What did you do in KSP1 today?

[obnox twin]

39 minutes ago, obnox twin said:

I was liking how close I am getting to do the burn but the kraken or autostrut is making things very annoying everything was all good. But the engine is nowhere to be seen when I switch to it and the parts are at werid angles as I having my crew ready to transfer. I need help to fix this.

Sorry about who this is written I just needed to vent

To clarify if I rendovouz with another craft the angles fix themselves and the parts return to normal

[king of nowhere]

I launched my most powerful rocket yet: 30 thousand tons!

I am preparing my new grand tour in rss, and it takes a lot more launch mass to send stuff to earth orbit.

For such large launches one should go for asparagus stack, but the part I'm launching is a sort of umbrella made of fuel tanks, intended to shield the crew from radiations. I was worried that if I made an asparagus with all the push in the center, the lateral tanks would break apart. So i projected a convoluted tower meant to spread the force evenly on all the rocket

it broke apart on the launchpad

Clearly it can't work. Too tall for structural stability.

So, I go and make an actual asparagus. To avoid breaking apart the lateral tanks, I strenghten it with lots of struts, both auto and manual

Despite 1100 parts, it loaded in one minute and it's not exploding. Encouraging

And it actually took off at the first try!

This thing is powered by 432 vectors and 49 ocelots (a modded engine that's basically a slightly bigger mainsail)

I needed the vectors because they have the best thrust-size ratio. This ship is already a lot larger than the VAB, working on it is difficult. The vectors let me use a more compact design

It's drinking 160 tons of fuel per second!

First stage separation. All well.

Second stage separation. A spent booster collides with the rocket. the flight is lost

Ah, crap. That's a problem. So I started the flight again, and this time I was more careful to avoid movements during stage separation. I even reduced throttle, so that collisions would be at low speed. Indeed, the fourth time (second and third exploded early because i tried to use 4x time warp to make ascent faster) the spent boosters did collide with the rocket, but they exploded harmlessly

Two of the spent boosters exploded, but the rocket is intact

Without smoke, a better view of the engines

The third stage, though, was another matter....

Three of the remaining vector boosters exploded. In an attempt to salvage the flight, I detached a fourth so that the remaining two would be symmetrical

I did throttle the engines to a minimum before detaching, so that it would not hit the rocket. Didn't shut down all because it's kerbalism and engines have limited ignitions

After discarding that stage too, I ignite the nuclear engines of the main ship

However, despite a 5 m docking port, the binding between the ship and the rocket is frail

 

Today's launch is unsuccessful, but I learned lots of things

- the general design works, and the rocket does not fall apart on the launchpad - despite its ludicrous size (actually, I've been calling ludicrous rockets much smaller than this. I need a new adjective). I can even add more boosters if I need

- the later stages need more thrust. I used ocelots because they have higher vacuum Isp, but I may have to use vectors for their higher thrust.

- I really need to find a way to safely detach those boosters

- I must attach the struts to the ship to the later stages, and not only to the first ones.

 

For a launch this big, going that far in a couple of hours is good progress. Soon I will have my working rocket. And - krakens permitting - my next grand tour will start.

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by king of nowhere

[darthgently]

1 hour ago, king of nowhere said:

I launched my most powerful rocket yet: 30 thousand tons!

I am preparing my new grand tour in rss, and it takes a lot more launch mass to send stuff to earth orbit.

For such large launches one should go for asparagus stack, but the part I'm launching is a sort of umbrella made of fuel tanks, intended to shield the crew from radiations. I was worried that if I made an asparagus with all the push in the center, the lateral tanks would break apart. So i projected a convoluted tower meant to spread the force evenly on all the rocket

it broke apart on the launchpad

Clearly it can't work. Too tall for structural stability.

So, I go and make an actual asparagus. To avoid breaking apart the lateral tanks, I strenghten it with lots of struts, both auto and manual

Despite 1100 parts, it loaded in one minute and it's not exploding. Encouraging

And it actually took off at the first try!

This thing is powered by 432 vectors and 49 ocelots (a modded engine that's basically a slightly bigger mainsail)

I needed the vectors because they have the best thrust-size ratio. This ship is already a lot larger than the VAB, working on it is difficult. The vectors let me use a more compact design

It's drinking 160 tons of fuel per second!

First stage separation. All well.

