Champ

I think the Oberth has nothing to do with it, it is more about minimising gravity losses.

No. 9.8m/s² is the acceleration due to gravity on earth. Terminal velocity is the speed at which the resisitance of the air equals gravity. If not thrusting, you will no more accelerate (actually, you will decelerate because, as you go down, air becomes thicker, and therefore air resistance increase). Terminal velocity depends on aerodynamism and air density. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_velocity : "the terminal velocity of a skydiver in a belly-to-earth (i.e., face down) free-fall position is about 195 km/h (122 mph or 54 m/s)." "Higher speeds can be attained if the skydiver pulls in his or her limbs (see also freeflying). In this case, the terminal velocity increases to about 320 km/h (200 mph or 90 m/s) which is almost the terminal velocity of the peregrine falcon diving down on its prey."

KER shows you terminal velocity if configured properly. BTW, i think (not sure) you are wrong about earth. By the way, it changes with altitude (atmo density).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle ^^

I have never used it, but i think that's what the mod TAC Fuel balancer does

Not sure why, but i think Mount Kraken can't be on Kerbin. I would give this name to the tallest mountain on Tylo, personnaly.

This is not a game crash. It's a rocket (or plane, or rover) crash. The game seems to work fine.

This may be a good enough reason for me to try this mod !

A little bit off-topic, but this question has been in my mind for too long : What is the interest in defining very precise manoeuvre nodes, if you can't be precise in the execution of the manoeuvre ? I don't use PreciseNode, so i define my maneouvre nodes the stock way, but even like this, i am never precise enough in the execution, and in the end i always have to do small correction burns (i use RCS for this). I can't see what advantage i could have in defining more precisely my manoeuvre nodes, if i can't be more precise in their execution. So, the question (to PreciseNode users) is : "how do you precisely execute your perfectly-precisely-defined manoeuvre nodes ? (wihtout mechjeb plz)"

"We decide to land on Tylo, not because there are plenty of things to do there, but because it is hard" John Fitzgerald Kerman

Sorry, i dont get what you call the "game" part of the game. For me, designing and flying rocket is the game. In my opinion, KSP is basically a mix between LEGO and Orbiter Carreer and science mode aren't the "game" part ? Modern games are like this : a common platform, which anyone can tweak to his desires, depending on what he likes. What I like is not necessarily what you like, and is not what others like. Some like maximum realism, some others don't bother. Some enjoy designing spacecraft, but not flying them (mechjeb ?). People have been complaining for years about the "soup" atmosphere, but Fengist apparently thinks it is "silly pointy aerodynamic overlays that serve no purpose other than eye candy". I guess you can see what i mean : everyone is different, and everyone likes different things. If squad makes the game perfect for you, they will make the game totally uninteresting for other people. How can they make everyone happy ? The only way is to provide the basic platform, and let the modders tweak the game how they like it. For you (and for me). Not for the people who prefer Sandbox. This is your opinion. Some people seem to like it. If you don't like it, be happy : it will be optional. Yes, they could have used this time to make something YOU like more, but hey, they have other customers to satisfy. I don't remember Squad saying the game should not be used with mods. In fact, they seem to encourage people in using mods (Modding mondays, for example). You can have the features you want, and i can have the features i want, what is the problem ? As you said, this is being fixed. For me, ISRU is not an objective, it's an asset. It is a way to do what you want to do.

Duna/Eve to stay ! Traitors return to Kerbin !

Thank you for the explanation. Have some rep. I just did not know moon's orbit was inclined (maybe because of KSP's Mun's 0° inclination ?). Makes sens to assume you're trying to launch into an orbit that avoids any plane change later on.

Very interesting document. Thank you ! Have some rep ! There is something i don't understand in this document. §6.1 : "For the aforementioned direct ascent, the launch position of the rocket relative to the Moon is very restricted in order for the rocket and Moon trajectories to finally intersect. This effectively limits the daily launch window to a few minutes, after which the Earth’s rotation has turned the rocket too much off course. A limited launch window is a severe logistical disadvantage, since any launch is affected by several factors that can cause delays, and range safety may prevent launch at any specific time. To mitigate this problem, Moonspike will follow the traditional approach of first launching into LEO, then after a few orbits accelerating towards the Moon (TLI). The advantages are: The launch from Earth is somewhat decoupled from the trajectory to the Moon. This both allows for a much wider daily launch window (hours rather than minutes), and a less restrictive selection of launch site " The part in bold is the part i don't understand. Why do you have to care about launch windows when you just want to get to LEO ?

In theory, yes, you are right. In practice... This would make a great challenge ! Who wants to try ?

I would guess you need more rigidity. Did you try Kerbal Joint Reinforcement ?

Do you really use lko rescues as a source of income ? I use it as a way to get free kerbals but, for income, "satellite on an equatorial orbit" seems really better : it takes less time and pays more (specially when a single satellite can complete 6 missions).

Strange, i NEVER do it like that. I always look for the node that will make me go farther (better engine, docking, etc). This way, i will use the same science experiment, but on a new celestial body.

They don't eat, drink, breathe or sleep. "Modded kerbals" do, btw.

Here is your mistake, i think. Lots of things changed since 0.9, don't try tu reuse older designs. Try to make a new, simple design. Oh, and as SpeedDaemon said, use fins at the bottom of the rocket.

As i said, "Sorry, i couldn't say how you could get those "tourist on suborbital flight" contracts". OP said he already lowered reputation, but it does not work.

Sorry, i couldn't say how you could get those "tourist on suborbital flight" contracts, but i think you may have better sources of income. Satellite on equatorial contracts (beware not to have 180 degrees inclination) are good for this, specially because you can have 6 of them, (2 around kerbin, 2 around mun and 2 around minmus) and fullfill all 6 of them with just a single ship. "Space stations in orbit around XXX" are great for money too. Remember you don't have to build fully fonctional stations. Just fullfill the requirements : probe core, antenna, solar panels, room for X kerbals, and that's all. You don't have to put kerbals in it. These are my preferred income contracts. Pays well, easily and quickly done.

Congratulations ! By the way, i may be wrong (i am still learning spaceplane SSTOs), but i think you should have retracted the airbrakes as soon as your velocity was low enough to be unharmfull. That way you would have used less fuel cruising to the runway

Forbid any landing on mun and minmus. That way i will HAVE TO go to the other planets to get more science. It is so sad when my fist Duna mission is "land on duna, land on multiple Ike biomes, then return to kerbin with a kerballed ship" because i have enough science to do this.

For airbrakes, it's pretty simple : put them on the back of the plane (this way when deployed they put the COL in the back), then deploy them before entering, and undeploy them when you have lost enough speed. Speed and altitude affect the strength of aerodynamic pressure. I guess your COL shifts ahead of COM when your spaceplane is empty. When you are not low enough in the atmosphere, your control authority keeps it oriented, but when you hit lower atmosphere, aerodynamic pressure overwhelms your control authority, your ship switchs orientation and get destroyed by aerodynamic pressure. When in SPH, always make sure the COL stays behind the COM all the time (tanks full, tanks empty, with or without cargo, etc).