[1.12.5] Bluedog Design Bureau - Stockalike Saturn, Apollo, and more! (v1.14.0 "металл" 30/Sep/2024)

[Richmountain112]

5 hours ago, Pappystein said:

While it doesn't fly great in KSP Stock aero, it does fly.   I haven't put time into harmonizing the controls yet to fine tune it.     But also, the X-15 is TOO HEAVY to take off from the runway un-assisted for how Little the wings are.  (Those wings are meant to keep it aloft at Mach 5, not provide enough lift at 300m/s to fly up and away in the soup that is air density at the runway.    An Empty X-15 has a glide ratio of something like 4:1 meaning with no fuel for every meter you fall, you are 4 meters forward...  That is lower than just about any other high performance aircraft.   The BEST Glide ratios for some high performance aircraft: 

• F-104 is quoted as having a Glide ratio of 10:1 at high speed and "much lower" at low speeds
• F-16 is 7.8:1 ideal speed
• My next Automobile (The F-14 Tomcat) has a Glide ratio of 12.2:1 at ideal speed (which is much closer to landing speed than either the F-16 or F-104)

Remember, X-15 was meant to be dropped from the bomb Bay of the B-36 Bomber and then updated to drop from the Wing of a B-52 Bomber.  It is a Parasite aircraft, meaning it needs another craft to fly it off the ground.    If you want to launch it on a rocket, you need BIG wings on the Rocket or the rocket will "Spin out"

So that is why it spins around and crashes into the runway (one time I got it on the SPH instead) instead of flying despite having a starting TWR of approximately 1.06 at sea level, as reported by KER. Not even a disposable kickstand could get it to take off (granted, the kickstand wasn't a rocket sled and I used the stretched variant so maybe a rocket sled could get it to take off?)

Edited February 28 by Richmountain112

[DaveyJ576]

16 hours ago, Richmountain112 said:

So that is why it spins around and crashes into the runway (one time I got it on the SPH instead) instead of flying despite having a starting TWR of approximately 1.06 at sea level, as reported by KER. Not even a disposable kickstand could get it to take off (granted, the kickstand wasn't a rocket sled and I used the stretched variant so maybe a rocket sled could get it to take off?)

Everything that Pappystein said applies, but if you don’t already have it I highly recommend the mod Atmosphere Autopilot. I use it and the X-15 flies well, as long as you meet the conditions that Pappystein laid out. AA makes the X-15 more responsive and controllable. It also works very well with the X-20 Dynasoar “Moroz” mod. 

[Pappystein]

On 2/28/2025 at 6:16 PM, Richmountain112 said:

So that is why it spins around and crashes into the runway (one time I got it on the SPH instead) instead of flying despite having a starting TWR of approximately 1.06 at sea level, as reported by KER. Not even a disposable kickstand could get it to take off (granted, the kickstand wasn't a rocket sled and I used the stretched variant so maybe a rocket sled could get it to take off?)

Sorry I forgot to mention a key fact in the X-15...

The Landing gear is designed to basically PREVENT it from going nose high on the ground.  The rear legs are soo far behind the COM that it is impossible (IRL) to rotate the air-frame to get a positive AOA on the wings too fly up from the ground (that is a safety feature.)  add their short length and you have a plane designed to stick to the ground once you have it there.

But yes, the Wings are too small.  The Delta wings have a COL too far back and the controls are frigidity meaning it is too easy to get roll reversals etc.     I set up a ZeLL launcher for the X-15 when it first became available to test...  And it worked... ONLY if it, the ZeLL booster had fins on it aligned with intended direction of flight.    Looked weird having a giant SRM aligned through the COM with fins pointed in X-15s direction of flight... but it got the X-15 up to about 100m before jettisoning and the X-15 flew fine from there.

ZeLL = Zero Length Launcher:

Yes, the aircraft in both of those pictures are piloted and in both cases they have a takeoff run length in less than 15 feet (the distance the rocket travels in its cradle)

[TruthfulGnome]

I haven't posted here in a very long time, but here are some of my recent builds using BDB!

Mars

Quote

 

 

Saturn Shuttle

Quote

 

 

Saturn V-B

[GoldForest]

Beeg Titan. Just something silly.

Full album: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

[Hank Kerman]

I am looking at making an Athena rocket evolution and I noticed that the Orbus-21 doesn't have the option to recolor it to white, which is what it was for use on Athena. 

