steuben

There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly how they can do it, they will instantly stop doing it that way and do it using a method even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory mentioned, which states that this has already happened.

Reality? This! Is! KSP! You may want to go with grounded within kerbal reality rather than ours. It will make things a bit easier. Especially since there is not a perfect one to one mapping between the two. As for the everyone meets in a war background. Yeah it works but it's been done a fair bit. That is not to say the some of the characters can't have combat experience. If you go down that road go for something different. For example jeb and val both fought in the last war, on the same front, but on opposite side and frequently against each other directly. As for direction... asking the gallery can be dangerous. You'll get lots of suggestions but little direction. It can work but you will need to keep your hands on the reigns and know where you're going. That being said ep 2 and 3 should be them exploring the fuels and the engines. "Ignition!" by Clark would be a good backgrounder for it.

Chapter 10 Khenry limped, leaning on his cane, into the briefing room. He sometimes wondered, if it wouldn’t have been better if the doctors had taken the leg. Other times, he was glad they hadn’t. Besides, the photos of him leaning on the cane did look good. The eight pilots in the room stilled and looked up. “Okay kerbs,” he said. “This is the familiarization briefing for our latest bird.” He turned on the overhead projector. “The Air Based Satellite Launcher, reporting name is ‘Gull.’” He placed an acetate sheet on the projector. It had the three views of the aircraft. It’s high center fuselage and down swept wings created several meters of clearance underneath. “We’ve got three of them in the nest, and enough parts to build another two from the frame out.” He looked at Jebediah. “This does not mean you get to push them.” “I haven’t see a body that high since folks at Kavalier managed to figure out counter-props,” Geofgan, one of the pilots, said. “Since she’s a jet, what’s she slinging underneath?” Khenry changed the acetate sheet. “This, the ALS. It’s a modified version of the standard low mass launcher we’re pushing off the pads now.” “That’s, what? A Reliant at the bottom of that thing?” Callin said. “You sure it isn’t going to cook my belly when it lights off?” “No. The separation charge and a half second delay will give enough clearance before the engine kicks in.” “Okay,” Desney said. “What’s the flight profile for a standard launch?” Khenry swapped the acetate again. “This. You fly up to angels three. From there maneuver to the launch vector. Accelerate to 350 mps and climb to angels ten. At that point release the launcher and RTB. Kasey-sat will take control of the launcher upon release.” Callin frowned. “Angels 10 is at the top of the Wheesley’s operating envelope.” “Yes,” Khenry said. “But, the folks at C7 have managed to figure out a way to squeeze out an extra angel. The techs and test pilots at Just Frames report that she’ll have sufficient control and power. But, don’t hang around up there.” He opened up a folder on the table next to projector. “Okay, now that the basics are out of the way.” He placed acetate thick with text on the projector. “Let’s get down to details.”

Chapter 3 The six kerbals were in the briefing room. Valentina sat, in the dark blue uniform of the navy, skimming through the several binders in front of her. Encal, in the light blue uniform of the air force, randomly flipped through the pages in a binder. Jebediah, also in light blue, had taken a sheet out and was turning it around as if trying to make sense of it. Khenry, in the green of the ground forces, and Bill in dark blue, were discussing some aspects of the design they were looking at. Bob, wearing green, stood looking at thick walled glass container at the front of the room. Suspended in the clear liquid was a black sphere. It appeared to be featureless despite the distortion the thick glass caused. Bob eventually decided that it really was not black, it completely lacked colour. He tapped the container a couple of times. He thought he saw react, but it was hard to tell through the thick glass. Through the glass he saw a trio of kerbals at the door. He looked around the side of the container. He recognized one of them. He came to attention, “Director Present!” the sudden silence and scraping of chairs indicated the other five had done so as well. “Thank-you,” Direc said. ”I’m Direc Kerman, director of the Kerbal Space Program. You may relax. We don’t need such formalities. But, as we get bigger that may change. Please sit down.” The one of the other kerbals went to the projector in the back of the room and began fitting a reel of film. Direc gestured towards other kerbal at the front of the room with in. “This is Wernher von Kerman, Head of Research.“ He nodded towards the back of the room. “At the projector is Linus Kerman, one of Wernher von Kerman’s interns. Wernher’s here to answer any of the science questions that you may have. But, we’re here to help answer the questions that the science folks have. Mostly about this stuff.” Direc tapped the glass container. “The goo. The only bit about that I understand is that it is non-Newtonian. They say that it is non-Euclidian and non-Einsteinian as well.” Linus stepped back to the projector from having pulled the blinds down. He turned off the lights and started the projector. “The information in this film is in your binders as well,” Wernher said. The flicking light of the projector cast conspiratorial shadows over his face. “As director Direc said it is a non-Newtonian fluid. As for non-Euclidian and non-Einsteinian, we have no supporting evidence.” Bob watched the film intently. The soft ratcheting of the projector matched the gears in his mind.

