A Kerbal's Guide to our solar system

[Rocket Surgeon]

Why is this modeled after our solar system? Kerbal

'Earth' obviously isn't..

Learn to read.

One request would be a saturn type planet. If you can put it there.... if not! But good job so far

And you. Do you know what Saturn even looks like? Did you even look at the image?

[Satellife]

Gentlemen, seeing as there is now a high possibility for Interplanetary exploration, I suggest we start thinking about the engineering challenge this presents. In order to travel the vast distances involved with Interplanetary missions, the vehicle will need a low-thrust, high specific-impulse engine, in addition to facilities that will allow the crew necessary room to carry out their actions, while also maintaining enough storage to house the food and water and fuel.

I've put together somewhat of a conceptual model here. I call her Discovery-1.

From the top down, she starts with a command module, with a small engine stage for when the vehicle returns to Kearth (orbital descent).

Below that is a support module that houses the computers and logistics needed for astronavigation and communications.

Further down, on either ends of a truss, are the two Crew Habitation Modules. For such long-duration missions, the truss is actually designed to rotate like a centrifuge to simulate artificial gravity, like so:

The rest of the ship's mass is taken up by the engine assembly (SAS modules, Heat Radiators, Fuel tanks and a modified NERVA engine assembly.)

While it is a fairly 'bare-bones-basics' vessel in terms of design, there are other features implemented. The entire engine sub-assembly can be jettisoned in the event of a meltdown, and there is room beneath the command module for a landing module, ideal for landing on and exploring rocky planetary bodies.

My thanks go to partmakers NovaSilisko, Sunday Punch and AstroBug for the mod parts.

[DoctorEvo]

Hmm... close-in planet with swirly purple clouds, huh?

Eve should have OCEANS OF MOLTEN IODINE. That'd be FRICKIN' AWESOME.

And the Fire Star sounds like a young Mercury, with it's mantle being literally burnt off by the nearby sun. For Kearth to be habitable at the same time, though, the Fire Star will need to be VERY close to the sun.

1 - Don't you mean Charles McReginald Charles 'Chuck' Mandrake?

The third.

3 - Surprisingly, U.B.O.R. is not named after its appearance, but after their discoverer Herr Doktor Werner von Useless Bits Of Rock.

Ah yes, 'the Green Baron.'

[pauli]

i like it; similar to many of my thoughts on the kerbal system. one thing i'd like to see, though, is a proper binary planet system. also, more planets with crazy inclined orbits and axes!

i really hope the solar system ends up being modable.

[Drakomis]

This should be canon.

[Paul Drye]

Eve should have OCEANS OF MOLTEN IODINE. That'd be FRICKIN' AWESOME.

That way when the Kerbals crash and have ouchies, they just have to step outside for antiseptic.

Actually, as a halogen an iodine atmosphere would probably be ridiculously reactive -- both on its own and as hydrogen iodide, which is highly acidic. Anyone wonder what the Kerbal skeletal system looks like?

[sirscott]

That way when the Kerbals crash and have ouchies, they just have to step outside for antiseptic.

Actually, as a halogen an iodine atmosphere would probably be ridiculously reactive -- both on its own and as hydrogen iodide, which is highly acidic. Anyone wonder what the Kerbal skeletal system looks like?

My guess is that they dont have one. Seriously , its the only way jeb survives most of his missions.

[DoctorEvo]

That way when the Kerbals crash and have ouchies, they just have to step outside for antiseptic.

Actually, as a halogen an iodine atmosphere would probably be ridiculously reactive -- both on its own and as hydrogen iodide, which is highly acidic.

No, no iodides.

We get around that by giving the planet an atmosphere composed mostly of nitrogen, with significant quantities of chlorine, oxygen, fluorine and various fluorides. The planet is highly-valued for its rich (but toxic) environment of free oxidizing agents. Also, its rare mountains (the planet is nearly entirely oceanic) are rich with nitrogen triiodide, a useful pyrotechnic agent for stage decouplers.

[Paul Drye]

nitrogen triiodide

JEB: 'Hang on a second Mission Control, I have to sneeze.'

