What did you do in KSP1 today?

[Aerodynamic Kerbal]

3 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

You could add a nosecone... you can use a docking port like a decoupler.

Yes, but it should dock to a station, after all...

[Scarecrow71]

Phase II of my colonization project is finished.  This phase involved putting 3 satellites into HKO so as to form a communications network.  You can read all the juicy details here:

[Aerodynamic Kerbal]

9 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

The airplane wings are bigger than the booster fins... that's not aerodynamically stable. Use the yellow CoM and cyan aerodynamic center marker. The fins need to be about 2-3x bigger

Something like this?

Anyways, the first flight was pure success, almost perfect.

It all went well untill booster seperation... The entire behemoth of a rocket did a 360, but I somehow managed to keep it under control...

I somehow managed to get it to an apoapsis of 200km, then executed the orbital burn.

It still had 200m/s left, which is just enough for a shuttle deorbit burn. Did I manage to dock it to the station?... Yeah of course I did!

(used this camera just for coolness and screenshots)

And now: deorbitation. At first I went with a typical re-entry, at 45 degrees.

I started falling over the sea west of the KSC continent. The jet engines might've been able to do it, but I'm lazy. And 4x times physics might break this in half.

Hit the F9 and by facing prograde, I managed to make it West of the KSC mountains. A little flying...

(somehow got Minmus here)

The landing was UNBELIEVABLY smooth. It was smoother than any other landing I have ever done, even with the MSS-100. It was so smooth, that NOTHING broke.

I dont know if any of you expected this result, but I truly didnt. Went way better than Starship.

The only issue other than the ascent flip was the fact that I forgot to retract the solar panel and the antenna. Whatever.

And here's the landing, for those of you that need footage:

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Aerodynamic Kerbal

[Aerodynamic Kerbal]

For the max effectiveness, I suggest you go to 1:17 in the video and then play HOME - We're finally landing. Very cool.

[AtomicTech]

Today in KSP 1, I worked on @chaos113's Future Orbiting Stations Kit!

[Scarecrow71]

Continuing on with my current plan of leaving Kerbin, I was able to gain enough science points to get access to Solar Panels, as well as put 2 satellites in orbit around the Mun.  Read all about it here:

 

[Scarecrow71]

Phase V is now complete!  This includes 2 launches:  one to do science, and one for the actual Mun landing.  Read all about it!

 

[DunaManiac]

In terms of actual flights, I flew Accipiter VI, a simple mission to geostationary orbit to deploy some geostationary satellites, completing my constellation.

Foundation Station. I was going for a very Mir-esque vibe here, even more so than my LKO station. It has ample provisions for a 3 year term with a 3 year crew, as well as a supplementary agroponics farm to suplement our provisions. It also contains ample science equipment and an entire Minmus Orbital Study Suite. It also has an ample fuel reserve for the Minmus General Lander.

The Minmus Resource Orbital Module (M-ROM) seen up close. It has a large optical and infrared telescope, a synthetic radar aperture, an observation cupola, and ample multispectral scanners. For transport, a separator will be placed above the science equipment, supported by several structural beams. Once docked, it will be jettisoned from the station.

Elysium: a small 2 man base, designed to operate for around 4 years and then be replaced by a larger ore refinery. It will teach us how to assemble a larger base, as well as be Kerbin's first outpost on another planet.

However, did mostly conceptual work today. This is the first phase in a plan to colonize Minmus (for probably the 3rd time). The first step is to launch Nova-E V, the final Minmus mission, which will carry the core module of Foundation Station to Minmus. After it leaves, we will then slowly add the lab and logistics module to the station. Then, a large freighter will deliver the remaining station modules, Elysium, a rover, and  Minmus General Lander to deploy them to the surface. This will be an enormous undertaking for Kerbin: the entire project will probably take years to complete. But the rewards will be great: a launching pad to land kerbals on Duna and Eve, our next grand targets.

[AtomicTech]

1 hour ago, DunaManiac said:

In terms of actual flights, I flew Accipiter VI, a simple mission to geostationary orbit to deploy some geostationary satellites, completing my constellation.

Foundation Station. I was going for a very Mir-esque vibe here, even more so than my LKO station. It has ample provisions for a 3 year term with a 3 year crew, as well as a supplementary agroponics farm to suplement our provisions. It also contains ample science equipment and an entire Minmus Orbital Study Suite. It also has an ample fuel reserve for the Minmus General Lander.

