What did you do in KSP1 today?

[TwoCalories]

13 hours ago, OrdinaryKerman said:

I thought Es are single-person? And that's definitely an A/C/E single-seat cockpit

Yeah, it's a single seater. I was just alluding to the fact that it probably should've been an F variant since it's a ground-attack loadout, and usually you'd bring a second seat for a WSO to do their thing.

[Kimera Industries]

Landed on Pol and Tylo in my Jool 5. I remember feeling rather... depressed as my landed orbited Vall with only 2000 dv, and I just thought: "This is impossible. There's no way I'll get this done." And yet I managed, and now I can see that while my mission may have originally appeared massively overbuilt, it's going to look like I planned this all out perfectly.  Not bad for someone whose only other interplanetary missions are a one-way trip to Dres and a crewed return from Duna.

[Hotel26]

I run a program to bring jetsam abandoned in deep space back [Mod-F12] to GKO (Geostationary Kerbin orbit).  There are strict rules about disposal of this junk.

The GKO gravity well is quite deep to deorbit junk back to Kerbin.  (Offhand, I don't know the dV required.)

So I thought I'd see what it costs to impact the Mun with the debris...  264 m/s.  Sounds nice.  And of course, another 264 m/s for the scavenger to recircularize within GKO.

If you look in the center, you can see the Mun in focus, with a junk slingshot shown, but without Periapsis.  "Bye bye, y'all."

Time for some coffee!

Spoiler

A Crab [L] with a Zephyr booster [R], prepares to hurl it against a wall...

UPDATE: 443 m/s to reduce PE from GKO down to 50km Kerbin altitude.

So, Mun impact is better (as long as the crew have been taken off, first!).

Edited January 1 by Hotel26

[kurgut]

Today I noticed something strange, I never realized before :

I was really astonished by this view, and even afraid about the kerbal's health condition. Then, after hours of searching and reading in the NKA (National Kerbal Archives), I stumbled upon this :

"Similar to snails, Kerbals have the natural ability to retract their head inside their body when they detect unusual situations and environment around them."
[...]
"This reflex behavior appears to be responsible of many rocket crashes through the Kerbals space exploration history, as the kerbonaut, once in a dangerous situation, leading to his head being "retracted", couldn't interact with the spacecraft anymore, nor seing the vital instruments readouts around him, leading most of the time to a fatality."
[...]
"in Year 17 D 145, [...] after considering natural evolution being too slow to fix this inconvenience, and after the disastrous Duna-One-X incident, the Kerbal Space Committee approved the installation of "struts" in most spacecraft cabins, firmly attached from the shell of the capsule to the Kerbal's head, thus preventing it from retracting. While certainly being arduous for the kerbonaut to endure, this engineering solution improved the safety of kerbalized missions by some non negligeable 137% [...].

Kerbopedia Universalis, XVIII-8-a

Edited December 30, 2023 by kurgut

[Martian Emigrant]

Hello all.

 

It as been a while. My potato crashed. Should be mashed.

New PC much faster. I am back.

 

ME

[Pipcard]

[ARA] Y1, D152 - Denebola 2, the first spacewalk

'

Y1, D162 - Gemini 5 lands on the Mun's Northwest Crater

Y1, D165 - Denebola 3 makes the first orbital rendezvous with the Leo 5 target vehicle

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Pipcard

[kurgut]

Today, I continued working on this project in KSP, in RSS-Reborn... 

October 14th, 1947...         Chuck Yeager...        Yes, the first plane to break the sound barrier !

I spent hours trying to figure out how to fly the P-80 chase plane (I believe it was a P80 ?) together with the B-29, and the Bell XS-1 attached under its Belly, but I finally succeeded ! The view was magnificent, and I couldn't stop flying around like this for 20 minutes haha  

Until the full video comes out, here's a sneak peek of those two guys flying together :
(I really  can't get used to that much beauty in KSP ^^ )

If you don't know about it, the high res terrain is from Map the Earth mod, another Fox's jewel < 3

Have a good time for New Year's Eve, and see you "next year" as they say : P,  for continuing KSP adventures as well as this iconic thread !  

