[1.12.5] Bluedog Design Bureau - Stockalike Saturn, Apollo, and more! (v1.13.0 "Забытый" 13/Aug/2023)

[GoldForest]

25 minutes ago, Saturn1234 said:

Has anyone ever thought about a "lite" version of Bluedog Design Bureau? I would like it to complement (re)stock parts. I really like the look and sophistication of the parts, but I think there are too many. It's useful when I want to make an exact copy of a real mission, but it's useless when I want to design a mission of my own. Many parts have only one (or a few) specific uses. I understand that this is probably the purpose of the mod, but I thought some lite version would be interesting as well.

Anyway, awesome mod

If you want a 'lite' version, you pretty much have to make it yourself. Just delete parts or folders you don't want. 

[Pappystein]

6 hours ago, Saturn1234 said:

Has anyone ever thought about a "lite" version of Bluedog Design Bureau? I would like it to complement (re)stock parts. I really like the look and sophistication of the parts, but I think there are too many. It's useful when I want to make an exact copy of a real mission, but it's useless when I want to design a mission of my own. Many parts have only one (or a few) specific uses. I understand that this is probably the purpose of the mod, but I thought some lite version would be interesting as well.

Anyway, awesome mod

Um, too many parts to make things with in Lego-a-like based space sim...   And the problem is? 

Obviously I am slightly kidding here.  BDB can be overwhelming.

I have found the trick is to do things like the mod that Suppresses all stock parts (you really don't need stock when you have BTA... well err except for Aeronautics if you want to like FLY in the soup [atmosphere])

Use the RealNames patch in the BDB Extras folder!  This makes things MUCH easier to find!!!!!!!!

Alternatively,   Use the BDB craft files to make historical spacecraft.  

When it comes to the Ab-Historical or just plain zanny stuff, allot more time than you think into building your stuff.

And lastly when building modular ships/Stations,  I suggest building it COMPLETELY in the VAB, then breaking it apart to launch your sections as intended.

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Pappystein

[kspbutitscursed]

8 hours ago, Saturn1234 said:

Has anyone ever thought about a "lite" version of Bluedog Design Bureau? I would like it to complement (re)stock parts. I really like the look and sophistication of the parts, but I think there are too many. It's useful when I want to make an exact copy of a real mission, but it's useless when I want to design a mission of my own. Many parts have only one (or a few) specific uses. I understand that this is probably the purpose of the mod, but I thought some lite version would be interesting as well.

Anyway, awesome mod

just delete the folders in the PARTS are of the BDB folder with what you dont want

[septemberWaves]

9 hours ago, Saturn1234 said:

Has anyone ever thought about a "lite" version of Bluedog Design Bureau? I would like it to complement (re)stock parts. I really like the look and sophistication of the parts, but I think there are too many. It's useful when I want to make an exact copy of a real mission, but it's useless when I want to design a mission of my own. Many parts have only one (or a few) specific uses. I understand that this is probably the purpose of the mod, but I thought some lite version would be interesting as well.

Anyway, awesome mod

The question of dividing up BDB into smaller sub-mods has come up before. The mod developers have no intention of doing that because it would be a huge amount of work and because no one can agree on how the mod should be split up. There are many potential ways to divide the mod, all of which have drawbacks. If you want to decrease the install size, you have to do that yourself. I can, however, recommend the mod Janitor's Closet, which can allow you to selectively remove parts from visibility.

Edited October 19, 2023 by septemberWaves

[DaveyJ576]

APOLLO A

So, below is my Apollo A Lab mission. It was flown on an unmodified Saturn I to a 35 degree, 120km circular orbit on KSRSS using MechJeb PVG. It required quite a bit of part manipulation, and quite a few test flights with reverts back to launch to test flight parameters. One item that I will change for the "operational" flights is the retro pack. On this flight they were the Star 20 Altairs. They did the job but lacked a little authority for this application.

Spoiler

It took me several tests to determine the optimal altitude. It seems to be 120 km. Anything lower than that and MechJeb PVG wants to excessively pitch down on 1st stage flight, and the initial phase of 2nd stage flight experiences some excessive pitch up. Higher than 120 km and the S-IV just doesn't have enough oomph to get to orbital altitude and velocity.

Spoiler

I guess you could call this Apollo CSM the Block 0. One lesson I learned was that the decoupler has to stay with the SM and not the lab. If it stays with the lab it uses the node for the docking adaptor. Rookie mistake. You can't actually dock with it configured that way. Flipping the decoupler upside down restores the node after it decouples. 

Power for the stack was six Coatl CA-300I batteries (two on the lab and four in the SM). It gave plenty of power for at least six orbits. Monoprop was supplied by eight Coatl CAE-MT12 tanks. 

