The Kerbal Glossary! Your one stop Jargon Busting Thread.

[ZodiaK]

Welcome to the Kerbal Glossary! Here, You can search through hundreds of alphabetically-sorted terms and definitions. You can post any terms we left out below and I will add them to the list! This Thread is being Maintained by me, ZodiaK.

JUMP TO:

A

• Asteroid- Small Rocky Objects that Spawn near Kerbin and Dres. (see Dresteroids) Some contain Ore that is mineable.
  
• Apoapsis- the highest point in an orbit.
  

B

C

• Clipping- Or 'Part Clipping' Referring to the act of moving one part within the mesh of another. Some argue that it is an exploit of the game's Mechanics.
  
• 
  

D

• Duna- A Rocky Planet Between Kerbin and Dres. Noted for its distinctive red color.
  
• Dres- A Rocky Planet Between Duna and Jool. Noted for its orbital Inclination and 'Dresteroids' that spawn in orbit around it
  
• Dresteroids- Asteroids that spawn in Orbit around Dres.
  
• Delta V- (ÃŽâ€v) The total Change in velocity Capable by a Spacecraft. measured in meters/second.
  

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

• Kerbal- The small, Green alien race that Inhabit Kerbin.
  
• Kerbin- A Rocky Planet between Eve and Duna. Home to the space-faring Kerbals.
  
• KSP- Short for Kerbal Space Program, The Game that is this forum's subject.
  
• Kerbol- The Star at the center of the Kerbol System. All planets orbit it. Notable for being a Pun on 'Kerbal' and 'Sol'
  
• KSC- Kerbal Space Center, the space center from which rockets are built and launched.
  
• Kraken- A name for a Variety of Game-breaking Bugs that are related to floating-point imprecision. Derived from mythical sea beast of the same name.
  

L

M

• Monolith- Anomaly present on many bodies in the Kerbol system.
  
• Mun- Kerbin's closest natural Satellite.
  

N

O

• Ore- A Mine-able resource found on most rocky bodies in the Kerbol system. Can be converted into fuel.
  
• 
  

P

• Prograde- The direction in which you are moving.
  
• Periapsis- The Lowest point in an orbit.
  

Q

R

• Retrograde- The Opposite direction to the direction in which you are moving
  
• 
  

S

T

U

V

X

Y

Z

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Edited May 6, 2015 by ZodiaK

[LGRMEP]

Delta V - Essentially the amount you are able to change your velocity based on the amount of fuel you have, the efficiency of your engines and your overall weight.

Prograde - Facing the directing in which you are orbiting (forwards).

Retrograde - The opposite direction to prograde.

TWR - Thrust to weight ratio. The the power your engines output divided by your weight.

[Guest]

Aerocapture - Dipping into an atmosphere to achieve orbit from a hyperbolic trajectory, what many KSP players mistaken call "Aerobraking".

Aerobraking - The process of lowering one's apoapsis by dipping into an atmosphere when the apoapsis is within the planetary sphere of influence.

LFO - Liquid Fuel / Oxidizer

Ore - Magical Faerie Poop

Kerbol - A star that makes literally no sense.

Kerbin - A magical Ceres-sized planet.

Dresteroids? Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

[Kowgan]

Not to be that guy, but there's already something like this in the wiki. But I think it would be a neat idea to turn this into a less formal dictionary, like the Dresteroids thing, which I consider a genius idea.

[Bilfr3d]

like the Dresteroids thing, which I consider a genius idea.

don't say that, Regex will gouge your eyes out XD

Jebediah Kerman - The stupidest bravest pilot in the Kerbal Space Program. Not much makes him scared - if he is scared, well... RIP

Edited May 5, 2015 by ToTheMun
formatting

[problemecium]

Lithobraking: An attempt to slow down in a similar fashion to aerobraking, except using a planet's solid surface in place of its atmosphere. Extremely dangerous.

Kraken: Officially, a colloquial term for a variety of game-breaking bugs that can occur during flight, especially those related to floating-point imprecision; unofficially, an invisible space beast that destroys spacecraft when the player least expects it.

I need to get some sleep, but I may be back with more suggestions tomorrow.

[Seshins]

M - "moar" indicating the need for further refinements in thrust levels.

[Herr Rictus Bingo]

R - Rendez-vous when two french vessels are trying to smash each others

D - Delta-V - The speed you don't have

Edited May 5, 2015 by Herr Rictus Bingo

[Mister Spock]

Maybe define "part clipping" or "clipping"? I've never quite understood what this is and why it might be good or bad.

[Gaarst]

SRB: [see my signature below]

[Tex]

Monolith: Anomaly of some long-forgotten origin.

Magic Boulder: Old easter egg, a mysterious glowing rock, formerly in Ike orbit.

[ZodiaK]

Working on adding more definitions- keep em' coming!

[Dfthu]

Periapsis : Point of the orbit closest to a planet

Apoapsis : Point of the orbit farthest away from a planet.

[ZodiaK]

Periapsis : Point of the orbit closest to a planet

Apoapsis : Point of the orbit farthest away from a planet.

ooh- good ones! adding them now!

- - - Updated - - -

Periapsis : Point of the orbit closest to a planet

Apoapsis : Point of the orbit farthest away from a planet.

ooh- good ones! adding them now!