[1.12.5] WhimChaser (WHIM) by Axial Aerospace - v0.5.99.1-prerelease `<On a Wing and a Prayer>` edition [29 Jan 2023]

[zer0Kerbal]

      

WhimChaser by Axial Aerospace (WHIM)

Provides a fun to fly, efficient vertical launch/glider return vessel that can handle rescue missions as well as providing a low-cost crew service vessel (CSV) for Kerbal Space Program.

By zer0Kerbal, originally by, originally by @artwhaley

adopted with express permission and brought to you by KerbSimpleCo

• This part addon features three(3) new parts
• Part:
  • WhimChaser pod
    • seats two
    • resources
    • 6-way RCS thrusters
    • engines
  • Two ServiceModules
    • with resources and integrated junior compatible docking ports
    • regular and small sizes
• Included configs:
  • Goodspeed's GPO Fuel Pump
  • OnDemandFuelCells
  • NEAR/FAR

Preamble by @artwhaley 

Inspired by Dream Chaser and Pteron, and gives a flight profile similar to Dream Chaser and the Space Shuttle, so it's something familiar and educationally valid.

This is a part for those times when you want to fly... not build. Towards that end, this single part has built in: ElectricCharge, MonoPropellant, Liquid Fuel, Oxidizer, aerodynamic control surfaces, 6-way RCS Thrusters and main Engines!

So with a part count of 1, you can throw this thing on the launchpad, hit the space bar, and leave the ground. You won't get far - as the fuel tanks only carry about 525 m/s of delta-V, but it's more than enough to blast off, turn east, and practice gliding to the water.

The idea is to launch and insert the shuttle into orbit on top of a conventional rocket then decouple and use the built-in engines and fuel for orbital maneuvering - shifting orbits, rendezvous(if you planned the launch well!) and de-orbit burn.

As a glider... the lift and drag numbers aren't great... but this is a spaceship first and a glider second. It's designed for water landing (it CAN tumble to a stop on land without killing kerbals... but I wouldn't call that a 'landing' exactly.) Because of the reasonably steep glideslope I haven't successfully landed it with wheeled gear without a lot of bounce and flip... though it might be possible? The engine also has sufficient TWR that you can operate in glider mode down to the last 250m, drop airspeed to 50m/s, and then turn the nose up and engine on and do a powered, vertical landing. It's a bit of a trick, but it can be done.

Keep in mind that this thing DOES generate lift from the body(though not OODLES of it)... so if you throw it on top of a rocket without any other aerodynamic surfaces it will be unstable. Standard winglets at the bottom of the launcher will keep the pointy end towards space. Because it's a single part... when it's by itself the COM and COL are at the same point when it doesn't have anything else attached. If you attach anything to it that shifts the COM aft, you're going to have stability problems unless you also attach winglets back there. I've had no problem throwing a small docking port on the back of the vessel, but trying to just strap an engine or fuel tanks to the back is a recipe for disaster when you're inside the atmosphere. Keep the COM at or in front of the COL and keep SAS on and it flies rather nicely... for a stubby space brick!

Here's a terrible youtube video showing the basics of flying the gizmo! I recorded it on my development machine which is set for low graphics quality to help speed up the thousand reloads required to get a mod working!

See More

• See our Parts Catalog for part pictures
• For more images, see our Marketing Slicks
• Discussions and news on this mod: See Discussions or KSP Forums
• Changelog Summary for more details of changes : See ChangeLog
• Known Issues for more details of feature requests and known issues : See Known Issues
• GitHub Pages : See Pages

---

YouTube

WhimChaser Demo by artwhaley

by Scott Manley

by Tangent Plays

Help Wanted

• From the original roadmap
  • Retractable docking port for Shuttle itself
  • IVA interior
  • Fairing for launch
  • Solar Panels on Service Modules
• Compatibility patches
• Community Tech Tree integration
• Tech Tree Balancing
• Contracts for these glorious parts
• Variant Textures
• Model updates to Unity 2019
• Marketing Images and Videos such as hero shots, animated gifs, short highlight
• Have a request? Glad to have them, kindly submit through GitHub.

---

Localization

•  English
• your translation here

HELP WANTED - See the README in the Localization folder or the Quickstart Guide for instructions for adding or improving translations. GitHub push is the best way to contribute. Additions and corrections welcome!

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Installation Directions ¹

Use CurseForge/OverWolf App (currently does not install dependencies)

Whilst I agree CKAN is a great mod for those that can't use zip tools. I take no part, nor am I interested in maintaining the CKAN mod metadata for my mods. Please don't ask me about it but refer to the CKAN mod thread if you are having issues with CKAN or the metadata it maintains. Beware, CKAN can really mess up though it tries very, very, very hard not to.

or 

Dependencies

• Kerbal Space Program  ²
• AxialAerospace Ltd (AA/L)

Suggests

Axial Aerospace mods by 'artwhaley'

• WhimChaser (WHIM)
• Dreamer (DREAM)
• Simple Cargo Solutions (CARGO)
• LanderTek (LTK)

Mods that benefit WhimChaser (WHIM)

