Fifth Kerpublic Space, Science, and Luxury Travel Agency

[legoclone09]

That was my thought as wellâ€â€especially given that running in DX11 resulted in a number of areas having text that can only be described as a hybrid of a five-year-old's handwriting and a ransom note:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i116/landwalker/screenshot1.png

But even a driver update had no effect.

My thoughts as well... I don't know what DX settings may have changed, as I'm not generally the sort to monkey around with things like that and would have been highly unlikely to have changed anything in my previous setup (and certainly haven't made any custom changes in this one yet).

The curious thing is that before, when my computer only had 4GB of RAM, although things ran like they were coated in molasses they at least ran, and I practically never reach 3GB of RAM usage. Now that I have 16GB of RAM (and the same 64-Bit Windows 7 OS that I had before even when I only had 4GB of RAM), the game seems to say "My, we've got all this extra RAM now, don't mind if I do help myself" and then it overeats and crashes (sounds like me this past Saturday, now that I think about it...).

The DirectX 11 ransom note text happened to me when I enabled DirectX 11.

[Landwalker]

The DirectX 11 ransom note text happened to me when I enabled DirectX 11.

Yeah, I've noticed it doesn't happen in OpenGL. Seemed (seems) odd that I've started to get it since upgrading my machine, as it didn't happen when I was running DX11 on my old machine. Still, if the ransom note text was the worst thing I had to deal with and the game were stable, I wouldn't mind it at all.

I'll throw something together on the support forum tonight when I'm home and can provide useful hardware specifics and see what folks there have to say, and also give OpenGL an extended trial run to see whether or not it's up to the task.

(Very strangely, in my short test last night, I was getting dynamic shadows even with OpenGL... which I don't recall as being something that I should be getting. Not that I'm complaining. But DX11 and OpenGL both are behaving very curiously.)

[Landwalker]

Good news, better news, betterer news, and KSSLTA exciting news!

Good News: Apparently, OpenGL can use Anti-aliasing after all if I tell my video card to override the program, so no jagged edges. Also, inexplicably, dynamic shadows.

Better News: OpenGL with forced anti-aliasing managed to run and remain stable for four and a half hours (and counting). Right now it's at 3.4GB and still running fine (started out at about 2.7GB, so the creep is still there, but slower and, thus far, not crashy).

Betterer News: ComSat contract completed, continuous connection to KSC mission control established, communications possible out to edge of Kerbin SoI edge. Post should come tomorrow, as it's getting late here.

Exciting News: With the completion of the ComSat contract, the next two major items on the itinerary are a Munar Flyby and a Manned Orbital Docking, so the KSSLTA is finally moving into the exciting stuff.

[CatastrophicFailure]

C'est Magnifique! Let us celebrate with wine, cheese, and running in terror, nón?

[Landwalker]

Lancer V / ComSats Ker-1-E2 and E3  Radio Free Kerbin

UT Y1-D164-H4-M48

√135,438 – §16.8– Ʀ51%

*bzzzrt*

After an unexpected facility-wide loss of universe integrity, the Kerpublican Department of Tourism enacted several directives to change the parameters of the universe and ensure a resumption of resort activities.

Checking back in on Valentina, it was noted that she had been in orbit for only four days so far, and for all intents and purposes nobody could identify any measurable degradation in her already slightly suspect psychological faculties. As Val was provisioned with enough supplies for three and a half months (dramatically more than necessary, but you always want to be on the safe side when it comes to guarding against unforeseen munchies), and as Lancer V was still in a position to continue communications with the impaired ComSat Ker-1-E1, she wasn't going anywhere any time soon. Design promptly commenced on the next ComSat, with the engineers taking care to account for the dramatic electrical failures of the agency's first effort.

• Construction Timeline
  
  • Construction Started: UT Y1-D164-H4-M48
    
  • Construction Completed: UT Y1-D172-H3-M13
    
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D174-H0-M5

  [*]Mission Objectives

  • Set ComSat into an 802km equatorial orbit within 2,500km of ComSat Ker-1-E1.
    
  • Operate all antennae for entire orbit without losing power.