MISSION CONTROL: 'No! Jeb! Don't!'

JEB: 'AAAAAHHCH--'^%$##&****TRANSMISSION LOST

[Winston]

I hope this isn't used. Not that it isn't good, I'd just rather discover through studying the sky with observatories and orbiting telescopes

[NovaSilisko]

I hope this isn't how it will be. Not that it isn't good, I'd just rather discover through studying the sky with observatories and orbiting telescopes

That's what's planned. You'll be able to see some planets just by looking up, but others will need telescopes to be discovered. HarvesteR has also stated you may be able to name the ones you discover with telescope.

[jgjiscool]

This is ingenius. How much can I purchase a poster form of this for?

By the way, I assume these planets don't exist in the game yet?

[DoctorEvo]

By the way, I assume these planets don't exist in the game yet?

*Throws a mischievous glance at the nearest addon developer*

[NovaSilisko]

*Throws a mischievous glance at the nearest addon developer*

Or harv.

[jgjiscool]

*Throws a mischievous glance at the nearest addon developer*

Don't tell me you plan to make them an addon and launch them into space to their correct completely incorrect orbits?

[DoctorEvo]

Or harv.

Well, yes, it'd be best if he did it, but he's a very busy man... =P

Don't tell me you plan to make them an addon and launch them into space to their correct completely incorrect orbits?

Maaaaayyyyybeeeee....

*lightbulb*

What if... what if someone made a 'KSP' mod for Orbiter, which featured this system? I know Orbiter supports custom star systems...

; === Configuration file for planet Kearth ===
Name = Kearth
Module = Earth
Module_Atm = EarthAtmJ71G   ; default atmosphere model if no user selection
ErrorLimit = 1e-8
SamplingInterval = 79     ; interpolation sampling interval [s]
                ; (interpolation error ~0.1m)
; === Physical Parameters ===
Mass = 5.29e22
;Size = 6.00e5       ; equatorial radius
Size = 6.00e5       ; mean radius
JCoeff = 1082.6269e-6 -2.51e-6 -1.60e-6 -0.15e-6
                ; harmonic coefficients for shape description
AlbedoRGB = 0.7 0.85 1.0

; === Rotation and precession parameters ===
; ref: see [url]www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=8185[/url]
PrecessionLAN = 0       ; [rad]
PrecessionObliquity = 0    ; [rad]
PrecessionPeriod = -9413040.4 ; precession period (days) = 25771.5 years
LAN = 0            ; [rad]
LAN_MJD = 51544.5       ; [MJD]
SidRotOffset = 0.200   ; [rad]
SidRotPeriod = 8640000   ; [s]
Obliquity = 0.100    ; [rad]

; === Atmospheric Parameters ===
;AtmPressure0 = 101.4e3     ; pressure at zero altitude [Pa] (defined via module)
AtmDensity0 = 1.293      ; density at zero altitude [kg/m^3]
AtmGasConstant = 286.91    ; specific gas constant [J/(K kg)]
AtmGamma = 1.4         ; specific heat ratio c_p/c_v
;AtmAltLimit = 345e2      ; cutoff altitude [m]
AtmAttenuationAlt = 10e3;   ; cutoff altitude for light attenuation
AtmHorizonAlt = 10e3      ; horizon rendering altitude [m]
AtmHazeExtent = 0.14      ; horizon haze extent
AtmColor0 = 0.55 0.75 1.04
AtmHazeColor = 0.6 0.8 1.0
AtmFogParam = 5e-5 3e-5 4e3
AtmFogColor = 0.55 0.85 1.10

; === Cloud parameters ===
CloudAlt = 7e3         ; altitude of cloud layer
CloudRotPeriod = 1e6
CloudShadowDepth = 0.3
CloudMicrotextureAlt = 35e3 300e3

; === Visualisation Parameters ===
MaxPatchResolution = 14    ; surface texture resolution limit (1-12)
MinCloudResolution = 1     ; cloud layer from this resolution
MaxCloudResolution = 8     ; highest cloud resolution level
SpecularRipple = TRUE     ; enable specular water microtexture