[TheSpaceToffee]

1 hour ago, Hank Kerman said:

I am looking at making an Athena rocket evolution and I noticed that the Orbus-21 doesn't have the option to recolor it to white, which is what it was for use on Athena. 

Also, where are you getting the shroud on the Orbus 21 from? Because iirc the Orbus 21 no longer has a shroud

[marxman28]

5 hours ago, TheSpaceToffee said:

Also, where are you getting the shroud on the Orbus 21 from? Because iirc the Orbus 21 no longer has a shroud

I'm assuming that he put a long 1.5m decoupler on the Orbus 21's hidden node at the top. I've done a similar thing with a 1.5m to 1.875m adapter when stacking the Orbus 21 atop a 1.875m lower.

[Hank Kerman]

On 3/7/2025 at 9:10 PM, TheSpaceToffee said:

Also, where are you getting the shroud on the Orbus 21 from? Because iirc the Orbus 21 no longer has a shroud

On 3/8/2025 at 3:04 AM, marxman28 said:

I'm assuming that he put a long 1.5m decoupler on the Orbus 21's hidden node at the top. I've done a similar thing with a 1.5m to 1.875m adapter when stacking the Orbus 21 atop a 1.875m lower.

I put the IUS interstage adapter, set to the 1.5m partswitch, on the bottom of the Orbus-21 because I had no clue what I was doing

[Pappystein]

On 3/5/2025 at 10:44 PM, TruthfulGnome said:

I haven't posted here in a very long time, but here are some of my recent builds using BDB!

Mars

Saturn Shuttle

Saturn V-B

Can't use Discord to post here anymore...   Discord auto-deletes links after a few hours now (they remain valid only IN discord)
Have to use a 3rd party image sharing site like imgur.com

 

[Pappystein]

On 3/7/2025 at 8:53 PM, Hank Kerman said:

I am looking at making an Athena rocket evolution and I noticed that the Orbus-21 doesn't have the option to recolor it to white, which is what it was for use on Athena. 

Skip the knockoff go to the Real deal!   Minotaur!

CASTOR-120 is just lower impulse MX SR-118 motor  with a different length to "differentiate" it after all!

 

Edited March 10 by Pappystein

[KeaKaka]

A fun thing I figured out a while ago and forgot to post about: the Atlas Centaur 2.08m fairing in BDB is actually kinda inaccurate, it's currently like the one on the right but the real one actually looks closer to the one on the left (which is more similar to the Centaur-D fairing used for OAO and such)

 

This is what I'm mostly basing it on (from the Atlas II payload user's guide):

Edited March 13 by KeaKaka

[Quinby Kerman]

I'm having trouble with many Gemini parts because they're not loading in career save. I believe it's due to incompatibility with the community tech tree, does anyone have patches or configs for it?

[DeadJohn]

51 minutes ago, Quinby Kerman said:

I'm having trouble with many Gemini parts because they're not loading in career save. I believe it's due to incompatibility with the community tech tree, does anyone have patches or configs for it?

I don't think an actual incompatibility is the problem. Community Tech Tree is fairly safe. I could be wrong though. Here are some additional thoughts to diagnose the issue.

If you are searching for "Gemini" try using "Leo" instead. You may have encountered a part tag issue.

Try starting a new sandbox save. If the parts are still missing it's highly unlikely to be a tech tree issue.

Maybe the parts are in an unexpected node you didn't unlock. Maybe you are using Janitors Closet and accidentally hid or pruned some parts. VAB Organizer has become a popular mod, I use it, but don't recall if it categorizes Gemini parts in weird ways.

Edited March 13 by DeadJohn

[Quinby Kerman]

No, they show up in sandbox.

Also I don't even know how  to prune parts.

[DeadJohn]

1 minute ago, Quinby Kerman said:

No, they show up in sandbox.

Also I don't even know how  to prune parts.

Try a new career save, cheat unlock every node, see if parts show up. If they are still missing I suggest sharing your log file and someone smarter than me might narrow it down.

[Quinby Kerman]

@DeadJohn I checked every node, and they are absent (I haven't started the new save yet), and the parts load, yet the only parts I'm allowed to launch are the decoupler, heatshield, and capsule. All part variants (non-eject-able nose cover, fused fuselages, nose camera, etc.) are there, but crucially, retro motors, reentry rcs, and parachutes are necessary yet missing, as well as the OAMS, docking nose, retro module, and service module. How do I post a log?

