What did you do in KSP1 today?

[CatastrophicFailure]

Today began the real work on getting a Mün base up & running. All the components are assembled in low Münar orbit. After their assistance with the impromptu repair, Edmund, Edgas, & Billy-Bobrim were indeed selected to be the inaugural crew.

Aboard Isfjell 4, they ready for launch.

The liftoff is mostly nominal, after the usual first-stage lagfest, however the third stage intentionally inserts to an unusually low 110x95km orbit. The crew are again called on for an impromptu repair.

Due to an, er, software error, Wyvern 6's solar panels never deployed, and its batteries ran dead before it could rendezvous with Highlab II. So the Mün crew get some extra practice maneuvering the massive Isfjell third stage to within a few dozen meters of the crippled science ship.

Edgas, being closest to the hatch, EVA's out to manually deploy the solar panels and save the little ship and its lucrative science experiment.

With the Wyvern back on its way to the space station, the crew finally burn for the Mün!

In another unusual move, the transfer stage is kept all the way to the capture burn, where it would normally be discarded after TMI. There's still a couple hundred m/s left after the burn, it's just enough to capture into an eccentric orbit, and it will save fuel for the lander. The stage is decoupled, and the lander descent stage finishes circularizing. An extra cargo still attached to the spent stage will be an orbiting science package.

Once the stage swings back into daylight, the little satellite separates. The transfer stage is left in a mostly harmless eccentric orbit, high above normal LMO operations.

Asymmetrical Sciencey Bitsâ„¢ deployed!

This new, long-duration Isfjell lander has received several upgrades. The solar panels have been nixed in favor of full RTG power to keep all systems running during the long Münar night, the shiny bare metal tanks have received a coating of protective paint, and extra RCS thrusters for full translation control have been added. It's also loaded to the hilt with KAS boxes, containing the nuclear power generator for the new base, as well as various odds and ends. The crew has dubbed her Selena, since a ship like this needs a proper name.

After a few maneuvers, Selena rendezvouses with the assembled base hardware, and docks to the end of the node. Total mass in LMO is just over 190 tonnes, nearly as much as the Highlab station. With the first hurdle completed, the crew settles in for a rest period before the real work begins.

[inigma]

Today.

Made subassembly STS Operations Module which is an all in one install of a mk 2 crew cabin, ISS style docking port, and a pair of modified xonight Hercules Mk-8 MMUs. You can find subassembly download in my STS Space Shuttle link in my sig.

[KerbMav]

Completed a ground circumnavigation of Eve

http://www.datainterlock.com/Kerbal/Walkabout/Day 10-10.jpg

What the ... ???

Is this a new SCANsat version or did you through in another mod? That map looks !!! that way!

[Sidereus]

I found a new use for solar panels.

And I did a headstand!

[DunaRocketeer]

I converted my mach 3 jet into a rather nice spaceplane. Right now it's perfect as a small satellite launcher

[Tw1]

Oh, looks like I...

Discovered a way to land on the ocean floor?

Yes! Let the colonisation begin!

[TokiTech]

Haven't played KSP for a while, last worked on was KSC destroyers. I needed a vehicle that can deploys multiple heavy class missiles. Sadly no animation for the deployment arms it would've looked awesome. Destroyer and the missiles are fully functional but the legs wobbles, either drive it slow or struts alot... i haven't make up my mind

Edited February 2, 2015 by TokiTech
typoes everywhere

[Fengist]

What the ... ???

Is this a new SCANsat version or did you through in another mod? That map looks !!! that way!

No, I changed the color. After days of looking at purple, I needed some veggies so I went into settings and chose a different one. However, I this is not the normal release mod. It's the v9rc4 version. I'm not sure if version 5 has that. I think it does.

[PB666]

I got my 500t ION Driven Cargo-d lander to Moho (and 12 hours of burn) with a residual dV of 33,000 only to find I did not put MechJeb on my lander, and the struts are not designed right look right, and left 6 of the crew back on Kerbin.

[Cuky]

after a long time (since 23.5) I have again downloaded TAC Life Support mod. Because of that I am trying to design a short-term station that will be placed in orbit around Kerbin for TAC LS testing purposes. I still haven't upgraded R&D center so I am limited to under 100 science technology. I may design the station so that if it is successful it may later be used as a core module of bigger station. More info when it is up and orbiting.

