Woopert

I came in like a wrecking ball.

Someone posted an Earth Lights file to show proper city lights (based on the locations of real cities relative to the Earth, I believe). Going to find the post and edit this with the link. Edit: Here it is http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/55145-0-23-WIP-Alpha-Real-Solar-System-v5-5-KSP23-fix-12-23-13?p=936002&viewfull=1#post936002

Just an update... I'm getting really close to getting my Saturn V to work. The dimensions are going to be as close as possible to the real one (based off of using measurements listed on Wikipedia), and I'm accounting for a lot of advanced thing with measuring this (such as finding the precise size of certain fuel tanks). I was inspired by SFJackBauer to do this, plus the Saturn V is just plain cool! It will feature the LEM from the FASA pack, rescaled (I'll post a link to the person who made the re-scale). To sum it up so far, by stage... S-IC: Performs smoothly, need to empty some fuel to give >1 TWR at engine ignition. S-II: Performs smoothly, based off of the input above I've learned to get a high time to apogee then wait out a bit until the fuel drains, therefore giving it a >1 twr. Might add some more fuel (tanks have been emptied a bit). It cuts off a bit too early, hence the reason for more fuel. S-IVB: This is creating issues! If 5 J-2 engines weren't enough to power it, then 1 J-2 is going to be really hard (but possible to fly, it's just my piloting isn't adequate). I will post a download soon, here are some screenies.

Most impressive! Nice work!

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it! I do, however, know the tricks of pointing upwards to decrease apogee (and it also will increase the perigee, right?). I also know that if the apogee is dropping quickly it's a good idea to point vertically to prevent the rocket from falling down again.

At 1:09 in the video, on the third stage or something, you basically brought a fully fueled Soyuz into space haha

I would definitely go if I could. Meeting Felipe, Chad, Rowsdower, Scott Manley (since he said above he's probably going), and all of the Squad team would be amazing, talking about how much the game has impacted my interest for science.

Unbalanced as in the way of obtaining science points, or unbalanced with regards to the mass?

For crashes try rbray89's texture compressor. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/59005-0-23-Release-2-15-Active-Texture-Management-Save-RAM-without-reduction-packs%21 There is also a mod called "Space Station Science" that uses welded stock parts to give functionality to station labs and experiments. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/54774-0-23-Station-Science-(fourth-alpha-low-tech-docking-port-experiment-pod-models) Note that the modules from the mod above are quite heavy so I either recommend KW Rocketry, NovaPunch, or using these stock lifters that go by the name of "Munshine" (click the words for links) Hope this helps!

Probably so. But, RSS does do quite a magnificent job of balancing down the mass of parts (I've heard that stock KSP parts are much too heavy). I also tried using balloon tanks and emptied some of the fuel. Emptying the fuel gave a high enough TWR for liftoff but stage 2 creates problems.

Question time! I would like to know how real life spacecraft still reach orbit even with such weak engines. In this case, the S-II and S-IVB stages of the Saturn V (with J-2 engines) have low TWR that can't keep its time to apoapsis increasing. The Atlas V for the CST-100 (with Dual RL10A-4-2 engines) is also having similar problems. I did somehow manage to make orbit earlier with my SLS Block I design, which had 1 RL10B-2. What's the "secret"? Pictures here:

Imgur should work, it's really simple, hence why their slogan is "The Simple Image Sharer".

Welcome to the forums! I've been playing since 0.18.2 - January 2013 - which I consider to be pretty fair with regards to experience. So joining in the summer is sort of new. I consider myself a veteran, but then again those who have been playing since the 0.13 days probably think of me as a noob! :-)

Looks really nice! The launcher is really cool, as well

Very nice! Going to give rep for it, it looks like a lot of work was put into this!

Really, really nice! Will try it out later. What is the purpose of the mono - propellant tanks on the boosters, though?

Amazing! A forum member by the username of Jamie Logan also posted a space bar to orbit (SBTO, is what I'm dubbing it from now on) that was also very nice!

Non-steam version (and maybe Steam as well, not sure), F1 is all it takes to take screenshots. F2 hides the UI.

Alt+12 and Enable Part Clipping. With EditorExtensions mod (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/38768-0-23-Editor-Extensions-v0-6-5-Aug-(EdTools-Editor-Tools-replacement)) Alt-Z also enables it.

Awesome! I love using my imagination so reading this will be fun.

I hope so. I really like the SLS, and seeing it in KSP would be amazing. I've tried many times to make it stock (and modded for that matter , as well) and never succeded Have you ever happened to attempt to make it in KSP?

They serve the same function. If one was better than the other people would probably be using the better one. I prefer the store version. I bought the game January 2013 in 0.18.2, I would feel kind of guilty to just say goodbye to the store.

Extraterrestrial life is not sci-fi, if it were sci-fi we probably wouldn't be searching for it so much. Most scientists agree that life has to exist somewhere out there in the universe. There are billions of stars and billions of galaxies, any of which could be host to planets (or moons) with life. My thoughts, I don't really want to see live, intelligent aliens. I would like to see "extrakerrestrial" life on Laythe, Vall (since it's the Europa analog), and maybe Duna. Europa and Mars (along with Enceladus and Titan) are both real candidates for extraterrestrial life in our solar system so it would be nice to earn science, with a hunting for life instrument that searches for organic compounds.

I cannot express how grateful I am for finding Kerbal Space Program... Magnificent work, Squad!

Cubic Struts are indeed crossfeed capable, but there is also a structural piece sharing the same node to make the transition "smoother."