horndgmium

Mech Jeb does this.

I like your idea, and you can probably find a mod for it currently (there're a few that seem to do what you've mentioned, at least in part) like Davon TC systems mod. What you're talking about isn't really an afterburner though. Supersonic engines can be just turbofans, and are more common than you think also. An afterburner takes an engine (like the F/A 18 turbofan, for example), that is already running at max thrust, and adds essentially another fuel line to it. This is incredibly inefficient (for ratio, if you double the fuel delivery to the engine, you get like an 18% increase in thrust), but adds more thrust by making the exhaust essentially more explosive. It is only using for short bursts, like carrier take offs, or buzzing the tower. An engine at max thrust is essentially then completely different propulsion system than the same engine when afterburn is activated. Long story short, you only really want afterburner in passing, so if you want to maintain supersonic speeds, add another turbojet to your plane, and grab a mod, some of which let you control an engines thrust individually. Edit: I oversimplified. Technically, an afterburner puts an engine at what you would call maximum power, and an engine without afterburner is what you would call military power.

So today, I tried to Aerobrake using Jool into an orbit. However, I have DRE installed. I came in at about 40 km, which then obviously caused me to explode violently, which I did not expect at that time because I didn't know the atmosphere was that thick/high up. Now what I had to do was look up online where the Jool atmosphere starts. Either that, or I could send a probe there and see when it starts exploding, but that's a waste of time. But looking it up is too cheaty for me. So i figured, why can't I send a probe there, and figure out some information about Jool, like for example how far the atmosphere reaches up to the heavens? Maybe topography (ha good joke on a gas planet) or temperature, and gravity and such things. Of course sending a probe out there to determine these things would be worth science, and a clear progression into a manned mission rather than crashing and dying for science. Where in space has man gone that a probe has not gone first, anyway?

I will not shy from such challenges... how high is geosynch?

Why geostationary? But anyway I'll be sending a rover up to it when I get some free time next!

Whoops... I'd like to think of my rendition of the death star as more of a 'fun' star. I do plan on driving things around in it after all

[image Heavy] I set out today with the goal of making another moon for Kerbin, because I'd like to have more and my computer can't handle Alternis. This went poorly without motivation for something that is extremely hard to send to space (I will never use hyperedit). That is, until I saw one time that Whackjob made the Thrillmaster sphere, so I made a bigger one and sent it to space (I'm coming for you, whacky!) Unfortunately, I had to make it out of B9 8x8 panels because the stock 2x2 panels racked up about 4000 parts to get spherical, which then caused my computer to crash (6 years old now ). This makes it look a little non-spherical, because I had to use bigger than 5 degree increments to be able to fit in in the VAB (even so, the sides of the sphere were not actually inside of it). Without further ado: Mods used: I think only B9 and KW rocketry Part total somewhere between 1000 and 2000, I closed KSP and it's way too late for me to go look again.

Here's my lander, since you don't have any up yet. Uses Kethane and MechJeb. It can max out any moon's science, and maybe a few planets too due to its Kethane capability. Not pretty, but a solid workhorse. Its name is Lester (or MS 5K if you insist on a real name) http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63542-For-those-of-you-who-really-hate-using-the-science-lab

I made this because I hate using the lab. Included are 7 materials labs, one mystery goo container (meh, could add more, but... it's mystery goo). I cleaned out ALL of Minmus's biomes in one trip, and returned safely (flats, lowlands, highlands, midlands, poles; I got flying over Minmus and high over Minmus as well). That's a lot of surface samples for science. Plus, all of the side engines are detachable in the instance of a sudden need for more TWR (AKA, lithobraking aversion). It even has thermometers! To measure the temperature! In Kelcius! This way, no need to lug around a huge lab for a tiny bonus in science, when you can clean out a planet in one go. Kethane used for refueling, and MechJeb used for all of your spontaneous whims (I only have maneuver planner unlocked so far though ) This version is meant to max out science from any planet/moon. However, it would be quite easy to add more goo/labs/science tools to be able to hit multiple planets/moons in one trip (you'd definitely need kethane for that kind of endeavor though). On the launchpad, lifter sold separately. (I can upload it if wanted, mine gives 10k dV but you'll need novapunch [i think that's all]) In the VAB on my Launch Vehicle. Launched into a 250km orbit easy. On a Duna escape to Kerbin. I forgot to take pictures while I was capturing. AND while I was on Ike. Whoops? Coming in to Kerbin way too fast. (I have Deadly Reentry, so I set my periapsis to 45k, burned retro, orbited, got locked into Kerbins surface, and to avoid overheating I kept burning directly away from the surface in order to get slowed by the atm without losing too much altitude). Light on dV, light on death. Splashing down, enough dV left to come down softly while you finish the snacks for the mission. I did a partially powered landign for the parachute opening, but idk if it's necessary. Partly powered on splashdown too, but without it happens at 6.4 m/s. 1500 science from my Ike mission (plus EVA and crew reports not included) Touching down on Minmus 1600 science from my Minmus mission (plus EVA and crew reports not included). I managed to kill a kerbal on EVA by trying to go ice fishing using his head to drill a hole . Good thing the pod holds three! Oh and I forgot to mention... you get about 3800 dV even without Kethane refueling. Perfect for anything in Kerbin's SOI Craft File: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9zaer9gy9nkhtj8/Lester%202%20No%20lift.craft Best of all, it's easy to use no matter your skill level. Easy to mess around with for your needs as well. Uses MechJeb and Kethane. I can upload without these if anyone wants that. No refunds. Enjoy!