[Fraktal]

Just had a very good haul on Minmus. First trip there on my current game, landed and scienced 5 biomes in one mission, then got back to Kerbin with only 12 m/s of fuel left. Would've had a greater margin of error if I hadn't gone for the polar biome right off the bat from an equatorial orbit, but at least it's out of the way now.

[Pipcard]

[ARA] Y1, D176 - Gemini 6 lands in the Mun's East Crater

Y1, D176 - Denebola 4, the first orbital docking

Y1, D192 - Gemini 7, the first Minmus flyby

Y1, D193 - Denebola 5, the first crewed mission to last 1 week

[space_otter]

 

Started a new JNSQ career (again)

Initially, a sounding rocket program was performed. The Bumblebee series of sounding rockets launched a total of 4 times. The initial 'Bumblebee I' rockets could fly to a 45km apoapsis, while the block II series, with a more powerful booster, can fly up to 150 km.

The second flight of the block I bumblebee was successful. The antennas deploy at high altitude and unfortunately can't survive re-entry. 

The more powerful Bumblebee II can be seen here.

Launch is from a launch stand, complete with small service tower! The fins make the rocket spin extremely fast, to aid stability.

As the booster burns out and the thrust declines rapidly, the second stage fires in a quite explosive decoupling.

Despite launching in darkness, at apoapsis the rocket is briefly bathed in sunlight.

The first orbital satellite is already in construction!

[JcoolTheShipbuilder]

Went on a bit of an adventure modding stuff
I gave Creui proper eve clouds (not 2.0 yet) and also a moon!
Chioni, Creui's closer moon, it is slightly smaller than Gilly.

(i will add a second, atmospheric moon)

View of Creui from Chioni!

I then experimented with a homeswitch which puts the KSC about 60km above the surface of Creui.
Creui's surface pressure is 270 atm, and at 60km up, its just below 1 atm and slightly chilly.
I am trying to get something to work to place a floating city around the KSC

Yes I experimented with career mode.. this totally isnt cursed at all lol

It was fairly difficult to get out of Creui's soupy atmosphere, but got a first satellite in the unkerballed start.

After MANY attempts and reverts, I got Jeb into orbit in a rescue shuttle to rescue those stuck in low orbit around Creui.. odd that the KSC is the only point that can be launched from and there were several kerbals stranded in orbit already (yes I know the contract system isnt used to probes first)
The very first crewed ship I sent to orbit around creui HAD to be a shuttle as the KSC is the only landable point on the planet, and missing it would then be like falling into a gas giant. Creui is a super-venus about 900km in radius (960km if you are measuring at 1 bar)

Got to orbit with the most ineffecient profile, but it worked.

Jebediah in space over some sunrise

Jebediah spent 15 days in space slowly rescuing the kerbals using barely any fuel. finally got all three kerbals rescued from LCO (LKO but for Creui?). This is a stock craft that uses the making history DLC.

This is fine. maybe I should call the shuttle the "Possum" as it carries kerbals on its back and protects them on reentry

 

Missed the KSC by a few dozen km, but safely made it back

... and crash landed the typical Jebediah fashion

 

Immediatley after completing the contracts, like.. three more kerbals got stranded somehow. lol. (i know the game just generates the kerbals, but I thought it was funny considering the ksc is the only launchable point)

Creui career mode on NORMAL is surprisingly challenging. having to get unkerballed start, then figuring out how to guaranteed get the kerbals back home without falling into the planet. along with the soupy atmosphere as Creui's atmosphere extends to 181km
This is a very early version of the mod too.

Edited January 2 by JcoolTheShipbuilder

[Kimera Industries]

20 hours ago, JcoolTheShipbuilder said:

Went on a bit of an adventure modding stuff
I gave Creui proper eve clouds (not 2.0 yet) and also a moon!
Chioni, Creui's closer moon, it is slightly smaller than Gilly.

(i will add a second, atmospheric moon)

View of Creui from Chioni!

I then experimented with a homeswitch which puts the KSC about 60km above the surface of Creui.
Creui's surface pressure is 270 atm, and at 60km up, its just below 1 atm and slightly chilly.
I am trying to get something to work to place a floating city around the KSC

Yes I experimented with career mode.. this totally isnt cursed at all lol

It was fairly difficult to get out of Creui's soupy atmosphere, but got a first satellite in the unkerballed start.

