Largest space station!

[gtrusler]

The criteria of this challenge are to...

1. Create a space station with a minimum crew of 10.

2. Not have more than 6 different ships that make up your space station.

3. The station must orbit at over 120,000 meters in altitude.

4. One of the 6 craft must be a escape pod (i.e. a spaceplane) in order for at least 1 Kerbal to return.

The rest is up to you, the winner will be decided by me, in order for you to win you must submit at least 1 good picture of the craft(s).

Bon chance mon amis!

gtrusler

send pictures to [email protected] or post them.

[Polec1]

Thought I'd get this party started

http://imgur.com/rZTh1vg,vov878y,rXTP6UA,KqfG0WT#3

Only 7 kerbals currently working on my station. Fun fact - 3 of them are named Jebediah!

The escape pod is not a spaceplane, and doesn't have an engine because it was part of another ship that went on to the Mun. However it does have RCS thrusters that could push it away from the station in case of an emergency and wait for rescue.

The station is orbiting at 131km to 133km around Kerbin.

There are several(10+) docking ports still available on the station, but I'm afraid my computer Isn't powerful enough to let me add much more without dropping to intolerable framerates.

I'm using several mods as you can proabably tell and I'm not meeting up to all the criterias but it's my current space station and I won't be making a new one tonight atleast

I didn't use any cheats or "help" mods/programs, only mods I use are there to give more diversity to my stations. Although they provide bigger fueltanks/thrusters which makes it easier sending big objects into space.

I hope it's alright that I replied even though I'm not following your instructions to 100%. I might however make a spaceplane and replace my current escape pod(Part 6), that would make it "legit".

This is the first time I contribute to a challange and I'm curious to know if mods are OK to use? I haven't seen otherwise been said in any threads I've read, but using only stock parts would probably be the most fair game right?

Have a nice day and I hope to see some epic stations that will fuel me with ideas

[Wait- Was That Important?]

Here's mine. It's a research/ servicing station with the idea of serving as a Kethane scanner when I finally get around to downloading that mod, and a staging base for refueling or capturing Command Modules of interplanetary missions.

It has 5 docking ports on the bottom section, 3 of which can be used at any time by a Moho- class Command Module, shown here.

Here's the core in the VAB before final fairing attachment:

The relatively lightweight (27 ton) core launching on my Heavy-1 LV

After making orbit, the remaining fuel was used to boost the core up to a 250x245km orbit and the meager onboard solar panels deployed until it can receive its first power module:

The power modules are relatively heavy, coming in at 37 tons, requiring the use of the Heavy-3 LV with three strap-on liquid fuel boosters of 2.5m size.

The first one docked with solar panels deployed, bringing the mass up to 64 tons and adding a docking port for temporary modules (satellite service package, fuel and RCS package, Kethane scanning package, communications package, etc.) aside from the one on the central axis of the Core module intended for the Crew and Docking adapter.

The second of two power modules docks safely to the station after boosting away from the final stage of its Heavy-3 LV, increasing the mass to 101 tons.

The final core structural module, the Crew and Docking adapter, is docked to the station, launched on the Heavy-1 LV thanks to its small mass of only 25 tons.

Total mass: 126 tons

Total space for Kerbals: 36

Total crew onboard: 0/36 (awaiting launch of two Moho Command Modules after launch of Kethane Scan Module and Fuel/ RCS Module)

Total Length: This is a tricky one, but I've estimated its long axis (from the tip of the Core Module's Solar Panel/ Comms tower to the final docking port on the Crew/ Docking Adapter) to be roughly 65m or so? I wish it was easier to do.

I know it doesn't quite reach all the criteria, but I hope that it will inspire others to post theirs, and coerce me into finishing mine

[MissMolly]

i know Old challenge but its my first one of done i have over 44+ Kerbals, it only took 5 trips to make the main core was the largest

no biggie if this is over but had to share none the less

[gtrusler]

I think that you should clarify before using mods. I allowed them without hesitation in order to create more variety. Just ask the challenge poster before.

[MissMolly]

I think that you should clarify before using mods. I allowed them without hesitation in order to create more variety. Just ask the challenge poster before.

i know late response was busy.

Any ways What mods are you referring to theres only mechjeb and it was only left on to show you the info, your rules did not say i was to list any mods and i my have parts that can use mods but as they have really no use to me in game there not installed only Mechjeb was used and i did NOT use hyper edit i flew each part up, but what ever thou

[John FX]

Here is my orbital Kethane factory. I use it to fuel my service stations which will be placed around all major planets, maybe moons also.

Here is a service station in orbit around Duna.

Here is a service station mostly filled in orbit around Kerbin being refueled by a low gravity (minmus) kethane miner.

All are heavily modded of course. Mechjeb 2, inflatable acommodation, power generator 6000, fuel balancer, 300Kn nuclear engine, panopticon cabin, empty fuel tanks. Possibly more. If you only wanted stock stations you really should put that in the criteria...

My stations do not match criteria exactly but I feel they are in the spirit (massive, low ship count, high kerbal count, high orbit, escape pods) if taken together. I will understand if they are not considered valid.

[Caldari Navy]

I was just wanting to ask anybody, That if they ahve played EVE Online then would a Rorqual clasify if it had an industrial core which can convert Kethane into othe fuel items.

Becuase it just hapens I have one of those lol

[Tobmaster]

Does this count?

Only like 140 Kerbals on board. The top section can probably take a kerbal out of the system. Only 6 sections - the middle main, the four side modules and the top. I kept the station around until I decided I wanted to colonize laythe, then it was retro fitted into a mothership with a couple of boosters... heavy lag fest involved... and it is all stock.

[The Jedi Master]

Holy...

*slams head on keyboard because cannot rendezvous and dock*

[Tobmaster]

Holy...

*slams head on keyboard because cannot rendezvous and dock*

The real pain starts when you do dock something to it (4 ports on the bottom)... I calculate it in seconds/frame

[Flixxbeatz]

Challenges like these are pretty elitist in nature, since only the people with computers that have the most powerful specs (RAM, graphics, video card, processor) can do it and eventually, make it to the top, should this challenge has something like it.

[Tobmaster]

Challenges like these are pretty elitist in nature, since only the people with computers that have the most powerful specs (RAM, graphics, video card, processor) can do it and eventually, make it to the top, should this challenge has something like it.

Or patience... this was all done on my old rig which was an AMD64 X2 3800+ 2GB ram and a radeon 3850 video card. Aside from the videocard, it was the same as what it was when I built it in 2005. - not "elite" in any shape

[Flixxbeatz]

Or patience... this was all done on my old rig which was an AMD64 X2 3800+ 2GB ram and a radeon 3850 video card. Aside from the videocard, it was the same as what it was when I built it in 2005. - not "elite" in any shape

You've got to be kidding me.

I have Intel i3 dual core, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit (RAM switch on) and NVIDIA GeForce 310M. It started lagging and eventually totally unplayable with 5 modules already connected. The modules I have used aren't even that big. And I am already playing KSP with lowest graphics settings that time.

[SpaceshipFood]

I have 2 big ones:

KLS:

Mk.II Space Station Eli:

Neither of them are nice to my frame rate.

[John FX]

You've got to be kidding me.

I have Intel i3 dual core, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit (RAM switch on) and NVIDIA GeForce 310M. It started lagging and eventually totally unplayable with 5 modules already connected. The modules I have used aren't even that big. And I am already playing KSP with lowest graphics settings that time.

But how much else do you have loaded into your PC? KSP will use all your ram if you have 4Gb. Anything else loaded is taking space from KSP.

If you have a clean install of windows and run nothing else you can get good framerates with a low system because the game is all in ram. The amount under 4Gb that you give to the game is the amount of data it has to swap with the hard drive which is when things really slow down. If for example you have 4Gb and you are running KSP, a browser, itunes and windows 7 then you may only have 1-2Gb for the game so it has to have a large swap file.

Edited May 17, 2013 by John FX
clarity

[stupid_chris]

Well I can't participate, but I'll post mine anyway because it'S rather.... large?