Discussion... not a request. I will learn to not bother the masses anymore.

You guys seem to have missed the point completely. You know how people keep wanting more solar systems? well that can't happen really, so the game picks fro pre-planned solar systems, so you get one out of however many. Also, thanks for reminding me. I definitely have never heard that before. Also, not a random occurrence kind of thing. Also, this wasn't aimed at squad, but modders. Also, thanks for the constructive response.

It'd be kind of cool if there were a ton of different options for like moons, planets, orbits and such in a universe, except not at once. In each save you make, a universe could be randomly generated (sticking to presets and picking from a pool of choices). So instead of having to load multiple different solar systems... which we have agreed is not going to happen ever, why not just make your ONE solar system really random so we never really have a need for more planets in one system?

How about... not quicksaving?

So, basically the only thing that's terrible in the atm is the nuclear engine, which is great in vac obviously. All of the rest of the engines are basically a variation on an engine that works okay in the atmosphere but better in vacuum, having different ISPs scaled mostly to their thrust. A proposal: Engines with a wider variety of functions. Meaning, ISP would be greatest (better than the stock engines currently) where they are meant to be used, and absolutely terrible where they are not. Examples: Atmospheric launch engine: LFO, works great in the ATM (ISP 480, thrust 960 at sealevel for example, ISP scales down exponentially until an ISP of ~60 in vac, rendering it essentially useless in space, but awesome for launches. This also solves the problem of needing asparagus to gain orbit, which is stupid because actual rockets are mostly one stage to LEO. High-atmosphere orbital velocity achievement engine: used after the former, LFO, this would make more sense to have a balanced ISP for Vacuum and Atmosphere, as you would be using it to get out of the atmosphere, and to get into orbit (in-between essentially). Our normal engines do this, but that's not all we ever want... Orbital maneuvering engine: LFO, 0-60 atmospheric ISP, cann come in varieties with low and high thrust (ISP 720, thrust 270; ISP 560, Thrust 1280, IDK) Orbital escape Engine: LFO, quite high thrust (like 2k or something, ISP more ~400, but 0 ISP/thrust in atm) So instead of 5-6 stages, it would be nice to achieve orbit and orbital maneuver capability with 2-3 well thought out stages, by picking engines intelligently for where you need them, and if you planned wrong, they will be terribly inefficient somewhere else. Any of these could come in small and large sizes as well, further varietizing your choices for heavy/light payloads, but still allowing you to choose a proper engine for each stage/location. The things I have suggested are only more powerful where they are intended to be used, and quite useless elsewhere, preventing them from being overpowered.

Were you on time warp?

I actually really like this. Maybe a times killed stat too? Actually do they even respawn? I've killed a lot of kerbals

Yeah, like I said I personally use 2n+1 (usually because of a nose intake). Clipping is pretty stupid imo

Seems a bit cheaty to me. I like to keep to natural limits of physics and construction (as in, stacking an intake on top of another means the one under it can no longer take in air. Oh and how two things can't occupy the same space at the same time). Typically I keep to 2n+1 intakes, where n = the amount of engines, with no intake stack. What amount do you guys think is reasonable?

using 36=360 is the common way for it I think rather than 00, at least for military airports (that's all I really know, this info comes from me studying for the ASTB).

Wait wouldn't it be runway 27 backwards?

Yes sir! It's actually really stable and maneuverable up to about 500 m/s, then unstable again until about 900 m/s, then even more stable than before (usually by that point I'm using RCS though).

Craft File: https://www.dropbox.com/s/56wa9rhbisgtai8/MACHER%202.craft Mods: Pwings, kosmos, b9 (oh, and mech Jeb per always) Pretty sure this thing can go to Duna and back no problem. Also I hope 9 inlets for 4 engines doesn't count as intake abuse... they're all on different spots at least.

Haha I wish there was a way I could use this to destroy stuff... or really anything sci-fi.

Maybe I suppose, I kinda just wanted to share it though because it looks cool.

It uses kosmos for the middle part, I couldn't find any good stock parts to make it with :/. It's 377 parts I think (without launcher). Computer lags so badly around it. Also, if you guys want the craft file without the launcher (uses KW) I can upload one. Right now you definitely need kosmos and I think that's all, but I could probably try to make a stock one too if anyone wants that.