SiliconPyro Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 (edited) Well, my latest missions have fallen a bit short. After successfully landing an unmanned craft on the Mun, I built a mighty rocket for Jeb. Things didn't turn out so well. The thing tore itself apart at launch and the lander became an escape vehicle. I'm not sure what went wrong, but now I don't even get to launch and it explodes on the pad. I'll upload a craft file tonight. For now, here's the best outcome I could hope for. Edited September 27, 2012 by norcalairman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doggie015 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I was able to get 3 kerbals to the mun with a rather differant lander. Plus if you fly it right you can even get it to minmus! I'll upload the craft in the morning (UTC+8 time!) after I remove MechJeb from the design for the foolish few that do not have it installed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tauge Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 If you post the .craft file and a screenshot of your ship (pre-launch) we might be able to give more help. Right now we can just guess. It's possible you have too much thrust (Blasphemy...I know) or too little trust, or you have too many struts...or not enough struts, or your ship isn't symmetrical. It could be that your launch stage is just too big. From what I can see, your lander stage doesn't look bad...if a little more than needed (I have one very similar). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 The most disappointing part is I know it would have put me into orbit with plenty of fuel and I love this lander design. It's almost exactly like the unmanned version I set down on the Mun and it came down so easy. Probably my smoothest landing ever. There's just some problem with the launch stage that's killing me . . . or the Kerbanauts rather. I'm using three large tanks on top of a large engine with 6x2 large tanks radially mounted on large engines and 2x large SRBs on each of those. Wish I had more time last night, I could have gotten it going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 If you post the .craft file and a screenshot of your ship (pre-launch) we might be able to give more help. Right now we can just guess. It's possible you have too much thrust (Blasphemy...I know) or too little trust, or you have too many struts...or not enough struts, or your ship isn't symmetrical. It could be that your launch stage is just too big. From what I can see, your lander stage doesn't look bad...if a little more than needed (I have one very similar).You don't understand. It's exploding on the pad now. I don't even get to hit the launch button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobsama Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 You don't understand. It's exploding on the pad now. I don't even get to hit the launch button.What parts are failing? I had a rocket recently that, on the pad, 1 engine would often detach and thus unbalance the rocket. And other rockets that, mid-way through launch, there'd be a failure... between gas tanks. Another unintentional asymmetrical moment, of course. Deleting and replacing the engines seems to work, however. As does launching on 1/3 throttle and then opening it wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridgecake Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Is it clipping the launch tower? I find when i'm building the rocket sometimes I move it about in the VAB and it can clip the tower and explode when I put it on the pad.If not add more boosters struts to help stability and make sure the parts which touch the floor are all at the same level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dweller_Benthos Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 You don't understand. It's exploding on the pad now. I don't even get to hit the launch button.Are you using those launch tower gantry things? Forget the actual name. Ever since I started using those, I've not had any launch pad explosions. Right after launch, that's another story. I put them in a stage just above the first engine stage, put the throttle at 75% and let it sit for a second, then release the gantries and then throttle up to 100% once it clears the tower. Plus, it could just be a weird physics things, rebuilding the craft again by just replacing all the parts might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tauge Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Try what Dweller suggested, those are great, I don't know if I have any rockets that don't use them. If that doesn't work, post a screenshot of the rocket and we'll try to help. Like I said, without being able to see it, we're just guessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khrissetti Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Sounds like you might have too much weight sitting on your main engine, try lowering the SRBs to carry the majority of the weight or use the launch gantries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 I really need to get some screenshots. I'll take some as soon as I get home if I can do it before the craft explodes. I'm thinking I might just have to rebuild the whole damn thing. I'll update in a few hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tauge Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 VAB shots are fine. Just something so that we can see what's going on and try and diagnose. A .craft file would be good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 It's exploding in the VAB now!!j/kI'll get some more info on here this afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draeath Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Do you have this? Might be you're hitting (or "spawning" intersecting with) the tower?When you install it, keep whichever version of the plugin DLL has a newer modification date. In my case the pad obliterator was newer than mechjeb, so I use that one. Mechjeb's working fine with it.There's also some components in the VAB that are little "clamp arms" - you can use those to support the rocket pre-fire. Put them in your launch stage and they will release when the engine comes on. So long as your initial engine thrust can hold up the rocket (so it doesn't slam back down) this will help out a lot.When I get home I'll try to remember to grab a screenshot of my own launch setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doggie015 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Yeah; that sounds like structual failure... Launch stability enhansers and stuts usually fix that. Be careful about what I call the "Arrow" effect during ascent (If you have 3 or more stages your rocket can sometimes end up flexing like an arrow in flight.).Here is a .craft file which can demonstrate this (Be advised it does make use of MechJeb Radial edition, but if you don't have MechJeb, get it, you will NOT regret it!) http://jumpshare.com/b/h7ri1W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Got it. Launch support was putting torsion on the SRBs. Moved them and I'm good. Pics to come. Too busy playing with my new joystick right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Oh, I have MechJeb and love it. Saves my butt when my framerate drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiliconPyro Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 I still had some serious stability problems during ascent. I'm ironing them out as I still get some serious wobbles just before dropping my second booster stage. Managed to get her into orbit though with almost a full tank on the main stage (I'm around 200km up). I should have plenty left to make it to the Mun and back. There will be some serious re-thinking though if I'm going to make it to Duna.That'll do, Jeb. That'll do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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