[Min KSP: 1.12.2] Mark One Laboratory Extensions (M.O.L.E.)

[Angelo Kerman]

Latest Release (GitHub)

Latest Release (Spacedock)

Source

BARIS Wiki

Dolores Kerman flipped the ignition switch and MOLE-1 lumbered off the pad, its solid boosters struggling against the force of gravity. In time, the boosters gave way to the Titan core stage, powered by twin Fulcrum engines. A few minutes and stages later, the Mark One Laboratory Extension achieved orbit. With orbital rendezvous and docking still in R&D, MOLE-1 was part spacecraft and part space station. Once their orbital tasks were complete, Dolores and Isaxy- the scientist sitting in the Mk-1 pod's "Backseat" extension- would deorbit the combined spacecraft and ditch the station elements before re-entry.

Isaxy wasted no time after achieving orbit, and immediately deployed the SPF-8 solar panels and entered the Mark One Laboratory Extension through a hatch in the heat shield. She would be spending the next 30 days studying various experiments like space adaption and protein crystal growth. Dolores, on the other hand, would be working with MOLE-1's other module. She had a script to follow to "sort out technical issues" with the space telescope while in reality, she'd be pointing the KH-10 towards the ground and taking pictures of things that were interesting to the Kerman Air Force...

Are your Mk1 command pods gathering dust? Wish you had a space station earlier in your career? Want to fly more than one kerbal at a time? Then the Mark One Laboratory Extensions (MOLE) are for you! Give your Mk1 command pod a new lease on life by adding a back seat module to fly an additional kerbal. Then add a docking tunnel system with integrated RCS and parachute for making rendezvous and docking easier. When you're ready for the next step, try out the Mk1-88 "Brumby" 2-seat command pod. Create a simple disposable space station by adding a Mark One Laboratory Extension, power module, and SPF-8 solar panels, and launch it on the 1.875m line of Titan fuel tanks powered by the LV-T270 "Fulcrum" engine. For a longer endurance station, bring up a station hub and dock a variety of parts to it including a habitat, greenhouse, workshop, airlock, and even a space dock to build new vessels(#). You can conduct a variety of experiments that require long research times and trips to Kerbin to reap the science, and your stations can even include the KH-10 Telescope for, uh, astronomy! Yeah, that's it!

(#) Requires Extraplanetary Launchpads.

MOLE is a stand-alone parts pack with optional support for Pathfinder, Real Chute, KIS/KAS, kOS, CactEye Telescopes, Raster Prop Monitor, RPM ASET Props, Snacks, TAC Life Support, Kerbalism, and more.

Inspiration

Back in the 1960s, the USAF had a military space program, and one of its projects was the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). MOL was designed as a spy satellite (KH-10 Dorian) disguised as a military research station. One of the cool things about it is that the Gemini spacecraft was already attached to the station when it launched. The Air Force flew a mockup into orbit once, but then the program was cancelled.

References

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2539/1

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1647

http://www.thelivingmoon.com/45jack_files/03files/MOL_Manned_Orbiting_Laboratory.html

http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=66

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/barianmm.htm

http://www.space.com/31470-manned-orbiting-laboratory-military-space-station.html

http://www.nro.gov/foia/declass/MOL.html

Recommended Mods

 

---LICENSE---
Art Assets, including .mu, .mbm, and .dds files are copyright 2014-2016 by Michael Billard, All Rights Reserved.
Source: GPLV3
Portions of this code are provided by Snjo. Thanks Snjo!

[septemberWaves]

I have to say, I love the new engines in the latest update. The Hemi Cuda in particular is great as a second stage for launch vehicles in a scaled-up Kerbol system, and whilst I have yet to use the SRB I already like the concept a lot.

[Angelo Kerman]

10 hours ago, eloquentJane said:

I have to say, I love the new engines in the latest update. The Hemi Cuda in particular is great as a second stage for launch vehicles in a scaled-up Kerbol system, and whilst I have yet to use the SRB I already like the concept a lot.

Glad you like them. The Hemi Cuda can of course be upgraded like the Corvette can, and I'm using the new SRBs in my own game too. The Sledgehammer engine thrust needs a buff, but that's ok, I'm just glad I finally figured out a design that I like.

