s1l3nt_c0y0t3

@DerpenWolf Why do you hate wings so much?

He was dead the whole time. But seriously, do you mean air brakes in FAR? Because I only run stock. So I have no idea if my spaceplanes will even work with FAR. They work just fine in stock (until 1.0 breaks them ).

That seems pointless. You could make an SSTO spaceplane not much bigger than the return vessel with the same crew capacity. That's just an expensive waste.

I have to say, I'm most proud of the Bay. It took forever to tweak it to fly right. But it simplified the problem of launching modules so much, I actually redesigned several modules just to get them to fit in the bay.

Thanks. Unfortunately I can't move this post without simply reposting. If a mod would delete this, I'll post it in the proper sub-forum. I have the actual post saved to a txt file, so I won't lose anything by this post being deleted.

Xiggurat Industrial Group is an aerospace collective dedicated to solving all your space exploration needs. We offer an array of solutions that we're sure are the answers to any problems you might have. First up, let's take a look at our Modular Exploration System. Our MES is a flexible system of systems that can be dynamically tailored to your needs on the fly. No need for giant boosters carrying over-sized, over-complicated payloads to orbit. Simply select the modules that meet your needs, launch at your leisure, and assemble in orbit. Modular Command Pod The MCP allows you to add manned command function to your stations and bases. It also can be used as a light tug for repositioning modules while in orbit. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 1.7 x 3.2 x 2.7 Dry Mass: 3.1 Launch Mass: 3.3 Cost: 7,890 Modular Flight Pod The MFP allows you to add manned command function to your stations, bases, and ships. It also can be used as a light tug for repositioning modules while in orbit. It comes with a great view. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 1.5 x 3.5 x 3.1 Dry Mass: 2.3 Launch Mass: 2.8 Cost: 7,160 Modular Habitation Unit The MHU is the basic way to shelter and transport Kerbals. Whether on a space station, on a crew transport, of a planetary base, the MHU finds use wherever Kerbals are needed. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 2.6 x 3.1 x 2.7 Launch Mass: 3.1 Cost: 8,640 Modular Science Unit It's SCIENCE! Critical for any exploratory endeavor. It also adds twin antennas for rapid transmission of data. Parts: 11 Dimensions: 4.8 x 6 x 2.7 Launch Mass: 4.2 Cost: 10,160 Modular Science Package The MSP adds science functionality to all your projects. It comes with two sets of experiments. One set to transmit and a second to carry back with you to get you every bit of hard earned science. Parts: 23 Dimensions: 1.9 x 3.6 x 3.6 Launch Mass: 1.4 Cost: 53,052 Modular Power Unit The MPU provides the power you need. With four Giganto panels and two large batteries, the MPU is a must if you intend to travel very far or advance science. It can also be used to store extra fuel. Parts: 15 Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 3 Launch Mass: 3.2 Cost: 26,456 Modular Fuel Cell The MFC prduces power without the need for solar cells. It's perfect for mining bases and certain deep-space applications. Parts: 11 Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.1 