What did you do in KSP1 today?

[Gods315Pawn]

So after a six month break I've returned to this wonderful little planet and its precocious spacefarers. I'll be getting a new computer here in a bit and my old laptop (which I am still using and was my original reason for taking a break) doesn't really cut it. Anyway, I figured that I should re-orient myself before starting it "for real."

I started out by brainstorming some naming conventions: name my craft after Lord of the Rings characters. Then personal flair: Keep track of accomplishments and award "promotions," based on US air force ranks, to my kerbalnauts.

So far in my career mode, MSgt Jebediah has done a flyby of the Mun and I have landed two unmanned landers on the Mun. With the science gained, I hope to have MSgt Jeb be the first Kerbal on the Mun using my Bilbo lander.

This game is so great.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Gods315Pawn

[Ruthgar]

So after a six month break I've returned to this wonderful little planet and its precocious spacefarers. I'll be getting a new computer here in a bit and my old laptop (which I am still using and was my original reason for taking a break) doesn't really cut it. Anyway, I figured that I should re-orient myself before starting it "for real."

I started out by brainstorming some naming conventions: name my craft after Lord of the Rings characters. Then personal flair: Keep track of accomplishments and award "promotions," based on US air force ranks, to my kerbalnauts.

So far in my career mode, MSgt Jebediah has done a flyby of the Mun and I have landed two unmanned landers on the Mun. With the science gained, I hope to have MSgt Jeb be the first Kerbal on the Mun using my Bilbo lander.

This game is so great.

Yes it is, I'm even happy to finally be using all the crap I learned from being in the USAF and working around SRBs and such space crap as a perifery to my actual work in the AF. Word of advice for anyone else trying to figure out the orbital mechanics stuff on their own, don't take shortcuts on your equations. If an equation says multiply by 2.2 and you can only remember the 2 and not the .2, yeah that's when things get difficult. Getting into orbit, not so much, getting to other planets.....yeah you suddenly find yourself building super-transports that should have the fuel to take you anywhere in the system, but because you flubbed the equations....yeah you wind up wasting at laest 30-50% of your fuel.

[MasterSounis]

Realized the benefits of air breathing engines as boosters and spent an hour messing with configuration

[GeneralMDBK]

Finally got a new rig up and running so I ran my first official sandbox mission testing out an idea I got last month about using KAS and Universal Storage to build probes and such. The mission went perfectly as hoped although I only got screenshots of the construction of the second probe because the first one I built in the dark. I did do a quick meet up with it though for at least one screenshot.

There will be a much bigger series of missions soon which I will post with a challenge thread as well later on. (Within a few days hopefully due to work)

[Ruthgar]

Woohoo, just finished a Minimus/Mun mission using the same lander (no refueling) made two Minimus landings, and 1 mun. then made it back to Kerbin with 453 m/s left in the tanks, 300 something in atmosphere. Delibrately used aerobraking for the first time this mission as I was down to those vapors of fuel left in my lander. Took 5 orbits starting from Mun distance before the aerobraking was enough to deorbit the lander. Here are the pics of the Minimus 2 lander/mission.

1st landing

Group photo op

2nd landing... and the results of letting Jeb drink and fly

Close up on the 2nd landing, yes it is at a 45 degree angle according to what I saw on the navball.

3rd and final landing of the Minimus 2

Do we have to go home???????

One last EVA for Bob my EVA master after the 3rd aerobraking.

This game is just too damn fun to ever let go I think

[Foxster]

[Fizwalker]

I've been working on a new sandbox, and I think I've gotten two designs for a crew transfer vehicle generally worked out. Eris A is the one that is closest to actually being finalized, and is designed to deliver crew to LKO. Eris B will get crew, as of the current design, to Minmus orbit. (Service Module for the Eris B has over 2k dV just by itselt, so it probably can also get to the Mun if I so chose....) Today will be spent refining the design of Eris B and perhaps starting a small refueling platform. I'll post pics later.

[Master Tao]

I designed a light duty (7-8 ton payload) cargo spaceplane and took it to orbit on the first launch. It was easy enough to fly that I'll use it for resupply missions if I ever install life support. From left to right, those are Dres, the Mun, and Minmus in the background.

[Rainbowtrout]

A year of travelling.

[Xacktar]

Ok, late but its something I CAN reveal since its not Kerbin-Cup related.

Happy (two days ago) Fourth of July, everyone!

[Ruthgar]

Built a simple rover or two, and I think a 'Unique' deployment method. It'll definately work on places like Minimus and Ike, but it's getting tested on the Mun after an orbital quicksave in case the initial series of test fails, then we'll go try Minimus If we have the fuel left.

