Hodo

I can say that FAR is the best thing to the KSP aerodynamic code since... well ever. I can't build a plane now without FAR. Now I can only build SSTO planes and struggle with heavy lift rockets.

Started my Minimus and Mun mission. I plan on taking this SSTO to Minimus then the Mun, and land that lander then recover it on both planets then return to Kerbin and land with the lander in the cargo bay. Right now the SP-313 is in orbit waiting for rendezvous with the space station KerSta-1.

Here is my newest bird... SP-313. Now that I have figured out the procedural wings I don't think I will ever go back. I haven't fully tested its cargo capacity yet, but estimate it to be around 30 tons. It handles like a dream once it gets over 9km but otherwise is a bit wobbly, and thats due to the tail movement. This design I have also made atmosphere safe, so no nuclear engines on this one. This particular mission for this craft is to head to Minimus land the lander then head to the Mun and land the same lander then return to Kerbin.

Its no big deal I will just cope without it till I can either figure out what is wrong or if there is a patch to fix what I can't figure out.

The only thing I can come up with, and I am no expert. Is the canards angle of attack (AoA) is off. I noticed in the picture that your CoL is tilted forward which is pushing the nose down.

Only issue I am having is I can't get any of the winches to actually work. They don't retract, extend and the GUI just shows "Name Winch". I will test some more tonight.

Never tried to send a probe to Eve, but I do use DRE. Have you attached a heatshield to the probe? I would put on on there attached to a decoupler so you can get through the atmosphere then blow it when you are through the worst of it without having to have the additional weight stuck to the bottom of the probe.

I still don't see why all the hate towards someone who wants to use "X" mod or "Y" mod. This is like arguing over who is the better kerbanaught Jeb, Bob, or Bill? Who cares, we all play the game, I don't use Mechjeb but I don't use a lot of things, doesn't mean I am right, and everyone else is wrong. But I also don't use my cruise control in my car for the same reasons. I prefer to do things myself.

This is my most reliable craft, and my most used cargo hauler. I have since replaced it for larger loads by haven't taken any pics of it yet. I think this is my SP-201 "K-Lifter" cargo capacity of 54 tons. And can achieve any orbit out to 250km with that cargo load. And then there is this monster. SP-400, it has a max cargo limit of 63 tons, only limited by space. It can cram 2 36ton orange tanks in the cargo hold but I have to remove the smaller docking port for light loads. The funny thing is, it looks like its an airhog, but it only has 3 intakes per air breathing engine.

Yeah neither have I. Most I have needed is 2 in orbit, basically opposite sides of the world from each other at all times. But right now my one in the current save game I am working on. Trying what I call "Hardcore", no reverts if it crashes it crashes. Only killed 2 Kerbals so far.

I don't use Mechjeb, I use Kerbal Engineering Redux. I love that, no autopilot or anything like that just information that I need to make life easier, both in the construction process and in the flight process. But I don't hate on people who do use it, I do consider it a bit of a cop out in some aspects but I can understand the use of it for those long ion drive burns on sats and probes. But I also strive for realism in most of the games I play, and so I also have mods like FAR and DRE, but don't have the mods that give you way OP engines, or wheels that can go 200m/s on the ground.

My current program has 2 flights in progress. The MS-1 mission, which is mapping Kerbin. And the KerSta-1 which is currently 75% complete and in orbit with its tug at 90km orbit. I have 3 shuttles/space plane that I use for all my cargo needs to orbit. But this is on my current reinstall after I uninstalled the game and reinstalled it to clean it up and fix some mod mistakes.

Any ideas? Where is your center of lift (CoL), in relation to your center of mass (CoM)? If your CoL is to far behind your CoM your craft will be nose heavy and tend to "lawn dart" nose down no matter what your control surfaces are trying to do. I generally don't use canards anymore as a control surface, they tend to stall out before any other part of the wing, and are not that great in supersonic flight. So I use them as flaps for take off and landings and that's it. Can you post a pic of the craft in the VAH with the CoL, CoM and CoT icons on?

I installed this yesterday, and had no problems. It took a minute for me to figure it out but built a SSTO, a bad one mind you but one that works with it, and it only has 30 parts including the wings. But weighs 80 tons.

I have had this happen before. I found if you go straight from the Mun to Kerbin in one shot, and enter the atmo you will get no drag and even float around like you are in zero G. The quick fix I found was to do at least 1 complete orbit of Kerbin around 150km - 70km altitude. Then do a proper re-entry like any other de-orbit operation.

My naming scheme is simple. SH-XXX = Shuttle craft type, usually attached to a rocket or capable of SSTO low orbits of 100KM or less. SP-XXX = Space Plane SSTO, capable of orbit in a single stage, any orbit of up to 250km without refueling and possible interplanetary trips with refuel. S-XXX = Also a space plane design, usually a test craft. LSP-XXX = Light Space Plane, usually 1 or 2 man crew, no cargo, or VERY limited cargo capacity, but meets all the requirements of a space plane above. R-XXX = Recon aircraft, for exploring Kerbin or test aerodynamic functions of something. MS-X = Mapping Satellite. XXXSta-X = Space Station, the first 3 letters are the first three letters of the planet it orbits, Ker= Kerbin, Mun=Mun, Min=Minimus etc.

So to sum it up, Depends on the situation which is useful. Like almost ALL things in KSP.

I love FAR, but found you should strut more. Some of my best SSTOs are using FAR, my first SSTO was built using only FAR and stock parts. After that I got the B9 parts and had to relearn what works with those, now all I can build is SSTO planes. Some are easier than others to get into orbit some are just down right a pain. I also follow the no more than 3 to 1 intake to engine ratio. And try to make them look aesthetically pleasing. I have posted pics of them dozens of times already in the SSTO thread, so no point in dragging them here. Later I may design a simple SSTO using only stock parts that works in FAR and put it up just to show you can do it without airhogging.

If you want all that you have to use the FAR mod. And even that may not do it.

Thanks for that I was looking for that.

I went south, its longer, but the trip is flatter. Your problem with flipping is because you have to short of a wheel base. Your wheels are too close front to back. You are plenty wide, but with Kerbin traction you hit the brakes just slightly and you will flip forward.

I like it, but where is the mod for the TT Mk4 parts? I have been looking for some of those parts for a while.

There is a reason why the Space Shuttle has its engines canted the way they are. This is to push the center of thrust through the center of mass. I built one working space shuttle on the side of a launcher rocket. It took 2 days, working 4 hours a day, to get it to work right, but I finally got it to work. It was a nightmare. And may the lords of Kerbin help you if you try and put cargo in the cargo bay. You have to recalculate everything and adjust the thrust on the shuttle accordingly. I suggest looking at the design of the actual space shuttle and launcher, and then look at the Russian version and you will find some tricks you can use to make your own. Good luck and have fun!

That is one definition of air hogging. But like KSP I am sure it means something different to everyone, and that is what makes the game great.

I was not offended, not in the slightest. And I found it actually kind of funny, because I did build a air hog design in FAR and it flew like a brick with all those intakes open. So much drag it was useless. So I went back to a simple design concept, go to the local airport and military airfield and look at planes and how they are designed. Then load up my FreeFalcon 5.0 and look at the modern fighters. Then do some other research. I found at most you have a 3:1 ratio of intake to engines design. So that is my MAX for all of my aircraft. Now I do have some stupid fun ones that have something like 20 intakes on them... but they also have 12 air breathing engines and go just around the speed of thought.