x 3.1 Dry Mass: 2.6 Launch Mass: 3.4 Cost: 23,329 Modular Power Cell The MPC provides less power than the MPU. It makes up for this fact with a slimmer profile and the ability to work both in the dark and the outer Kerbol system. Perfect for use on bases, rovers, and missions to outer planets. Parts: 13 Dimensions: 1.2 x 2.5 x 2.6 Launch Mass: 1.2 Cost: 31,000 Modular Fuel Unit The MFU allows both transport and storage of fuel. Always useful in practally any arrangement of modules. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 4.3 x 3.3 x 2.7 Dry Mass: 2.6 Launch Mass: 18.6 Cost: 6,171 (7,640) Modular Monopropellant Unit The MMU is just a big tank of mono propellant for your RCS systems. It does what it says on the tin. Parts: 7 Dimensions: 1.6 x 2.5 x 2.6 Dry Mass: 1.0 Launch Mass: 4.0 Cost: 4,840 (5,740) Modular Xenon Tank The MXT allows you to manage and reuse your probes. Parts: 8 Dry Mass: 1.8 Launch Mass: 3.9 Cost: 8,160 (32,160) Modular Docking Unit The MDU allows radial expansion of your stations and ships. It also allows docking of smaller vessels. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.3 x 3 Dry Mass: 2.0 Cost: 7,796 Modular Grappling Unit The MGU adds grappling functionality to ships and bases. It's great for orbital debris clearing and asteroid redirects. It can also be used independently to attach extra RCS capacity to an asteroid, making rotation much easier. Parts: 11 Dimensions: 2.9 x 2.6 x 3.4 Dry Mass: 1.2 Launch Mass: 1.6 Cost: 8,560 Modular Mini Tug The MMT is a self contained orbital tug. It can reposistion smaller modules on stations, add unmanned command functions to spaceplanes in orbit, or add additional rotational control to asteroids. Parts: 9 Dimensions: 2.6 x 2.2 x 2.2 Dry Mass: 0.6 Launch Mass: 1.6 Cost: 6,940 Modular Base Pad An adapter for integrating any MXS module into a base, the MBP offers a flexible solution for all your base construction needs. Parts: 12 Dimensions: 1.8 x 3 x 3 Dry Mass: 1.5 Cost: 5,383 Modular Base Link The MBL funtions as a connector between MBP units. It allows the sharing of fuel, power, and staff between all elements of a base. Parts: 15 Dimensions: 1.9 x 2.5 x 6.2 Dry Mass: 1.3 Cost: 7,720 Fuel Pig The Fuel Pig is a fuel dump for your base. It can also be used to transport fuel out to waiting vehicles. Parts: 49 Dimensions: 2.5 x 8 x 5.6 Dry Mass: 4.2 Launch Mass: 21.4 Cost: 29,804 Modular Multipurpose Rover The MMR is useful for planetary exploration. It can also be used to transport Kerbals without rockets. It is also used to contruct bases. Great for use with the MSP, modular bases, and modular landers. Parts: 20 Dimensions: 1.6 x 5.1 x 3.2 Dry Mass: 1.9 Launch Mass: 2.5 Cost: 13,980 Modular Extraction Unit The MXU is perfect for setting up off-world resupply stations. The dual drills produce a resonable extraction rate. The MXU also contains some amount of ore storage. Parts: 10 Dimensions: 7.8 x 2.5 x 4.4 Dry Mass: 1.7 Cost: 16,937 Modular Refinery Unit- The MRU lets you turn rock into liquid gold. An obvious necessity for any mining outpost. Parts: 3 Dimensions: 3.6 2.6 2.6 Dry Mass: 4.7 Cost: 9,960 Modular Ore Retainer The MOR exists to store and transport excess ore. Just a big empty container, basically. Parts: 7 Dimensions: 2.4 2.5 2.6 Dry Mass: 2.6 Cost: 