Yes, they are mounted on top of the lander UPSIDE DOWN. The plan is to land and release them one at a time, then use their RCS jets to lift off the lander, then flip over, move away from the lander, then land..........Bob, the master EVA specialist you see in the picture thinks they should just hop in the drivers seat and take them down from orbit......I think Jeb is close to agreeing with him.

[TrooperCooper]

Completing my Duna and Ike exploration project rewarded me with about 10k science, which allowed me to unlock the first 16k tech-tree node. With better energy collection tech and the basic equipment for colonization, it is now time to return to the Mün and begin working on the 5-year habitation study of the BTSM-mod.

As a first step, a location for the planned mun base had to be found. To do that, I sent an automated ship that carried a series of micro landers.

Each of these tiny lander probes (weight less than one ton) was put down along the muns equator within the tidaly locked window that allowed permanent visual contact to Kerbin.

The last one finally found a spot that offered flat enough ground to establish the base.

The next step was to bring a lander up that had all the neccessary equipment by itself to allow a Kerbal to serve as a Mün ground worker for a considerable ammount of time and keep him alive. The TSSU (Temporary Surface Survival Unit) was designed and Bill took off from Kerbin in it.

The massive lander would allow him to stay on Mün for half of an (earth-) year.

When Bill arrived in a Mun orbit, he was quite shocked to find himself randomly next to the remains of the spot-finder mothership. Luckily it passed without causing harm just 200 meters from Bills ship and for a few minutes the two huge crafts were flying in a nice formation...

One orbital period later, the Kerbal landed his ship right next to the spot-finder probe.

Next I had to find a way to bring all the equipment that is neccessary to keep a Kerbal alive on the Mun indefinitely. First I planned to bring the containers each included in an own lander, but I figured that would drive the part count of the base up to much. So I had to figure a way out to get rid of all the unneccessary parts once the payload had arrived. For the life support processing units I came up with this deployment system, integrated into a flying rover.

After decoupling from its travel stage,...

It landed by itself near the TSSU.

After moving into position...

The payload was deployed.

Now Bill had to remove the remaining junk parts with TNT (read: termination through the tracking station) and then connect the life support processing unit with the TSSU.

First module installed, and Bill is happy with it.

Next, shortly before the beginning of our first Mün night, I brought an energy storage unit with a similarly designed deployment system. Here it is de-coupling from its travel stage during the final approach on Mün Base Alpha, which is visible just below the rover.

Shortly before touch-down.

Payload deployed next to the processing unit.

Bill connected this new module as well and then took a look at the complex under construction.

Next up I probably will bring the actual habitat lander with the experiment. And then quite a few more life support processing units. But now, Mun night is coming. Here is hoping Bill will make it through the darkness.

[Ruthgar]

Next up I probably will bring the actual habitat lander with the experiment. And then quite a few more life support processing units. But now, Mun night is coming. Here is hoping Bill will make it through the darkness.

Very nice, I've just started with installing mods into KSP, and had two questions. Are you using a mod(if so which one) to get your ships down that close to each other, or are you just that damn good? ( I know you had rover wheels on them originally, but you can see in the descent pics you were still getting down real close ) Second question, which mod are you using for the life support stuff? Great pics btw.

[TrooperCooper]

Very nice, I've just started with installing mods into KSP, and had two questions. Are you using a mod(if so which one) to get your ships down that close to each other, or are you just that damn good? ( I know you had rover wheels on them originally, but you can see in the descent pics you were still getting down real close ) Second question, which mod are you using for the life support stuff? Great pics btw.

Thank you!

No, I dont use a mod for the landing / approach. All piloting is done manually, no mech-jeb etc. Only Kerbal Engineer for in-flight data-readout.

When you have enough dV on your ship, it becomes relatively easy to make a close landing, since you can always make corrections during the approach. You can even stop while in space, adjust your heading a little bit and accelerate again if you have to. All you got to do is have enough maneuverability on your ship (reaction wheels / RCS) and get used to the navball. Set it to surface mode and then use the retro-/pro-grade markers during the descend to control your heading. My base is set up right on the mun equator. So when I come from Kerbin, I go into an orbit with 0° inclination. And once I am way above the base, I just kill all horizontal velocity by burning horizontally retro. After that, I just control my nearly vertical descend as described above.

But really, it comes down to practice and when you have enough dV, its just a matter of time to get really close. You could even land further away and then make little hops towards your target if you feel more comfortably that way.

The Mod for life support and such that I am using is "Better than starting manned" (BTSM), which also completly re-arranges the tech-tree and thus draws out the gameplay progress much more. See here.

Edited July 6, 2014 by TrooperCooper

[Motokid600]

Ok, late but its something I CAN reveal since its not Kerbin-Cup related.