[Yaivenov]

On 1/12/2017 at 10:39 AM, Angel-125 said:

Latest Release (GitHub)

Latest Release (Spacedock)

Source

Last week, the M.O.L.E. thread got taken out by some issue at the server. Hopefully the thread will be restored soon, but until then, this is a temporary thread for the Mark One Laboratory Extensions.

Dolores Kerman flipped the ignition switch and MOLE-1 lumbered off the pad, its solid boosters struggling against the force of gravity. In time, the boosters gave way to the Titan core stage, powered by twin Fulcrum engines. A few minutes and stages later, the Mark One Laboratory Extension achieved orbit. With orbital rendezvous and docking still in R&D, MOLE-1 was part spacecraft and part space station. Once their orbital tasks were complete, Dolores and Isaxy- the scientist sitting in the Mk-1 pod's "Backseat" extension- would deorbit the combined spacecraft and ditch the station elements before re-entry.

Isaxy wasted no time after achieving orbit, and immediately deployed the SPF-8 solar panels and entered the Mark One Laboratory Extension through a hatch in the heat shield. She would be spending the next 30 days studying various experiments like space adaption and protein crystal growth. Dolores, on the other hand, would be working with MOLE-1's other module. She had a script to follow to "sort out technical issues" with the space telescope while in reality, she'd be pointing the KH-10 towards the ground and taking pictures of things that were interesting to the Kerman Air Force...

Are your Mk1 command pods gathering dust? Wish you had a space station earlier in your career? Want to fly more than one kerbal at a time? Then the Mark One Laboratory Extensions (MOLE) are for you! Give your Mk1 command pod a new lease on life by adding a back seat module to fly an additional kerbal. Then add a docking tunnel system with integrated RCS and parachute for making rendezvous and docking easier. When you're ready for the next step, try out the Mk1-88 "Brumby" 2-seat command pod. Create a simple disposable space station by adding a Mark One Laboratory Extension, power module, and SPF-8 solar panels, and launch it on the 1.875m line of Titan fuel tanks powered by the LV-T270 "Fulcrum" engine. For a longer endurance station, bring up a station hub and dock a variety of parts to it including a habitat, greenhouse, workshop, airlock, and even a space dock to build new vessels(#). You can conduct a variety of experiments that require long research times and trips to Kerbin to reap the science, and your stations can even include the KH-10 Telescope for, uh, astronomy! Yeah, that's it!

(#) Requires Extraplanetary Launchpads.

MOLE is a stand-alone parts pack with optional support for Pathfinder, Real Chute, KIS/KAS, kOS, CactEye Telescopes, Raster Prop Monitor, RPM ASET Props, Kerbal Snacks, TAC Life Support, Kerbalism, USI-LS, and more.

Inspiration

Back in the 1960s, the USAF had a military space program, and one of its projects was the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). MOL was designed as a spy satellite (KH-10 Dorian) disguised as a military research station. One of the cool things about it is that the Gemini spacecraft was already attached to the station when it launched. The Air Force flew a mockup into orbit once, but then the program was cancelled.

References

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2539/1

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1647

http://www.thelivingmoon.com/45jack_files/03files/MOL_Manned_Orbiting_Laboratory.html

http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=66

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/barianmm.htm

http://www.space.com/31470-manned-orbiting-laboratory-military-space-station.html

http://www.nro.gov/foia/declass/MOL.html

---LICENSE---
Art Assets, including .mu, .mbm, and .dds files are copyright 2014-2016 by Michael Billard, All Rights Reserved.
Source: GPLV3
Portions of this code are provided by Snjo. Thank

All your reference links go to the same Space dock address.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Yaivenov
Typo

[Angelo Kerman]

12 minutes ago, Yaivenov said:

All your reference links go to the same Space dock address.

That's fine, I'll fix it when the actual thread returns, where they're correct.

[Vaga]

Hey Angel-125 are the RCS upgrades missing in this 1.4.5 install for MOLE?

