and only had one open seat. So I brought Jeb home since he seems like the kind of guy who will be able to help rescue the rest of them! He booted Milny out of the capsule in to the lawn chair strapped on top, and Milny rode through reentry in that! Here's the current launch vehicle on take off: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qrbvok8k0gcb14z/screenshot225.png Here are some photos of the lander capsule (w/o parachutes): https://www.dropbox.com/s/r7d1jwfenp72pbt/screenshot211.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/w6p8q9jt5zf22yl/screenshot212.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/fkw3794za640v43/screenshot213.png Here it is with them: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ex2mfzmfbg6e08x/screenshot246.png The rescue ship approaching the first prototype: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ylgxynsowhmnoc/screenshot251.png Parked next to them (this is when I realized it was fully crewed and started cursing!): https://www.dropbox.com/s/wk7niuzxgyp43j1/screenshot254.png Jeb getting out after ordering Milny in to the chair: https://www.dropbox.com/s/flhupu2jhfkajou/screenshot260.png Rescue ship rocketing off to land leaving some men behind: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vcmqj0dljyjrt2p/screenshot266.png Aiming to land in Booster Bay: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2lof872grtgwjcg/screenshot272.png Missed it! Oh well: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dbebl0vb186tul/screenshot279.png Milny getting really warm and toasty (Jeb thinks it is hilarious): https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucbso4p9fqbdv2d/screenshot285.png Chutes out, gear down, we're coming in over land! (Jeb really can't aim can he? Should have picked up Bill instead...): https://www.dropbox.com/s/tax6qy965rq4ahu/screenshot290.png Milny just wants to be home, with snacks: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ofabyq7hnblh3ia/screenshot295.png Jebs firing RCS as makeshift soft landing jets, they don't help at all: https://www.dropbox.com/s/baqam1n0ac9aqnj/screenshot302.png Turns out the landers engine extends below the lands when they compress, this was terrifying: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wpx5smsea9w1u1g/screenshot304.png But they're all OK!: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gicdch28n5xn7jx/screenshot305.png Here are the boys awaiting pickup, at least the lander landed on something right: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tlmm8rxghcpnn0/screenshot308.png Their final landing position: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1t76qx6t9fml3aj/screenshot309.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/qcdgw01mzr1ikke/screenshot310.png It's progress! Even though I somehow ended with 2 extra Kerbans to rescue... Are you saying you don't kill your velocity separately but do one long velocity kill and descent burn? Is this any harder to balance? I am trying to do this, and not doing so great at it, so I am going to focus on componentizing my design more. Currently I have to use the insertion stage to finish the entry to LKO, so I know that's not working out in my favor. I'm getting closer though, I'll keep everyone posted! Matt

Alright everyone, thanks for the tips, I'm designing the Avenger III now with a better lander configuration, I'll post here with my progress! Matt

It is set for Surface yes, also I have Kerbal Engineer running showing my horizontal velocity as some blithering low mm/sec value. I'd believe that, perhaps you can look at the screenshots and .craft posted above and let me know if you think that's too tall? I was trying not to need a separate lander/return stage for simplicity but maybe that's killing me. I'll give that a shot next go around too. Matt

Design flaw eh? I'll buy that, though my designing skills I hoped were better than my piloting skills! (It's not as if they could be worse!) Craft file is here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ahqroa2g4h7zieh/Avenger%20II.craft Here is a screenshot in Kerbin orbit of just the lander stage: https://www.dropbox.com/s/769ydrqj3s4bwig/screenshot171.png Here is another perspect right after cutting the lander loose for reentry: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hba2ivmz1cv4bgp/screenshot173.png Those are all the screenshots I have for the moment, I was too busy frantically trying to control it on the way down to take any more! Matt

