What did you do in KSP1 today?

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Spent yesterday evening and all of today combing through EVERY SINGLE ONE of my extremely bloated mod folder to get them all compatible with KSP 1.3 (Which I've only just updated to yesterday) instead of doing what was planned, which was importing some of my mod parts to release the first alpha build of Notantares.

[KerikBalm]

Yesterday I had started construction of my Rald surface base in a 3x rescale game, the long train of tug+base module chain achieved orbit, and I took down the ISRU unit to refuel the shuttle. The base location was wide flat floodplains near a crater lake with water and ore accessible via drill... but the shuttle was big ( >300 tons fully fueled), the KPBSdrills have a much slower output, and I calculated it would take 100 days/600 hours to refuel the shuttle without an engineer. 3 more modules needed to come down... this operation could take nearly a year...

I had a 5 kerbals at my base on duna, 1 of which was an engineer, The Duna shuttle was meant to get 40 tons from duna orbit, to the surface, and back to orbit with some margin. I loaded up the craft file in a different save and confirmed that it could reach orbit from the surface of Rald if it started fully fueled and wasn't carrying a payload, so I sent it up with a crew of 3 (1x pilot/scientist/engineer), transfered it to low rald orbit, picked up the hub module, and sent it to rald. dV margin to get there were thin, and I nearly ran out of fuel taxing to the base location

Picking up the module and approach to the LZ:

Spoiler

This docking seemed... somehow inappropriate to stick that long module stack into the hole of the cargobay... opening the top doors made it a little less dirty and made it easier to see what needed to be done to finish... docking...

With the desired module implanted in the dropship, The tug and module stack pulls out:

Approach to the LZ (the top right rim of that water filled crater):

Arrival of the 2nd shuttle at the base:

Spoiler

Those aren't turboramjets, they're a modded Ramrocket engine that can be used somewhat like a rapier on worlds that lack oxygen: a rocket mode, and high Isp (1440) LFO consuming air augmented mode that operates from about mach 0.5 to 5. The air-augmented mode doesn't work at all for taxing, and one needs to use the normal rocket mode to get up to speed.

The duna shuttle is the smaller one. It hasn't unloaded its payload yet. The empty fuel depot module is visible, and the ISRU module with the rover section attached is clawed to the bigger shuttle that is slowly refueling.

3 kerbals in the hub module wasn't so good, I didn't check the life support before sending them, it only produced enough food for 1 (I knew this) but the reserves would only last 5 days.... just barely enough time to fuel a shuttle, but I had fully stocked both shuttles with supplies, so it made it an easy decision to again inelegantly attach the entire base to the shuttle to fuel it.

Spoiler

The alternative is repeatedly filling the orange tank, and then driving it into the cargobay and transferring fuel

The rald shuttle was off 5 days later to go retrieve another module, the lifesupport/greenhouse module, it also partially served as a fuel tanked, transfering excess LFO to the tug, which detached from the remaining 2 modules:

Spoiler

The liftjets get about a 0.4 TWR on Rald, enough to lower TO/landing speed by about 22%

The partially refueled tug passes over Rald's delta region:

Then, of course, it was time to land it again:

Spoiler

decelerating after touchdown, the rear ramp was open to increase drag on final approach:

Adding the module:

Spoiler

The base as it currently is on Rald, still needs the Hab-Lab module to come down, and a 2nd ISRU module. Anyway, in its current state it produces excess food/O2/water, and can refuel the shuttles in a matter of 4-6 days

I'm also going to have to get that Duna shuttle fueled up and back to duna to pick up the only 2 kerbals left on Duna, holding down the fort at the old base.

[XB-70A]

2 hours ago, cratercracker said:

 

Damn cracker, I only knew your "Lounge" side before but here that's an awesome job you made!

[JadeOfMaar]

Today I finished setting up the life support configs for some additional parts to the Tokamak mod.  Just like in Airline Kuisine, those parts now work well with all the major LS mods. Especially this one.

A new family of alien spaceplane has arrived too. "Codename Pterodactyl" is a multipurpose hypersonic/ultrasonic, lightly modded SSTO fit for shuttling, supply running, racing or battle. I had to come up with something new and fly it after doing so much LS modding lately. In default configuration it has up to 640m/s of dV in orbit....Perhaps I should factor a Mk2 inline docking port with this..for actual rdzv missions. In the last screenshot it's in sport configuration: LF-only tanks, mod-less, no shock cones (the Mk1 inline intakes are enough) and only Panthers for propulsion.

  

Edited July 22, 2017 by JadeOfMaar

[Bornholio]

More flights through '55.

Do want to point out that this is RP-0 Master testing and together with my last post shows a progression of technology from '51-56ish time frame, Hard mode using Pap's awesome new tech tree and contracts.  Check out @NathanKell 's twitch feed if you want to see it in action.

The contracts for satellites include arbitrary payload mass in the form of ComsatBus or WeatherSatBus that is needed by the contract.  As technology and achievements open up new contract types they can increase in amount and vary by type of orbit.