  [*]Construction

  • ComSat Ker-1-E2
    
    • Probodobodyne OKTO2
      
    • MRS Reaction Wheel, 0.625m Stackable
      
    • Modular Girder Segment
      
    • FL-R10 RCS Fuel Tank
      
    • Inline RCS Block
      
    • FL-A5 Adapter (0.625m to 1.25m)
      
    • FL-T200 Fuel Tank
      
    • LV-909 Terrier Liquid Fuel Engine
      
    • (2x) RealChute Radial Chutes (Silk, Single, Main)
      
    • (4x) Illuminator Mk3
      
    • (8x) OX-2L 1×3 Photovoltaic Panels
      
    • (3x) Z-1k Rechargeable Battery Bank
      
    • Communotron 16
      
    • (4x) Reflection KR-7
      
    • Kerbal Engineering System
      
    • TR-18A Stack Decoupler

    [*]Second Stage

    • (4x) Sepratron I
      
    • (2x) RealChute Stack Chute (Nylon, single, main)
      
    • FL-T400 Fuel Tank
      
    • LV-909 "Terrier" Liquid Fuel Engine (15% Thrust Limiter)
      
    • TR-18A Stack Decoupler

    [*]Trident 1 Launch Stage

    • AE-FF1 Airstream Protective Shell, 1.875m
      
    • H-3200 "Long Walk" Fuel Tank
      
    • (3x) HGR FG-90 Liquid Fuel Engine
      
    • (2x) TT-38K Radial Decoupler
      
    • (2x) HGR Radial Booster Tank
      
    • (4x) RealChute Radial Chute
      
    • (4x) Wing Strake

    [*]Launch Support

    • (2x) TT18-A Launch Stability Enhancer

  [*]Engineer's Report

  • Total on the Launchpad
    
    • Part Count: 60
      
    • Height: 20.7m
      
    • Mass: 74,116kg (28,050kg oxidier; 22,950kg liquid fuel)
      
    • Delta-V (Surface): 3,360m/s

    [*]ComSat Ker-1-E2

    • Part Count: 31
      
    • Mass: 3,333kg (550kg oxidizer, 450kg liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Vacuum): 0.28
      
    • Delta-V (Vacuum): 1,207m/s

    [*]Second Stage

    • Part Count: 9
      
    • Mass: 3,273kg (1,100kg oxidizer, 900kg liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Vacuum): 0.93
      
    • Delta-V (Vacuum): 1,220m/s

    [*]First Stage

    • Part Count: 20
      
    • Mass: 67,135kg (26.4t oxidier; 21.6t liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Surface): 1.32
      
    • Delta-V (Surface): 2,762m/s

    [*]Construction Time: 7d, 4h, 25m (167,086 BP at 1.00 BP/s)

    [*]Construction Cost: √39,120

  [*]Crew

  • None.

With no other ongoing projects, all of the resort's attention was devoted to the construction of the next satellite. By the time rollout was complete, Valentina had been in orbit for thirteen days, effortlessly surpassing the twelve-day test. In order to take advantage of Lancer V in setting up the remainder of the ComSat network, and since Valentina's microphone had a remotely-activated Mute function, Mission Control instructed her to remain in position until continuous satellite coverage was established.

• Mission Timeline
  
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D161-H1-M0
    
  • Mission Time: + 12:04:24:00

  [*]Mission Results

  • Science Recovered: §2.70
    
  • Salvage Recovered: √5,985.7
    
  • Success  Launch a kerbal into stable orbit around Kerbin and keep them there for 72 hours.
    
  • Success  Act as relay with Mission Control to set up first communication satellite.
    
  • Pending  Deorbit and land in a previously unresearched biome for scientific research.
    
  • Pending  Recover the craft and crew intact.

  [*]Contracts Completed

  • Complete  Manned Orbit for 72 hours!¹
    
    • √57,600  §4  Ʀ18

[*]Science Collected

• Temperature Scan while high in space over Kerbin  §2.70

Crew Decorations Awarded

• Valentina Kerman
  
  • None.