I present the Kerbal Orbital Space Station (KOSS):

It has the equivalent of 7 and 3/4 Rockomax Jumbo 64 tanks, living space for 21 kerbals, enough power production to light up nearly 6 ion drives simultaneously, so much monoporpellant I won't even bother counting it, enough stored electrical power to keep going at current electricity consumption for probably about a kerbin year, 5 dockingports at the fuel bay for direct refueling, 9 dockingports for other ships, 4 probe sized dockingports, a kethane processing facility and a fully equiped laboratory. The whole things weighting 500t and I don'T even bother with the part count. I'm running on windows 8 64bit, 8g of ram, crossfire video card AMD radeo HD 7670M 2g dedicated + AMD radeo HD 7660G integrated, AMD A10 2.3GHz, and I'm rolling this thing 1.5s per frame at the lowest graphic settings. It's ridiculously big, but I had a lot of fun building this, until the docking took about an hour to do. But yeah, it took 13 flights to get all of this up there. I also attached 2 SpaceTech single kerbal escape pods and a Dragon capsule, as an escape purpose. That doesn't puts enough place for all of the 21 crew memebers, but I could always attach two other dragon capsules if I felt the need to. I also have a Kethane tanker attached but thats not the purpose here. So yeah, too many flights, I guess I can't participate. But it's still nice. I'll drop a few more pictures of the assembly:

the solar modules were so big I had to go with multiple docking ports, even with the quantum struts they'd just rip apart.

Added the fuel tanks and the batteries

Had a hum... minor dysfunction while adding the lab module (let's appreciate KSP's debris naming methods)

Finished products before any ship was docked. Heavy.

So yeah, large station.

[Tobmaster]

You've got to be kidding me.

I have Intel i3 dual core, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit (RAM switch on) and NVIDIA GeForce 310M. It started lagging and eventually totally unplayable with 5 modules already connected. The modules I have used aren't even that big. And I am already playing KSP with lowest graphics settings that time.

Not kidding windows xp and low resource antivirus was all that was on it. Although the game would crash more often than desired with out of memory errors and such. it did come to a stop before the new unity engine was employed, then I was able to put the last piece on it. Once I got my new PC, I flew the thing to laythe... that took forever (about half a day)

[Flixxbeatz]

But how much else do you have loaded into your PC? KSP will use all your ram if you have 4Gb. Anything else loaded is taking space from KSP.

If you have a clean install of windows and run nothing else you can get good framerates with a low system because the game is all in ram. The amount under 4Gb that you give to the game is the amount of data it has to swap with the hard drive which is when things really slow down. If for example you have 4Gb and you are running KSP, a browser, itunes and windows 7 then you may only have 1-2Gb for the game so it has to have a large swap file.

I close everything unnecessary when playing KSP, even explorer.exe, leaving only KSP, Task Manager, and SpeedFan running (with Fraps also sometimes). I also set priority of KSP to "High" to maximize. Didn't seem to help, though...

[lyndonguitar]

http://imgur.com/a/jkdye (<- Full Album here)

My first spacestation(the Big solar panels were from the ion engine pack, so it is alot more bigger than the stock ones), Composed of 500+ parts, required 19 rocket launches to build.

even my i7 4.5Ghz, 8GB ram, Radeon HD 6870 lags whenever this station is in the vicinity (I might splashdown this one and build a more optimized station in the future)

I'm currently making the plans of my next big Station

Here's a sneakpeek

Edited May 17, 2013 by lyndonguitar

[Caldari Navy]

Well then I have a semi-Station (if that counts) it is a station size and it does the job of a kethane refining stations but it is mobile

I present to you the RORQUAL!

It has 2 modes - Normal, and Industrial

the pic above shows normal mode where the ship can use its 6 mainsail engines

Industrial mode is when the ships engine go offline, Solar panels extend, lights turn on and the Kethane converters to create refined fuel,RCS etc

Idustrial mode active

I took the idea and most of the ship designe from EVE Online

[Tobmaster]

Well then I have a semi-Station (if that counts) it is a station size and it does the job of a kethane refining stations but it is mobile

I present to you the RORQUAL!

[

That looks sweet

[Caldari Navy]

Thanks I take good pride in that ship

[The Scientific Moustache]

OK here is my LKO refuelling depot, when finished it will be around 320t, it sits at 80km, so far 8 launches and around 6 to go (mostly liquid). This will be my stop-over while I construct a larger station at GKO for launching large interplanetary vessels. can hold 20k liquid and 20k oxidiser plus 14k mono-propellant. It has two small and one large space-tugs. It can berth up to 5 small vessels (<50t) and 1 large (>50t) at any given time. In the photo the mono fueller can be seen docked at what will be the large ship berth.

[ollieb52]

What mods/extra parst did you use for this? In particular, how did you get the housing around top?