 

Spoiler

 

Some LR101's act as a low power second ignition to use the last of the stage fuel setting up high AP Insertions, Had to improvise to get them inside fairing

Main GTO/Mol/Tundra delivery bus, two pairs of LR-101's. plenty of run time so failures are low but, 2 ignitions for insertion and circulization/PE raising. Additional HTP for tuning and last resort if engines fail.

Getting setup, not quite enough dV for full GEO orbit setup, but initial shot and RCS get the sat in place. Every other sat contract needs less so its a commonized platform. And I tire of using it.

 

Circ in Geosync.

 

Spoiler

 

Contract complete, new com/weathersats in place

New contracts for Reentry come with the first EDL tech node...

Burning stuff off

 

Risking my first astronauts life on a stupid orbital mission.

 

Spoiler

 

Still looking good orbit is close.

Crew complaints of neck and shoulder pain are warranted

Careful placement and a very gentle aim, this craft was far too hot.  Astronaut got blisters on left foot and elbow .

 

Time to clean up the science around earth. Mostly taking pictures at all altitudes.

 

Spoiler

 

My now standard second stage kicks into low polar orbit.

The science pod bus consisting of 7 seperate re-entry vehicles in tandem.

Polar Ice here we come.

 

Tundra orbit contract now available and complete.

A nice safe atlas/mercury ride for the next pilot.

They want two men in space, and I only have one man pods

 

Spoiler

 

Testing recovery system.

The "Sick" gemini head to head madness

Orbital maneuvers for the next day or so.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2017 by Bornholio

[Vanamonde]

A post or two has been removed from this thread. Please keep things on-topic, and leave politics for other places on the internet because that never ends well here. 

[Brownhair2]

Whoopsies

Well after a four-week vacation I'm back! The above picture was taken during a science expedition I started before my vacation. Despite some... mishaps... along the way, the rover, kerbals and science all made it back to my Minmus base intact! MOAR SCIENCE!!1!

So, now what?

Well, I've got my sights set on a certain little ball of rock...

I'm coming for you Ike...

[fourfa]

I've been running a custom Hard Difficulty career in Galileo's Planet Pack with various tech tree mods (CTT, Unmanned Before Manned etc).  Been stuck for a while at the point where the 3.6 million kerbuck upgrade to the R&D complex (and access to higher-tech parts) is still very far away.  That means SSTOs are very low margin craft - no Whiplash or Aerospike, certainly no RAPIERs or Vectors - only Panthers, Terriers, Swivels etc.  

I got lucky with a part contract for the Rhino, which led to thinking about a mid-tech STS-style orbiter with that monster out back.  But why throw the boosters and external tank in the ocean, when you can slap wings, jet engines, and a Mainsail on it and fly it back to the runway?

static fire and fuel flow testing

Finalized design, capable of easily moving 36T to orbit (ie orange tank)

Ven's revamp for cosmetics, though these work in stock.  But needs FMRS for the fly-back booster.

Edited July 23, 2017 by fourfa

[ShadowZone]

11 hours ago, cratercracker said:

1."Promise-Heavy" flight! It is a first fliable "replica" (if you can call it like that) of Falcon-Heavy! I am interested though... Have @Matt Lowne or @ShadowZone done Falcon-Heavy replica

And yes! I landed all the stages! Hooraaaaay! (Note: landing big stuff is stressful)

You rang?

I did a Falcon Heavy style thing back when I did a comparison to the SLS video. The SpaceX part starts at 3:27

And yes, powered landings are tough!
 

 

[cratercracker]

1 minute ago, ShadowZone said:

You rang?

I did a Falcon Heavy style thing back when I did a comparison to the SLS video. The SpaceX part starts at 3:27

And yes, powered landings are tough!
 

 

*Table flip*

*Rage quit*

Really cool Falcon-Heavy though! You reused only 2 stages... But i don't really mind that, you did it better in every way.

[ARS]

Aborting all missions and starting a new career since I'm updating my KSP to 1.3 (Don't wanna lose kerbals since some of craft uses mods that is already discontinued since 1.0)

Oh, and also, I would like to ask something. I want to make a semi-permanent munar lander that can function as an outpost. This is what I've made:

You see, it's just a mk2 lander can with a launchpad-like structure on top. I want to make it like a lander, that is able to deliver a kerbal and provide at least "larger living space" than a normal lander, but I want to make it so that when it's time to leave, the kerbal would be transferred to mk1 crew pod, the fairing deploys and the radial decoupler detaches the upper rocket out of tower as it's engine started (Think like an apollo lunar lander, the lower part is left behind and function as a launchpad, only this is not inline decoupling but radial one).

The problem is, whenever I tested it, it's either the upper rocket detached from tower but with engine turned off, the lower engine ignited instead or simply nothing happened (just decoupler active, engines not even responding to staging sequence). If anyone knows the solution of this problem, then that would be great.

As a note, root part is mk1 crew pod

staging is as follows: lower engine> fairing> radial decoupler + upper engine> upper inline separator> parachute

Can someone give me advice about this problem?

