Kerbfleet: A Jool Odyssey-END OF CHAPTER 21! (and hopefully not so many talking heads in 22!)

[Rune]

1 hour ago, Dman979 said:

@Rune: speaking of typos... If I recall correctly, one of my first rep points was from you. I pointed out a spelling mistake in one of your posts. Haven't changed much, have you?

Well, the sentiment is appreciated (again), but this time is was quite intentional, taken straight from Kenlie's mouth IIRC... Just showing I am reading the comic.

51 minutes ago, Geschosskopf said:

Your treatise is definitely the true and lively word on efficiency in terms of money,  And saving money is one of the main reasons  why spaceplanes are attractive in real life, so maxing that out in KSP is just carrying the concept to its logical conclusion.  But I think it important to add the caveat that such a low-TWR spaceplane will take about 20-30 minutes off of your remaining lifespan just to get to orbit (or fail to, so back to the drawing board).  IOW, each launch attempt has about the same health effect on you as smoking a cigarette.

But the thing is, this sacrifice is only necessary in KSP if you're very broke, which is only likely to happen with very hard career settings.  At less masochistic settings,  you'll never really be strapped for cash, so the incentive to save money isn't really there.  And if that's the case, you're more interested in saving real-life time, which brings spaceplanes directly into competition with conventional, disposable rockets.  If that's your situation, you should probably make spaceplanes with much higher TWR so they're don't take significantly longer to get to orbit than rockets.  Of course, this means more engines, more fuel for them, and thus CONSIDERABLY less payload for the size of the thing.  But hey, it's still got that spaceplane coolness factor

While you are 100% absolutely right, you'd be surprised at how little makes a huge difference. Yes, 0.4 TWR designs that get >50% payload fractions take a long while to orbit, but >0.55 TWR (and thus, 25-33% payload, off the top of my head), and you are already getting to your apoapsis in 10 minutes or so, so not that great of a difference with the fastest rocket out there. At most, five minutes more of gameplay, depending on how wasteful you are with your rockets (flatter trajectories keep you in atmo and without timewarp for longer). And the best thing? If you design your plane right, I am finding out that hands-free ascents are quite easy to manage, you just have to go shallow enough on takeoff, and have a TWR low enough to not burn up. Then you go do something else and wait for the change of pitch in the airbreathers...

 

Rune. I can go and smoke a cigarette while my efficient SSTO makes the climb to orbit!

Edited February 17, 2016 by Rune

[Angelo Kerman]

53 minutes ago, RocketSquid said:

GIMME THE ENGINES!!

@RocketSquid They're still in testing over in my DSEV thread...

@Rune: Really like that White Dart too!

Edited February 17, 2016 by Angel-125

[Mister Dilsby]

And the rest of what I was trying to do today... (there, that should get everyone back on topic!)

Edited February 17, 2016 by Kuzzter

[Dman979]

Haha, nice work as always! Did you bring any cheese for it, though?

And I like where that flag is.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Dman979

[Trios]

52 minutes ago, Kuzzter said:

And the rest of what I was trying to do today... (there, that should get everyone back on topic!)

This made me think of this:

 

https://youtu.be/mkJ3--2K7yo?t=182

Edited February 17, 2016 by Trios

[loch.ness]

I got a good solid chuckle out of Bob's Spock moment with the soup.

 

Also, Intrepid seems to just get more epic the more time we spend with it.  I hope she's as fun to fly as she is pretty.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

May I ask why an L-Dock was needed? Why not single dock? JK, I know why! For fun! Awesome job @Kuzzter for designing such a compact SSTO spaceplane!

[Deddly]

Perfect timing for the comic relief at the end, and really nice internal shots of the docking procedure, Kuzzter. I imagine it must have taken a lot of time and patience (and scraped paint) to get those images

[TaintedLion]

6 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

May I ask why an L-Dock was needed? Why not single dock? JK, I know why! For fun! Awesome job @Kuzzter for designing such a compact SSTO spaceplane!

A single dock would have been too unstable to fly.

[Mister Dilsby]

10 hours ago, Dman979 said:

Haha, nice work as always! Did you bring any cheese for it, though?

And I like where that flag is.

Thanks! Not sure if we have cheese, but no doubt we can start culturing some dairy enzyNOMS now and it will be nice and cured by the time they get to Jool. Glad you like where the flag ended up  

9 hours ago, Trios said:

This made me think of this: [video of NCC-1701 exiting spacedock]

Yeah, I love that scene! And now if anyone ever needs to steal the Skimmeroo, I know where to get the clip for reference  

9 hours ago, loch.ness said:

Also, Intrepid seems to just get more epic the more time we spend with it.  I hope she's as fun to fly as she is pretty.

Well thanks! As far as fun to fly, I haven't really done too much actual 'flying' since she got to orbit. But I can say that she turns very well for such a big craft. There's 18 or 20 large reaction wheels (can't remember) distributed inside her--half at the aft ends of L and R pod, under the life support sections, and the other half at the forward ends between the external and internal axial docking assemblies. 

Hm. As I throw around terms like "external and internal axial docking assemblies" I realize the readers may want a diagram. Maybe, if I can get to it--as you may have noticed, I'm doing my best to show where everything is and how it all fits together with my little white lines and breakout windows   

I wonder if a writeup in Spacecraft Exchange would be appropriate--though per standard Kuzzter policy I would not be providing a download link (I don't like to release a ships for scrutiny until after I'm done telling its story  ) @Mad Rocket Scientist, you spend a lot more time than me over there--what do you think?

8 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

May I ask why an L-Dock was needed? Why not single dock? JK, I know why! For fun! Awesome job @Kuzzter for designing such a compact SSTO spaceplane!

2 hours ago, TaintedLion said:

A single dock would have been too unstable to fly.

JK=Just kidding! He knows why, because he was in on the whole multi-port docking discussion! Looking ahead, the Qhammer also has an L-dock. The Gumdrop landers are light enough that I think I can get away with a single, as are the probes--though I think I'll drain their fuel until they're ready to fly, just in case  

4 hours ago, Deddly said:

Perfect timing for the comic relief at the end, and really nice internal shots of the docking procedure, Kuzzter. I imagine it must have taken a lot of time and patience (and scraped paint) to get those images

Well it actually wasn't so bad--it's easy to do precision maneuvers at one frame per second. (Always look on the bright side!)

Might not have any comics to post as we're going out of town for a few days, but I will try to get a picture up of something very large with hull number 11  

 

[Starhawk]

Oh, that was beautiful.

I am definitely loving the Intrepid!  And I sure do love multi-port docking.  It's a gorgeous feeling when everything snaps into place.

Happy Concerned landings!

 

[Geschosskopf]

8 minutes ago, Kuzzter said:

Hm. As I throw around terms like "external and internal axial docking assemblies" I realize the readers may want a diagram. Maybe, if I can get to it--as you may have noticed, I'm doing my best to show where everything is and how it all fits together with my little white lines and breakout windows   

Clone this install of KSP to another folder.  Add Koronal Vessel Viewer.  Make pics.  If it destroys the game, it's a separate entity so no harm done

I for one would really like to see such pics and exploded views.  And you, having editorial control, could only show what you wanted to show until the story gets there.  Plus, you could use the pics yourself on the new interactive monitors on the bridge, for the crew monitoring ship systems.

8 minutes ago, Kuzzter said:

JK=Just kidding! He knows why, because he was in on the whole multi-port docking discussion! Looking ahead, the Qhammer also has an L-dock. The Gumdrop landers are light enough that I think I can get away with a single, as are the probes--though I think I'll drain their fuel until they're ready to fly, just in case  

I'm glad you got the L-dock to work for real.  I'm always leery of multi-docking because I fear long-term confusion in the files from deviating from the normal tree-and-branch structure.  But OTOH, struts seem to violate that structure, too, and they work OK, so maybe my fears are unfounded.  In any case, that whole discussion was quite informative and eased my concerns a bit, and I agree that the L-dock is more practical for this purpose than adding struts on EVA.

Have a good trip, both in the game and in real life.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

4 hours ago, Kuzzter said:

I wonder if a writeup in Spacecraft Exchange would be appropriate--though per standard Kuzzter policy I would not be providing a download link (I don't like to release a ships for scrutiny until after I'm done telling its story  ) @Mad Rocket Scientist, you spend a lot more time than me over there--what do you think?

I think that a write up, with pictures and text would be great!  People do like a download link, though.  But you could always add a download later, to the same thread.  Oh, and you could use Kronal Vessel Viewer, which makes pics like this:

Spoiler

I loved the Spock moment, too.  

[Parkaboy]

Bill must be really proud of KSS Intrepid. He looks way happier than everybody else on that last panel!

[Mister Dilsby]

14 hours ago, Starhawk said:

I am definitely loving the Intrepid!  And I sure do love multi-port docking.  It's a gorgeous feeling when everything snaps into place.

It is! And then you can't believe it, so you check all to see that both ports have an "undock" function--AND THEY DO! ?
 

13 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

I for one would really like to see such pics and exploded views.  And you, having editorial control, could only show what you wanted to show until the story gets there.  Plus, you could use the pics yourself on the new interactive monitors on the bridge, for the crew monitoring ship systems.

Will try that out--or might just shoot some views from various good angles and try my Powerpoint magic. We'll see  

And @Mad Rocket Scientist, thanks for the advice. Will put together some kind of package for the Exchange. It might be better if I didn't post the craft file, it would blow up a lot of folks' computers. But there might be some good construction techniques for the space doors and hangar that people will want to use. 

 

8 hours ago, Parkaboy said:

Bill must be really proud of KSS Intrepid. He looks way happier than everybody else on that last panel!