Happy (two days ago) Fourth of July, everyone!

http://youtu.be/GDkM1cQ1wzE

That was fantastic. Better then any fireworks I've seen all weekend.

[Ruthgar]

Thank you!

No, I dont use a mod for the landing / approach. All piloting is done manually, no mech-jeb etc. Only Kerbal Engineer for in-flight data-readout.

When you have enough dV on your ship, it becomes relatively easy to make a close landing, since you can always make corrections during the approach. You can even stop while in space, adjust your heading a little bit and accelerate again if you have to. All you got to do is have enough maneuverability on your ship (reaction wheels / RCS) and get used to the navball. Set it to surface mode and then use the retro-/pro-grade markers during the descend to control your heading. My base is set up right on the mun equator. So when I come from Kerbin, I go into an orbit with 0° inclination. And once I am way above the base, I just kill all horizontal velocity by burning horizontally retro. After that, I just control my nearly vertical descend as described above.

But really, it comes down to practice and when you have enough dV, its just a matter of time to get really close. You could even land further away and then make little hops towards your target if you feel more comfortably that way.

The Mod for life support and such that I am using is "Better than starting manned" (BTSM), which also completly re-arranges the tech-tree and thus draws out the gameplay progress much more. See here.

Nice, yeah I just tried using MJ automated horizontal speed kill program while coming down from orbit...............yeah, after MJ completely screwed up my orbit (went for a .5 degree variation over the mun equator to a 30 degree variation... and oh yeah impact in 90 seconds now) I've firmly decided that I'll only be using MJ at all for info purposes and to just generate my initial intercept window, I'll be doing all of the controling myself from now on. Yeah, I'm using kerbal engineer as well, and actually managed a nighttime landing on the mun with just a 10-15nm/s horizontal velocity thanks to it. I'll look into getting that mod here in a bit for the life support. Already 30-40% into the tech tree of a new career and it would feel like cheating to install it right now. Gonna have to setup alternate game files so that I can have my vanilla KSP, and the various mod state KSPs Did have a little bit of a problem deploying my rovers there on the mun, underestimated the gravity effects of it, and how much rcs is needed to conteract it. Np, game was quicksaved, so instead of lifting my rovers off the lander with the rcs, just used the rcs to flip them off the rover. First landed upside down away from the lander, and had to use 25% of the remaining mono to get it back upright, 2nd rover landed too close to the landing gear and got hung up in it. Took about 10 mins to get it unstuck, but no damage that I can see to the rover, or the lander. Time for Bob to go for a drive.

[Felsmak]

Recreated an old Mun rocket from 0.16. I wonder if it's still viable!

[Gods315Pawn]

I'd been planning on spending my time before my shift at work today updating the lifter for my Mun lander so that I could utilize new tech, but that tech included fuel lines. After an hour of meticulously building a 155 part sub assembly with near perfect balance, two onion stages, and two asparagus stages I realize I don't have time to launch. Asparagus staging is great, but it requires such loving detail. Oh well, MSgt Jeb will get his trip when I get back from work.

[TimePeriod]

I crashed in the goddamn sea with 18 kerbals.

[Felsmak]

I crashed in the goddamn sea with 18 kerbals.

Good! Poseidon needs soldiers.

[[email protected]]

My Eeloo mission finally arrived at Eeloo.

[unrepentantAuthor]

I put several space station modules into LKO, and used the new space launch system inspired parts for the first time.

[Thorium]

Today I started my attempt on the Jool-5 Challenge. This will take a really long time, but I hope I have time to finish the challenge.

I started with building the Laythe lander, and it had more than enough delta-v to get into orbit around Kerbin.

EDIT: Ouch that didn't work.

Edit2: I just uploaded the picture via Dropbox, now it works.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Thorium

[XtensionCord]

Today I’ve been trying to make a launch vehicle using only one of the long S1 SRB-KD25k solid rockets that came with the ARM update on the first stage. This gives the rocket a really nice Ares I look, but my upper stage and capsule are far too heavy for the single SRB to lift. I guess I’ll have to find some way to greatly decrease the mass of the upper stage and Orion-replica capsule for a booster using only one SRB to work.

[Kevon87]

Sent an unmanned probe to Eve. Took 2 years and 91 days to get there. Came punching through atmo at something like 3000 m/s, only to realize too late that I didn't pull my Solar panels in. Got one retracted in time but scattered the other all over Eve. Finally got low enough to deploy chutes. Only to realize "Crap, I'm over water." So I'm coming in at a good speed thinking "Okay, I can still make something of this", waiting for the chutes to fully deploy, then suddenly "whump" the whole shebang comes apart. GAHHHHHH!!!!!:mad: