Pappystein

Yup you need a Saturn S-IVC to really get it there.... Did you check DeltaV with USRM in lieu of the S-1E stage? Until the UA156x family show up I have been subbing in USRM because it is more efficient than the UA1207. It isn't quite up to UA156 for raw performance ( so 6x instead of 4x radial) but you get the idea. It is either that or I make a 4x Pyrios boosted Saturn V-MLV with SSTU engines (for their pretty Pyrios engine mount.)

What were your Boosters of Choice for that Saturn V-MLV variant?

well if you want to be locked into a specific engine with a specific tank then more power to you. I didn't start playing KSP to have a NASA simulator and fly NASA missions.... For example I did a simple re-purpose of the LMAE(or was it LMDE) to make the TR-201 engine for the Delta-P....Real Fuels would require different tanks as well for the Delta-P because TR-201 and the AJ10-118K use different fuel mixture ratios. I feel like a yutz, RF allows reconfiguring... I think I mistook IFS and it's less than ideal implementation in many mods to be RF. I retract all statements right above except that of NASA simulator.

Near future propulsion???? I love @Nertea mods but Why wait! Just launch a Titan with the MOL 5x adaptor and build a 4 bone skeletal "Tinker Toy" Ship. I swapped engines in space (Separator and a fuel line + KIS/KAS makes this easy) and converted my former titan rocket (only thing left is MOL components after final launch) and Viola a Rocket to the starz! Back in my 2.5m Gemini days (FASA) I ran a 3 abreast Titan based stack with Big-G as my command Module.... Made it to Jool and Back without ISRU That was using FTmN, FASA and RLA as my only part mods with KIS/KAS to replace engines and securely connect each stage as I launched it from Kerbin the only "cheaty" part... was I made a MM file to convert FASA tanks to H2+O2 and FTmN to run on H2 or H2+O2 in Afterburner mode. Using Stage 1 of a Titan IV to lift Hydrogen tanks or Nuclear Engines was challenging but I managed to make my bird in low orbit.

I won't give a full tutorial on this but it wasn't hard to look at existing MM scripts and make my own. I don't use or even like Real Fuels but I DO use alternate fuel. I created a bunch of MM files that not only give me the fuel support list from @Shadowmage SSTU mod, but I have with little difficulty extended it to include WFNA, RFNA and Hyrdazine in addition to SSTU's stock "Hypergolic" AZ-50/NTO fuel combo. I did this with help from both Shadowmage and @JoseEduardo in addition to a lot of trial and errors. Even still the SSTU Gui does not like the extra fuel I have added but, my only real problem is I have too many Hypergolic fuels now and I keep launching Delta-Es without the correct fuel for the upper stage (RFNA/Hydrazine!) RE the stock fuel conversion process I took the stock fuel load total multiplied it by 6 (this if for LFO) this ROUGHLY converts it to liters as used by SSTU and Real Fuels. Of course that assumes that the original LFO mix was accurate. I know some people will tell you Multiply the total by 5.54 or similar numbers but I found it did not work out because it was not taking into account several RW factors. 6 is closer to correct and easier math to boot! If you want your tanks to be multi-purpose and not just launch one particular rocket like they did in the real world you are better of Scragging RealFuels and switching to something that offers fuel switching like SSTU (hence me using SSTU instead of Real Fuels.) To tell you a dirty secret. EVERY Saturn I have launched in the past 6 months has had BDB fuel tanks and a combination of BDB and SSTU engines on it. The exact fitment depends on the $ value I am willing to spend and the roll of the Rocket. EG I have a MM to create the HG-3 using the SSTU J-2X engine bell, but the S-IVB stage might fly with a BDB J-2T-250K engine (PS @Jso are we going to see the J-2T-500K?)