• KaboOom! (BOOM) another way to not go to space today
• On Demand Fuel Cells (ODFC))
• Pteron (MSRV)
• Docking Port Descriptions(DPD)
• Shielded PicoPort (SPP)
• Inflatable PicoPort (IPP)
• Stack Inline Lights (SIL)
• Stack Inline Lights - Patches (SILP)

Supports

• Either ³
  • Module Manager
  • Module Manager /L
• GPO (Goo Pumps & Oils') Speed Pump (GPO)
• On Demand Fuel Cells (ODFC)
• NEAR-FAR
• RemoteTech (RT)

Tags

• parts, config, career, uncrewed

red box below is a link to forum post on how to get support

Be Kind: Lithobrake, not jakebrake! Keep your Module Manager up to date

Legal Mumbo Jumbo (License provenance)

 

Spoiler

Current (2) - zer0Kerbal

Forum: Thread - Source: GitHub
License:  

Disclaimer(s)

All bundled mods are distributed under their own licenses
All art assets (textures, models, animations, sounds) are distributed under their own licenses

see Notices.md for more legal mumbo jumbo

Original (1) - zer0Kerbal

Forum: Thread - Download: CurseForge - Source: GitHub
License:  

Original (0) - Author: @artwhaley

Forum: Thread - Download: *** malicious site we no longer use *** - Source: *** malicious site we no longer use ***
License:  

 

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DONATIONS: How to support this and other great mods by zer0Kerbal

Completely voluntary, absolutely amazing, and really does help me out a lot!  @cybutek creator of Kerbal Engineer

   

and it is true.

Connect with me

Track progress: issues here and projects here along with The Short List

 

 

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1. this isn't a mod. ;P↩︎

2. may work on other versions (YMMV)↩︎

3. Be Kind: Lithobrake, not jakebrake! Keep your Module Manager up to date!↩︎

Edited August 9, 2022 by zer0Kerbal
update links and lasso the birds

[zer0Kerbal]

 

Quote

 

Provides a fun to fly efficient vertical launch/glider return vessel that can handle rescue missions as well as providing a low-cost crew service vessel (CSV) .

Inspired by Dream Chaser and Pteron, and gives a flight profile similar to Dream Chaser and the Space Shuttle, so it's something familiar and educationally valid.

This is a part for those times when you want to fly... not build. Towards that end, this single part has built in: ElectricCharge, MonoPropellant, Liquid Fuel, Oxidizer, aerodynamic control surfaces, 6-way RCS Thrusters and main Engines!

For Kerbal Space Program.

 

 

Permission given long time ago, just was sidetracked.

.this is now in the batter's box.

Check progress here. Issues here. Discuss here. Prerelease [here][Curseforge]

New thread [here].

[James Kerman]

Congratulations on another fine release, thread moved from Add-On Development to Add-On Releases.

[zer0Kerbal]

1 hour ago, James Kerman said:

Congratulations on another fine release, thread moved from Add-On Development to Add-On Releases.

Thank you, thank you very much

and the hits keep on coming!

Spoiler

 

[zer0Kerbal]

 
 

Version 0.5.99.1-prerelease - <On a Wing and a Prayer> edition

• Released
  • 29 Jan 2023
  • for Kerbal Space Program 1.12.5
  • by zer0Kerbal

For best results - DO A CLEAN INSTALL; DELETE EXISTING INSTALLATION THEN RE-INSTALL

Download from CurseForge

Summary

Spoiler

• lots of linting and updates
• IVA
  • now uses mk2CockpitStandardInternals instead of mk1CockpitInternal (2 crew vs 1)
• Compatibility
  • Added
    • KerbNet.cfg
    • KerbalInventorySystem.cfg
    • kOS.cfg
    • RemoteTech.cfg
    • TACLS.cfg
      • 2 crew
        • 3 days for both pod and smaller service module
        • 7 days for service module
        • removes some resources from serviced modules to make space for supplies
    • Ghostparts.cfg will be haunting until full release, then shut off but still included.
  • Updated
    • OnDemandFuelCells.cfg

See More

Spoiler

• Pages for so much more (WIP)
• Parts Catalog for part pictures
• Marketing Slicks
• ChangeLog for more details of changes
• Discussions or KSP Forums for discussions and news
• Known Issues for known issues and feature requests

Localization

•  English
• your translation here

HELP WANTED - See the README in the Localization folder or the Quickstart Guide for instructions for adding or improving translations. GitHub push is the best way to contribute. Additions and corrections welcome!

red box below is a link to forum post on how to get support

Be Kind: Lithobrake, not jakebrake! Keep your Module Manager up to date

How to support this and other great mods by zer0Kerbal

   

Release Schedule

Spoiler

1. GitHub, reaching first manual installers and users of KSP-AVC. Right now.
2. CurseForge. Right now.
3. SpaceDock (and CKAN users). Soon™ (the button has been pushed)

Edited January 31, 2023 by zer0Kerbal
update links and lasso the birds

[zer0Kerbal]

testing/demo: 

 

Proves that I am not spaceplane pilot.