; === Surface Bases ===
; place additional bases or
; base directories in this list
BEGIN_SURFBASE
DIR Kearth\Base
END_SURFBASE

; === Fixed surface observation points ===
BEGIN_OBSERVER
KSC:VAB: -80.6529 +28.5800 20
KSC:Pad: -80.6226 +28.6179 5
KSC:Pad Tower: -80.62342 +28.61968 110
KSC:Fuel Depot: -80.69935 +28.61021 2.8
END_OBSERVER

; === VOR transmitters ===
BEGIN_NAVBEACON
VOR KSC +21.2482 +48.6831 108.20 270 ; KERCEN
END_NAVBEACON

_{*Disclaimer: Sample .cfg file for illustrative purposes only. Not for actual usage.*}

[Foamy]

This is a great concept and it's well thought out and presented. That said though i think a simple system generation system is the way to go. So when you started the campaign you would set some basic specs for the star system and it would generate one randomly with those constraints.

You could have an option to set a specific seed and i think the default setting would be a non random system so challenges would be easier. Now when i say a non random system i mean one designed to feel like the one presented here but which would fit in seamlessly with the randomly generated ones.

I really can't see this game in a later stage being played solely on hand crafted star systems. In-fact i would go so far as to say that i refuse to believe that this game will not have the option to play on randomly generated systems by the time serious exploitation of all they have to offer is possible.

[NovaSilisko]

I could easily make this system in Celestia real quick...

I think for now, there should be just one system, handcrafted. In the future, definitely have randomly generated ones, once the player is familiar with the mechanics. The system here would be a sort of 'training ground' for people to get their bearings in before going out into a brand new world.

[Foamy]

Exactly. Actually thinking about it from the training (and earlier development stage) point of view a few additions come to mind.

One would be having a moon for Egar for more close to home places to land. (since bases on highly hostile worlds will be complicated and are a long way off.

Or perhaps a large asteroid that shares Kerbin's orbit.

A commit or two would also be a nice challenge for more advanced players.

[NovaSilisko]

Exactly. Actually thinking about it from the training (and earlier development stage) point of view a few additions come to mind.

One would be having a moon for Egar for more close to home places to land. (since bases on highly hostile worlds will be complicated and are a long way off.

Or perhaps a large asteroid that shares Kerbin's orbit.

A commit or two would also be a nice challenge for more advanced players.

The moons of Eve offer a great landing spot, they're rocky and are in comparable orbits to the Mun. Plus, beautiful Eve fills the sky!

[Satellife]

The moons of Eve offer a great landing spot, they're rocky and are in comparable orbits to the Mun. Plus, beautiful Eve fills the sky!

These moons aren't habitable...are they? :-\

'We're not at KSP anymore...

...You're on Pandora.'

[rdfox]

No more so than the Mun or Egar. You could, however, build a permanent base there with about the same amount of difficulty (in design, anyway) as a space station. (Many real-life lunar base proposals actually suggest using modules derived from ISS modules for the early phases of construction.)

[DoctorEvo]

No more so than the Mun or Egar. You could, however, build a permanent base there with about the same amount of difficulty (in design, anyway) as a space station. (Many real-life lunar base proposals actually suggest using modules derived from ISS modules for the early phases of construction.)

ISRM isn't much of an option with a space station; you can't simply scoop several tons of regolith to use as filler/radiation shielding in LEO like you can with your Moon base.

With the right equipment, ISRM could potentially allow MUCH larger and more permanent bases at less ultimate cost.

[Foamy]

The moons of Eve offer a great landing spot, they're rocky and are in comparable orbits to the Mun. Plus, beautiful Eve fills the sky!

Not disagreeing here but i think it'd be pretty cool to have one around a planet that you could build a base on. So then you could use the moon as a base in between. for storage and more efficient ships.

[jgjiscool]

Make it a true simulator of a 'Mun' mission? That would be cool, but I don't think that's what the Devs have in mind. There was another thread talking about 'Lifelike oxygen' and other stuff that would make it a better simulator, but I think I like the relaxed atmosphere of not having to worry about oxygen as well.