Probably mentioned in the vid links. But... don't approach your target at more than 5 m/s when you're less than 1 km from the target. I've ignored that advice. On a perfect approach at 17 m/s the results were spectacularly terminal for both the station and the new module.

Better to ask in the fan works section than here. You can ask a mod to move this thread. to answer the question... It feels like a standard shanghaied to disaster and adventure plot. So it will depend on the finer details of your story and script. without knowing what your rodeo count looks like, I'm going say write up the first 15 minutes of the script and post it for comment in fan works. Any of us in the will be able to provide pointers, critiques, and suggestions for additional resources.

High acceleration lithobraking is a perfectly valid methodology for landing. Just design accordingly. Staging is just a controlled unplanned disassembly.

Laythe in orbit as viewed from the KSC. Looks like the mun is there just to the right.

green. Welcome to science and KSP. If anytime you ask a question and don't get at least a couple more questions and a few related but unasked answers, you're asking the wrong question.

Funny no. Sci-fi awesome, yes. The tricky part is finding the distance such that you can fly from one to the other with an atmospheric craft.

Chapter 4 Valentina, Jebediah, and Encal stood around a plane in the hanger. Four Juno engines pinched the wings on the back of the fuselage. A Reliant rocket engine stuck out of the tail. Gus walked up with a clipboard tucked under one arm. “Okay,” he said. “This is the two seat variant of the Hopper. She’s also been stretched a bit to give her enough fuel for two hops to angels 25.” He looked at Jebediah. “Though some of you may try for a single hop to fifty. She ain’t rated for it. Not that it’ll stop you.” He took out the clipboard. “Encal you’re up in the rotation, so you get first flight. Khenry will be your REO on this one. Nothing fancy, just a couple of hops up and back down staying in local airspace. The reps from the factory will be waiting to talk to you after you land. Take-off is in two hours.” “Good luck, Encal,” Jebediah said. “She looks like she’ll need a bit of a hand on the stick.” “No,” Encal said. “She’ll soar like a dream.” Two days later Valentina looked up from her typewriter after hearing a cough. “Ma’am,” it was one of the technicians, simulation section she thought. “Sorry to bother you. But we have a problem, and we’re hoping up can help us with it.” She recognized the tone and words. It meant they wanted to solve things quietly and unofficially, before they have to become official. She looked over at the other pilots’ desks. Neither had been touched in two days. She knew why one of them hadn’t been. Now she knew why the other hadn’t. She stood up and followed the tech. In the simulation room her foot glanced off an empty ration tin. It looked like the contents had been eaten cold. She looked at the settings on the console of the simulator and frowned. “They haven’t changed in the past two days,” the tech said. “Get the doctor down here,” Valentina said. “I’ll get him out. After the doc gets here, get these cleaned up,” she gestured at the tins on the floor. “Yes, ma’am,” the tech said, and rushed to a phone. The simulator bucked and trembled, as if it wanted to go one way and it was being dragged the other. She watched it until the doctor arrived. “Be ready to sedate him, if needed.” She said to the doctor. He just crooked an eyebrow and prepped a syringe. When he nodded she pulled the abort lever. The simulator returned to its rest state. Valentina walked over to the hatch. The doctor followed and stayed out of the line of sight. Jebediah stomped out. “Who the kell…“ He looked around wild eyed. “Val did you? Turn it back on Val!” Valentina backed up a couple of steps. “No Jeb,” she said calmly. “You’ve got to get some sleep, and eat some real food.” “No, Val,” Jebediah said. “Not until I’m done.” He wobbled slightly, but quickly caught himself. “Turn it back on Val.” He took a heavy step forward. She took another step back. “No, Jeb.” The doctor stood ready to put the loaded syringe in Jebediah. A can clanged off a far wall. Jebediah spun around. Valentina and the doctor both moved at the same time. She grabbed him in a bear hug and held him tightly. The doctor pushed the syringe into Jebediah’s arm. He struggled against Valentina. She relaxed her grip as he weakened. “You don’t need to be better than everyone, Jeb.” She said softly. “There wasn’t anything you could have done.” “No Val,” Jebediah said, his words slurred as the drugs took effect. “Not everyone Val. Just better… Just better ‘an… ‘an the frames. Just the frames Val… the frames, Val.” Jebediah slumped against Valentina unconscious.