Second stage separation. A spent booster collides with the rocket. the flight is lost

Ah, crap. That's a problem. So I started the flight again, and this time I was more careful to avoid movements during stage separation. I even reduced throttle, so that collisions would be at low speed. Indeed, the fourth time (second and third exploded early because i tried to use 4x time warp to make ascent faster) the spent boosters did collide with the rocket, but they exploded harmlessly

Two of the spent boosters exploded, but the rocket is intact

Without smoke, a better view of the engines

The third stage, though, was another matter....

Three of the remaining vector boosters exploded. In an attempt to salvage the flight, I detached a fourth so that the remaining two would be symmetrical

I did throttle the engines to a minimum before detaching, so that it would not hit the rocket. Didn't shut down all because it's kerbalism and engines have limited ignitions

After discarding that stage too, I ignite the nuclear engines of the main ship

However, despite a 5 m docking port, the binding between the ship and the rocket is frail

 

Today's launch is unsuccessful, but I learned lots of things

- the general design works, and the rocket does not fall apart on the launchpad - despite its ludicrous size (actually, I've been calling ludicrous rockets much smaller than this. I need a new adjective). I can even add more boosters if I need

- the later stages need more thrust. I used ocelots because they have higher vacuum Isp, but I may have to use vectors for their higher thrust.

- I really need to find a way to safely detach those boosters

- I must attach the struts to the ship to the later stages, and not only to the first ones.

 

For a launch this big, going that far in a couple of hours is good progress. Soon I will have my working rocket. And - krakens permitting - my next grand tour will start.

 

I didn't look but are you reinforcing the 5m dock port connection with struts from the lower to the upper stage?  I'm thinking as far outboard off the centerline as possible; maybe 10 to 20 of them

[king of nowhere]

11 minutes ago, darthgently said:

I didn't look but are you reinforcing the 5m dock port connection with struts from the lower to the upper stage?  I'm thinking as far outboard off the centerline as possible; maybe 10 to 20 of them

that's the issue. i did place struts, but they were tied to the lower stages, so when i jettisoned those, i lost the struts. I'll have to put more struts from the central tank to the outer nerv engines. it's an easy fix.

when the ship will be operational - and will use the big docking port to mate with its other part -  I already planned to use eva construction to manually place struts after docking, and remove them before undocking.

[darthgently]

24 minutes ago, king of nowhere said:

that's the issue. i did place struts, but they were tied to the lower stages, so when i jettisoned those, i lost the struts. I'll have to put more struts from the central tank to the outer nerv engines. it's an easy fix.

when the ship will be operational - and will use the big docking port to mate with its other part -  I already planned to use eva construction to manually place struts after docking, and remove them before undocking.

Another good option if you are using KIS is to connect up some of the fixed telescopic joints.  These can be connected to the craft in the editor as can the joint sockets they will eventually be mated to.  I've built some very sturdy large craft in orbit this way.  But honestly, I don't know if they are any stronger than struts placed with stock eva construction.  I know the joints can and do fail.  But they look sooo dang good.  And the sound made when your kerb connects them is very satisfying, lol

[Akagi]

Memorialized Vladimir Komarov with a crashed Soyuz capsule in my main save and a thread in The Lounge

[king of nowhere]

14 minutes ago, darthgently said:

Another good option if you are using KIS is to connect up some of the fixed telescopic joints.  These can be connected to the craft in the editor as can the joint sockets they will eventually be mated to.  I've built some very sturdy large craft in orbit this way.  But honestly, I don't know if they are any stronger than struts placed with stock eva construction.  I know the joints can and do fail.  But they look sooo dang good.  And the sound made when your kerb connects them is very satisfying, lol

I don't have KIS, and I don't want to install more mods. Game is laggy enough already.

If I could choose, I'd make a robotic clamping mechanism with claws on hinges. Alas, such mechanisms are the favourite food of the kraken, I don't dare doing it.

[Kerb24]

Did more work on my ISS replica. Finished designing the Russian Orbital Segment. 

[Hotel26]

On 4/7/2022 at 11:56 PM, king of nowhere said:

I really need to find a way to safely detach those boosters

If you're not already using them, ejection SRBs can be helpful.  (E.g. Sepatrons and even Fleas.)  They only need to nudge a discard in the right direction.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Hotel26

[Joker58th]

Now that I have the new technology researched in my career, worked on a Mk3 based space plane.  Loving the Mk3 expansion and Waterfall mods.  Honorable mention, Kerbal Foundries for the landing gear and decoupler shroud for the skirt.  More pics below.

Spoiler

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Joker58th

[IncompetentSpacer]

After a short break from gaming due to life obligation, today I got time to design next variant (I would not call it a generation) of rockets in my RP-1 career in Realism Overhaul mod.