After MANY attempts and reverts, I got Jeb into orbit in a rescue shuttle to rescue those stuck in low orbit around Creui.. odd that the KSC is the only point that can be launched from and there were several kerbals stranded in orbit already (yes I know the contract system isnt used to probes first)
The very first crewed ship I sent to orbit around creui HAD to be a shuttle as the KSC is the only landable point on the planet, and missing it would then be like falling into a gas giant. Creui is a super-venus about 900km in radius (960km if you are measuring at 1 bar)

Got to orbit with the most ineffecient profile, but it worked.

Jebediah in space over some sunrise

Jebediah spent 15 days in space slowly rescuing the kerbals using barely any fuel. finally got all three kerbals rescued from LCO (LKO but for Creui?). This is a stock craft that uses the making history DLC.

This is fine. maybe I should call the shuttle the "Possum" as it carries kerbals on its back and protects them on reentry

 

Missed the KSC by a few dozen km, but safely made it back

... and crash landed the typical Jebediah fashion

 

Immediatley after completing the contracts, like.. three more kerbals got stranded somehow. lol. (i know the game just generates the kerbals, but I thought it was funny considering the ksc is the only launchable point)

Creui career mode on NORMAL is surprisingly challenging. having to get unkerballed start, then figuring out how to guaranteed get the kerbals back home without falling into the planet. along with the soupy atmosphere as Creui's atmosphere extends to 181km
This is a very early version of the mod too.

Hey, looks awesome!  

I think having an easily mineable point orbiting Creui, (Chioni) kind of compensates for getting into orbit being so hard, like Eve and Gilly. Early game, it does limit things, but it's definitely doable.

[Kimera Industries]

I haven't played KSP yet today, but I came up with the idea for the Universal Module Program (UMP). It consists of groups of modules that are easy on parts count and very simply constructed: Surface, Descent, and Transit. Still working on the category names, but here's a summary of each:

Surface:

Any modules primarily intended for use on the surface of a body, like surface bases, outposts, or research stations. So far nothing has been developed in this category specifically for UMP.

Descent: 

Any modules primarily intended for the ferrying of supplies (including kerbals) to or from a body's surface. So far, the "Harvest" Lander has been developed specifically for UMP. ISRU, vacuum-optimized.

Transit:

Any modules primarily intended for use in space around a body, like space stations or interplanetary/interstellar vessels. Carries supplies to and from orbits (but not surfaces) around different celestial bodies, but not to or from surfaces. So far, several modules for UMP have been developed in this category:

CPM: Chemical Propulsion Module, uses conventional rocket fuels in a 5m size transfer module propelled by Vectors.

NPM: Nuclear Propulsion Module, a smaller 3m transfer module propelled by NERVs. Has the same capacity as the CPM, but with the potential for combining multiple units for a larger range.

SM: An all-purpose service module, with good battery capacity, monopropellant storage, and large fold-out solar arrays, ISS-size.

CF: An experimental centrifuge with contra-rotating rings. While it doesn't exactly meet the UMP's requirements for a simple, low-part module, it has great stability and offers a large usage potential.

NM: The "command module" of any self-respecting station, the Navigation Module provides an excellent range of view and is the center of a ship's science research, communications, and navigation.

CERES Station, which I will construct in LKO with UMP modules and fly to Dres, is built (from left to right, connected by docking ports) like so:

L  NM  CF  SM  CPM

(The L is for the Lander)

Words that alternatively matched each acronym became code words for each: (they all came randomly)

L: Lemur

NM: NeMatode

CF: Control Freak

SM: Super Mario

CPM: Clicks Per Minute

From each set of code words, syllables were combined to form a single, short codeword for each:

Le

NeM

ConFr

SuMa

CliPMin

Combining Le and NeM, ConFr and SuMa: 

LeM

ConSuMa

CliPMin

Combining ConSuMa and CliPMin:

LeM

ConSuMin

Lastly, combining LeM and ConSuMin:

LeMin

Therefore, any CERES-type vessel will be codenamed Lemon.