ComSat Ker-1-E2 had an early-morning launch to take advantage of the positioning of the two orbital relays already in position, although by this point Lancer V's slightly higher orbit had caused it to fall too far behind ComSat Ker-1-E1 and become obstructed by Kerbin itself. Despite this, both Lancer V and the first ComSat would be able to provide independent aid in the current mission. By MET 08:30, ComSat Ker-1-E2 had settled into a stable 111×113km parking orbit, and preparations began to reposition it at the required altitude of 802km. More importantly, Mission Control had determined that ComSat Ker-1-E1's orbital period measured 1h, 32m, 31.99s (±0.01s), and so this same period was required for both of the following satellites.

Unfortunately, while ComSat Ker-1-E2 burned into an 802×119km elliptical orbit without issue, Mission Control had failed to make the burn in a manner that would properly position the satellite relative to its sister craft, and so everyone was forced to wait until the natural passage of time had separated them to the desired distance and angleâ€â€a process requiring some 19 hours. However, the maneuver node was established and the flight computer programmed, so many orbits later, the satellite was on its way. After the maneuver, small tweaks were necessary at apoapsis to make fine adjustments to the craft's orbit, but by UT Y1-D177-H3-M30, ComSat Ker-1-E2 ended up with an orbital period of 01:32:31.996, well within the acceptable margin.

The ComSat Ker-1-E2 mission was not without additional hiccups, however. Due to a mishap in the ascent angle of the initial launch, the Trident 1 lifter stage had burned up during reentry and was unable to be salvaged. It was also realized after the satellite was already in position that it had never separated from its intermediate stage, and consequently that stage would also be unrecoverable. Copious notes were made to account for these lessons in the launch of the third and final satellite. These notes were then promptly lost, but hope held out that the final mission would prove successful regardless.

• Mission Timeline
  
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D174-H0-M5
    
  • Mission Duration: Ongoing

  [*]Mission Results

  • Science Recovered: §0
    
  • Salvage Recovered: √0 (0.00%)
    
  • Success  Set ComSat into an 802km equatorial orbit within 2,500km of ComSat Ker-1-E1.
    
  • Success Operate all antennae for entire orbit without losing power.

  [*]Contracts Completed

  • Partial  Create a communication network for Kerbin (4 satellites).
    
    • √0  §0  Ʀ0

  [*]Complete  Point a dish out from Kerbin

  • √9,000  §0  Ʀ1

[*]Science Collected

• None

Crew Decorations Awarded

• None.

• Construction Timeline
  
  • Construction Started: UT Y1-D178-H0-M47
    
  • Construction Completed: UT Y1-D186-H1-M28
    
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D187-H3-M40

  [*]Mission Objectives

  • Set ComSat into an 802km equatorial orbit within 2,500km of ComSats Ker-1-E1 and Ker-1-E2.
    
  • Establish continuous communication network with KSC Mission Control.

  [*]Construction

  • ComSat Ker-1-E3
    
    • Probodobodyne OKTO2
      
    • MRS Reaction Wheel, 0.625m Stackable
      
    • Modular Girder Segment
      
    • FL-R10 RCS Fuel Tank
      
    • Inline RCS Block
      
    • FL-A5 Adapter (0.625m to 1.25m)
      
    • FL-T200 Fuel Tank
      
    • LV-909 Terrier Liquid Fuel Engine
      
    • (2x) RealChute Radial Chutes (Silk, Single, Main)
      
    • (4x) Illuminator Mk3
      
    • (8x) OX-2L 1×3 Photovoltaic Panels
      
    • (3x) Z-1k Rechargeable Battery Bank
      
    • Communotron 16
      
    • (4x) Reflection KR-7
      
    • Kerbal Engineering System
      
    • TR-18A Stack Decoupler

    [*]Second Stage

    • (4x) Sepratron I
      
    • (2x) RealChute Stack Chute (Nylon, single, main)
      
    • FL-T400 Fuel Tank
      
    • LV-909 "Terrier" Liquid Fuel Engine (15% Thrust Limiter)
      