While having unlocked more powerful rocket engines, lack of funds and launchpad limitation makes these kinda useless currently  - what is point of using engines which lifted historic R-7 Semyorka into space when your launchpad is limited to 100 tons?

So instead I redesigned current generation of my rockets which resulted in a 11 300 dV rocket with 145 kg payload which it can comfortable lift into 700 km circular orbit.

 

This variant can at its max lift 1200 kg into low orbit of Earth, which is more than enough for early missions. Perhaps even just enough for 700 kg Mercury capsule + 1 kerbal and other equipment? Of course any safety feature (I play with no revert) would have to be omitted.

If any Realism Overhaul veteran reads this and has any good advice for me, please do share them!

 

I have replaced Scud missile engine (S2.253) of an earlier variant of this rocket with historically more correct RD-0105 (shown on the image below) which was specifically designed to be used for upper stages of rockets in SSSR. It remains to be seen whether it's historically problems with reliability (early on) are also modeled in.

Finally due to contracts in RP-1 being balanced around Mechjeb AND me still not having access to maneuvering nodes and orbit info, I have finally relented and for the first time since 2013, I have today launched a missile with it.  Of course, one of the RD-101 engines lost efficiency and the damn autopilot slammed the rocket into the sea - luckily it was simulation mode in RP-1 otherwise I would be *issed off at having to wait additional 140 day for the next rocket to be built.

[Bej Kerman]

On 5/19/2013 at 5:15 AM, CalculusWarrior said:

I built a fully armed and operational battlestation.

Behold: the Kerb Star!

This armoured space station has enough firepower to completely obliterate orbital debris. (The engineers are trying to fit enough RTG's inside to blow up a planet).

That doesn't stop them from trying, however.

Archived versions

https://web.archive.org/web/20171024151610/http://s16.postimg.org/456s3ylf9/screenshot718.png

https://web.archive.org/web/20171024145425/http://s16.postimg.org/6cb0rvqph/screenshot720.png

[Fengist]

The Kindenburg

 

[MythicalHeFF]

Made a little “highlight reel” video showcasing some of my best KSP moments over the last few months.

 

[Tundra]

Made my game crash 6 times trying to launch a grand tour/land on all the moons craft!

[MythicalHeFF]

1 hour ago, Tundra said:

Made my game crash 6 times trying to launch a grand tour/land on all the moons craft!

How many parts, may I ask?

[IncompetentSpacer]

After using Mechjeb for first time yesterday, I remembered why I stopped using it in 2013/2014 - the damn thing requires you to construct rockets in special way, especially if you play with realistic sized solar system. In my case 400 kg with extra weight (ullage problems) and extra dV fuel.

Seeing that I have effed up my RP-1 career with damaging my facilities which ruined me financially, I did some calculations regarding when my research will be done and ca time to build crewed orbital rocket. I realized that to beat Gagarin to space, I will have to resort to some desperate measures:

 

Since Mercury or other type of capsules take too long time to research, I jury rigged a inline cockpit with two detachableTiny Tim rockets for de-orbiting, inline RCS (which is sometimes buggy in RO mod) for orientation and big heat shield in the front (which do not behave as in stock Kerbal and can fail if used wrongly).

Problem - I just have enough oxygen for one orbit if everything goes perfect. Also no radiation shielding but that may not be a big problem (for mission, not the kerbals involved). And finally 4 of 5 attempts in simulation failed....

In 212 days (in-game time) we will see whether all this was a folly or a brilliant propaganda victory.

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by IncompetentSpacer

[DunaManiac]

I've finished conceptualizing the Starbase - a model of large space station I'm planning to construct in LKO and around other planets.

I didn't want to go with the traditional ISS inspired model that I go with, so I decided to create a new design, and this is the result. I was inspired somewhat by 2001's double-ringed Space Station V.

Spoiler

Capable of housing 2 dozen kerbals for extended periods of time, it will be the centerpiece of Laythe colonization. Its fuel tanks also act as a hub for visiting vessels to restock and its crew to get a little R&R. In other news, my second minmus mission using Jewel 2 is about to get underway. Jewel 2 is carrying new modules to expand the pitiful Service Station 1 in minmus orbit and base modules to expand MSB1 on the surface.

The last few modules are heading up. This one is Service Station 1's Command center, featuring a small gravity wheel.

The launch and rendevous proceeded smoothly.