Ok the large squareish Armature assembly to the right is a SLAR with a large reflector for Earth/Luna survey work (AKA Scansat's first sensor), The upside down spiral Christmas tree is a high gain fold-able antenna (it compresses like a spring to be flat at launch.) The Periscope is just that a Periscope to an internal lab experiment allowing only light reflected from the surface of the survey to be used. (also a neat way to look with high Mag at the planet/mun below ) The small boxes to the left of the lab/hab module are experiments like Pressure, temperature, Accelerometer etc already in game. The long bar with the little crosses on it looks like a Soil moisture sensor like included in DMagic's orbital science, the Twin foldable dishes (one on each side of the Lab/hab module) appear to be High gain Radio-freq sensors. AKA Electronic Support Measures, AKA a recon tool to detect radio-waves and classify..... well you get the picture. With the exception of the Moisture sensor almost all of those experiments/sensors have a tri-use Civilian / Military / Intelligence role. I should add that the device I am identifying as a SLAR sensor could be just a standard RADAR sensor or even a High Gain Radio wave listening or even transmitting device... But that last does not make sense because the Signal to Noise ratio would be WAYYY out of wack! BUT if this picture was pre 1966.... that could be it's use! All the fordable (large square and medium octagonal) antennas would actually have a Mylar reflector strung between all the spars. They are showing the spars without the Mylar to make it clearer to see. Curiosity question RE this. Couldn't this be achieved with the Aardvark hull and a full Apollo Blk-II/III/V launch? Since KIS/KAS all you would need is the spars and fordable antennas for experiments not already represented by stock, FASA/BDB, and @DMagic's mods yes? Pah! greebles he says! You mean the thing-a-ma-giggers? Lets not forget the do-hickies and the whatchamacallit!.... MMMM yum, whatchamacallits! Ok got to go buy some candy bars now

What parts did you use to make the Gemini lander portion? Also, what was the plan to return or was it just a Rescue mission no matter what?

Go for launch from my end! Nyet Tavorich! That is ryit propa Kerbin speluin you see (damn, got to stop playing Orks in DAW-3!)

Actually the Shuttle is slightly wider than the 747-100, Which proves the Mk3 parts are actually too small for a proper shuttle @ 0.64 scale. You can't fit 10x abreast Kerbal seats with 2x Kerbal wide isles in the Mk3 fuselage. And NO that was not a knock at this awesome mod! https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_747-400_B.php https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/United_Airlines/United_Airlines_Boeing_747-400_B.php But besides that. unless you are going to use something like FMRS there is no point except as an art piece for a Shuttle Transport.... But now I want to make a Saturn-II with a cutout in the S-IVB stage for a small Mk2 based shuttle

While I LOVE BDB, It is not true that FASA is either Unsupported (they have just recently released a new update) OR Garbage (Visually for a realistic-ish NASA look, FASA is still king!) FASA has taken up approximately 2000 of the 2800 hours of KSP play I have at this juncture. I was using FASA well before Mercury was even in development. Then I got off my "Size Queen" kick I was on (you know, proper rocket sizes are either 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 or 3.75 or 5m....) I have now found BDB to be a more realistic in Kerbal Scale performing mod... @mustangpilot51 I would suggest you post in the BEST place to find out about this issue: But it appears that the Petal adapters were staged backwards (last I knew there were TWO staging you needed to perform to use it.) You poped the Petal plates then popped the release of the CM/CSM stack. Since I rarely flew Saturn V rockets (Saturn II FTW!) and I was using other mod's adaptor plates... I can't help more than that Conversely if you want a Stock alike or Porkalike look and feel and a mod that is currently actively being worked on at a high level of advancement, then BDB is the Saturn carrying mod you want. Both Mods are AWESOME. (there @CobaltWolf I said it and meant it! ) It just depends on what you really want to fly. As described above, BlueDog's art is not quite a NASA look and feel. but rather designed to have the look and feel of the parts made by @Porkjet and at that it excels and @CobaltWolf is currently working on an art refresh to make it even MOAR I hope this helps you mustangpilot51.