Hey there all, me again, I don't post much! Last time I posted I asked for help with getting in to orbit, and I got a lot of great answers, so I'm doing it again. I took a break from KSP shortly after that and resumed when 0.22 came out on my new Mac, and I'm loving the game again. So here's the dilemma, I'm trying to land on the Mun, I've watched every video there is, I've tried over and over using quicksave and I just can't quite get it. I'm close, but not quite there. One of my landings ended with a crashed pod full of Kerbals, so now I want to rescue them. Before I get to that too, I'm trying to master landing and making it back from the Mun without worrying about where on the Mun I land to pick them up. To that end, I've built and can fly a rocket (the Avenger II) in to Kerbin orbit, I can transfer to a nice 90km circular Mun orbit, but whenever I attempt to land it goes the same way. So, here is what I am doing: 1. From a 90km parking orbit I burn retrograde to drop my periapsis down to about 1km. 2. I ride out the descent, near the end I burn hard retrograde to null my horizontal velocity out, and this seems to use up a LOT of fuel! 3. I drop vertically, periodically firing the engine to control my descent rate. 4. Just before touchdown I fire the engine at a high throttle settle to slow my descent to a crawl. 5. I touch down, almost completely out of fuel, and then fall over and break. Every. Time. So my big problem here is the tumbling over, but I'm landing on a flat surface, I've killed my horizontal velocity, my lander is completely symmetrical, I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Also, this method seems to use up too much fuel for me to return to Kerbin easily/at all. So I have to think I am doing something or things wrong here! Any advice? Matt

Thanks everyone, I'm doing much better now. I managed to do a not terrible gravity turn and put myself in to a not super suborbital 300km Ap shot at the end of the first stage burn. I was so focused on the gravity turn I was't watching how high and fast I was going. Whoops, but I was able to pretty easily circularize it, settled with a 292km Pe and a 294km Ap, so I'll take it. I also targeted by deorbit burn with a maneuver node and brought the capsule down sort of near KSC. Unfortunately, KSP crashed just as I was on final descent, so I didn't get to see how close I got. More practice ahead!

I'll check out Open Broadcaster, but a friend sent me a copy of Fraps for now, so I'm all set. I made a video of my attempt and posted it . It shows my launch, staging, circularizing burn and running out of fuel. Thanks in advance.

I'd be more then amenable to that, could you recommend some recording software? I know Fraps is popular, but the free version only allows 30 second clips, and I don't know that I'd use it enough to justify the $37, you know?

Thanks for the advice everyone, I've watched the videos and tried practicing all morning, and I am getting better, but I still can't circularize the orbit. In all the video tutorials I see it seems so easy, but when I try to do it my apoapsis just bursts out of control suddenly. It's very frustrating, and I don't even know what I'm doing to cause it. I have tried burning anyone from +/- 10 seconds on the apoapsis to +/- 1 minute! Also, I've been trying to use maneuver nodes, but no matter how I try to adjust it, I can't even plot a circular orbit, so it's not much use as a guide line. At this point I'm starting to feel like I've got a more fundamental problem, and that is why I can't get my ship in to a circular orbit. I'm going to try one of the stock ones and see if that makes a difference. While I'm doing that, does anybody have any advice on how I may be screwing up my nodes?

Alright I think I'll take another look at maneuver nodes, I'm fairly certain I screwed it up the first time I tried it. Will that give me a time estimate on the burn? That seemed to be the case, if so is that only for 100% throttle? Thanks.

I just went through the same thing, F3 will bring it up, even in flight before a crash so you can see any other events (like a fuel tank mount cracking under stress) while still in flight.

FNG here, trying to get my big ole rocket in to a stable orbit, I've been practicing for a few days now, getting the hang of these and so own. I've checked out the tutorial videos here and read anything else I can find, and I think I understand the orbit idea in concept. Burn towards prograde to raise the orbit, burn in the other direction to lower the orbit. The problem I'm having is that I can't seem to affect the orbit the way I intend to. For example, I finish the first stage launch of my rocket, and it's on course for a apoapsis of ~78km, with a periapsis somewhere in the planet's crust. So I drop the stage, warm up the next stage engine and use the RCS thrusters to swing the nose around to face prograde according to the happy fun ball. I then patiently wait until I reach apoapsis at ~78km and fire up the engine. As I expected, the periapsis comes flying out of the planet, I keep the nose pointed prograde and throttled back, when the periapsis got to ~78km, I shut off the engines, and relaxed. Stable orbit achieved.... or so I thought. I now notice that my apoapsis is about 300km out now. Obviously I'm doing something wrong here, I tried using maneuver nodes as a guideline for the next attempt, and the target indicator pulled my below the horizon, which led to violently deorbiting my ship while I remained blissfully unaware in map view, watching the the periapsis do it's thing. So, where do I start? What do you all think I'm doing wrong?