(But different ships will get specific names, like how CERES is the Comprehensive Extended-Duration Research and Exploration Station)

If I can use this same naming pattern for other arrangements of UMP modules, I could get a unique codeword for every type of vessel to be constructed.

Edited January 3 by Kimera Industries

[kurgut]

Today, I finally finished this project that kept me occupied for some days (weeks?  ), a full reproduction of the historic flight of the Bell XS-1, breaking the sound barrier, in RSS/RO : )

76 years ago, October 14th 1947, Chuck Yeager embarked on his Bell XS-1 "Glamorous Glennis", carried by a B-29 at Muroc airforce base. While having two broken ribs, he, the USAF and NACA marked history with this milestone, crucial in developing technologies and knowledge both for planes and manned space exploration.

Embark on the "Glamorous Glennis" with Chuck Yeager, for this historical ride above mach 1, breaking the sound barrier for the first time !

The whole mission was flown from the cockpit, but the video has some external views as well, some archives images and original crew conversations, but from X-1A flight (starting at 5:40, the rest is AI custom generated voices I created to add immersion and make the thing feel more alive).
This was definitely a challenging and fun mission to do, as well as learning a lot about the outstanding research and systems from that time !    Yeah I'm just in love with the old days analog era, true pioneers !
Any feedback appreciated  (best watched with headphones)

I really need to get to sleep now, but later I'd like to write some mission report about that, both for the flying, historical details, and how it was shot ingame : )

EDIT : It's done ! Details on the mission ingame, the recording, and many historical details and interesting facts, with pictures/diagrams  

Cheeers

Edited January 3 by kurgut

[Kimera Industries]

8 minutes ago, kurgut said:

Today, I finally finished this project that kept me occupied for some days (weeks?  ), a full reproduction of the historic flight of the Bell XS-1, breaking the sound barrier, in RSS/RO : )

76 years ago, October 14th 1947, Chuck Yeager embarked on his Bell XS-1 "Glamorous Glennis", carried by a B-29 at Muroc airforce base. While having two broken ribs, he, the USAF and NACA marked history with this milestone, crucial in developing technologies and knowledge both for planes and manned space exploration.

Embark on the "Glamorous Glennis" with Chuck Yeager, for this historical ride above mach 1, breaking the sound barrier for the first time !

The whole mission was flown from the cockpit, but the video has some external views as well, some archives images and original crew conversations (from X-1A flight). This was definitely a challenging and fun mission to do, as well as learning a lot about the outstanding research and systems from that time !  
Any feedback appreciated  (best watched with headphones)
 

I really need to get to sleep now, but later I'd like to write some mission report about that, both for the flying, historical details, and how it was shot ingame : )
Cheeers

Now that was amazing! The only thing technically *wrong* I could think of is that since the X-1 had such a high stall speed, the carrier aircraft had to go into a bit of a dive before releasing so the X-1 wouldn't, you know, stall.

[kurgut]

2 minutes ago, Kimera Industries said:

Now that was amazing! The only thing technically *wrong* I could think of is that since the X-1 had such a high stall speed, the carrier aircraft had to go into a bit of a dive before releasing so the X-1 wouldn't, you know, stall.

Thank you so much ! Yeah that was a decision I resolve to, flying horizontally, since I had to record multiple takes of each scene from different, and thus being sure I had the same background/altitude for it... Well done to have noticed that   Cheers
And btw, on XS-1, the speed was too low, and Chuck indeed entered a minor stalling upon release..

[Kimera Industries]

12 minutes ago, kurgut said:

Thank you so much ! Yeah that was a decision I resolve to, flying horizontally, since I had to record multiple takes of each scene from different, and thus being sure I had the same background/altitude for it... Well done to have noticed that   Cheers
And btw, on XS-1, the speed was too low, and Chuck indeed entered a minor stalling upon release..

Whatever works to allow you to film it like that! 

The only reason I spotted it was because I read the entire page on the Bell X-1 in my Aircraft of the World series, and it had that little tidbit in one of the info boxes.  