@Shadowmage's Awesome SSTU Mod is where I got the Idea:) Unfortunately his only allows ROUND cores (no luv for my aerospace planes ) and does not unlock separate from the SSTU specific size unlocks. Asside from BDB, SSTU is one of my REQUIRED mods to play KSP Have Tweakscale, Does not address the multiple shapes I was suggesting above. I don't agree on the Fairing base being the natural place because most of my rockets are designed to plunge back to launching planet for recovery. So heat-shield is below the fairing base.... then the core. THAT is the reason I made the suggestion because My centaur and Vega IUs from BDB are not protect-able.... without making ugly rocket stages. RE Part switching, I am not certain how far B9 part switcher is but I don't think it will completely replace one mesh with another. RE Saturn-II. I don't think the 7 HG-3s would have fit under the S-II and still provide for adequate cooling. Since this is a game we can let you get away with that cheaty rocket however After all that was part of the reason for INT-18 and -19 Cheaper rockets with = or more payload depending on exact build. I will second the too dull in the photos for the foil in the last picture. The foil looks like construction paper rendition of foil. IE rough, dull and lacking any depth. But Unity shaders being what they are it is a tough row to hoe to make foil look good, without a "heavy hitter" plug-in similar to what @Nertea was alluding to the other day. Beyond the lack of luster and polish to the foil sections, I would say over all picture quality is go for launch.

err you mean INT-18 since 18 is better than 17 or 19? Sorry just kidding since I tend to fly INT-18s to launch my station parts. RE IUs, I had a thought the other day. Probably not a good one but I will air it out for reaction/comments anyway. Instead of making hundreds of different IUs for the various parts. Why not make a single one that upgrades throughout your career. One that has texture switching and re-scale to all sizes, including Mk2, Mk3, Firespitter and whatever other fuselage/tank form factor you wish to support. Yes that would require model switching but there are lots of mods out there that are already taking advantage of that. Then in the future, lets say you have an accurate design graphic for the new Oval shaped rocket stage, you only have to make a simple artwork part and not spend time setting up the new CFG for all the control modules. Also less Command CFGs to have to edit when new internal changes happen to the game. Points in favor: This does NOT rely on SQUAD upgrade capability since Mechjeb has been able to do it via a simple script much longer Reduces maintenance overhead for CFGs. Fits all sizes the Mod creator/maintainer wishes to support can replaced all unmaned Command units with one part. Sizes and shape functionality can be integrated into nodes on the tech tree.. IE you don't unlock the Mk2 aerospace-plane form factor until you unlock the Mk2 parts. Drawbacks against: Mod Artist has to keep up with all the various projects and formats to be supported, IE the textures and form factors would have to be maintained by the artist to match the rest of the parts and this is slightly more complicated than stand alone parts The single CFG to enable all of this will rely on a DLL(s) for part and texture switching, and is much more complicated than stand alone parts A large mod like BDB would be slow to transition to such a device (due to the large amounts of existing Control units) mostly due to rebuiliding the other part's CFGs.

There is a simple reason, which to fully explain will too far derail the point of this forum.... E-1 was developed for a Nuclear Weapon (Titan I/II) and never produced past prototype. M-1 was developed by a Civilian authority and had to publicly show a need for funding... That funding for M-1 was then publicly pulled by Congress via reduction in NASA budget. Beyond that simple explanation and we are going to-far afield for this forum and detracting from the awesomeness that BDB is. Hmm... Wonder if an FOI request could find more information...

Um.... I do, Pictures linked below Rocketdyne E-1 prototype: http://www.astronautix.com/e/e-1.html Two photos of E-1 at the above link. The Family line up of the LR-79 derived Family is only missing H-1 and possibly H-2 if I am correct and it is an enlarged H-1 derivative. Please note the significantly different S-3D/MB-3/LR-79 bell shapes for Thor and Jupiter. The S-3D flown on Jupiter is mechanically something like 90% identical to the MB-3 for Thor.... The Bells however are completely different.

Ohhh! SHINY! Personally I could care less about Atlas V... I would kill for a good Diagram with dimensions for a Rocketdyne H-2 engine so @CobaltWolf could make it for the original proposed "Atlas F." No need for the RD-180 then Performance of the Atlas IIA(S) 20 years earlier....... Ok maybe Kill is too strong of a word... But it would be nice to bring this paper engine to life in KSP. I am assuming it falls some where in look between the H-1D and the E-1...