[PayadorPerseguido]

Hi

I'm setting up a space station, and i decided to bring up the mole agroponics module to cope with the food demand. But it has "mulch" instead of waste (i have TAC LS). And i cant seem to change it to waste on the "manage operations".

Any ideias? 

[Garibaldi2257]

@Angel-125 it seems like the threads are likely not coming back according to @sal_vager

 

[Angelo Kerman]

19 hours ago, Vaga said:

Hey Angel-125 are the RCS upgrades missing in this 1.4.5 install for MOLE?

Nope, RCS upgrades are working just fine for me in my career game, but you do need to make sure that upgrades are enabled for your game.

10 hours ago, PayadorPerseguido said:

Hi

I'm setting up a space station, and i decided to bring up the mole agroponics module to cope with the food demand. But it has "mulch" instead of waste (i have TAC LS). And i cant seem to change it to waste on the "manage operations".

Any ideias? 

What version of MOLE are you using?

47 minutes ago, Garibaldi2257 said:

@Angel-125 it seems like the threads are likely not coming back according to @sal_vager

 

That. Seriously. Bites. I started MOLE in December of 2014 and just lost two years of thread posts. Good going @SQUAD. I get it, it's your board to do with what you wish, but situations like this make me want to have threads on more reliable systems.

[boccelounge]

3 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

That. Seriously. Bites. I started MOLE in December of 2014 and just lost two years of thread posts. Good going @SQUAD. I get it, it's your board to do with what you wish, but situations like this make me want to have threads on more reliable systems.

For what it's worth...  thanks so much for:

- All your beautiful and well-researched mod work,

- Enduring the forum problems that led to the loss of the original M.O.L.E. thread (amongst other things),

- Taking the initiative to re-start and re-introduce this exceptional mod for us.

Seriously, I know you don't "know" me, but know that I'm just one of many that follow and deeply appreciate your work.  Again, thanks-- and please do continue!

[Vaga]

4 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Nope, RCS upgrades are working just fine for me in my career game, but you do need to make sure that upgrades are enabled for your game.

ok just checking.  I do clean install every time but I am only getting engine upgrades and I am almost done with the tech tree in my career before I noticed I have no rcs.  I can see them in the old cfg file but not the current one.

 

Ok I seem to have come across a bug.  If you select the button to buy every part on that area of the tech tree you end up with this.

If I manually upgrade I now have RCS and engine upgrades properly installed.  Something seems to be broken in the upgrade file.  As you can see in the pic is says I have nothing to upgrade but I clearly have 3 parts not upgraded.  I guess I had to pay twice for the upgrade.  Ouch!

Edited January 22, 2017 by Vaga
New Info

[Angelo Kerman]

On 1/21/2017 at 10:44 PM, Vaga said:

ok just checking.  I do clean install every time but I am only getting engine upgrades and I am almost done with the tech tree in my career before I noticed I have no rcs.  I can see them in the old cfg file but not the current one.

 

Ok I seem to have come across a bug.  If you select the button to buy every part on that area of the tech tree you end up with this.

If I manually upgrade I now have RCS and engine upgrades properly installed.  Something seems to be broken in the upgrade file.  As you can see in the pic is says I have nothing to upgrade but I clearly have 3 parts not upgraded.  I guess I had to pay twice for the upgrade.  Ouch!

Interesting. What other Wild Blue mods do you have installed?

[Vaga]

11 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Interesting. What other Wild Blue mods do you have installed?

I have MOLE, Pathfinder, and DSEV installed.  I was thinking about adding your hot air balloon into the mix however I am still trying to learn mole and pathfinder.

[PayadorPerseguido]

On 22/01/2017 at 0:39 AM, Angel-125 said:

What version of MOLE are you using?

I checked it and its 1.3.8. I see that the latest version is  1.4.5. 
If i update with simple copy/paste will it solve my issues with the agricultural module not being able to have the waste and waste water resource?

Also, i have a space station currently in orbit, and it already has mole lab on it. By updating, will i be dooming the space station? Will it vanish out to thin air?

[Angelo Kerman]

5 hours ago, Vaga said:

I have MOLE, Pathfinder, and DSEV installed.  I was thinking about adding your hot air balloon into the mix however I am still trying to learn mole and pathfinder.