Spoiler

It was a fun but challenging build. It was like threading a needle to get it to orbit, but it works. If you use a Saturn IB weight first stage or upgraded RL-10's it would be fairly easy.

My next Apollo variation involves the Saturn C-2! 

Edited October 19, 2023 by DaveyJ576
Small change

[Blufor878]

I have no excuses. I've done nothing wrong.



Say hello to Myrrdin. A surprisingly effective medium-heavy lifter. May need an extra helpin' of Centaur or somethin'...

Also feel free to guess which mods/parts were used here (boosters should be recognizable).

Edited October 20, 2023 by Blufor878

[GoldForest]

1 hour ago, Blufor878 said:

I have no excuses. I've done nothing wrong.



Say hello to Myrrdin. A surprisingly effective medium-heavy lifter. May need an extra helpin' of Centaur or somethin'...

Also feel free to guess which mods/parts were used here (boosters should be recognizable).

Oranges:
-5m fairing
-5m control ring
-Inline shuttle tank set to ULV(?) (The shortest tank variant)
-The BRAND NEW AND JUST RELEASED Longfellow engine mount

BDB:
-Gem-63 (Or they're the Gem-63XL's from Vulcan mod)
-RS-68s (I think)
-Saturn S-IVB RCS pods

Stock:
-Soyuz Style Vernier... for some reason... even though you have multiple engines that can provide roll control.

[Blufor878]

9 hours ago, GoldForest said:

Oranges:
-5m fairing
-5m control ring
-Inline shuttle tank set to ULV(?) (The shortest tank variant)
-The BRAND NEW AND JUST RELEASED Longfellow engine mount

BDB:
-Gem-63 (Or they're the Gem-63XL's from Vulcan mod)
-RS-68s (I think)
-Saturn S-IVB RCS pods

Stock:
-Soyuz Style Vernier... for some reason... even though you have multiple engines that can provide roll control.

I actually don't recall why I put on Verniers, fair point. I think those are GEM series boosters though I forget which model. Also those aren't RS-68's, they're Falcon 9 Merlin clusters from Tundra Exploration...so let that sink in.

But good job otherwise, . (No Gold Star emoji, sorry fellas).

Edit: Actually just remembered. The verniers are there to provide additional thrust post-booster separation. Darn liquid fuel's gotta weigh so much!

Edited October 21, 2023 by Blufor878

[Pxtseryu]

Voyager Mars cinematic still coming soon, but in the Meantime....

Soon to be in my space program (and likely the final Saturn V/MLV launch after manned mars) is Voyager-Saturn (Wayfarer-Cronus). Using a Saturn ELV I plan to throw a heavily upgraded Voyager Mars 73 at Saturn,

Spoiler

Also planning to recreate the Mars Observer mission. God the solar panels on this one were a pain to get correctly. Is there any mod that recreates Mars Observer? I spent like two hours figuring out the robotics on this.

I realize it's not exactly the most faithful recreation (the antenna does pitch correctly) but it's close enough and works.

[OrbitalManeuvers]

7 minutes ago, Pxtseryu said:

Is there any mod that recreates Mars Observer?

Yes, well sort of. The US Probes mod (from Raidernick) contains a Mars Observer. It's designed for RSS/RO, so you'd probably want to rescale it (I believe it fits in the Titan fairing with rescaleFactor = 0.68). No waterfall, no RealPlume, but it's a Mars Observer model. I've used several from that pack after pruning it down to just what I wanted, like LRO, Messenger, Stardust, TDRS and a couple others. 

[CobaltWolf]

Not dead, still just a lot of Real Life going on... and I made the mistake of buying Baldur's Gate 3.

 

20 hours ago, Pxtseryu said:

Also planning to recreate the Mars Observer mission. God the solar panels on this one were a pain to get correctly. Is there any mod that recreates Mars Observer? I spent like two hours figuring out the robotics on this.

I started working on one at some point, but stopped partially since the sources I had covered the proposed configuration, not the as-flown configuration.

[Ultim32]

21 hours ago, OrbitalManeuvers said:

like LRO, Messenger, Stardust, TDRS and a couple others

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but does anyone know of a mod that adds a 2.5 scaled TDRS satellite ?

Edited October 24, 2023 by Ultim32
Dang sensitive touchscreen >:(

[Cheesecake]

36 minutes ago, Ultim32 said:

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but does anyone know of a mod that adds a 2.5 scaled TDRS satellite ?

Raidernick has TDRS. Are they 2.5x? I don`t know but you can edit the .cfg yourself.

