Odd RUD at 2,500m

[HalcyonSon]

I'm curious if anyone has seen a rocket repeatedly explode at 2,500 m as if it had hit a brick wall.  The camera kept tracking as if the rocket were flying properly, but I ccould switch between a hundred different parts moving a hundred different directions.  I tried adjusting the usual trouble spots: throttle position, angle of attack, control placement, fairings, overlapping parts, staging, and engine exhaust path.  Tried advancing time and launching other rockets.  Other rockets had zero problems, but this one specific probe was destroyed at roughly 2,500 m every time I launched it, regardless of the specific flight path and speed.  I rebuilt the thing using the exact same parts and techniques but a different name, and had no issues with the launch.

[Geonovast]

Do you have the original craft file?

[Cpt Kerbalkrunch]

I've had that happen a few times. I'm betting you were working on that rocket for a while, moving things around, adding and removing parts, and changing symmetries and whatnot (which kinda sounds like every rocket I've ever built). Somehow, errors get introduced into the ship and it's basically a timebomb. I haven't found a way to salvage one besides doing what you did and starting over from scratch.

@HalcyonSon, I take back the part about starting over from scratch. The ship below is an asteroid-catching design I've used many times, with many different variations. This particular ship was supposed to complete a bunch of contracts (bring a Class D asteroid to Laythe, space station around Laythe, pick up a stranded Kerbal, and a couple others). I decided to swap out my usual Mk1-2 for the Mk2 Lander Can. No real reason; just hadn't used one in forever. The result was that I could not launch the ship with Kerbals on board. Very strange. I found a workaround, and the results are in the video below if you care to see it. I made it for Bewing the Bugsmasher. He checked the craft file and said it had so many errors it was pretty much impossible to figure out how it happened. Strangely, I removed the Mk2, and added an Mk1 Command Module and Lander Can and it worked just fine. I had no explanation, and just chalked it up to "one of those things".

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by Cpt Kerbalkrunch

[Snark]

22 hours ago, HalcyonSon said:

I'm curious if anyone has seen a rocket repeatedly explode at 2,500 m as if it had hit a brick wall.

A couple of things:

• Are you running any mods?  I've had some experiences with some mods that caused unusual glitches where they think I've collided with some KSC building even though I'm a couple kilometers away.
• What does the F3 dialog say?  If you hit F3 after one of your disasters, it will tell you exactly what happened, as far as the game is concerned-- e.g. messages like "Part A collided into Part B", or "Part A overheated and exploded", or whatever.  (By itself, that information won't necessarily tell us why or how it happened, of course... but at least knowing what happened could be a useful clue.  It's like recovering the "black box" after an airline crash.)

[HalcyonSon]

On 2/5/2018 at 9:53 AM, Cpt Kerbalkrunch said:

I've had that happen a few times. I'm betting you were working on that rocket for a while, moving things around, adding and removing parts, and changing symmetries and whatnot (which kinda sounds like every rocket I've ever built). Somehow, errors get introduced into the ship and it's basically a timebomb. I haven't found a way to salvage one besides doing what you did and starting over from scratch.

I think this is the answer.  I had duplicated a MUCH larger Mun Base that included this particular probe, then deleted everything but the probe and built a new booster under it.  I went back to the Mun Base file and deleted the Probe so that the Probe could go ahead of the Base and scope out a landing site.  Oddly enough though, the Mun Base launched just fine.  I am currently trying to land this large unwieldy thing without vectoring engines and it SUCKS!

I'm only running KER, Bon Voyage, Kerbal Alarm Clock, and the Navball Docking Point Alignment Indicator.  Nothing major.

I don't have the original craft file anymore - I deleted it as soon as I was done rebuilding.  The probe wasn't all that complex really - just a couple science experiments, scanners, solar panels, fuel tanks, antenna and motor.  Basic stock components with some VAB tool shuffling to make them look pretty.  

Edited February 6, 2018 by HalcyonSon

[Vanamonde]

Sounds like a bug. And so, moved to tech support.