[space_otter]

On the 22nd of march, Satellite I was successfully launched on board an LV-1A rocket. The satellite is in a highly eccentric orbit, but it is stable. The performance of the launch vehicle is quite good, being capable of placing over 700kg into orbit.

Later, Satellite II was launched onboard an slightly updated LV-1A Block II. This satellite will perform important research from its almost circular polar orbit at 111km.

Ignition!

The stages separate at high altitude.

Final orbit achieved!

Up next: Mun & Minmus I!

[RayneCloud]

I tried building a new modded loadout with over a 100 mods to have a  ew grand adventure and I think I failed lol

Back to the drawing board I guess....

Edited January 3 by RayneCloud

[king of nowhere]

I got into a building frenzy and made a barge pretending to be an aircraft carrier.

 the thing is, standing on top of another vehicle counts as landed instead of splashed down, which will let me collect more samples from water biomes. so I planned to send an aircraft carrier to laythe.

but i quickly realized i am too lousy a pilot, i can't even come close to the ship, much less crashing on it, much less landing on it. so I made a barge with a water ramp, where the plane can water land nearby and climb on the barge.

after being done, i set up for beautification by adding landing lights everywhere

unfortunately, adding lights created so many new bugs. autostruts failed everywhere, symmetry keeps changing for no apparent reason, the plane randomly malfunctions when close to the barge-carrier. I'll just have to go back and use the non-beautified, but functional version. was it worth to work one hour just to take some pictures?

 

 

[Royalswissarmyknife]

On 12/26/2023 at 12:29 PM, Royalswissarmyknife said:

Today I worked on a Saturn 1 rocket for a Mission Report I might make.

So far I have completed Sputnik-1, Explorer-1, Little Joe, Mercury Redstone, Mercury Atlas, and Titan II GLV.

  Reveal hidden contents

All the rockets are the same/higher quality then the Apetryx-9.

 

Finished the Saturn 1 along with the CSM and LEM

Now I'm working on the Saturn V and Soyuz.

[kurgut]

Today, I continued making progress on my WIP mod (ASET IVA for the External Command Seat)  
 

I added a new variant (first one was orbiter/lander low tech) : low tech plane, inspired by the J-3 or equivalent old prop planes, (and by warbird cockpit mod : ) ), with the bare minimum instruments required to fly. : )

Here are some pics of the progress, and a quick showcase video (with a totally normal plane landing on the VAB  )

Right side :

Spoiler

Left side :

Spoiler

External view with IVA overlay ON :

Spoiler

And the video  

Having all this visibility and with the ground passing by so close, makes it really feel like riding a motorbike  

[Kimera Industries]

On 1/3/2024 at 2:12 PM, king of nowhere said:

I got into a building frenzy and made a barge pretending to be an aircraft carrier.

 the thing is, standing on top of another vehicle counts as landed instead of splashed down, which will let me collect more samples from water biomes. so I planned to send an aircraft carrier to laythe.

but i quickly realized i am too lousy a pilot, i can't even come close to the ship, much less crashing on it, much less landing on it. so I made a barge with a water ramp, where the plane can water land nearby and climb on the barge.

after being done, i set up for beautification by adding landing lights everywhere

unfortunately, adding lights created so many new bugs. autostruts failed everywhere, symmetry keeps changing for no apparent reason, the plane randomly malfunctions when close to the barge-carrier. I'll just have to go back and use the non-beautified, but functional version. was it worth to work one hour just to take some pictures?

That's a very elegant solution to "How do I get landed science from oceans?" and "How do I make a small aircraft carrier that won't obliterate my PC?" I might copy that idea of a water-submerged ramp in future builds of mine if you don't mind.

And yes, it's always worth it for the screenshots.

[Pipcard]

[ARA] Y1, D201 - Gemini 8, the first Minmus impact probe

Y1, D202 - Denebola 6, the first rescue mission

Y1, D217 - Gemini 9, the first Minmus orbiter

[MythicalHeFF]

I killed two kerbals by teleporting them 4,000km below the surface of Jool.. apparently they died so hard that they died a second time...? (for legal reasons I cannot show the name of the vessel)

Edited January 5 by MythicalHeFF