[Old Thread] KRE - Kerbal Reusability Expansion

[EmbersArc]

18 hours ago, Brigadier said:

I'm having a really difficult time using the grid fins to return a booster to KSC.  I'm using FMRS and Stage Recovery mods in sandbox mode to learn how to handle the return of a simple 2-stage, liquid-fuel rocket with the first stage containing extra fuel, 2 grid fins, a probe core and a battery.

Try this guide first to get a rough idea how to build a working first stage: 

Definitely use 3 or more grid fins. You'll profit from the additional degree of freedom and the drag will be useful too. 

 

18 hours ago, Brigadier said:

Everything is fine until I separate the booster.  Getting the two fins to deploy is tough because the stage starts to flip and rotate, especially after I get one fin out.  Should I be using 4 instead of 2 fins?  The fins are positioned with the slightly curved surface facing the ground.  Is this correct?

You shouldn't have to bother with action groups. It automatically adds the deploy action to the braking action group. So in flight you can click the small break symbol at the top of the screen to deploy the fins.
If you are having trouble with oscillations in flight you can move the fuel around to adjust your center of mass or even better adjust the authority limiter on the fins to make them less aggressive. 

 

5 hours ago, Brigadier said:

KER does have suicide time and distance (altitude?) indicators although I'm not entirely sure what they're telling me (height by which I must apply full throttle, perhaps?).

Exactly. But it assumes that you have zero horizontal velocity. Just keep that in mind and maybe start your engines a bit earlier if you're not falling straight down.

 

5 hours ago, Brigadier said:

I sorta get what you're saying.  If that's the case, isn't the action misnamed and completely misleading?

You may be right. The tool tip should probably be changed to Extend Fins instead of Deploy Fins because Deploy is already used for something else.

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes  

[Brigadier]

19 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

Try this guide first to get a rough idea how to build a working first stage: 

Thanks, I'll give it a look (and thanks for a very nice mod BTW).  With @Skylon's advice, I did successfully return half a dozen small, test rockets to KSC.  I'll work up from there.  It doesn't help that I'm trying to come up to speed on two mods at the same time (this one and FRMS/Stage Recovery).

19 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

Definitely use 3 or more grid fins.

Done!  And the stability is indeed much better.

19 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

You shouldn't have to bother with action groups. It automatically adds the deploy action to the braking action group

Didn't know that, although now that I think about and re-read Skylon's post, he was hinting at it.

21 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

But it assumes that you have zero horizontal velocity. Just keep that in mind and maybe start your engines a bit earlier if you're not falling straight down

Roger.

21 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

You may be right. The tool tip should probably be changed to Extend Fins instead of Deploy Fins because Deploy is already used for something else.

As I mentioned before, in AGX there are three commands that apply to the fins when I select them for a group action - Toggle Fins, Toggle Deploy Fins, and Extend Fins.  The first deploys them (i.e. moves them from/to the stowed position), the second locks them (I haven't quite figured out why you would do this other than simple drag) but I haven't figured out what the third does.  It does not seem to move the fin regardless of its state.  Could be just me, though.

Thanks all!

[PixelRunnerXFT]

I need help. when i try to use this mod it just crashes my game on start up. im using the latest version in ksp 1.3

[EmbersArc]

21 minutes ago, PixelRunnerXFT said:

I need help. when i try to use this mod it just crashes my game on start up. im using the latest version in ksp 1.3

Are you using Firespitter? If yes, make sure you're using the latest version: https://github.com/snjo/Firespitter/releases

If that wasn't the problem, please send me the KSP.log file in your KerbalSpaceProgram folder and the crash report (the folder with the date of the crash).

[felipe_o_mito]

This mod is perfect!!!Do you now a mod that adds the dragon v2?

[EmbersArc]

11 hours ago, felipe_o_mito said:

This mod is perfect!!!Do you now a mod that adds the dragon v2?

Tundra Exploration has a Dragon V2:

There are some others that add a realistic version but those are quite old and might not work anymore.

[Dafni]

Anyone in here ever built a Falcon9-like rocket with the KRE parts that does RTLS in RSS??

Edited June 22, 2017 by Dafni

[LordOfMinecraft99]

Can you make it be compatible with Realism Overhaul?

[EmbersArc]

2 hours ago, LordOfMinecraft99 said:

Can you make it be compatible with Realism Overhaul?

I've never touched RO, so unfortunately I wouldn't know what to change.

But if someone has the knowledge and time to contribute the patches I'd definitely include them.

[EmbersArc]

Update 2.5.1

• Updated Cold Gas Thruster model and texture
• Small improvements to Falcon Legs texture (mainly fixed dark edge when zoomed out)
• Renamed "Deploy Fins" to "Extend Fins" in Grid Fin options

(This version is still fully backwards compatible with 1.2.2)

The thrusters are not ugly anymore:

Edited June 22, 2017 by EmbersArc

[Drew Kerman]

On 6/22/2017 at 5:05 PM, EmbersArc said:

The thrusters are not ugly anymore

I didn't think they were ugly until now that I see the new ones

[Overlocker96]

This is what can be done with this awesome mod!

