Help a guy out. Need some ideas

[F1refly]

So I'm not that new to KSP, probably been playing it since late last year.

In that time I've had countless save games, at least a Dozen Satelites orbiting Kerbin in that time, two successful Mun landings and countless failures.

I see many people build massive things to get into space while I struggle just getting out of orbit.

So all I need are some good tips, maybe some ideas for a Delivery Vehicle for Small and Medium sized payloads, construction tricks, useful mods, et cetera. Even some nice screenies of your vessels/bases/landers/rovers has helped me out immenselly.

I'm currently using Fire Spitter Propellers, KAS Mod and HL Airships

[T3E]

I guess lurking in the "Spacecraft exchange" threads could give you some ideas about general designs of HeavyLifters/Rovers/Bases/Stations.

Also some Threads in the "How to..." section could help you out

Rover: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/24599-Post-your-Rover-MEGATHREAD

Zenith Rocket Family

Also here my own Mun Base, based on that1guy's idea.

Also the Asparagus Staging could do the trick, since it is really efficient in KSP.

Edited June 1, 2013 by T3E

[SoldierHair]

The most important to learn is that super complicated ships are on the extremes.They are either useless and unstabble or genius , capable of very long interplanetary flights.

This is one of my early models and as you can see it can easily fly out of Kerbin's orbit:

And sorry for not having a picture of the rocket itself in the Sun's orbit , but i was doing a pretty long burn in Eve's orbit in my actual mission and i couldn't leave.Well , they aren't going back home , runned out of fuel almost imediatly after leaving Kerbin's sphere of influence , it didn't even needed to enter into a stabble orbit around it.

[rodion_herrera]

The thing most people automatically think about when they see big ships or stations in orbit is, that they seem to be pre-biased that it was all hauled up there in one piece. I think you can create a humungous craft...but in LKO or some other orbit on another body. It's even much more realistic this way, I mean the ISS wasn't built at KSC or Star City as one whole piece. Granted, you need a LOT of flights to assemble it, but I guess then there's the reward, in seeing it all assembled in orbit, after your painstaking trucker missions.

One thing I totally forgot though, is you have to have rendezvous and docking skills to do this, but that's part of your "evolutionary cycle" as a KSPer...sooner or later, if you want more stuff to happen, or see bigger things in orbit, you're bound to be faced with the issue of rendezvous and docking, and thus you have to learn how to do it, sooner or later.

Edited June 1, 2013 by rodion_herrera

[F1refly]

Thanks! This helps a lot. I used to experiment with Asparagus Staging but abandoned it after 0.18. Stupid I know.

I contemplated using Mechjeb but I first want to build up my skills before using an assist

[Aphox]

I contemplated using Mechjeb but I first want to build up my skills before using an assist

This is commendable. I always enjoy seeing someone learning to play by hand before they try out assists and encourage it myself.

[T3E]

I contemplated using Mechjeb but I first want to build up my skills before using an assist

It is useful tho if you dont have Engineer, to see the dV TWR and weight stats.

And its nice 2 have if you want to establish a Satellite Network, since its quite dull to do the same launch 10 times

[NeoMorph]

Using the mod parts like KSPX, KW Rocketry, Novapunch, Bobcat etc really open up the horizon. Bobcat has just released an Orion that is pixel perfect in fact. So looking forward to trying to do the Altair/Orion missions when I get around to doing that.

In the meantime I'm just working on making a SAFE space program for my Kerbals. I know it's against the rules (after all, if it doesn't go BOOOOOOOM it's not truly KERBAL!) but I really hate killing the little guys.

[bonyetty]

I have used mechjeb but now only in my "SIM TEST" save. I use this save for testing rocket designs. Then take off mechjeb and copy over to my current mission save, at the moment "bonpollo" ('bonpollo 17' is in LKO about to Munar transfer).I also learn a lot from watching mechjeb.

Oh I can post pics or craft files tommorrow if you like when i am off the phone and back on the Mac. Need time now! That would be bed time now fat fingers auto correct.

Edited June 1, 2013 by bonyetty

[magnemoe]

Using the mod parts like KSPX, KW Rocketry, Novapunch, Bobcat etc really open up the horizon. Bobcat has just released an Orion that is pixel perfect in fact. So looking forward to trying to do the Altair/Orion missions when I get around to doing that.

In the meantime I'm just working on making a SAFE space program for my Kerbals. I know it's against the rules (after all, if it doesn't go BOOOOOOOM it's not truly KERBAL!) but I really hate killing the little guys.

Yes, it let you expand the scale a lot, also more realistic, first manned mars mission will not be an pod with hitchhiker module.

Edited June 1, 2013 by magnemoe

[Caelib]

Use asparagus staging to reach orbit, then use the most-efficient engine (nuclear). It's a tricky balance to find the right combination of fuel/thrust ... I put together a pic-heavy thread for a Mun landing and return mission if you want to take a look at it for some guidance:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/31569-Mun-Landing-Overview-Pic-Heavy%21

[Scarecrow88]

Here's my station which is in LKO. Started building it after the release of 0.20 to utilise the senior docking ports for greater stability. All parts were lifted using the same basic lifter, and took 13 launches. The first was for the central girder section carrying the docking ports. The 6 jumbo tanks were 1 flight each, and it was 1 flight each for 2 lots of RCS tanks that you can just see behind the jumbos. Two flights got the communication towers in place and it was another flight for the science lab at the far end, together with a flight for the habitation unit at the near end. Another flight, whilst not being part of the structure, allowed me to dock an escape vehicle to the habitat block.

The other ship hanging in there is my test vehicle that I am using for my first flights to Duna, and is just topping off with fuel while waiting for a launch window.

[Vanamonde]

Take a small satellite deliverer like you've already built, attach a docking ring to it, and put it in orbit. Then build a pusher stage that uses LV-N engines and dock it to your ship. The combined vehicle will be able to reach most of the worlds in the game.

[ouion]

you can activate part clipping to make cluster engines (Alt-F12:D)

same thrust as mainsail,but higher ISP

skipper engine + four LV-t30s

[F1refly]

Ooooh. I was fiddling with part clipping but only thought you could attach stuff to wheels. All I want is to make a basic Launch Vehicle that can send a Probe/Rover/Lander to Mun, at least at this stage

[F1refly]

Okay so I've been playing constantly for a while now and have made a number of Semi-Succesfull Mun landings along with my first Proper Mun Base, pre assembled in orbit.

Now I've downloaded the Remote Tech pack and I was impressed, especially with the Plane Drone. Now to test it's funtionality on a Planet with an Atmosphere, I used Hyper Edit to drop it into Duna's orbit, but then it won't move, only the Context Menu stuff works. So I built a space station with lots of Anntena on it and dropped it into Kerbin orbit but it wn't work there either. Any ideas/tips?

[stibbons]

One of the less cheaty and more useful mods is the subassembly loader. It lets you save vehicle components, then load and bolt them on to different vessels. I build two or three standard lifters for different sized payloads and save all of them. Then whenever you want to lift something in to orbit just assemble your payload, load the appropriate sized lifter, and strap it on to the bottom.

[stibbons]

Now I've downloaded the Remote Tech pack and I was impressed, especially with the Plane Drone. Now to test it's funtionality on a Planet with an Atmosphere, I used Hyper Edit to drop it into Duna's orbit, but then it won't move, only the Context Menu stuff works. So I built a space station with lots of Anntena on it and dropped it into Kerbin orbit but it wn't work there either. Any ideas/tips?

There's a handful of things that can go wrong. First of all, there's two different antennae - the omnidirectional antennas, and the more powerful dish antennas. There isn't an omni that can reach from Kerbin to Duna, so if that is all you have when you're putting craft up there you're boned.

The satellite dishes need to be opened, and you need to target them. So if you're going to hyperedit craft, it's best to put them on the launch pad, right click on the antenna and target them at Kerbin, and then shift them.

Finally, remember that KSC has fairly short range capability on its own. I don't recall if it can reach to Minmus, it definitely can't talk to Duna on its own. If you're avoiding effort, the simplest way to solve this is with a small relay craft with both an omni and a large dish that's parked near KSC. The omni talks to KSC, the satellite dish should be aimed at your craft, or the body it's orbiting around.

The thing to remember with relaytech is that it works on line of sight. If you only have one craft on Duna then it will only work if it can see the craft on Kerbin. If you've only got one satellite dish near KSC, then the window where they can both see each other is pretty small indeed.

Edited June 7, 2013 by stibbons

[F1refly]

Thanks, that's helped a lot