[capi3101]

Sent an intrepid crew of four up in Mute City 7, the first structure of a new Mun base and an attempt to fulfill two contracts at once (the other being a flag-planting mission). All went well except for the final landing; the structure tipped over and broke off two solar panels in the process. Fortunately the crew survived (and it was intended to be a one-way trip anyways), and both contracts were fulfilled.

Also sent Albatross 7, a Turbojet-equipped airplane, on a mission to conduct seismic readings on sites near Kerbin's north pole. I thought the sites were on the ice pack; they were actually on the nearby Tundra, so the ground was not as flat as I'd originally thought. Still, the plane-become rover-become plane again performed beautifully; after a 65-minute (real-time) flight the craft returned to the KSC Runway. Didn't hit the center of the strip but I didn't break anything off either, so that all went well.

At the moment, I find myself unable to play KSP - I did a set of computer upgrades yesterday, including the installation of a new set of memory chips (doubling my old capacity) and a new video card. All indications are the video card is working but there is an issue with a PCI-to-PCI bridge that will require me to re-flash the motherboard's BIOS with an updated version. Meantime I have video wherein DirectX doesn't want to work at all, looks like. I'm hoping the re-flash works; I'd very much like to finally be able to use a DX11 video card and have a box with more than sufficient memory to play KSP at full (or at least normal) graphics settings. You know, to ditch texture mods...

[Yukon0009]

[Lhathron the Elf]

While trying to make a satellite (using RemoteTech) I put antenna on the first stage of the ship in order to keep my connection with the KSC while I flew up to altitude. I couldn't activate my other antenna before I got out of the atmosphere, so I waited... and I decoupled the first stage... and I realized I forgot to activate my other antenna. REVERT #1. The next time, the spacebar got hit and my SRB's went up in a glorious explosion, taking my probe core's life. REVERT #2. Okay, this time everything went well... except for when I forgot to burn to raise my periapsis. I left my computer and forgot to pause the game. No quicksaves, either. I rarely use quicksaves. REVERT #3. Everything went well, blah blah blah.... I activated my antenna too soon.Goodbye, antenna. REVERT #4. Everything went well.... sort of. The engine of my second stage went kerboom.

You probably know what happened next... RAGEQUIT#1

[Majorjim!]

http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah315/Yukon0009/screenshot15092_zpswnpozbk5.png

Great looking rocket man! And I'm flattered to see you are my apprentice!!

[Overfloater]

Worked on some 0.625m tanks.

http://www.necrobones.net/screenshots/KSP/KSP%202015-02-01%2016-20-06-87.jpg

Wow that's great, did u fix the LF O ratio or are these tanks also modelled after their stock analog? LOL just kidding good work xD

[Valley]

I have been cleaning up any unneeded equipment or craft from orbit or from the Mun. I am preparing for 1.0 and have even cleaned out all the saved ships from before - resources will change everything. But I figure my stations, and a few other things, will still be useful.

Left a few flags (the bases), one of my EARLIEST Rovers (which isn't a rover now that I think of it because it needs a driver - so it is a buggy) which made it to the Mun (and worked), my old station, and my newest station.

The ISS Lisanne Norman was the start of an idea in which the station was going to be built arm by arm - a branch or piece for every docking point in the central core. But...there was no reason to add anything else - it even has more fuel (and tonnage) than the older station which was put together piece by piece. Also the idea was each piece would have the safely 'wall' because I suck at space walks.

It has three crew in fact but two are in the science lab. The older station looks cooler but somehow this one has some charm.

[NecroBones]

Wow that's great, did u fix the LF O ratio or are these tanks also modelled after their stock analog? LOL just kidding good work xD

Actually, I did. They have the mass ratio of the 1.25m tanks.

[Janos1986]

I killed my best pilot in a stupid survey mission, got depressed and quit the game.

[problemecium]

Everybody's making space shuttles so I made a space shuttle so nobody starts spreading rumors that I couldn't do it:

Then I broke it:

If I DON'T break it, it can go to orbit, and even carry some cargo along too, but all in all this was an exercise in inefficiency. I don't have any plans to actually use this for anything.

[Lundmunchkins]

HOLY SMOKES!

Edited February 3, 2015 by Lundmunchkins

[unsociableTim]

I think I spend more time in Blender than in KSP.

[General Rarity]

I chatted with my friends on Steam KSP Forum Group chat.

I also finished up my Buran style shuttle; Korolev.

This reentry was a little too hot, and lost a lot of RCS thrusters. Will try lowering my orbit before reentering next time.

Everything but the External Tank is reused thanks to StageRecovery. This was mission 2 of Korolev and was the first launch of a commercial sat on a shuttle in my Career. This mission also tested if it's possible to survive higher temperatures during reentry, which was deemed possible but unsafe.

[CatastrophicFailure]

Edgas, Edmund, & Billy-Bobrim did not sleep well during their rest period. Edgas awoke to Billy-Bobrim drifting about the cabin, muttering loudly in his sleep, "ItlookslikehesgonnathrowitwhyishethrowingitdontthrowitNOOOO!" then waking up screaming in a cloud of sweat, waking Edmund too and scaring the crap out of him. The three lonely Kerbals, so far from home, felt as if a great crowd of dread was floating over them, as if thousands of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. They all feared that in some distant, parallel universe, something terrible has happened.

SO with no one getting any more sleep that night, they woke up Mission Control to begin the day's activities early. They will be mostly supervisors for the semi-autonomous landing procedures. First, they undock the node from the rest of the stack, back away, and hope for the best:

The landing stack then separates from the transfer stage. The crew re-docks the node to the partially fueled stage. It will remain on orbit for possible future use as a fueling station.

The landing stack begins its decent. The rover is attached to the top of the base module, making for a very heavy, ungainly craft. The lander struggles to control it as it brakes towards the surface.

The crew is tense as the assembly approaches touchdown. The land is uneven here, and many things are about to happen very quickly. Initial touchdown is a success...

...but even with the powerful Vernor thrusters, it begins tilting. A few heartbeats later, the lander/rover decouples and blasts away from the base...

...then settles to the ground safely nearby. One more hurdle for the first round...

The rover decouples from the lander and settles onto its gear, then with very little clearance the lander blasts back towards orbit. The crew can breath again for a moment.

The lander rendezvouses and docks with the transfer stage to refuel.

Shortly thereafter, the life support trailer that had been waiting in a parking orbit, also meets up and docks, transferring what's left of the fuel from it's transfer stage as well.

Then the trailer undocks, decouples from its transfer stage, and holds attitude as the lander undocks & approaches.

It's an even tighter fit than the rover, but soon the trailer and its crucial life support supplies are secured. Now begins another tricky descent. The trailer is actually balanced its self, but the lander is unevenly fueled, which will soon have ramifications.

The lander touches down again, everything still nominal so far...

Then the trailer is decoupled, but it bounces more than expected, and knocks against the lander's fuel-tank-leg.

Only a minor problem so far. The orbiting crew gives the automated control system the go ahead to lift off, and land nearby. But immediately after it lifts off, the unbalanced fuel in the lander causes an engine failure. It spins wildly, knocking the trailer over and bouncing across the surface of the Mün.

Amazingly, despite several hard landings, it hasn't been damaged, and the control system is able to use the remaining fuel & thrusters to stabilize the tumble so at least it lands upright. But the situation still doesn't look good.

The fragile life support trailer has also taken a tumble, and is now stuck on its back like some sort of shelled alien reptile. Mission control attempts to use the reaction wheels to right it, but they lack the power, and soon the trailers batteries are drained, and it too is also dead on the surface.

How much damage the internal systems have sustained is still unknown. The crew is given the go-ahead to attempt landing the next day. They'll have their work cut out for them. Selena only has 7 days of life support remaining, leaving only 6 to get the base up & running or they'll have to abort and return home defeated. For now, it's been a full day, and Edmund, Edgas, & Billy-Bobrim take their next rest period.

[KerbMav]

I have been cleaning up any unneeded equipment or craft from orbit or from the Mun. I am preparing for 1.0 and have even cleaned out all the saved ships from before - resources will change everything.

You really are ful of hope and confidence!

I used two small monoprop tugs to attach two rovers to a Munar Transfer Ship.

Will have to send up some duct tape to stop the ship from swimming though.

Still not sure if I really want to go through with my initial neck-breaking plan or use a more sophisticated delivery system for the rovers - later more.

[Yukon0009]

Great looking rocket man! And I'm flattered to see you are my apprentice!!

lol

New Mercury capsule retros sequence