7,410 Modular Thrust Unit The Modular Thrust Unit is designed for moving heavy loads around in orbit. Using an efficient nuclear rockets, it can move entire space stations through interplanetary space. Best if combined with the MFU. Parts: 20 Dimensions: 7.2 x 3.8 x 3.5 Dry Mass: 16.1 Launch Mass: 19.7 Cost: 57,676 (58,252) Modular Ion Tug The MIU provides less thrust than the MTU in exchange for much greater dV. Because you'll eventually need to ship things between the planets. Parts: 20 Dimensions: 7.2 x 3.8 x 3.5 Dry Mass: 12 Launch Mass: 21.2 Cost: 59,980 Next, let's look at the Watershed Technology Fleet. Logistics are an under-appreciated aspect of space exploration. The ability to efficiently launch, supply, and staff your space resources is critical to maintaining an exoplanetary presence. Aquifer mk2 The Aquifer is the Watershed Technology Fleet's solution to cost-effective lifting of fuel reserves into orbit. Based on the Bay airframe, the Aquifer is a critical link in the logistics chain of any space program. Parts: 82 Dimensions: 9.2 13.4 22.7 Dry Mass: 39.4 Launch Mass: 100 Max Mass: ~110 Cost: 140,992 Bay mk2 The Bay is the workhorse of the Watershed Technology Fleet. It is an SSTO spaceplane capable of lifting multiple modules into orbit and returning to Kerbin. It is the economic solution to all your heavy lift problems. Parts: 89 Dimensions: 9.3 x 13.4 x 25.2 Dry Mass: 40.7 Launch Mass: 81.1 Max Mass: ~110 Cost: 139,635 Cataract The Cataract is a highly advanced crew transport. It is capable of taking of horizontally from Kerbin and landing on Duna in a single stage. The Cataract was designed so the passenger cabin can be easily replaced with a small cargo, allowing it to carry science or small probes. The Cataract is a highly capable spaceplane for servicing any planet with an atmosphere (except Eve, of course). Parts: 51 Dimensions: 4.3 x 15.9 x 16.7 Dry Mass: 18.7 Launch Mass: 29 Cost: 70,640 Delta The Delta is a light lifter for launching probes and small loads to LKO. Parts: 48 Dimensions: 4.4 x 16.2 x 17.2 Dry Mass: 15 Launch Mass: 34.9 Max Mass: ~40 Cost: 51,924 Estuary The Estuary is a SSTO crew transport shuttle. Parts: 46 Dimensions: 4.4 x 16.2 x 16.6 Dry Mass: 15.5 Launch Mass: 35.8 Cost: 55,494 Falls The Falls is a low tech SSTO cargo lifter. It's key to operating the Kerbal Exploration System. Parts: 54 Dimensions: 4.4 x 16.2 x 17.6 Dry Mass: 13.9 Launch Mass: 32.4 Max Mass: ~40 Cost: 37,400 Gulf Based off the Falls airframe, the Gulf is a low-tech crew shuttle. The crew compartment can be easily swapped out for a fuel tank; this allows teh Gulf to act as a light tankers. Parts: 48 Dimensions: 4.4 x 16.2 x 16.9 Dry Mass: 15.5 Launch Mass: 35.4 Cost: 41,304 Harbor The Harbor is a low-tech aircraft for exploring Kerbin. It has a small cargo bay that can carry science experiments to any location on Kerbin. The Harbor is capable of circumnavigating Kerbin without refueling. Parts: 28 Dimensions: 4.3 x 12.7 x 13.1 Dry Mass: 10.8 Launch Mass: 16 Max Mass: ~25 Cost: 26,642 Inlet The Inlet is very low-tech. It is designed to maximize science from exploration of Kerbin early on. It can carry both a pilot and a scientist to a variety of biomes and return them safely. Parts: 20 Dimensions: 3.8 x 9.0 x 8.7 Dry Mass: 5.3 Launch Mass: 6.2 Cost: 13,330

