Caveman jumping in the deep end: starting with Nanocrystaline Diamond

[Jacke]

So I finally started a Caveman career.  As I've had a lot of experience with tedious long campaigns from Better Than Starting Manned, I decided to go right to Nanocrystaline Diamond.  The next tier, Diamond, has twice as much Science and I think will play very differently from NCD.  Sure, it'll take a while.  I've got a lot to learn about recent stock KSP and I won't mind it taking a while.

Had a false start on February 7, followed by a better start on February 8.  Been learning a lot about how KSP works when you can't upgrade your facilities and all the rewards are 10% of standard.

Been putting what I've learned about stock KSP science into upgrading my KSP Science Checklists.  Get 'em from here.

Took the last week or so to get all my image albums of missions done so far in reasonable shape to show off.  Take a gander below.

Edited February 26, 2019 by Jacke

[Jacke]

First up, the start and the initial 6 missions.   A lot of wandering around KSC getting science, along with a couple of Kerbin Altitude flights to low and high levels.

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Start and Missions 1 to 3: Science and 1st Kerbin Altitude flight

Jebediah goes for a long walk and a swim.

Spoiler

 

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Missions 4 to 6: More Science and 2nd Kerbin Altitude flight

Rollin', rollin', rollin', keep that science rollin'....

Spoiler

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Jacke

[Jacke]

Next up, early Kerbin Suborbital and Orbital Missions.

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Mission 7: Kerbin Suborbital

Bob gets high on just a Hammer.

Spoiler

 

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Mission 8: Kerbin Orbital

Bob gets even higher the Kerbal way: moar boosters!

Spoiler

 

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Mission 9: Kerbin Suborbital Tourist

Jebediah's Dog-and-Pony-Show-with-Reentry

Spoiler

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Jacke

[Jacke]

The next mission was tailored from a blast from the past.

I had a contract offered to survey a sector near the Island Airfield under 16,700m.  And that reminded me of an old BTSM mission years ago to the Island Airfield.  So I took what I knew of that and make my Caveman mission both get the survey and Island Airfield science.

Album for my 2015 Better Than Starting Manned military mission to strike a target on the Island Airfield.

Just before impact.

Spoiler

 

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Mission 10: Kerbin Altitude to the Island Airfield

Jeb is lined up right and gliding over the Island Airfield.

Spoiler

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Jacke

[Jacke]

And the latest mission I've flown, a Caveman Mun Flyby.

Album for my Caveman LCD Career Mission 11: Mun Flyby

Jeb needs to work on maneuver efficiency, coming home with 39m/s left....

Spoiler

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by Jacke

[IncongruousGoat]

I'm a bit late on this (sorry), but if you've got a service bay, you don't need a heat shield. The service bay's heat tolerance is so high you can use it as a heat sink type heat shield. It's also just plain lighter than a full heat shield, and the same weight as an empty heat shield.

[Jacke]

On 3/19/2019 at 10:47 AM, IncongruousGoat said:

I'm a bit late on this (sorry), but if you've got a service bay, you don't need a heat shield. The service bay's heat tolerance is so high you can use it as a heat sink type heat shield. It's also just plain lighter than a full heat shield, and the same weight as an empty heat shield.

Hey, thanks!

Does that include reentry from Mun/Minmus/Interplanetary returns?

And I know it's not Deadly Reentry, but somehow going without a heat shield seems just wrong.  Now I have access to the larger tanks, I'm more mass-limited than part-limited, so I can tolerate a heatshield.

Got a bit distracted trying to sort out weird KSP/mod bugs in another more complex install.  Will likely do another Caveman mission this coming week or so.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Jacke

[IncongruousGoat]

1 hour ago, Jacke said:

Does that include reentry from Mun/Minmus/Interplanetary returns?

And I know it's not Deadly Reentry, but somehow going without a heat shield seems just wrong.  Now I have access to the larger tanks, I'm more mass-limited than part-limited, so I can tolerate a heatshield.

I can confirm it works out to Minmus/low escape, and it will probably work for direct return from Duna/Eve. I'm not so sure about further destinations; further investigation is required.

As for the mass limited thing, that 0.2 tons of heatshield is 0.2 tons of fuel you're not burning, and if you're not doing something that feels wrong, you're not doing the challenge correctly.