Edited July 23, 2017 by ARS

[kraden]

@ARS I've done something similar with a rover and had staging issues as well. Best that I came up with was to put the engines into action groups and make sure they've all been staged but are off when you're ready to go. Then hit the staging (for the decoupler) and the action group that engages the return engine. Turned out ok for me but took a few tries to get it right.

[cratercracker]

14 hours ago, JadeOfMaar said:

Today I finished setting up the life support configs for some additional parts to the Tokamak mod.  Just like in Airline Kuisine, those parts now work well with all the major LS mods. Especially this one.

A new family of alien spaceplane has arrived too. "Codename Pterodactyl" is a multipurpose hypersonic/ultrasonic, lightly modded SSTO fit for shuttling, supply running, racing or battle. I had to come up with something new and fly it after doing so much LS modding lately. In default configuration it has up to 640m/s of dV in orbit....Perhaps I should factor a Mk2 inline docking port with this..for actual rdzv missions. In the last screenshot it's in sport configuration: LF-only tanks, mod-less, no shock cones (the Mk1 inline intakes are enough) and only Panthers for propulsion.

  

I RAN OUT OF LIKES

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[JadeOfMaar]

6 minutes ago, cratercracker said:

I RAN OUT OF LIKES

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Where's the Love this button? 

[GDJ]

Made and flew around in a deHavilland Vampire based plane. This one is a twin engine model (both jets are good for 12 kN peak).
Not real fast, but VERY fuel efficient and fun to fly.

[CaptainTrebor]

Spent most of today and yesterday building mini SSTOs.

[JadeOfMaar]

On 7/21/2017 at 10:05 PM, TheDARKOMETER said:

 

So I made my first ever MiG Replica, a MiG-21, in KSP with FAR Installed (I'll be having FAR from now on )

 Major Air!!!

 

[cratercracker]

18 hours ago, XB-70A said:

Damn cracker, I only knew your "Lounge" side before but here that's an awesome job you made!

I have a very long story in this thread..

I can even share the list of pages where my posts are.

[Jett_Quasar]

I finished testing my Star Wars replica Sand Crawler (in V1.2.2 and V1.3) and uploaded the file to Kerbal-X

Note:  This craft is pure stock and acts as a fully functional mining rover which also includes 4 independent droids and a land speeder.

Download the craft file on Kerbal-X now!

 - Jett

[cubinator]

My Laythe lander wanted to be a plane...So I let it be a plane for a while, and it worked pretty well!

[Geonovast]

Landed a miner lander on the Mun.

Extracted 1200 units of ore.

Returned to refueling/refining station.

Preeeettty sure I used more fuel landing and recovering than I got from the ore.

I may need to break down and actually watch some tutorials.

[NISSKEPCSIM]

Spent an hour all frustrated trying to import one of my parts into KSP from Unity, only to realise that I was doing the steps in the wrong order, and then correctly did it in ten minutes! 

Edited July 23, 2017 by NISSKEPCSIM

[cratercracker]

Hello wonderful person! Hope you are doing alright!

And today i am going to show off some basic stuff....

If you can call anything in KSP basic...

1.KHLV-4 launched "Dust Storm" to Duna! It is a lander that is supposed to transport crew to the surface and back!

(Note: what the hell did i just spent my fuel on?)

 

 

2. "Dust storm" And we are landed on Duna! It was pretty cool to land at night and then rove around in the early morning sunshine! Now the kerbonauts sleep tight because they have a lot to do the next day!

(Note: *que the tokio drift theme*)

Comment from Bill: OOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD HELP ME 

Comment from Jeb: Oh yeah! Just look at that perfect 420 turn, and near flip in the end!

  

 

 

3. Mission "Garmonica" is send to Ike, with only one crew member!

(Note: i hate Ike)

Bill: Oh yeah, i am finally seperated from this maniac...

 

4. We are proud to present our new robot assistant!-Lil-Buddy S3000

It can operate manually and be controlled by a kerbal!

It can also grab stuff,push stuff,transport stuff,transport kerbals and eventually take over the base/station you placed him on!

It can operate both in low and high gravity! 

It is really awesome though, like i was super happy about it..

 

5. I tested a very weird plane....

(Note: Is it same to go out? *Opens the door* *Overheats to death*)

 

6. Messed with parachutes..

(Note: UH OH OH GOD WHY IS IT NOT DEPLOYING)

 

7. Photo of the day!

Photo from First mission to return from Mun.

Now we made it to Duna.. It makes me teary.. All of this progress, the moment when you realize that you did something that was impossible for a very long time..

[invision]

making easy  money in career mode while still trying to be creative

[Jouni]

I have been avoiding Laythe, because I don't want to design spaceplanes. A few days ago I started pretending that there is no oxygen on Laythe and that rocket landers are the only option.

Since then, I have been testing variations of this basic design:

I first tried using the inflatable heat shield as a heat shield, but it works better as a reentry parachute.

There should be enough parachutes for a Laythe landing, though the fairing base can be used as crumple zone if necessary.

 

Aerospikes are rather useless without thrust vectoring, so I'm using a few Twitch engines for guidance during the early ascent.

 

The lander is capable of reaching LKO, so it should probably work on Laythe too.