Just so everyone knows, that's a joke. "Ruddy" is a minced curse of "bloody". Which is an actually curse word in Britain and parts of the Commonwealth. It's like saying frick instead of .....

@Batz_10K Is that using part clipping on the intakes?

K365306.40 Total K239167.15 Booster K 37101.47 Bus & Nose Cone K 1200.00 Clamps ------------------------------- K 87837.78 Cost 6,400 Fuel / (K87,837.78 / 6,400 Fuel) 6,400 / 13.724653125 Score = 466.314 My score would be higher if I aimed better on my reentry.

As I said, I did this is Sandbox mode, which, in 0.24, doesn't have a recovery screen. I'll redo it in career mode later to get better numbers.

I use a modular system of parts, orbital buses, and boosters to build ships and stations. Everything is 100% reusable. So this is my Modular Fuel Unit (MFU) that I use as a fuel tank and as a resupply ship. K238,955.6 Total K194,781.6 Booster K 30,350.0 Orbital Bus K 5,980.0 Nose Cone --------------------------- K 7,844.0 Final Cost 1440 L+1760 O=3200 Fuel 3200/(7,844/3200) 3200/2.45125=1,305.5 Album

Post a save so we can all try it out.

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this. Whenever I try to dock a Science lab to my station or a solar panel array, it shakes itself so hard it tears the entire station apart.

The game needs Lagrange points. But the game engine can only solve n-body problems where n=2. But there's a hack you could do that would let you have them without solving for n=3. All you need is a tiny object, less than a cubic meter in size. Position it at what would be the Lagrange point for a given two bodies. Then give it a gravity and SOI the size of the Lagrange point it is simulating. If the object were darkly colored, you couldn't see it. It would be unlikely for you to run into it without specifically aiming for it. While you could make it any shape, I would like to suggest a teapot in reference to Bertrand Russell. I have to admit, I just like the idea of dozens of invisible teapots flying around in space.

"Moar Dakka" doesn't work well for space station design. You've seem to have made several newbie mistakes. Also, it isn't modular unless you can pull parts off and replace them with another component. Also, nothing needs that many solar panels. It just ups the part counts without adding any benefit. Not bad for a first effort, but spend some time refining the design.

Correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to be using parts clipping on your ships. Do you have any unclipped ships?

Remember that aerodynamics in KSP don't work like actual aerodynamics. Might I suggest more lifting surfaces? Plus, putting the CoL behind the CoM on a non-hypersonic craft will keep you from getting off the ground. (As an aside, I have to wait for my hypersonic jets to fall off the cliff at the end of the runway and then pull up immediately to get them into the air.)

Velocity matters. You can't just thrust up to be in the same place as your station. Anything in orbit will have a lateral velocity of over 2km/s. You need to get your ship moving at the same speed or your station will just wiz right by you. I put my stations @~75km altitude. I do this because I use them as fuel stations before taking my ships further out. A lot of other people put their stations @~100km. The altitude matters because the higher you go, the faster you have to be moving. I don't know what the orbit is like for your station, so I'll give you directions for both altitudes. First of all, you can't launch when your station is directly overhead. You have to give yourself time to get up to speed. You also have to factor in that you'll be accelerating pretty much the whole time. This means your relative velocity will be dropping. This will make the station seem to slow down over time; it will close most of the distance with you early on. For a 75km rendezvous, you're going to want to wait until the station is ~45-50 degrees behind you, depending on how fast your craft accelerates. (Heavy loads need more of a lead, lighter loads need less.) For 100km, you'll want a 75-90 degree lead. Launch like you normally would to attain a circular orbit. You should be a bit ahead of your target. This is a good thing. In low Kerbin orbit, it's easier to drop back relative to another craft than it is to catch up to one. Select your station as a target. Wait for either the ascending or descending nodes (green triangles) in the map screen. For ascending nodes, place your navball reticule on the horizon between the orange and teal hemispheres at 180 degrees. Wait until you're about ten seconds away from the node and thrust until your relative inclination drops to 0.0. For descending nodes, point at the horizon at 0 degrees, which will be marked with an orange line, and thrust until your relative inclination drops to 0.0. Watch out, the lower the inclination, the faster it will drop. The node should have moved ahead of you after you thrust. Wait until you approach the node again (it doesn't matter which one for this part). Then thrust prograde (the upside-down T in your navball) until the close approach icon drops as low as you can get it. When you approach the the station, you want to switch your navball from "ORBIT" to "TARGET". Then thrust retrograde until your relative speed drops to 0, or at least below 5. The point at the target vector (magenta circle) and thrust to head towards the station. I wouldn't let your relative speed get much above 50m/s. Flip around to the retrograde marker again. When you get close enough to the station to start using RCS, thrust retrograde to bring your relative velocity down to below 5, or less if you don't have many RCS thrusters. Then just dock normally. Enjoy.