 

3 hours ago, PayadorPerseguido said:

I checked it and its 1.3.8. I see that the latest version is  1.4.5. 
If i update with simple copy/paste will it solve my issues with the agricultural module not being able to have the waste and waste water resource?

Also, i have a space station currently in orbit, and it already has mole lab on it. By updating, will i be dooming the space station? Will it vanish out to thin air?

Definitely make sure you have 1.4.5 installed. Your stations won't poof. Always delete existing folders and replace with the new ones.

[PayadorPerseguido]

8 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Well this is awkard. I glitched this post somehow. Anyways, here is my reply. Should i back up the old MOLE 1.3.8 build to safeguard that the station won't poof?

Edited January 25, 2017 by PayadorPerseguido

[Angelo Kerman]

You don't need to backup the MOLE 1.3.8, it's still available on GitHub.

[PayadorPerseguido]

2 minutes ago, Angel-125 said:

You don't need to backup the MOLE 1.3.8, it's still available on GitHub.

How do i safely update MOLE? I have these mods of yours, Pathfinder, Mole and Buffalo. They seem to share the same metafolder, "WildBlueTools". Is it possible to delete just the MOLE folder and replace it with the new one?

[SpaceBadger007]

8 minutes ago, PayadorPerseguido said:

How do i safely update MOLE? I have these mods of yours, Pathfinder, Mole and Buffalo. They seem to share the same metafolder, "WildBlueTools". Is it possible to delete just the MOLE folder and replace it with the new one?

Yes, just delete what is in the wbi folder, "mole, pathfinder etc" then replace the contents with the new mole pathfinder etc

[Bombaatu]

I'm running with the whole Wild Blue suite, along with Snacks. When I chnaged the Bigby Orbital Workshop from Wet Workshop to the Skylab configuration, it had a full load of Snacks after the conversion.

Is this by design?

[Angelo Kerman]

3 minutes ago, Bombaatu said:

I'm running with the whole Wild Blue suite, along with Snacks. When I chnaged the Bigby Orbital Workshop from Wet Workshop to the Skylab configuration, it had a full load of Snacks after the conversion.

Is this by design?

I probably need to dump resources in the Wet Workshop configuration.

[DerekL1963]

@Angel-125 Just a quick note - the 'Support' link on Spacedock still points to the old (and now missing) thread.

Edited January 25, 2017 by DerekL1963

[PayadorPerseguido]

On 24/01/2017 at 11:54 PM, Angel-125 said:

I probably need to dump resources in the Wet Workshop configuration.

I updated MOLE like this

I downloaded 1.4.5 - Copied the MOLE subfolder and paste into GameData/WildBlueTools ( i did delete the original MOLE subfolder)

I did not do anything with the CommunityResourcePack folder.

Then i went to the VAB, selected the MOLE Botany Lab, and it still has mulch/fertilzer resources, without letting me change to TAC-LS. From all the MOLE assets, this is the only one that, for me, seems to be causing somewhat of an issue. 
 

Any ideas?

Thanks!!

[Angelo Kerman]

2 hours ago, PayadorPerseguido said:

I updated MOLE like this

I downloaded 1.4.5 - Copied the MOLE subfolder and paste into GameData/WildBlueTools ( i did delete the original MOLE subfolder)

I did not do anything with the CommunityResourcePack folder.

Then i went to the VAB, selected the MOLE Botany Lab, and it still has mulch/fertilzer resources, without letting me change to TAC-LS. From all the MOLE assets, this is the only one that, for me, seems to be causing somewhat of an issue. 
 

Any ideas?

Thanks!!

I'll have to look next time I get a chance. The Botany Lab does have an experiment that grows plants, but I don't remember what resources it needs.

[septemberWaves]

I think a good addition to the 1.875m infrastructure would be slanted adapter parts, similar to the slanted adapter tank in stock but for 1.875m to 1.25m and/or 2.5m diameter. I feel like such components might be useful both for making more interesting rockets and for extending the M.O.L.E. infrastructure to surface bases.

Edited January 26, 2017 by eloquentJane