[Pxtseryu]

Some people say that the Saturn C-8 Direct Ascent concept can't be done in BDB. I say they're not trying hard enough.

 

[ra4nd0m]

6 hours ago, CobaltWolf said:

mistake of buying Baldur's Gate 3

Well see you in a month or so.  I know I've made the same mistake…

Anyway what are current priorites? Finishing viking or something else?

Edited October 24, 2023 by ra4nd0m

[Pappystein]

3 hours ago, Pxtseryu said:

Some people say that the Saturn C-8 Direct Ascent concept can't be done in BDB. I say they're not trying hard enough.

 

WEELLLL... that depends on if you believe Von Braun or NASA was in-charge of Saturn...  

Von Braun:   We go to C-5... We do not go past C-5, C-4 is not enough,  C-6 is TOO MUCH.

 

NASA: Lets take this thing that Von Braun created to PROVE that Direct ascent was stupid (money and time wise.)   "Ohh lets put this in Nova (3) program and call it a Saturn C-8"  

 

(NOTE The Nova (3) program (or the third Time the Nova Program was restructured/relaunched) was meant for Rockets that were HUGE and the Direct Ascent rocket was less than HALF the mass of any other entry/proposals... also it didn't meet the needs as out lined in Nova (3))

 

[biohazard15]

12 hours ago, ra4nd0m said:

Well see you in a month or so.  I know I've made the same mistake…

Dude got into it too early, IMO.

Modern AAA games have one quite peculiar thing - they are unplayable at release. They're basically early access sold at full price. Want good experience? Wait at least 6 months. That's what I'm doing with BG3 - and rightly so, according to internet.

[Pxtseryu]

16 hours ago, Pxtseryu said:

Some people say that the Saturn C-8 Direct Ascent concept can't be done in BDB. I say they're not trying hard enough.

 

Continuing...four methane engines are used since 8 F1s clip and look ugly

Spoiler

 

TLI

Headed down for landing on four RL10s

Done

 

[CobaltWolf]

18 hours ago, ra4nd0m said:

Well see you in a month or so.  I know I've made the same mistake…

Anyway what are current priorites? Finishing viking or something else?

Oh god I've already beaten it... twice... I'm just still playing. Last couple months have been a combo of great games coming out, IRL obligations, and a lot of energy getting spent at my day job just means I haven't even looked at any KSP projects in weeks. I'm still coming back, I always do, just not sure when.

My priorities would still be Mariner 8 and Viking. There has not been any communication/update on the lander since whatever was last shared here, sadly. But when I'm back to it, it's getting finished one way or another even if I have to start it from scratch myself.

[AdrianDogmeat]

Well it appears that you can use Skylab Power Module's PV arrays as a replacement for the ISS Solar Array Wings

[Cytauri]

11 hours ago, CobaltWolf said:

Oh god I've already beaten it... twice... I'm just still playing. Last couple months have been a combo of great games coming out, IRL obligations, and a lot of energy getting spent at my day job just means I haven't even looked at any KSP projects in weeks. I'm still coming back, I always do, just not sure when.

My priorities would still be Mariner 8 and Viking. There has not been any communication/update on the lander since whatever was last shared here, sadly. But when I'm back to it, it's getting finished one way or another even if I have to start it from scratch myself.

I have a question, do you plan to add the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes to this mod? If not, that is okay since all of the parts in this mod can keep me entertained for centuries! 

[GoldForest]

7 hours ago, AdrianDogmeat said:

Well it appears that you can use Skylab Power Module's PV arrays as a replacement for the ISS Solar Array Wings

 

 

I think the Skylab solar panels are longer than the ISS panels too. 

[AdrianDogmeat]

4 hours ago, GoldForest said:

I think the Skylab solar panels are longer than the ISS panels too. 

They are longer, and that's on purpose 

[CobaltWolf]

15 hours ago, Cytauri said:

I have a question, do you plan to add the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes to this mod? If not, that is okay since all of the parts in this mod can keep me entertained for centuries! 

I know @Invaderchaos has one on his to-do, but I'm not sure where it falls exactly.

[Pxtseryu]

1 hour ago, CobaltWolf said:

I know @Invaderchaos has one on his to-do, but I'm not sure where it falls exactly.

On the topic of Voyager, the Kepler probe core makes a good temporary stand-in, which is helpful for Mariner MK2

Spoiler

I couldn't find an efficient enough engine for MK2's purposes so I added ion engines.  All things considered I don't think I did too bad

Also, possibly dumb question - are the remotetech configs up to date? Asking because I'm considering installing RT2 mid playthrough (which yeah not the greatest of ideas but something something solar flare is my in-universe reason)

Edited October 26, 2023 by Pxtseryu