KSRSS 2.5x Kerbalism Kareer

[Death Engineering]

First launch from Wallops Island

Welcome to what is probably going to be my last major career attempt in KSP before KSP2 drops. However, this is not even technically the Kerbin system, since I've decided to run this career in the KSRSS 2.5x planetary system.

The last time I attempted a serious career playthrough, it got up to Year 24 and there were missions to and from all over the place. I've tried to make the mod list and settings so that there will be some challenge, but not overly realistic and not impossibly grindy (but definitely some grind).

Mods (not inc. dependencies):

• KSRSS
  • With Sigma Dimensions for the 2.5x scale
• Kerbalism
• Strategia
• Probes Before Crew
• Station Science Redux
• KSC Switcher
  • Not using this for harvesting all the science I can by going to every location, however have opened up options to launch from Wallops and from Vandenburg for satellites/probes/early sounding rockets
• Hidden Tech Tree Nodes
  • Also enabled 'Hide Unresearchable' 
• Kerbal Alarm Clock
• Trajectories
• Waypoint Manager
• Scatterer
• Restock / Restock +
• Persistent Rotation

Game Settings

• "Hard" setting for rewards/penalties
  • This is turning out to be a real pain in the early game!
• Part Pressure Limit ON
• Kerbal G Limits ON
• Part G Limits ON
• Comm Net ON
• Require Signal for Control ON
• Plasma blackout ON

So far, we just completed our first Moon flyby with the above rocket. The same design was used to perform some Earth orbital science and to bring back the first Goo samples from space.

Having just upgraded the Launch Pad to support some of the heavier parts and Mission Control to get a higher max. contracts and finally the Tracking Station for the Flight Planning.. there are only 237kleft! We have an equatorial satellite contract and another Moon space science contract, so should be able to pull out of this funding dive with those. 

Upgrading the VAB to get over 30 parts is a whopping 450k , so going to have to be efficient with these next few launches. Won't attempt to get a crew in orbit for at least a few launches, as PBC moves the pods quite a ways into the tech tree, and I can't even see them yet. 

Next: 

• Satellite contracts and a Moon probe landing!

Two-stage Sounding rocket launching from Florida's Cape Canaveral. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Death Engineering

[Death Engineering]

Hybrid Solid/Liquid 3-Stage Moon Flyby Probe

Had to fly various builds of the same two-stage sounding rockets from Wallops and Kennedy before had enough science to build this 30-part Moon flyby probe. Still learning the fundamentals of Kerbalism, so not every flight got the most of each launch, but learning this mod is turning out to be very rewarding. I had no idea the depth of being able to configure science parts into the probe-core! Here I was carrying the temperature science part around when I could have instead just plugged one onto the probe with the Kerbalism menu in the part setup.  Not quite a new game, but definitely more complete feeling with Kerbalism. 

Orbital Sample Return Probe

Using the same hybrid SRB first stage, LFS second stage this sample return probe brought Earth and Moon space science back. With only 30 parts, couldn't afford a heat shield, so stuck with the engine bell and had no problems. Upgraded the design for Moon flyby speeds to avoid damage. Was a little put-out that I couldn't get the Science Jr. back from space without it exploding. This is likely by design and presumably needs either a contained re-entry capsule or more likely is intended to force having crew to remove the sample and pack it into a storage slot on the command pod.

Orbital Sample Return Probe

Moon surface return probe

Had a contract from Strategia to land on three different Moon biomes so did one simple landing with just a few science parts before earning enough parts to build this Moon sample return probe. Landed (I think..) five of these on the Moon to satisfy the Strategia contract and a few others we picked up which earned enough science to finally start flying crew!  Was I'd say about 25 launches to get to this point, including the sounding rockets and ones that had problems...

Several LV-T45 Ignition Failures 

Kerbalism's failure model forces the launches to light liquid engines first, throttle up, then light the SRB's and stage the launch clamps. Add's a nice dimension to the missions, but I can see the crew probes in the next R&D node and there aren't any escape towers in there.. little nervous about that.

Crew into Space!

Several crew missions were flown in historic-style progression with sub-orbital, then Earth Orbital then Moon flyby missions. We'll soon be able to unlock the docking port and maneuvering thrusters, but those are on separate nodes and that likely means doing some aircraft science to take a look around the place.  There is a rescue contract up to "Save Buzz Kerman, so I've obviously accepted that!

 

 

[Death Engineering]

Earth Orbital Crew Launch

Now that crew pods are unlocked, several minor variants of this launcher put crew into orbit. Note the sustainer central core... that is a stack of fuel tanks!  The Moon orbital variant swapped out the SRB's for two LFO boosters.. all comprised of those silly little pog-shaped fuel tanks!    Part-count monsters required me to upgrade the VAB as well as by the time we started designing a crew Moon lander, the mass was exceeding 140t.

First rendezvous / docking / Crew Rescue / First Space Station...?  Really?

Had a fairly effective mission/pair of launches with an uncrewed launch perform our first rendezvous with Buzz Kerman (who turned out to be a scientist... checks out). While Buzz relaxed in comfort, Bill went up to dock with Buzz to earn some interesting distinctions, including 'First station around Earth'. Hmm.. I think a two-crew station leaves much to be desired as an actual 'station'!  Oh well, I'll take the .

Just some of the funds from these two launches - also rescued Buzz!

Buzz EVA's to his awaiting taxi home... after doing a quick docking, that is

[Death Engineering]

Moon Orbital Science

Spent some time orbiting the Moon with Bob and Bill getting as much science as they could inside of a few orbits. The unpressurized Mk. 1 pod doesn't give the crew any room to stretch their legs, so by the time they're on the return-leg they start "hearing voices" and "losing concentration".  Welcome to my world.

Earth Station I

Used the same version of this unnecessarily part-heavy booster to get first an Earth space station and then a Moon station into place to complete 's-only contracts. The Moon version needed a kicker-stage to get out there and had to burn some of its onboard reserves to finalize the orbit.

Moon Station I

This station looks bigger than it is; that Jr. docking port gives some perspective, but still this is a 5-crew station with supplies on board for only 15 days for maximum crew. Luckily, we're a loooong ways off from multi-crew pods so there isn't much point in having more than one crew out there.

Simple Science Plane

Took this 30-part plane all around FL, VA and CA looking for science, but keeping uplink to KSC to transmit the data becomes a problem. Also, powering the Goo and Materials Bay is problematic. All it needs is a few solar panels or a fuel cell, but 30 parts..!

Moon Rescue and Crewed Moon Station..maybe

Our rescue contract is stuck around the Moon, and our Moon station contract requires a Pilot.. so hopefully the rescued kerb will be a pilot, or we'll be flying another crew out the the Moon at our expense. We still don't have launch escape systems or any real redundancy in our propulsion, short of a pittance of RCS ▲V, so crew-safety is marginal. 

Next time.. is Nenard a Pilot?  Will their be enough ▲V to rendezvous with the station if he is?