And with that, only one more launch remains. I decided to lump in the station's node and the computer core/science bay module together, along with a tug to actually assemble these modules.

And the final module, ironically launched a few days after the save's 10th year, is up.

And with that, we are docked. Now, all I have to do left is fill up Jewel 2 with its crew, and get ready to leave.

[caipi]

I've finally gotten around to finishing my Minmus Base in a JNSQ playthrough from which I should be able to build and launch any vessel in the future.

Spoiler

  

On 4/7/2022 at 5:56 PM, king of nowhere said:

actually, I've been calling ludicrous rockets much smaller than this. I need a new adjective

How about ridonkulous? Btw, those images/this rocket looked pretty much like my first attempt to build a viable Eve-Lander-capable-of-safely-returning-to-Kerbin back in 0.23 or 0.24.

Edited April 9, 2022 by caipi
added ridonkulous

[Tundra]

 

3 hours ago, Jack Joseph Kerman said:

How many parts, may I ask?

Its not finished yet, but around 1900 parts right now.   I think it has something to do with the launchpad exploding or something so I'm gonna try to turn that off.

[GDJ]

Did some tweaking on my favourite juno powered plane.



Not a bad speed for two juno's.

[Krazy1]

Should I do my taxes or play KSP? 

On 4/7/2022 at 8:56 AM, king of nowhere said:

However, despite a 5 m docking port, the binding between the ship and the rocket is frail

Are you using SpaceY docking ports? I found they had absurdly low pivot stiffness. I posted pics on that thread if your interested. Perhaps a cluster of docking port seniors would work better - never tried that. 

On 4/7/2022 at 8:56 AM, king of nowhere said:

This ship is already a lot larger than the VAB, working on it is difficult. 

I hope you're using Hangar Extender for this monster! Reminds me of the ship I built to haul ore from Eve to Gilly... only ~50 vectors though. 

 

[king of nowhere]

4 minutes ago, Krazy1 said:

Are you using SpaceY docking ports? I found they had absurdly low pivot stiffness. I posted pics on that thread if your interested. Perhaps a cluster of docking port seniors would work better - never tried that.

I'm using near future launch vehicles. I needed near future stuff for nuclear reactors anyway.

But I think the problem is in the new version of ksp. one year ago i docked a 450 ton ship with a 4000 ton ship with a small docking port, with nothing but autostruts, and all went well. now autostruts seem to not cross docking ports.

Quote

I hope you're using Hangar Extender for this monster! Reminds me of the ship I built to haul ore from Eve to Gilly... only ~50 vectors though. 

ah, that's how it was called! I've been looking for hangar expansion without luck. and then, instead of posting a question and waiting an answer, i decided to just keep on with the normal vab.

it's workable. when i work on a side, i just move the ship on the opposite side of the vab. if i must work on the base, i push the upper part over the rooftop, and to work on the upper part i push the booster stack down into the floor. but it's only a mild discomfort.

by the way, i made the rocket work yesterday.

[IncompetentSpacer]

And my desperate attempt on beating  Union of Soviet Kerbalist Republics in race to get first man in space failed due to engine failure in last stage....

It started well. The rocket was rolled out of VAB during the daytime in perfect weather, 15:45

The staging went well and despite dropping fairing bit too early, not much dv was lost by it.

And then 15 seconds after last stage was ignited, engine failure:

As you can see in the left corner, the brownish color on the engine icon indicates performance loss. In Realism Overhaul mod one needs ca 9400 dV, depending on where you launch from, to reach orbit. One can do with less but not that much efficiency loss. Also I have experienced explosions when engine was overtaxed and I was not sure if I was running some additional risk. So I ditched the engine section and coasted back into the atmosphere.

Because I was so distracted by the failure above, I forgot to activate/detach the de-orbiting rockets and they exploded from the heat during the re-entry. Fortunately only the reserve chute was taken out but I did not manage to take any pictures during the wild ride that followed.

Contact with the pilot, Gerd Hoffman, was lost due to wild G-forces on the aircraft cockpit. Fortunately he recovered 4500 meters above ground and managed to activate the parachutes.

15.4 Science points and 30K+ reward for beating crewed speed record of 5000 km/h was what I got out of this mission but in this alternative history, Kerbal Gagarin will be the first man in the orbit...

Edited April 9, 2022 by IncompetentSpacer

[Hotel26]

9 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

I've finished conceptualizing the Starbase - a model of large space station I'm planning to construct in LKO and around other planets.

Outstanding and inspiring!