[Quinby Kerman]

[ERR 20:48:09.356] Cannot find a PartModule of typename 'RSE_RCS'

[EXC 20:48:10.127] MissingFieldException: Field 'KSPParticleEmitter.pe' not found.

reoccuring

[Mr. Kerbin]

-

Edited March 14 by Mr. Kerbin
stupid

[Quinby Kerman]

It may have to do with my "probe before crew" mod I have.

[DaveyJ576]

Screenshot tax installment 1:

SDS 1

A Titan 34B sits on the pad at SLC-4W at Vandenberg. It is carrying a highly classified payload. These pictures were obtained through secretive methods that can neither be confirmed nor denied. Launch and climb out went well. The vehicle hugged the Baja California coastline on a 63 degree azimuth.

Spoiler

The 2nd stage burn pushed the vehicle to near orbital velocity. Fairing separation was nominal, and the Agena D did it job of finishing the ride to orbit. The Agena conducted a second burn to place its payload into a highly elliptical Molniya-style orbit, with the apoapsis high over the northern latitudes.

Spoiler

The payload was successfully activated by the Air Force controllers. It is the Satellite Data System 1 spacecraft, codenamed Quasar. The molniya orbit has it linger over the northern latitudes, enabling it to relay data from another spacecraft to be launched soon...

Spoiler

 

[Quinby Kerman]

Guys I think my Gemini problem might be because I deleted the OldParts folder

No wait it can't be

[Spike88]

The Jupiter-C nose cone is supposed to have a built in decoupler, but doesn't in game. I've noticed that the config has the decoupler module commented out. Am I missing something or do I need to put a decoupler between the Jupiter-C nosecone and the Sargent upper stage now?

 

Edit: Found an older post by @Jso that says to add a decoupler between the nose cone and the Sergeant upper stage to facilitate the dock rotate feature, which I guess is why the decoupler built into the part was disabled, although the part description still lists it having a decoupler.

Edited March 17 by Spike88

[scottadges]

I'm attempting to build the Delta IV (Daleth) rocket per the designs in the Wiki (https://github.com/friznit/Unofficial-BDB-Wiki/wiki/Delta-IV). Having some trouble getting the radial de-couplers to line up properly. 

Is there a trick to getting these to look right? I've turned on the side nodes, but the de-couplers stick off the bottom. Thanks for any help from the community!

Here's the image from the Wiki for reference:

Spoiler

Edited March 19 by scottadges

[Pappystein]

8 hours ago, scottadges said:

I'm attempting to build the Delta IV (Daleth) rocket per the designs in the Wiki (https://github.com/friznit/Unofficial-BDB-Wiki/wiki/Delta-IV). Having some trouble getting the radial de-couplers to line up properly. 

Is there a trick to getting these to look right? I've turned on the side nodes, but the de-couplers stick off the bottom. Thanks for any help from the community!

Here's the image from the Wiki for reference:

  Hide contents

I haven't built a Delta IV in a few months.   From memory;   Build the Central stage completely.  Then Grab the decoupler, Set 2x or 4x Symmetry and slide onto the rocket.,  As shown it should end right at the top of the upper LFT   From there just attach the new "booster" Lower Liquid Fuel tanks to the decoupler and build up and down from there.   Make certain you are using the NODES on the side of the Lower Fuel Tank to align with the Decoupler!  Failure to use nodes ***WILL*** cause issues.

I have never found the Delta IV to be that hard to build.   But I also tend to need something with more LIFT in that size than Delta IV gives (do not ask how many SRMs I attach to a Delta IV Heavy!)    That is in part why I tend to fly LDC Titan (Titan V in my parlance) over Delta IV.   Delta IV is a neat Rocket and Zorg did an amazing job on it but the all LH2/O rocket leaves a lot to be desired in the lack of dense Fuel....   And yes Dense Fuel allows smaller rocket which is more efficient in Atmosphere (LH2 really shines in deep space not from the ground except on the pollution front...)    Even Methalox is more efficient in Atmosphere and almost as low of pollution creating.   Which is why lots of companies are using it now for their first stage!.