I think I've used just about everything in the Kerbal Ship Modeling Program. But, then KSMP is about 'da purdy, rather than the function. In gameplay, though never might be too strong a word, rarely is a better fit: - the 2 kerb can - the qbe - aerospike - ion and related parts - the I-beams - octo strut - cubic octo strut - micronode - panels come to mind. Though if you are playing a tight margins game then some of those parts may actually come into play.

So two orange tanks, or the equivalent amount of LFO?

I started a rewrite of the first big piece I wrote... The hard part is letting go of what you have already written. But you do get to smooth out some of rough bits of characterization and settings. I'd say try it on on the first chapter and see what you get. I tend to write it all out on paper first. As I transcribe it to the computer I will juggle wording and order. The last tweaks are usually done just before I post it.

My reflex answer is we need pics. But, I've had decent luck in reducing wobble with autostrut to grandparent

Got it to work. The KT Bell can lift 1 kiloton a 1000 km x 1000 km, 0 deg inclination orbit with a 1km/s delta v fuel margin. The lifter does mass 12.7 kt, uses 48 mammoths, and needs to be launched from the runway to prevent free floating launch clamps.

Got 1 kt to a 115km x 120km orbit in a single lift, in stock. Now beginning design iterations to get it up to 1000k x 1000k in a single lift. Projected payload mass fraction will be about one ninth though.

Another design suggestion would be to shorten your booster. Add a couple of side fuel tanks that stage away when empty. You can always add a couple of swivels to the bottom of the tanks to keep your TWR up if needed.

Just upload it as raw text. One other suggestion is to forget about the classic gravity turn. Just fly straight up to 50 km and turn right.

I don't doubt the numbers. But do you have a non-heavy mathy reference for it... or a light mathy reference.

"Hang on a minute, lads. I've got a great idea," Kroker. As played by Micheal Kaine.

There's a mod for that...

Chapter 8 Linus walked along the main hall of the computer complex. One of the senior computers came down in the opposite direction. “Hey, Linus,” she said. “Wernher still hiding atop his mountain?” “Hi, Cammy,” Linus said. “No. He comes down once in a while. But, I’m still doing his running around.” “Too bad. Eventually you’ll get out to where somebody appreciates your talents.” Linus shrugged. “Perhaps. I’ve got to drop these off,” he waggled the bundle of folders in his hand. “See you around.” “Sure Linus” Linus continued down the hall. He walked past a couple of empty meeting rooms. The remains of complex equations were on the blackboards. They were annotated with an arcane symbology known only to the computers themselves. He wondered, as he always did in these halls, if it would be possible to use machines to do the work. He knew that a couple of the computers worked with a couple of techs in electrics to build an electronic analog computing machine. They figured that it would be useful in the simulator. It would probably increase the accuracy of orbit calculations as well. If it could be shrunk down by a factor of a hundred it might be useful on the rockets. But, the computers were an important piece of feedback. They could and did provide simpler or more elegant equations based off the ones they were given. Machines wouldn’t be able to do that. “Hiya Linus,” a flirty voice called. Linus looked around, disturbed from his thoughts. It was Chadlie. A couple of the other computers were with her. “Hello, Chadlie,” Linus said. “Mmm, my that looks like a big request.” Linus looked at the bundle of a half dozen manila folders. “Not really. Most of this is from design and sim. Wernher has a couple in here as well.” “So. I was telling my friends here about your slide rule and your skill with it.” Chadlie said. “They don’t believe me.” She pouted slightly. One of the other two giggled girlishly. “It’s nothing special. It’s about his long,” Linus held his hands about 30 cm apart. “Wide enough that I can do two at once on it.” One of the other two arched one of her eyebrows. “If I’m lucky, with the right set I can sometimes do three.” One of them giggled girlishly again. “There see? Straight from the horse’s mouth,” Chadlie said to the other two. She turned back to Linus, “you’ll really have to show it to me some time.” “Really it’s nothing out of the ordinary.” Linus shuffled uncomfortably knowing that he had missed something. “Well, I must get this up to Katherine.” “Okay, Linus,” Chadlie said. “See you around.” Linus quickly walked down the hall. It always seemed to be longer than the building. Chadlie was part of the reason he didn’t like going to the Computer Corps. The other sat at the other end of the room he just entered, the Computer Hall. Katherine Kerman looked up from her desk when Linus stepped into the doorway. Her sharp look pinned Linus to the doorway. She relaxed when she recognized him. Only then did he feel safe to enter. There were stories about kerbals who had crossed her. Some of them had survived. Linus walked up to the dais the Katherine’s desk sat on. As he walked by some of the computers looked from their work. They quickly went back to it. A couple followed Linus with their eyes. Katherine was a demanding kerbalina. But, she would support those who met her standards, or were working towards them. Despite her demands the Computer Corps was loyal to her because of her support, and that she demanded more from herself. “So, Mr. Linus,” she said. “What have you brought us today?” “Four requests from Design and Simulation, and two from Wernher,” he said. Katherine frowned. “Let’s see the ones from Dr. Wernher.” Linus placed the stack on her desk. She pulled the two from Wernher out. The rest she handed to a clerk that had stepped over. She flipped through the two requests. “That kerbal barely knows math.” She leaned back in her chair an exhaled slowly. “Thank-you Mr. Linus. I will see you when he sends back his corrections and clarifications.” “Yes. I’ll bring them as soon as possible.” Linus turned and walked out at pace just short of a run.

I'm going to quote Kiven on this one: Forward takes you out out takes you back, back takes you in, in takes you forward.

I've always considered said to be one of those invisible seen words, kind of like a clean glass window. You can see it if you are looking for it. But, otherwise you note it and ignore it. This means it can be reused without causing it to wear out. But its extreme durability doesn't mean it can't be over used. For example: A said, B said, A said, B Said, ad repeatum. Usually what I do is drop the repeated saids after the first one. With an occasional refresh to keep from getting lost. But down this way leads to a featureless plane of dialogue... I should pay attention to my own advice in this regard. Using adverbs with said is a bit like salt. A bit is good, sometimes a lot is good, but too much all you taste is the salt. Oblig TVtropes reference: Said Bookism, parent of the good old Tom Swifty. The way to avoid it completely is to embed the speech in action. The who is talking is implied by the taker of the action. Example: *scribbles a note about editing chapter 4* Doing things this way does avoid the two brains in a jar effect. *gurgle* But, used too much and you will always have your characters emoting and gesturing, which can become hammy. Unless you Want. Them. Milking. The Sky. COW! Then by all means. Supplemental reading: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/keep-it-simple-keys-to-realistic-dialogue-part-ii and "How NOT to Write a Novel"