Jump to content

What did you do in KSP1 today?


Xeldrak

Recommended Posts

(Note on that: how do I turn the navball upside down, so to speak? The lander has its engines on the opposite site, but blue maneuver markers stay on the original launcher side). http://i.imgur.com/DTtuynB.jpg
You can right-click any command module or docking port and choose "control from here", which aligns the navball with the way that part is facing, and also uses the orientation of that part to control SAS (important on wobbly ships).

If you don't have any part facing the correct way, though, you're stuck with having to deal with the misalignment. Being 180 degrees out isn't too bad, but some other angle like 90 degrees will be a major pain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today, I built a pretty simple but practical station and docked to it with an SSTO. I am so happy with the results:

The SSTO, built with Porkjet's amazing SpacePlane Plus parts, is probably my nicest ever thing.

70c2d0f112907dd0bfd72ba947437c29.png

But it was a very close call as the nose of the SSTO is millimeters away from the solar array

b00fb9d0cfb0cbcbd6341e1e9de4ece0.png

Bob, our EVA specialist, checked for damage

85197df5df9769238878295f90d20177.png

Then Joemund (not our EVA specialist) got in a fight with a solar panel, and I had to use KAS to seperate them. This shark looking thing was the result..

c999e99fa53c18e5a8ba2eac9952c70a.png

The nose of the SSTO was c̶l̶i̶p̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ cleverly attached to one of the girders..

05550796b28eca6fc6025e45ff5678fe.png

Then I sent up a fuel module to refuel the SSTO as it was drained

6618049d266803c5c79eb902f319d138.png

They will return when I̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶d̶ they have completed their experiments in a couple of weeks.

All in all, a successful mission and one that I had a lot of fun doing - the SSTO in particular is one of my favourite creations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can right-click any command module or docking port and choose "control from here", which aligns the navball with the way that part is facing, and also uses the orientation of that part to control SAS (important on wobbly ships).

If you don't have any part facing the correct way, though, you're stuck with having to deal with the misalignment. Being 180 degrees out isn't too bad, but some other angle like 90 degrees will be a major pain.

Congratulations!

Navball orientation does not follow engine placement, it follows control point placement (command pod, probe core, or docking port). So if you have just one command pod on that ship, the pod's 'up' direction will be always the center on Navball. If you have conveniently placed docking port on that ship, you can transfer control to it using right click.

Retrograde engines are usually not needed because the ship can turn around in space. If you install them, you need to remember to install corresponding correctly oriented control point as well.

Ah, thanks for the tips!

This ship was doomed for a wrong orientation then. Only one command node. But I'll keep it in mind for later reference. Many thanks :-).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put together a very simple SSTO (stock, part clipping used).

This one was a success on the first run, other than I forgot my actiongroups, once. The fuel balance is slightly off, but it does go nicely around the Mun.

First album: Into orbit

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Second album: Decided to do a mun flyby since it only requires so little dV and I had plenty to spare. Then saw an island and decided to visit it.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Tell me your thoughts on the plane. I know I used the advanced SAS which is just heavier and serves no purpose, but meh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spent some time designing a Rosetta replica to accompany my Ariane-ish launcher. It's coming along nicely, but I still need to find a way to cram its antenna dish into the fairing :)

*upper stage is still a placeholder*

GYS37Kc.png

Not exactly like Philae, but close enough.

hIv8TLW.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I managed to finally land properly on the Mun. I know it's a small step for you guys, but for me it's a giant leap ;-) :P

He-Did-It.jpg

Congratulations! I remember when I first made it, that was when there was only Mun and Kerbin. It's really something special, right? Enjoy it while it lasts, landing on the Mun is no longer a particularly special achievement for me :(. Protip: Minmus is easier. Also, get to a new place as soon as you can, even if it means no return. Always alternate between different bodies for a change of scenery, otherwise some bodies get less exciting. Always a shame when it's no longer a special moment to finally land somewhere.

I'm not trying to dishearten you here, though I might seem to be. Sorry. All I'm saying is:

Relish in what you've achieved!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After weeks of research and development, I have deployed my Interplanetary Shuttle with disappointing results. It began as an audacious project: bring six Kerbals from LKO to any other low orbit and back while using TACLS. I ran the initial estimates and found that I would need 8,000m/s dV and 900 days of LS. Further theoretical development and several failed Mohoian probes evinced that I would need at least 11,000m/s dV. I therefore had to choose between a tiny thrust-to-weight ratio and Kethane and chose the latter. I carefully adjusted every variable, sitting in my room for hours, and finally had my IS7: a one-way ticket anywhere.