As my frequent Author Avatar, that's not surprising  

Getting on the train tomorrow morning to see CV-11 herself. Until then, this teaser. Dare we hope for a second good L-dock?  

[FlyingPete]

The Intrepid looks great fun. It's almost a flying building!  Docking a ship inside another will never get old, I suspect.

I wonder what the Kerbulans will make of it...

[Mister Dilsby]

36 minutes ago, FlyingPete said:

I wonder what the Kerbulans will make of it...

Oh, they could make a missile carrier... or a prison hulk... or a twisted-metal monument to the glory of the Empire...

[Just Jim]

Again I was all sorts of nervous reading that! 

[Mister Dilsby]

Hey, there's wifi on the train!

Total mass is now 630 tons, 575 parts. 

 

[Geschosskopf]

26 minutes ago, Kuzzter said:

Total mass is now 630 tons, 575 parts. 

Look for the signs and portents,  Offer a libation.  Consult the haruspicer 

So, how does the non-violent version of chess deal with taking opposing pieces?

 

 

[Dman979]

1 minute ago, Geschosskopf said:

So, how does the non-violent version of chess deal with taking opposing pieces?

You rescue them, obviously.
Still loving this comic Kuzzter, keep it up!
 

[Deddly]

I love it how you used the chess game to hint at the complete innocence of the Kerbal race. Have you seen Galaxy Quest?

Edited February 18, 2016 by Deddly

[rlin]

1 minute ago, Deddly said:

I love it how you used the chess game to hint at the complete innocense of the Kerbal race. Have you seen Galaxy Quest?

With the Kerbulans, however... (Let's just say that they've demonstrated how mean they are)

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

EIGHT* BOWLS OF SOUP AND A FEW ORBITS LATER...

Gene: 3..2..1..Ignition!
Sarge: *SPACE* Liftoff!
*Quadhammer lifts off*

*Jeb had seconds

New page:

Sarge: Starting turn...
Lisa: Ohhhh...
Nizmo: Lisa?  Are you all right?
Lisa: I sometimes get a little motion sick, Nizmo.  This launch isn't so bad, but it's disorienting to not be able to see out the fairing.  Maybe you could distract me-teach me how to play cheks!

New page:

Nizmo: Oh, sure, I'd love to!  The goal is to rescue the other player's Kwing before he can rescue yours.  That proves your space program's the best!  You do it by moving your craft around the boards.  Pods usually move one space forward, though when you first launch them you can move them two...  Roocs move in four directions, just like an RCS thruster block.  I guess that's why they're called that.  And Boosters go on diagonals.  They-
Lisa: Sorry Nizmo-I don't think I can deal with spatial relations right now after.  Sarge, how long to MECO?
Sarge: Just a few more seconds, Skipper...

New page:

*SPACE*
*BANG*
Sarge: No excuse, skipper, I should've got a little farther away before I staged...
...Second stage cutoff.  Ejecting fairing.
Nizmo: Oh, that's much better!
Lisa: There's the Intrepid!  Range eighty!

New page:

Jeb: Hi, Sarge!  Boy, you missed some really good soup!  I've got you on visual.  Opening Q-bay!
Sarge: Yessir, Kernel.  Second stage away, burning to intercept.
Nizmo: So hey, we're not still calling this Quadhammer, are we?  It's an entirely different craft altogether!
Lisa: ..it's an entirely different craft.
Sarge: ...it's an entirely different craft. ["Airplane reference, yay!"  "What's that?"  "It's a movie, but that's not important right now" -MRS]
Nizmo: My point exactly!

New page:

Nizmo: It's shorter now, so maybe we just shorten the name a little.
Lisa: What, to Qwammer?  Hm, I still think it looks like a baguette.  Sarge, what do you think?
Sarge: I think I see the docking ports, ma'am!
Intrepid, Qwammer has the ball.  Mass fifty-four.
Jeb: Copy that, Qwammer.  Come on home.
Sarge: Speed point three relative.  Main engine lockout.  I'm entering the bay...

New page:

Sarge: ...dorsal port aligned, range six...
Lisa: Ports acquiring!
*CLICK*
*CLICK*

New page:

Sarge: Securing the boat: master RCS disable.
Jeb: Nice flying, Sarge!  Closing Q-bay.
Lisa: We made it!
Nizmo: Wow-so, where do we report?
Bob: If you can cook, report to Melbe in the science lab.
Bill: And if you can't, report to main engineering-you're doing the dishes!
 

 

[Starhawk]

That was great fun, as always.

Love the Cheks game.  And the Airplane joke.  That was worked into the dialogue beautifully.

A bit sad for the new arrivals, though.  They didn't even get to eat and somebody already has dish duty.

Thanks Kuzzter!  And I guess we should thank 'wifi on the train' as well.

Happy Concerned landings!