Would follow up that the by the time the REAL launchers got to the pad they all had scratches. The obvious ones were touched up but there are still several innocuous places that many of the Saturn Rockets can be seen to have damaged/worn paint.

So my turn to pay the tax.... Just unlocked the BDB Saturn I parts and decided to make an Iota (Mun) lander and do the 2 up 1 across and back rocket concept from prior to Saturn V... This is the launch of the lander, sans crew. A Big Gemini Crew Transfer vehicle on a different stretched Saturn IVA stage will take the crew to join up with the lander in high orbit at a way station (RE a refueling station.) RL-10A-4 engines from SSTU used on SIVA stage. The lander's Agena tanks are powered by a 5x array of AJ-10-118D Delta rocket engines (MM file with BDB parts) The lander has many parts from KIS/KAS, DMagic Orbital Science and Universal Storage. All tanks have been MMed to use SSTU's fuel system (Hypergolic FTW!) I am running in the Galileo Universe so all new planets! And yes via FRMS this rocket should be 100% recoverable except the Interstage from S-Ia to S-IVa, the fairing and the lander.

Oh come on! You know hypothetical Titan rockets have a higher importance than anything Mercury right? J/K Besides your own "rank" says you are a Titan II handyman... Wouldn't a Titan V be better?

Son of a ...Slap! and I had JUST downloaded the master copy yesterday.... Downloading AGAIN Seriously please keep up the great work this mod is fast and quick becoming my favorite mod to make Rockets out of!

I am using a Stock BDB install on Stock Scale SS (Straight Stock on my baby laptop and Galileo SS on my Gaming rig.) The only non stock parts to BDB affect the fuel tanks for Hypergolic engines (Titan II, Agena, Able, Delta, Ablestar etc) and the fact that I am using my own rename file and MM cloning some parts for alternate versions (Star-37FMV and Star-48BV with Gimbal added/altered for example.) The member of Kerbal Parliament who demanded recovery was worried about stages falling on his constituents heads.... Since they all live in the Volcano just north of KSP in the Galileo SS version of the game. My add on boosters fall right into that volcano on separation for a northern launch. The demand is all Rockets either be 100% recoverable or plan on going out of business..... We are trying to keep funds at the KSP. The last year has only seen enough income to cover the cost of fuel... not new Rocket parts I have had 3 Thor-Delta rockets 95% recovered. Lost 1 fin (overheat), and all the Payload fairings only. The goal of this career is for me to explore the entire Galileo system without using either HyperEdit or any of DMagic's Contract reward Modifier or similar contract "cheats." Since I have never fully explored stock in this fashion... Fun times ahead

Cause I am using a LGM-118A MX missile to launch my satellites... not an MX Derived rocket with extra parts! But thanks to that very nice picture, Now I want to fly THAT... SOOOOO...... PART REQUEST: 2 position Decoupler attaching to each end of the CASTOR-120 rocket. PART REQUEST: CASTOR-120 nosecone with divergent thrust motor (separatron) PART REQUEST: 1.5m cylinder to 0.9375 truncated cone, with a 1.875m or 2.5m max dia Fairing starting at the point the Cylinder turns into a cone. <- This would be cool for REAL not as a Joke! J/K