    • TR-18A Stack Decoupler

    [*]Trident 1 Launch Stage

    • AE-FF1 Airstream Protective Shell, 1.875m
      
    • H-3200 "Long Walk" Fuel Tank
      
    • (3x) HGR FG-90 Liquid Fuel Engine
      
    • (2x) TT-38K Radial Decoupler
      
    • (2x) HGR Radial Booster Tank
      
    • (4x) RealChute Radial Chute
      
    • (4x) Wing Strake

    [*]Launch Support

    • (2x) TT18-A Launch Stability Enhancer

  [*]Engineer's Report

  • Total on the Launchpad
    
    • Part Count: 60
      
    • Height: 20.7m
      
    • Mass: 74,116kg (28,050kg oxidier; 22,950kg liquid fuel)
      
    • Delta-V (Surface): 3,360m/s

    [*]ComSat Ker-1-E2

    • Part Count: 31
      
    • Mass: 3,333kg (550kg oxidizer, 450kg liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Vacuum): 0.28
      
    • Delta-V (Vacuum): 1,207m/s

    [*]Second Stage

    • Part Count: 9
      
    • Mass: 3,273kg (1,100kg oxidizer, 900kg liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Vacuum): 0.93
      
    • Delta-V (Vacuum): 1,220m/s

    [*]First Stage

    • Part Count: 20
      
    • Mass: 67,135kg (26.4t oxidier; 21.6t liquid fuel)
      
    • TWR (Surface): 1.32
      
    • Delta-V (Surface): 2,762m/s

    [*]Construction Time: 8d, 0h, 41m (175,269 BP at 1.00 BP/s)

    [*]Construction Cost: √34,076

  [*]Crew

  • None.

• Mission Results¹
  
  • Science Recovered: §4.86
    
  • Salvage Recovered: √9,183 (98.01%)

  [*]Contracts Completed

  • Complete  Perform experiments around KSC
    
    • √12,291  §0  Ʀ2

[*]Science Collected

• Telemetry Report from Mission Control  §0.18
  
• Telemetry Report from VAB  §0.18
  
• Telemetry Report from Administration  §0.18
  
• Materials Study from Runway  §4.32

[*]Crew Decorations Awarded

• Bob Kerman
  
  • None.

With the second ComSat now in place, the engineers dove into the construction of the final piece with previously unmatched ennui, but the ship was eventually completed nonetheless. The timing of the completion and rollout happened to coincide with Lancer V being in a position to coordinate with the other two satellites for complete coverage around Kerbin, allowing the launch to take place immediately and without regard to fussy things like "maintaining contact."

By MET 05:30, ComSat Ker-1-E3 was in its 90km parking orbit and planning its maneuver to 802km. Unlike ComSat Ker-1-E2, this was properly scheduled in order to insert the satellite into the correct position relative to the rest of the network in a single pass, and at MET 42:30, ComSat Ker-1-E3 was in its final orbit with an orbital period of 01:32:31.996. As the contract required a two-day "shake-out" period to make sure the network wasn't withholding any of its lunch money (the agency originally misunderstood this as a "shake-down" period), and the testing was complete at UT Y1-D190-H5-M33. Complete coverage of Kerbin had been attained, and the reach of Mission Control had extended as far as Minmus. Not that the agency had anything near Minmus to actually communicate with.

• Mission Timeline
  
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D174-H0-M5
    
  • Mission Duration: Ongoing

  [*]Mission Results

  • Science Recovered: §0
    
  • Salvage Recovered: √11,567 (33.94%)
    
  • Success  Set ComSat into an 802km equatorial orbit within 2,500km of ComSats Ker-1-E1 and Ker-1-E2.
    
  • Success Establish continuous communication network with KSC Mission Control.

  [*]Contracts Completed

  • Complete  Create a communication network for Kerbin (4 satellites).
    
    • √180,000  §0  Ʀ16

[*]Science Collected

• None

Crew Decorations Awarded

• None.

By this point, Valentina had been in Lancer V for almost 30 continuous days. Even the most jaded of the staff in Mission Control agreed that she may be demonstrating minor signs of stress when the animated conversations between her two hands devolved into physical and often violent confrontations (the right hand, it must be noted, was often the instigator). With the ComSat network in place, it was high time to deorbit Lancer V and get Valentina into debriefing and/or a psychiatric ward.