Spoiler

Falcon 9 First Stage "replica" (Has only 7 engines I know ). Landed in the SpaceX Barge with point accuracy with a bit of help from Mechjeb.

Mods used for the replica: Kerbal Reusability Expansion, Fuel Tank Plus, Color Coded Canisters, SpaceY Heavy Lifters, SpaceX Drone Barge (KK Static).

[Coolinee Kerman]

On 6/22/2017 at 10:23 AM, EmbersArc said:

I've never touched RO, so unfortunately I wouldn't know what to change.

But if someone has the knowledge and time to contribute the patches I'd definitely include them.

It should work just fine in RO without any patches needed

[Ithirahad]

Any chance that we could get RealFuels configs to have these cold-gas jets work with actual nitrogen, and the SuperDracos work with something similar to their actual fuel? In my current RSS/RealFuels/SMURFF install (Not RO) I'm having to rely on very lackluster B9 Aerospace RCS to stand in for gas jets because they'll run on actual nitrogen, and they just don't do the trick for my first stage.

Also, even with the grid fins pointed in the correct direction, I seem to be getting uncontrollable vessel spinning with Ferram Aerospace. :\

[BananaTime101]

Any chance we could get the awesome looking new titanium gridfins? 

 

[EmbersArc]

22 hours ago, Ithirahad said:

Any chance that we could get RealFuels configs to have these cold-gas jets work with actual nitrogen, and the SuperDracos work with something similar to their actual fuel? In my current RSS/RealFuels/SMURFF install (Not RO) I'm having to rely on very lackluster B9 Aerospace RCS to stand in for gas jets because they'll run on actual nitrogen, and they just don't do the trick for my first stage.

Also, even with the grid fins pointed in the correct direction, I seem to be getting uncontrollable vessel spinning with Ferram Aerospace. :\

Good idea, I'll do that when RealFuels gets a 1.3 update.

About the spinning rocket. Can you post a screenshot of it? It can help to adjust the authority limiter on the fins if they are too strong. How did you attach the probe core? I haven't had any problems with FAR when I used it in earlier KSP versions.

 

7 hours ago, BananaTime101 said:

Any chance we could get the awesome looking new titanium gridfins? 

They look like a nightmare to model. But they also look badass and I definitely have to try. 

 

EDIT1: What were they thinking? Why would they make it that complicated? Look at this geometry. Just look at it! WHYYYY

EDIT2: Wat. 

EDIT3: Okay @SpaceX if you could just quickly send over the CAD model that would be great thanks.

EDIT4: 

Steady progress. Very straightforward so far.

EDIT5: Okay here's the real one.

@BananaTime101 why do you do this to me.

EDIT6: I should get some sleep.

Edited June 26, 2017 by EmbersArc
y u do tis spacx

[BananaTime101]

33 minutes ago, EmbersArc said:

They look like a nightmare to model. But they also look badass and I definitely have to try. 

Awesome! Good luck

[Serenity]

I was reluctant to use part mods in case they dont get updated for the next version but this mod is too good to resist!

Thank you for adding reusability to kerbal!

Edited June 26, 2017 by Boyster

[EmbersArc]

Look at this angry waffle iron.

Now trying to bend it. Quite a bit harder than bending the aluminium one.

[Dafni]

@EmbersArc great job on the gridfins so far, they are coming along nicely.

@Boyster same story here. The gridfins and the landing legs from this mod are the only non-stock parts in my game. For a good reason.

[BananaTime101]

4 hours ago, EmbersArc said:

Look at this angry waffle iron.

Looks awesome!

[felipe_o_mito]

On ‎22‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 8:03 AM, EmbersArc said:

Tundra Exploration has a Dragon V2:

There are some others that add a realistic version but those are quite old and might not work anymore.

Thank you for making the KRE and thanks for recommending the Tundra Exploration mod! I love your mod!

[Starslinger999]

On 3/3/2017 at 5:38 PM, EmbersArc said:

@DerpyFirework did some great work on his plugin that is also used for the grid fins. It now also works for lifting surfaces and is more efficient.

 

This opens some new possibilities. Here's what we're currently working on:

 

 

It's a deployable control and lifting surface based on the flyable booster concept for the Buran rocket:

 

 

The challenge right now is to make the elevons on the wings work correctly. We're trying to do it with just one part but so far it looks like that's not possible. The elevons would work for pitch but we can't find a way to make them move independently (for roll control).
The obvious solution is to split it up in multiple parts, but we first want to find a simpler solution.

Does anyone have an idea how to solve this?

 

I had a feeling that was inspired by the concept for the Engeria II AKA "Uragan". The concept was to have an unmanned space shuttle with its cockpit replaced with payload storage and 4 reusable flyback boosters with fold out wings.

Now I wanna build this in KSP because IN SOVIET RUSSIA, ROCKET FLY YOU!!!! *Soviet March Intensifies*

 

Edited July 2, 2017 by Starslinger999

[BananaTime101]

Any update on how the gridfins are doing?

[EmbersArc]

2 hours ago, BananaTime101 said:

Any update on how the gridfins are doing?

I've spent a few hours on it without significant progress. Really hard to get the bent geometry right. For now I've got a thesis to finish so there's not much time.

It will get done eventually, I just don't want to release anything half-baked.