The Minmus Resource Orbital Module (M-ROM) seen up close. It has a large optical and infrared telescope, a synthetic radar aperture, an observation cupola, and ample multispectral scanners. For transport, a separator will be placed above the science equipment, supported by several structural beams. Once docked, it will be jettisoned from the station.

Elysium: a small 2 man base, designed to operate for around 4 years and then be replaced by a larger ore refinery. It will teach us how to assemble a larger base, as well as be Kerbin's first outpost on another planet.

However, did mostly conceptual work today. This is the first phase in a plan to colonize Minmus (for probably the 3rd time). The first step is to launch Nova-E V, the final Minmus mission, which will carry the core module of Foundation Station to Minmus. After it leaves, we will then slowly add the lab and logistics module to the station. Then, a large freighter will deliver the remaining station modules, Elysium, a rover, and  Minmus General Lander to deploy them to the surface. This will be an enormous undertaking for Kerbin: the entire project will probably take years to complete. But the rewards will be great: a launching pad to land kerbals on Duna and Eve, our next grand targets.

Top-notch design!

[Nazalassa]

Wheee!

[AtomicTech]

1 minute ago, Nazalassa said:

Wheee!

I didn't hit my head, right?

[Nazalassa]

20 minutes ago, AtomicTech said:

I didn't hit my head, right?

No, I don't think.

But there's no way to know. Maybe every human on Earth hit their heads when I made this post, which would explain why we all see that. But even if it happened, it wouldn't have affected the Earth in a significant way, at least not enough for us to detect it. Our species will live and eventually disappear, without anyone knowing whether their ancestors did all hit their heads at this particular moment or not. (man, that's a good forecast, isn't it?)

[DunaManiac]

Spent some time designing the Base Assembly Vehicle:

And here it is! By some time, I mean about 2 hours. It's probably the only actually rover-looking assembly vehicle I have yet built. Note: this is a simulation, I haven't actually sent the BAV to Minmus yet.

The idea will be for it to land with the logistics module, then drive it over to the core module, then dock with it. But it took me much longer than I expected to finish this because I've made stuff like this in the past. I also encountered bugs, namely a dock causing an instant launch at 10 m/s while spinning wildly. However, somehow I was able to get it under control and docking properly.

 

[Scarecrow71]

I built and flew what was, for me at least, the weirdest ship and mission I've ever done.  I launched, on a single rocket:

• 3 Satellites
• Minmus Lander
• Return Vehicle

I got all 3 satellites in orbit of Minmus, landed, and returned to Kerbin.  In one flight.  Read all about it here:

 

[N_Danger]

A routine launch to the station.

Followed by a not routine engine failure with 1 of 4 radial engines on approach to the station. Having to scrub off 100 m/s while not going over 1/4 throttle in order to maintain control was a challenge. But just managed to not overshot. 

And got it docked.

The first crew is sent up.

And docks

[Royalswissarmyknife]

Worked on a Moho Flyby Probe

In JNSQ

Spoiler

I need to learn Flybys soon

 

[Kimera Industries]

Well I haven't played KSP yet today but yesterday I worked a lot on my Laythe-Planes Wolf and Coyote for my upcoming Jool 5. I didn't get to fly them yet, but I added detachable fuel tanks, because these planes were getting heavy and I needed to save weight however I could. They're not very big, so calling them heavy is relative, but they were getting heavy for the single R.A.P.I.E.R. engine. Also, Coyote has a deployable rover! I just love the DLC rover wheels.

(BTW, the rover's speed record is 21.4 m/s. I could go faster but I was worrying about the integrity of my wheels, especially on a low gravity moon like Laythe. I think it went faster but if it did I didn't catch the speed before I hit the brakes.)

[ArmchairGravy]

I felt all nostalgic and started a new Science game. I've not worked my way through the tree in a long time.

[Socraticat]

I'm stoked to start the "OneOscar" Hype train for KSP1. Who's coming with me?

(Not tonight though, I'm tired and going to bed now)

[Robin Patenall]

After a couple of weeks of work, I have eventually completed my first real surface base (not just a collection of landed craft).

 It started with a contract for a new Mun surface base with capacity for 5 kerbals and a cupola and I thought I'd play with the parts from Kerbal Planetary Base Systems, which I'd installed but not used. First came the landing modules (foreground waiting for refuelling) which could dock with KPBS docking ports and ferry pieces down from orbit and move them around to assemble the base. As I wasn't sure that they could bring down a big enough piece and return to orbit, the second part was the stand alone ISRU module (horizontal, right of mid frame) which, if used as the first piece ferried down by the landers, could be used to refuel them before they returned to orbit. Third came the actual surface base and I found the K&K Central hub which ticked most of the contract requirements and with the cupola, fuel tank and some Meerkat engines formed the core of the base.

As I realised that I'd managed to put this base down on a good ore patch which was almost diametrically opposite my existing Munar ISRU site, I decided to expand the base to allow me to refuel the orbital infrastructure when it was night at the other area (which I find is the major problem with IRSU from the Mun). So the next item was the tank farms, orange for LFO and white for just LF (thanks to configurable containers).

A green house  for role-play and running the (extremely difficult to biome farm) plant growth experiment and a proper science lab ( the central hub has a low capacity one) came next (left of mid frame) and some real accommodation for the kerbals (far left) so they can get out of the central hub.

Last thing, I realised that I can use the K&K nuclear reactor and centrifuge  without other mods so one was added (foreground) and this should allow the base to refine ore during the Munar night without having to resorting to ignoring the base because if I look at it them the solar cells will stop working. I'll have a play with that once all the fuel tanks are full.

There's still a few more things to finish off:

• I forget an Experiment storage unit where I can store all the experiments awaiting processing in the lab (yes I know I can use several other parts to do that)
• I have a science hopper coming that can go from here to anywhere on the Mun and return to mine the Mun for science (again) for local processing
• I think that I want some lights for the landing areas (near the  outer ends of the tanks farms), if the reactor allows for processing during the night then I might want to land there as well.

Things to note:

• The docking port you want to remove is always the root part and a pain in the neck.
• Some parts will just make your base explode when added via EVA construction. A number of small truss sections which destroyed the base every-time I attached them got  turned into modular girder segments using the magic of save game editing.
• A number of detached docking ports that ended up as a single part vessel got changed to a EVA dropped part in much the same way so my kerbals could tidy up.
• One of the docking port camera mods (I use Docking Camera KURS Style) makes aligning the parts of the base  much easier
• No matter how much you balance, adding lander sections to a module after the fact will always result in a thrust offset. The best you can do is minimise it.
• Stock dV calculations really don't like radially attaching engines with docking ports. The TWR / dV  and maneuver timings were always wrong.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Robin Patenall

[Kerballlistic07]

Astra Rocket 3 but actually a success:

Spoiler

Good luck and godspeed with Rocket 4 Astra!

 

[Krazy1]

Last few days...

• Finished a 4-leg circumnavigation trip with JNSQ-KSRGAP with 80+ PAX. Also flew by 2 anomalies. 
• I got a satellite to Sun orbit and tested a 3.75m fairing and a wheel... that advanced the space program somehow.
• "Discovered" several new planets with RB telescope... that were clearly visible with the naked eye using DOE

On 5/5/2023 at 7:17 AM, N_Danger said:

The first crew is sent up.

I've never been able to launch a rocket without fins. They're unstable, especially transonic. SAS alone is usually OK at first but then trying to use keyboard to turn makes it tumble. 

On 5/5/2023 at 7:17 AM, N_Danger said:

Followed by a not routine engine failure with 1 of 4 radial engines on approach to the station. Having to scrub off 100 m/s while not going over 1/4 throttle in order to maintain control was a challenge. But just managed to not overshot. 

Could you shut down the opposing engine in the pair so you don't have high torque?

11 hours ago, Robin Patenall said:

Some parts will just make your base explode when added via EVA construction.

I haven't seen that since KSP 1.11. I had a kraken drive after attaching something once but it's been better on 1.12. KSPCF has something that is supposed to help too. 

[N_Danger]

3 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

I've never been able to launch a rocket without fins. They're unstable, especially transonic. SAS alone is usually OK at first but then trying to use keyboard to turn makes it tumble. 

I use an auto pilot, Gravity Turn, for launches. I have no business piloting anything flying through the air with my reflexes.  I have found engine gimble works well enough while using it. 

3 hours ago, Krazy1 said:

Could you shut down the opposing engine in the pair so you don't have high torque?

I did not think of shutting down the opposite engine. Too busy panicking I guess. 

 

 

[Nazalassa]

On 8/26/2022 at 11:30 PM, adsii1970 said:

A long time ago, back in v. 0.22 or 0.24 as I do not remember which, someone did a KSPesque railroad using this method.

One of these, maybe?

[Little 908]

my first earth escape in rss/ro!

im going to try to get a mars flyby, but im a bit low on dv. Ill update you if I get it

Edited May 7, 2023 by Little 908