As Lancer V was continuing to exhibit unusual temperature anomalies surrounding its service bay, the bay doors could not be closed due to the risk of internal heat. This required Val to "enjoy" reentry with the bay doors open and fingers crossed that the expensive instruments within would more-or-less survive. The craft's initial pass through the atmosphere was at too high an altitude, but a second, tight orbit later, the descent trajectory was confirmed, and Valentina reentered the atmosphere for good at MET 29:05:38:20. Although the desire had been for Lancer V to land in a more scientifically rich area, the actual landing site in the ocean east of KSC was still acceptable due to a contract requiring materials studies there, and the opportunity to observe the Mystery Gooâ„¢ in a more aquatic environment. Less than ten minutes after atmospheric reentry, Val had been recovered and wrapped comfortingly in a straitjacket for her trip back to KSC.

• Mission Timeline
  
  • Launch Time: UT Y1-D161-H1-M0
    
  • Mission Duration: 29:05:47:41

  [*]Mission Results

  • Science Recovered: §10.28
    
  • Salvage Recovered: √19,349 (54.96%)
    
  • Success  Launch a kerbal into stable orbit around Kerbin and remain there for 72 hours.
    
  • Success  Act as relay with Mission Control to set up first communication satellite network.
    
  • Success  Land in a previously unresearched biome for scientific research.
    
  • Success  Recover the craft and crew intact.

  [*]Contracts Completed

  • Complete  Test RealChute Stack Chute in flight over Kerbin!
    
    • √12,857  §2  Ʀ6

  [*]Partial  Field Research: Materials study experiments on Kerbin.

  • Materials Study from Kerbin's Water
    
    • √5,515  §0  Ʀ0

[*]Science Collected

• Materials Study from Kerbin's Water §5.76
  
• Mystery Gooâ„¢ Observation from Kerbin's Water §4.32
  
• Recovery of a vessel returned from Kerbin orbit  §0.20

[*]Crew Decorations Awarded

• Valentina Kerman
  
  • Mission Time  For more than 20 days spent in missions.
    
  • Kerbin Orbit  For orbiting Kerbin.

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1. It's worth pointing out that this particular mission does not require the actual recovery or survival of the kerbal(s) occupying the orbiting ship. Just that they get up there and stay there for 12 days. Recovery is optional. How grim. But it means KSSLTA gets paid earlier!

Edited July 30, 2015 by Landwalker

[CatastrophicFailure]

What gives you the 72 hour orbit contract?

[Mister Dilsby]

Glad to see the Kerpublic back up and posting again!

[Geschosskopf]

Glad you're back.

Like the part about the straitjacket

[Landwalker]

What gives you the 72 hour orbit contract?

That's the SETI-Contracts part of the SETI modpack. It replaces, I think, almost all of the stock "progression contracts" like "Go 150m/s; travel 7km from KSC; reach an 11km altitude," but also, if I'm right, other more "explore-y" ones as well. If you look back through the KSSLTA's progression, you should see these sorts of contracts showing up. So far, I have completed the following:

• 18km Altitude
  
• 18km Altitude, Manned Flight
  
• Escape Atmosphere
  
• Orbit
  
• Orbit and Recovery
  
• Manned Orbit and Recovery
  
• Kerbin Powered Landing
  
• Manned Kerbin Powered Landing
  
• Manned Prolonged (72-hour) Orbit

So the next items on the itinerary for KSSLTA as far as SETI-Contracts jobs go are "Munar Flyby" and "Manned Orbital Docking" (mKOR in the SETI table below; "Orbital Rendezvous" seems to mean "Actually Dock" rather than just "Get close to each other"). If you go to the SETI Thread, it has the Contracts broken out on their own as a sub-mod (technically, SETI right now is a collection of submods rather than a single overarching mod), but the "progression contract tree" looks like this:

---

Edit: Speaking of contracts, I've noticed a curiosity in mine: I'm not getting any "Rescue Mission" contracts, even though I've unlocked EVA in the Astronaut Complex and have completed manned orbits. I'm using several contract packs, so I'm not sure which (if any) of them are responsible for this. Yemo has confirmed that it isn't a SETI issue, but if anybody else knows what the possible culprit here is, I'm all ears eyes.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Landwalker

[legoclone09]

Yay! It's alive! Can't wait for more!