What did you do in KSP2 today?

[Lyneira]

Been working on a minimum-mass ssto spaceplane for a single kerbal since the release of patch one, lots aerodynamic stability issues and launch failures. It's meant to use the small "Whittle" jet engine to get up to about 10-11 KM and then to orbit on two "Spark" engines. I've had many attempts with different wing configurations and fuel amount, adding a pair of "Ant" engines to try and squeeze out just a bit more ISP during the last slow burn to orbit. Yesterday evening I finally managed to get one into orbit with a little over 300 m/s delta-v remaining!

I don't have the exact specifications on hand right now, but it masses about 3.74 tons on takeoff. It's hard to overstate how much I appreciate the new procedural wings now, enabling small craft like this to have fully featured sets of control surfaces without adding a silly amount of mass.

I am still looking to refine this design more, as well as tips on the best possible ascent profile, as it takes a bit to climb this craft to 11 km. I can post the craft in the spacecraft exchange with full specs if there's interest.

Would this idea be worthwhile making into a challenge? The key points would be something like:

• Take one kerbal into LKO.
• Should have x amount of delta-v remaining in orbit.
• Return the craft and kerbal safely to Kerbin.
• Minimum possible mass.
• No staging or docking to perform its task.
• For the spaceplane category: Takes off horizontally from the runway, lands horizontally on the runway.
  • For the freeform category: Launch from anywhere on Kerbin, can control its descent to return to its launch location from orbit. The deorbit burn should not require so much precision that it takes many save/load attempts to get it right.
  • Above categories for both stock and modded.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Lyneira
Clarify challenge key points

[Socraticat]

7 hours ago, Lyneira said:

Been working on a minimum-mass ssto spaceplane for a single kerbal since the release of patch one, lots aerodynamic stability issues and launch failures. It's meant to use the small "Whittle" jet engine to get up to about 10-11 KM and then to orbit on two "Spark" engines. I've had many attempts with different wing configurations and fuel amount, adding a pair of "Ant" engines to try and squeeze out just a bit more ISP during the last slow burn to orbit. Yesterday evening I finally managed to get one into orbit with a little over 300 m/s delta-v remaining!

I don't have the exact specifications on hand right now, but it masses about 3.74 tons on takeoff. It's hard to overstate how much I appreciate the new procedural wings now, enabling small craft like this to have fully featured sets of control surfaces without adding a silly amount of mass.

I am still looking to refine this design more, as well as tips on the best possible ascent profile, as it takes a bit to climb this craft to 11 km. I can post the craft in the spacecraft exchange with full specs if there's interest.

Would this idea be worthwhile making into a challenge? The key points would be something like:

• Take one kerbal into LKO.
• Should have x amount of delta-v remaining in orbit.
• Return the craft and kerbal safely to Kerbin.
• Minimum possible mass.
• No staging or docking to perform its task.
• For the spaceplane category: Takes off horizontally from the runway, lands horizontally on the runway.
  • For the freeform category: Launch from anywhere on Kerbin, can control its descent to return to its launch location from orbit. The deorbit burn should not require so much precision that it takes many save/load attempts to get it right.
  • Above categories for both stock and modded.

That's my jam!!!

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

I got some really good critiques and advice about my prior attempt at a Gravity Turn from Streetwind - among others.  Using his craft file and flight profile - I got an efficient Gravity Turn, with a single input on the D key.

Fun!

 

[Scarecrow71]

Today I decided to try going through one of the challenges I created for KSP1 - the Historical Space Race.  I've started a mission report for this, the link to which I'll give below.  Starting from scratch, I recreated (the best I could) the R7 Semyorka ICBM flight test.  I ran into a bug (falling through the water to the core of Kerbin) and the Kraken (ship vaporizing for no reason other than the Kraken seemed hungry today).  But I got the first flight out of the way.

 

[Socraticat]

I have to send a shoutout to @BeakyBuzz for posting the fastest under the bridge today!

770m/s!

I posted my best of 660m/s as well and made a cool video. Beaky has one too. You can find it in the challenge thread here:

Spoiler

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Socraticat

[BeakyBuzz]

My last 2 days was about the "Fastest under the bridge".

Big thanks to @Socraticat  - he made it very challenging every time!

And as a closure for today, yet no one asked - but here is my video or the (current) record for the "Fastest under the bridge" : 

 

 

[Scarecrow71]

As part of my recreating the historical space race in KSP2, I put Sputnik I into orbit.

 

[Socraticat]

I made a thing! Two completely custom, hot off the press, don't ya wanna have 'em, Challenge Coins! Come join the "OneOscar" Fan Club and earn this wicked cool flair!

Club Link can be found in KSP2 Challenges or here, in this spoiler:

Spoiler

 

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Socraticat
Added Second Coin; Added third coin. One to go.

[Tapeta]

Yesterday I finished Weekly Challenge 4# (Jeb Level) and today I played again with planes.

 

I used simple plane from Mk1 fuselage parts driven by one "Panther" engine running in dry mode.

I compared different nosecone configurations and I compared maximum speed reached in altitude of 3000m.