Giddy, I sent her on an unmanned shakedown cruise to Duna. The DRE inflatable heat shield worked perfectly, and MechJeb held my craft steady. After proving her maneuver-worthiness with careful orbital maneuvering, I opened KAC, which showed that the a Dunar-Kerbinar transfer window would open in over four-hundred days. I was speechless: quick returns can be done in reality!

I feel disappointed in myself for not having first tried returning a Dunar orbiter instead of building that useless rust-bucket. Hauling the extra supplies on an Interplanetary Tug feels so humiliating when compared to my lofty goals that I need some encouragement and advice. :(

-Duxwing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I managed to finally land properly on the Mun. I know it's a small step for you guys, but for me it's a giant leap ;-) :P

(I ALWAYS wanted to post this video as a response)

On a more somber note, I bid farewell to Jebediah:

79DF3C2F6C4E5B2B6C6094A5DED722FD89DC48BE

May his soul find a place between the stars that he so much loved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I visited the Jool system with a spaceplane.

http://imgur.com/a/YG4iW

I'm really, really impressed. My jaw dropped a little bit more with every picture.

As a quick report from my mission to Eve: The lander is still in an elliptical orbit around Kerbin, which probably still counts as LKO. I've been sending up two refuelling ships since my last post, meaning that four of the eleven refuelling missions are done. Nevertheless I reconsidered docking an additional transfer stage, after estimating how many LV-N engines and how much fuel (no, I won't tell you the numbers, they are too frightening this early in the morning) would be required for the transfer in the worst case (it never hurts to have some reserves)... My current plan is to use the landers engines and tanks for the transfer as well, and to refuel it in Eves orbit. This might be more tedious and waste more fuel, but I'm absolutely certain that the other option - docking (lots of) additional engines to the lander - would make it wobble in a no longer controllable way. Just to be on the safe side, I'll probably use Minmus or the Mun as an intermediate stop to refuel the lander once more...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Explorer II made a 10 min burn ... to Mun ... 0.2 TWR really isnt much ...

Reconfiguring the ship in orbit - separating the mission module with lab and big tank, docking cockpit with the drive stage for landing - was managable, but something induced a bit of tumbling during undocking.

ScanSat maps are handy to get into the general area of an anomaly, but landmarks like flags from former missions make it easier to plot nodes in map mode.

Precision landing - hovering on closer for the instruments to take a reading of the Munar Arch - eats into the fuel reserves, and no Kethane at this location, but there is plenty left.

Design works but is kinda suboptimal. Testing will continue - hopefully without the decision to scrap and rebuilt. :P

Yeah. It made it a lot harder to land, though.

One more reason for me to find a "sonar mod". :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re-designed my Charon Mk II orbital bus into the Charon MkIV. She looks a lot sleeker, can transport 2 additional kerbals and runs more efficiently and smoother than ever. Began designing a heavy duty refueling spaceplane too, but had to interrupt my testing/designing due to the sudden realisation that "oh hey, it's 1 am and I have to go to work in the morning. Wasn't it 11 pm five minutes ago?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This morning, while attempting a quick Mun test of a walking spider I accidentally hyper-edited Mun to a 70Km Kerbin orbit instead of my spider to a 70Km Mun orbit. I though my game was crashing as Kerbins clouds and atmosphere appeared to descend over Mun but it wasn't, half of mun was below the cloud layer. When I put it back it stole a couple of satellites and took them with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an absolute ton of stuff arriving in the Jool system over the last Kerbin year or so. Below are some highlights.

Shift change at Pol Base, the chaps currently manning it have been there years and years:

71E640C29FA3160AFD13EE64940459C892237FE0

They aren't going home however, they have been reassigned to the burgeoning Laythe Base site, a rover was sent to pick them up.

Managed to get their craft down almost intact, only the bit thats upright was actually designed to land. . . the remaining fuel in the the shuttle might come in handy when siphoned off.

B67F646C380D818712DA1B9E04691985AD7710ED

The moon Laythe, now has its own moon . . . kinda, little class B roid I have pushed there to act as the core of the Laythe orbital transfer station.

F84028F0E1656BD0E95A2E5A16AB739E9F45ADCB

And my single stage to Laythe spaceplane has arrived . . . its running on fumes by now though.

BED2C05B44450180D96097B414C01857479B4A8F

121AB1D40C6E7E9EFB4FCD2957AB6E5152B135E2

Very small cross section of the stuff arriving there. . . I'll post up a full picture of the Laythe colony when I've landed everything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...