[0.20.2] Zenith rocket family (modernised for 0.20.x with perfect subassembly)

[firerider521]

Hey, just here to thank you for both the lifters, which are extremely useful, and the new Subassembly technique. It was very helpful for designing things to be attached to others. This deserves much more attention than it's getting.

[chrischambers]

this is my work horse and it works fine, the only time I have issues is when I need to lift anything to "Top Heavy" and the whole thing starts to nose dive around 50,000 feet ;-)

[capi3101]

One other solution is to just replace the 2.5m decoupler that connects the rocket to the payload with a 2.5m senior docking port. Right click on the docking port before launch will allow you to do "control from here" with the correct navball orientation. Then instead of stage to release the payload you just right click + undock or use action group..

That's actually what I was going to try next. Not entirely sure that my problem isn't the senior docking port on the top (bottom?) of the payload.

[Yalin Hawk]

This is one of my first posts on the forum, and I needed to make it. Thank you a million times Temstar for providing my space agency with a reliable fleet of lifter vehicles. These things work great each and every time. Check the payload weight, pick the appropriate lifter, subassembly it on there with your awesome perfected subassemblies, and 100% guarantee it'll reach a 100km circular orbit. Well, provided Jeb doesn't get fancy with the flying of course.

[seagull42]

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you *repeats 10 times*

I was trying to build a launch stage which can bring 80 tons up to a stable LKO and according to mechjeb it had enough deltaV to make it. Then I've encountered some *VERY* serious problems with the fuel not flowing equally but all my fuel lines were attached properly and I couldn't figure out what was wrong so I decided to screw it and search for good lifters on the forums and now I found this I'm now going to use this for future missions

[HoY]

I still use these, and can't really see myself not using them! (With the exception of certain challenges)

[TMS]

^ Agreed. I use them for pretty much everything and my own occasional designs veer towards looking remarkably similar.

One weird effect of that is that I no longer spend forever trying to achieve the perfect heavy launcher... kinda freed me up to look at other aspects of the game.

[Kerbol Prime]

It seems the subassembly download link doesn't work. Any other place I can get the mod?

[Frederik]

What's that "new delete root part trick"? I searched the forum but came up empty...

[Shuttle]

It seems the subassembly download link doesn't work. Any other place I can get the mod?

How about Subassembly Manager?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/38285-0-20-x-Subassembly-Manager

P.S. I've just noticed your post on Subassembly Manager forum. I think I shouldn't delete this message because it might be useful for someone else.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Shuttle

[trepnick]

These lifters have literally changed the way I play KSP. I no longer have to worry about building anything except the payload, and with that weight off my shoulders, it's a whole new game.

Also, I was putting a space station module into LKO and was using the IV instead of the III because my payload needed the clearance, and I was lazy, flying it with mechjeb, and it did a flip and still made it with a KM/s dV left.

[Exocet]

Excellent designs mate, love how it all works. The only question I have is how to deal with the low TWR once only the core first stage is left after all the booster zero stages are dropped?

[capi3101]

Out of curiosity, has anybody attempted to put ladders down the center stack of the Supernova? Got a wicked idea for an Eve lander today; if it works, I'd like for my Kerbals to actually feel the planet's surface under their feet.

I suppose I do have other issues to sort out with the idea, but this is as good of a place to start as any.

[Whirligig Girl]

So, you can just transfer 0.20 craft files between SubassemblyLoader and the VAB/SPH?

[Whirligig Girl]

These lifters really let me design what I want. I am no longer strained by my inability to design a good launcher, I can build virtually any payload and have a Zenith or Nova series rocket handle the launch. Of course if your payload is not structurally capable it doesn't really matter, the payload may still break.

[EnDSchultz]

Aagh, I must be challenged or something. I installed the Subassembly crafts into the new Subassembly Manager and upon load it tells me they're incompatible with this version of KSP.

[TheWanderer]

best family of lifters, a real inspiration

[HeadHunter67]

Impressive and efficient rockets - nice looking, too. I installed the subassemblies into the proper subassembly manager folder - I can build with them on 0.21.1 but when I go to launch, it still seems like there's some sort of fuel feed issue. I throttle up, hit space and they make that noise like they've got no fuel. I can't tell what's wrong.

If I load the actual craft file instead of a subassembly, I can kind of modify it by putting my payload on top (assuming I can add what I need, not sure how you get around the root part issue) and that rocket will launch just fine. I think I have the same issue with the Atlas lifters, so it's not just this line of rockets. Any idea what I might be doing incorrectly?

Edited July 28, 2013 by HeadHunter67

[capi3101]

I too need to report issues with the lifters in 0.21...attempted to lift a payload with the subassemblies from 0.20 in 0.21 and my ship went UVD. It looked like the struts didn't connect properly.

[silentdragon]

I still like to use this launchers for more complicated payloads, until my own designs get better I had no issues with 0.21 yet.

[capi3101]

I suppose I could be having problems with Subassembly in particular...did they update it for 0.21? I'm still using the version they came out with for 0.20 with 0.21.

[DerekL1963]

No, it's busted and gone... you need to get Subassembly Manager, which munches fuel lines but works well otherwise.

[Fox62]

My god, I forgot to post on here to thank you for the epic lifters! My apologies, the Zenith series has been my go to lifter for my space program ever since I installed them and subassembly manager. I've used them for all of my probes, and the lander for my one man Minmus mission was lifted with its transfer stage aboard a Zenith 3. I love the way these rockets work so reliably.

[capi3101]

No, it's busted and gone... you need to get Subassembly Manager, which munches fuel lines but works well otherwise.

I was talking about Subassembly Manager (I replaced Loader with Manager in 0.20); I was wondering if Manager had gotten an update with 0.21. Probably not.

[Nascosto]

I know it's been said before, but this has definitely changed the way I play KSP. After 3 days of trying to build launchers to get my 120 ton moon lander/rover to the mun and wanting to give up, this did it with only a little bit of extra strutting. Unreal, thanks a ton!