 

My results were:

Mk3A Nose Cone ...................................................................................... 676 m/s

Mk3A Nose Cone + SF-125 (structural fuselage) ........................ 704 m/s

Mk3A Nose Cone + AE-FF125 (fairing) ........................................... 703 m/s

TNC-01 ("XS" nose cone) + NSC 200 (small to tiny adapter) ... 702 m/s

Tail Connector A ........................................................................................ 358 m/s

AE-FF125 (fairing - pointy) ................................................................... 637 m/s

AE-FF125 (fairing) ................................................................................... 635 m/s

Mk3A Nose Cone + CBS-125 (cargo bay - short) ........................ 315 m/s

Mk3A Nose Cone + CBL-125 (cargo bay - long) .......................... 697 m/s

 

Spoiler

Mk3A Nose Cone:

 

Mk3A Nose Cone + SF-125 (structural fuselage):

 

Mk3A Nose Cone + AE-FF125 (fairing):

 

TNC-01 ("XS" nose cone) + NSC 200 (small to tiny adapter):

 

Tail Connector A :

 

AE-FF125 (fairing - pointy):

 

AE-FF125 (fairing):

 

Mk3A Nose Cone + CBS-125 (cargo bay - short):

 

Mk3A Nose Cone + CBL-125 (cargo bay - long):

 

Conclusion:

Fairing by itself is good,  Mk3A Nose Cone is better and longer nose build with combination of Mk3A Nose Cone + fuselage or fairing is best.

Another very good choice is aerodynamically looking TNC-01 ("XS" nose cone) + NSC 200 (small to tiny adapter).

From comparison of {Mk3A Nose Cone + CBS-125 (cargo bay - short)} vs {Mk3A Nose Cone + CBL-125 (cargo bay - long)} it seems that KSP2 thinks that longer things are more aerodynamic than short things - {cargo bay - short} caused much more drag than {cargo bay - long} . So that mean that you want to use long versions of cargo bays whenever possible.

[The Aziz]

I made my way to Moho. Didn't land but made it (but only just) to extremely eccentric orbit.

Some may remember when I said some unkind words about making it so boring

I fully take that back upon seeing the planet up close, because gods this is pretty. Unlike anything I've ever seen.

[Joker58th]

Finished my Apollo 7 weekly challenge.  I really enjoyed making this one.  Some of the shots are inspired from historical photos.

Full album here!

 

[Casellina X]

On 3/22/2023 at 12:10 PM, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

I got some really good critiques and advice about my prior attempt at a Gravity Turn from Streetwind - among others.  Using his craft file and flight profile - I got an efficient Gravity Turn, with a single input on the D key.

Fun!

 

That was a nice turn. I definitely need to practice this sort  of technique.

[Scarecrow71]

In continuation of my Historical Space Race, I launched both Sputnik II and Vanguard I into orbit.  I am particularly proud of how Vanguard I both looks AND how I was able to get it into the fairing.

 

[ColKlonk2]

Testing metal tubes of high explosive with a seat up front...

Anyone else find the stability on the upward trip a bit sensitive.

 

[The Aziz]

Landed on Ike. Lander flipped over. No worries, it was easy to fly away without losing a single part.

Landed on Duna. Piece of cake.

If you forget about 10 save reloads because of parachutes not cutting on touchdown, AGAIN

Returned home. Ez.

[Sspeter78]

I flew to the Mun got into orbit and realized I had forgot a docking port on my lander. Figured, hell I’ll just land it and leave this Kerbal on the Mun. Well on descent I realized my landing gear was upside down. Flipped the module, hit the throttle, and crash landed in true Kerbal fashion. Ugh, will make corrections and try again today. 

[cocoscacao]

I'm building a stairway to heaven... Cheaper than launching rockets... Only 69.97 kilometers to go... plus an ideal test for part count

Edited March 25, 2023 by cocoscacao

[Little 908]

 

37 minutes ago, cocoscacao said:

I'm building a stairway to heaven... Cheaper than launching rockets... Only 69.97 kilometers to go... plus an ideal test for part count

I guess you chose calories as your fuel

Edited March 25, 2023 by Little 908

[The Aziz]

42 minutes ago, cocoscacao said:

I'm building a stairway to heaven... Cheaper than launching rockets... Only 69.97 kilometers to go... plus an ideal test for part count

Can't build higher than VAB unless you launch separately.

I know, I tried, it wouldn't let me slap anything beyond VAB floor when launch clamp went all the way to the roof.

Also, enjoy your seconds per frame as you hit around 1000 parts. I know, I tried.

Edited March 25, 2023 by The Aziz

[goldenson]

My first trip to Laythe in KSP2, a SSTO from KSC to mun orbit and refuel. Then go to Laythe and land on it.

Album: https://imgur.com/a/gboSww3

 

 

[LameLefty]

Sent another mission to Duna per the current Weekly Challenge. Also, testing out my "standard" compact lander for Duna - needs some tweaks but it works. 

[Lyneira]

A recreation of the Fer-de-Lance from Elite: Dangerous made in a couple hours. Making it look vaguely like the Elite version was tricky, hope it succeeded well enough. It flew surprisingly well and has just enough fuel to make it to orbit!

Edited March 25, 2023 by Lyneira
Grammar

[SimonTheSkink]

Finally completed my ship to explore Eeloo (and other planets as I see fit). It's designed to have replaceable hydrogen tanks and will shed empty ones along it's trip. 

 

[i dont know how to forum]

Been playing on my laptop up until now. Finally had the chance to test the game on my marginally better desktop today, and the performance difference is astounding.

Flew a mint-chip flavored craft to both Mun orbit and Minmus orbit before returning to Kerbin. Experienced a very annoying maneuver bug but overall had a lot of fun.

[Klapaucius]

I flew a shark: