Well there's your problem...

[Kizarvexis]

I so need a free video capture program. (Bandicam puts the logo right over the altitude, so it is a no-go) I had the perfect launch. I had started the 2001 A Space Odyssey opening and 27 seconds into the song, on the second big dun duh, I launched the rocket. It starts climbing, but then I notice that one of the main engines heat is rising as fast as the rocket. As I frantically lower thrust to lower the heat, the engine hits max heat and 'splodes starting a spectacular chain reaction. I immediately start SPAS (SPacebar Abort Sequence) and when the debris clears, the capsule and 3 of the 8 lander engines are still attached as it spins wildly. I continue the SPAS and the capsule separates with the parachute deployed. Just as the song reaches its triumphant conclusion, the parts that were still left started to hit the ground in a crescendo of 'splosions like a berserk storm giant on the kettle drums and the parachute opened saving the crew. (My son and I were laughing WAY too hard to take pictures, sorry.)

I then go back into the VAB to find out what SRB's are pointing at the engines.

The boosters don't look like they are pointing at the main engines to make them 'splode like in the last launch. Well, we will take them off and put them down lower this time.

Why is there a solid rocket booster inside the main engine?!?

We needed moar boosters.

[Richy teh space man]

Its like Inception with rockets

[Qumefox]

This almost calls for an xzibit meme.

[Markus Reese]

solid fuel liquid rocket engines! Sure, you get lots of power, but the flow rate sucks!

[AmpsterMan]

This almost calls for an xzibit meme.

Though to stay on topic, cool story bro!

Edited October 15, 2012 by AmpsterMan

[Qumefox]

Nice. I would have gone with 'explode' for the last two recursions though.

[AmpsterMan]

Nice. I would have gone with 'explode' for the last two recursions though.

I thought about that, but I always found the humor of the meme to be in the ludicrous redundancy

Edit: You should edit your post with the "brace yourself "X" is coming" meme where "x" is "exzibit memes"

Edited October 15, 2012 by AmpsterMan

[SteevyT]

By the way, I use MSI Afterburner to record. Takes just a little bit of setting up, but it isn't bad. You do not need an MSI card for it to work, but I don't think it works on integrated graphics.

[Kizarvexis]

Though to stay on topic, cool story bro!

Thanks. I have done four more launches.

Launch #2, Thrust at 2/3 power on main engines is too much, so rocket 'splode around 5,000m. SPAS saves the day and capsule lands ok.

Launch #3, Still not enough duct tape, so rocket 'splode around 13,000m. Capsule lands ok (It and the last decoupler were all that was left).

Launch #4, Enough duct tape, but can't drop second asparagus stage (big tanks) while in gravity turn. Rocket 'splode around 15,900m. SPAS saves the day and capsule lands ok.

Launch #5, Get through all the asparagus stages and have last main engine stack. I go to the map view to circularize the orbit and rocket 'splode around 131,000m. Capsule lands ok (It and the last decoupler were all that was left).

Could the last one have been the space kraken? I didn't see anything in the flight log to suggest a problem.

My son says that they are five glaring launch failures. I consider this 5 successful launches as the Kerbonauts are brought back safely and I learned new things.

[AmpsterMan]

Not to sound like a negative nancy, but if you are trying to get to Mun, that is an enormously overbuilt rocket. If you like I could post a picture of my Mun rocket (which is not by any means the epitome of efficiency) but it might give you a general idea for different designs

[Kizarvexis]

Not to sound like a negative nancy, but if you are trying to get to Mun, that is an enormously overbuilt rocket. If you like I could post a picture of my Mun rocket (which is not by any means the epitome of efficiency) but it might give you a general idea for different designs

I made a much smaller lander in the demo and made it to the Mun. I found a video on how to make a Mun lander, but I forgot to bookmark it. The only real change I made was to add the winglets for extra landing leg space.

I'm trying to see if I can make a general purpose lander. I don't like to send Kerbals away from LKO alone, so I am using the 3m parts. I tend to need lots of fuel for powered landings, I mess up the Mun orbits all the time to end up with a direct descent, so the extra fuel tanks. I want to use the Nerva engines for transfers, but couldn't figure out how to make a lander with a center line Nerva that would have enough thrust and sit very low. I have found that if you click on one of the Nerva fuel tanks to disable it, it disables all four which is nice.

[rdfox]

Also, a suggestion for jettisoning asparagus stages: On each one, you use six Separatron motors. Two at the bottom, four at the top. Each one is pointing to the side, two angle notches off the plane of the stage and the core. Put them in the same stage as the linear decouplers; this way, when the decouplers fire, the Separatrons fire and pull the spent stages outward from the core, while tumbling them away to make sure you have clearance. (It actually looks for all the world like the SRBs separating from a Delta IV, to be honest.)

For the record, those would be catastrophic launch failures with successful aborts.