@Jso, So I built a two Castor-120 , 1x Castor 30 Rocket with an Agena B based satellite on top. First issue, the Inter-stage fairing/shroud on the engine will disappear at physics load. This is with BDB + SSTU only or BDB+ lots of mods. Generally ONE of the two Castor 120s would loose it shroud, not both. Not certain the cause. This persists on return to the VAB. I have to delete the part that lost it's shroud and replace it to get the shroud back. I put a 1.5m Heat Shield on each stage since I was using the FMRS to recover the stages to save Funds. First stage was fine, when I recovered it after orbit it was as well. 2nd Stage, still a Castor 120. Only difference from stage one is I have Drogue chutes on it In my SSTU/BDB only build on this laptop, I loose the drogues because there is not an easy way to change the deploy altitude (No RealChute.) Anyway about 2/3ds of the way through the burn the thing starts overheating and it transfers heat to other parts quickly. The Stage and coupler generally fail at the same time (so each side of my 1.5m dia heat shield.) Failure was in space (over 70km.) If this points to the Heat sheild being the cause then Heat problem is likely contained if not solved. Notes on the setup: I made 8x launches (4 each build as described above.) I had 2 Failures on the Big Build, 1 failure on the simple BDB-SSTU build. I used the SSTU Heat shield and it is set to HEAVY... I don't think the .025m difference in Diameter is the cause in this but hey, I could be wrong. I was flying a Polar launch and my ascent angle varied from 70 down to 60 degrees above the horizon (more up than out.) No I did not do a gravity turn. The Castor 30 is to get me up to near orbital speed The agena is Naked on the rocket, not shrouded but with a nosecone and a heat shield/radiator combo of it;s own so it can survive re-entry. It makes space every time. Stage 2 survived TOO SPACE intact, less than 1/3rd of my launches. The Rocket might itself survive, but parts would explode off (Non RealChute Parachutes for example.) I didn't count these as total failures like listed in point 1. Unrelated to this but every BDB SRM I have dropped since using FMRS drops tail first. Ones with nosecones should be dropping Nose first (nosecone is heavier than rear nozzle after burnout.) This tail first dropping leads to a lot of weird gyrations as they freefall. But this also increases the risk of a SRM striking the launching rocket. Not sure if this is a COL issue or COM issue or a combination. Final concern re CASTOR-120, after the re-alignment of the career placement, is Castor-120 too cheap? Or is Thor too expensive? Alternatively does one or the other need a Buff/Nerf? MX based RW payloads to LEO orbit are just under 2 tones (2000kg.) Thorad-A/B was good for 500kg not counting the 3400kg Agena. In game I can get a RW mass 3400kg Agena with out appreciable payload (solar panels, various science experiments and the Agena Nosecone with Heat Shield (most mass) and chutes for recovery. into orbit on both launchers.

WELLL that splains that Yup I am now in-front of my KSP computer and can confirm the Agena question. I will make due with BigG as is and come up with an "innovative" err regiggured CSM for it. More CFG question/request. Can we get the SR-119 version of the Castor-120? When building a full MX missile out of the parts (to launch satellites cheaper than Thor!) the 2nd stage will overheat and could explode depending on payload (lighter payload = quicker splosion!) No changes to the model are needed. just either a change to the CFG so the higher temp threshold SR-119 is modeled or preferably a MM copy of the 118 (basic 1st Stage Castor-120,) because the 118 has a slightly different fuel mixture = altered burn profile for upper atmosphere flight. In real life, even though they are dimensional similar, the SR-118 and SR-119 are made by different companies and have different nozzles but those are mostly buried IN the rocket so hence my comment about not needing a model change. BTW the Castor-30 3rd stage would be the SR-120 using this alternative nomenclature. Also not certain if it is due to the other mods I am using but I am having issues with certain engines (CASTOR-120 being most prevelant) loosing their aft, engine fairing at mission load.. After it fails at mission load, I have to go into KSP, Discard the part and then recreate the stage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minotaur_IV

On the subject of Agena, and realizing I am not in front of a KSP capable computer to check. If there already isn't one, could the ability to DISABLE staging of the nose cone be added? Should be a simple addition of a few lines of code to the CFG (one more module.) But I have not looked into that personally. Missing part: I do not have in my current build, an adapter to mate the Gemini-BigG to the Titan rocket. I have had to re-scale and invert the 0.9375 to 1.25 cone to make it work. Any official part (or did it not get moved in the tech tree re-shuffle?) I am operating a Tourist tour group service with my Gemini launchers Got to make money some how... TIA!

So, I just installed this mod (after clearing EVERYTHING out of KSP and re-installing it.) Beautiful planets! I am looking forward to the challenge. However I have one small problem... <SOLVED> I had SSTU extra configs loaded. removing them fixed my issue Thanks!