AppleDavidJeans

I'd like to point out that when KSP (and MechJeb, if applicable) fail to pick up on fuel for accurate delta-v calculations, one can refer to the Tsiolkovsky equation to calculate what the true delta-v capability would be. It goes like this: delta-v (in m/s) = (Isp in seconds) * (9.81 m/s^2) * ln(initial mass in kg / final mass in kg) Note: Both LF & O are 5 kg per unit, so for a fully-fueled spacecraft, final mass would be the initial mass (in kg) minus 5x the sum of LF and O capacity of the spacecraft. For nuclear-powered stages, LF is just counted (since nuclear engines don't need oxidizer and therefore oxidizer is just dead weight). Using the formula, I calculated that the delta-V of a fully-fueled EV-6H Heavy Windjammer would be ~3,370 m/s.

Raptor9, I'm a big fan of your craft. I now use them almost exclusively for my missions. I see that you (obviously) use these in your career saves as well, so my question is not about the crafts themselves, but your saves. What's a day in the life of the Kerbal Space Program on your save like? For example, what is your mission schedule like usually? Do you think you'll ever publish another thread that focuses on your missions in these saves, something along the lines of what Brotoro did for his Long-term Laythe adventures? By the way, I noticed something while perusing through your catalog. I'm sure this was a oversight while editing the catalog among the plethora of images and items in the catalog, but the graphics for the SR-21A and B are identical.

Hey @Raptor9, I know you're taking a break from KSP for the time being, but I was curious as to whether you had plans to make some sort of Laythe-capable spaceplane or vertical SSTO that could be easily transported aboard a rocket to Jool's SOI and would be used as a shuttle from the surface to whatever space station I'd be putting up in space around Jool. I know there's the SR-19 and SR-21, but I consider those too unwieldy to bring to Jool aboard a rocket from your catalog. Another option I saw was the LV-4B, but that only contains 3 kerbals, whereas my future expedition would bring along 6 to 8, and I see it contains a heatshield, which I believe would limit the LV-4B to only a certain number of uses before it cannot survive re-entry. When you get back to KSP, I think a smaller SSTO or a vertical SSTO that could contain a greater number of kerbals would fill a significant niche in your catalog and greatly complement the SR-19 and SR-21 if it could also be used as a Kerbin shuttle. Something along the lines of the HL-20 project would be awesome as a reference for your design.

On another note, what's your design inspiration for this? I'm guessing from the L it could be something with precisely guided rocket-powered landing capability, possibly a Dragon?

OK sorry I should have been more clearer and said only the probe stuff on that page.

I think what @DMSP means is payloads like these that can be found on this thread. Probes, motley stuff, the kind that would call for SLS's flexibility. Why don't you create a Cassini-like probe that has both a lander and a probe in one that could use the Titan family to send itself off to Jool (or Sarnus, for fans of OPM) and particularly the lucrative target of Laythe? Have you gotten so far as Jool in your career save yet?

Hey is there an optimal MechJeb ascent trajectory for all the rocket launchers that I can use?

New paint job for SLS. How ya gonna tackle it?

Pictures would be nice, thank you.

Yay it's updated! And no flip-outs or rapid unplanned disassemblies this time either

Looks like Chuck Yeager's X-1 cockpit.

Jebediah: Don't worry Wilson, I'll do all the paddling. You just hang on. Wilson: *stays silent, as always*

How's it going with updating the craft files, curt?

Ye but what about an engine mount with the engines arranged in a line? I don't see that around. The mod could do with that alone and call the rockets a Jupiter family.

Hey shadow, I have an idea for you to consider as your next direction for this mod: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(rocket_family) The Jupiter rocket family, part of the DIRECT proposal. It would have used existing Shuttle hardware and evolve it into this rocket family. You already have the External Tank, Orion and associated hardware, SSME, and SRBs, so it should probably be easy for you to make additional parts for this family in order to be implemented.

When is the EUS coming out? I can't wait!

Well, I'm using MechJeb. SLS seems to not want to play along with it. If I set a flight profile with the ascent turn indicator, it'll aim high, and it eventually stops pushing the apoapsis before it gets to the intended height (I set 100 km, it's gonna do 80 km. I do 80km, it's gonna do 50-60km), even though it still is thrusting, and it gets to the situation where I'd have to make a periapsis burn in the atmosphere to complete the push to the desired apoapsis, and then I'd have to take a looooooooooong coast out of the atmosphere and to the final circularization burn 180 degrees from the KSC. With my other rockets, they usually behave well with MechJeb. SLS? Not so much. I thought the ISP was the issue, but it apparently seems to not be. Have you tested this with MechJeb? And did you upload the correct version? Because even though you say you've tweaked the MPCV to have 950 m/s, I'm still getting only 300 m/s. ICPS could still use a bump though.

I did some research on the SLS's core stage and ICPS engines, and came up with these ISP Values: ICPS RL-10B Isp (Vac): 464 s ICPS RL-10B Isp (ASL): ??? s (Either my Google Ninja skills have worn off or NASA intends the ICPS to be used only in a complete vacuum. >.> I'd peg down 373 s as a temporary number though based on the RL-10B2's Wikipedia page.) Core Stage RS-25 Isp (Vac): 452 s Core Stage RS-25 Isp (ASL): 366 s You said that you were guessing at numbers for the most part, but assuming that you researched on this, you probably came across these numbers and thought that they needed to be scaled down in KSP for realistic performance. Well, specific impulse is a measure of efficiency, which is a ratio and therefore does not need scaling, plus Kerbin's atmosphere is the same pressure as Earth's at sea level. Plug those numbers into the cfgs and you'll be in for a boon. Using the rocket equation on the ICPS with MPCV attached without shroud or LAS shows that a 464 s RL-10B2 engine yields 2273.45 m/s of delta-v, which is perfect for either TMI or interplanetary injections. Hope this helped.

I'd say the Orion pod, service module, ICPS are the ones that could be in need for retexturing the most. Oh I have another suggestion: Give us the Exploration Upper Stage and appropriate adapters please. Here's some pictures of it:

Wow, I must commend you on finally releasing the first proper SLS mod, after the apparently failed efforts of others (By the way, is the SLS cursed in KSP or what?). >.> Anyway, even though everything's in place, things could be reworked in the next update, namely: Upping the MPCV's on-orbit delta-v. ~300 m/s of delta-v seems rather weak to me for on-orbit operations. 800 to 1200 m/s would be best for this vehicle. The MPCV's Electric Charge could be upped also, probably to 350. I'd like enough EC to last the capsule through a MechJeb-guided re-entry with Smart A.S.S. on, plus it's good for energy-intensive operations. Brushing up textures. The textures look okay, but they could be rebrushed to make the mod look more lively. Maybe you could recruit a texture artist to help do this. Maybe Tantares Space Technologies's Beale could help out after he returns from his temporary absence from the forums. Comms on Orion MPCV. Put an antenna somewhere on it so we can transmit science data. The SLS Block I, with its ICPS in real-life, in its first mission, will send an unmanned MPCV on a circumlunar trajectory in November 2018. I'd like to see the mod's ICPS delta-v upped to make possible a trans-munar injection of the MPCV. You may also want to consider resizing the whole SLS stack to a 3.75m/2.5m (Launcher/MPCV) version. Why? Because it could be done to accommodate the SDHI-stock 2.5m capsule pack, which some may prefer to use over this mod's MPCV. Hopefully those suggestions will be implemented, and good job on the release.

Me want! I like the model, but the texture looks dull, and could be reworked to look more lively.

Hey Beale, when you get back from whatever requires your temporary absence from the forums, can you give us circular solar panels for the Cygnus (Pol), like what Orbital Sciences will be putting on its Enhanced Cygnus spacecraft (the one on the right in the picture below) beginning with its next flight?

Is it me or are the Atlas V and Delta II difficult to control, even with MechJeb? It's as if they're very sensitive to pitching over. EDIT: It seems to me that the fairings could be the problem; have they been configured to properly shield parts?

Great, another craft to melt my machine.

I concur. The Proton for example is too OP. The first two stages alone could lob a sizable payload into 100 km LKO, rendering the third stage pretty much redundant. In real life, the third stage is used for the final part of atmospheric ascent, with a fourth stage such as the Blok-D or Briz-M for pushing payloads beyond Low Earth Orbit, such as to GEO. The KSP Proton should be rebalanced to these specifications.