[1.2] Procedural Fairings 3.20 (November 8)

[softweir]

The interstage adaptor is a "dummy" decoupler - activating it does nothing! This is so dv calculators such as MechJeb and Kerbal Engineer Redux know that there is a stage present and can calculate dv correctly.

The way to decouple things is to decouple the fairings, at which point the interstage base softly and silently lets go. If you use fuselage panels by mistake then these can't be decoupled and nothing will happen. (And it is best to make sure the interstage adaptor base has its decoupler icon in the same stage as the fairings, for the sake of the sanity of MechJeb et al.)

[Motokid600]

Why is it I cant make a point with the interstage adapter anymore? I used to make custom nosecones with it in .23, but now I cant get the fairing to form a point.

[colmo]

Here's what can be done with the interstage fairing bases in jets. Really would like the ability to disable decoupler in this part! Trying to figure out a way to get two intakes like this to feed one jet engine.

Edited April 13, 2014 by colmo

[Castun]

The interstage adaptor is a "dummy" decoupler - activating it does nothing! This is so dv calculators such as MechJeb and Kerbal Engineer Redux know that there is a stage present and can calculate dv correctly.

The way to decouple things is to decouple the fairings, at which point the interstage base softly and silently lets go. If you use fuselage panels by mistake then these can't be decoupled and nothing will happen. (And it is best to make sure the interstage adaptor base has its decoupler icon in the same stage as the fairings, for the sake of the sanity of MechJeb et al.)

I've used the interstage base along with the structural 'fuselage' piece as a cargo bay with a lander in it. I just placed an upside down decoupler on the topmost floating node so I could decouple, then turn around and dock and extract the lander (much like Apollo's TD&E maneuver.) I did this because I didn't want fairings to eject. I did run into a problem however, where initially the decoupler didn't actually disengage. Turns out you have to disable the automatic fairing strut to prevent this. Seems the decouple force isn't enough to 'break' the strutting.

Why is it I cant make a point with the interstage adapter anymore? I used to make custom nosecones with it in .23, but now I cant get the fairing to form a point.

Why not use the regular fairing base then? I know I've done this before. It's a little expensive weight wise though. You could also use the Stretchy SRB cone tank and change it to an empty structural fuselage, I think you can narrow the top to a point.

Here's what can be done with the interstage fairing bases in jets. Really would like the ability to disable decoupler in this part! Trying to figure out a way to get two intakes like this to feed one jet engine.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JvmMW_EWo9s/U0r3oVLlmpI/AAAAAAAAJQg/DwVAV00j5WY/w779-h489-no/screenshot89.png

Why not create a copy of the part and just remove the decoupler module?

[John FX]

I`ve been a fan of procedural fairings since they came out. I only use proc fairings, stretchy tanks, RPM and realchutes for non stock parts really so I thought I would go to the proc fairings and RPM threads and show what I have done with the mods.

Here is the escape system for Gumdrop, my Apollo replica.

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and here is a full IVA launch. Check out stage 1 separation at 2:55, the ejection of the escape system at 3:47 and the interstage fairing dropping at 4:50

[Motokid600]

No the regular fairing bases don't have enough adjustability. I've been using the IS base for EVERYTHING in the past. I can make better looking fairings with it. I was always able to make it into a point. Granted.. it was never a perfect point. But I was able to atleast get the fairings to touch. Now there's a huge half meter gap I cannot close up. Why?

[Sean Mirrsen]

I'm currently wondering why isn't this whole mod compressed to just three base parts (plus fairings) yet. Custom fairing ring (4 points, flat), custom fairing base (2 points, raised), Interstage fairing ring (4 points, flat, decoupler). The set of customizations on the Interstage would make the different-radius fairing rings and bases superfluous if applied to them.

[SnappingTurtle]

I'm currently wondering why isn't this whole mod compressed to just three base parts (plus fairings) yet. Custom fairing ring (4 points, flat), custom fairing base (2 points, raised), Interstage fairing ring (4 points, flat, decoupler). The set of customizations on the Interstage would make the different-radius fairing rings and bases superfluous if applied to them.

Fine for a sandbox game but making everything procedural pretty much breaks the idea of career mode. And other procedural mods can have problems with single high mass parts that can theoretically apply to any procedural-type parts.

[Mun Man]

Ok, so i dont know if im just an idiot or something, but when i install the mod, i see all the parts, but when i attach the fairing from the structural tab onto the base, it doesnt show it as a decoupling part, radially or anything. Its just a random part with no purpose...Any suggestions?

[taniwha]

That's because the fairings in the structural tab are non-decoupling. you want the ones in the aerodynamics tab.

[softweir]

They are "fuselage fairings", designed as permanent coverings for ugly conglomerations of parts. You can use them to construct assemblies equivalent to the service modules on Apollo craft - use a structural beam, cap it with fairing bases, surround it with batteries, fuel and RCS tanks and wrap the whole lot in fuselage fairings to make it look (and largely act) like one unit.

I use them quite often to make an equivalent to the ISS Zvezda module.

[Starwaster]

I don't think I understand how the interstage adapter works. I'm trying to use it to create a wider engine fairing for the LV-N. The adapter shows up as a decoupler in the staging view, but when I activate it via staging it doesn't come apart. Here's a pic of the setup I'm going for, with 2 of the fairings removed for examination's sake:

http://i.imgur.com/GP7i1d7.png

Make sure you are attaching to the UPPER node not the lower node. (of the interstage)

The lower node decoupler is a dummy node for compatibility purposes with other mods (that depend on knowing what parts are decouplers). As is, you would need to attach a decoupler to that node first. Instead what you do is attach to the upper node. If the upper node is not where you want it you can relocate it in the editor. Check the part description for how.

When using the upper node as I described, the upper stage will detach when ALL fairings are detached from the interstage.

Fine for a sandbox game but making everything procedural pretty much breaks the idea of career mode. And other procedural mods can have problems with single high mass parts that can theoretically apply to any procedural-type parts.

Currently, the PF parts are limited in career mode by having to be unlocked. Larger sizes unlock later in the tree.

Even the variable sized interstage has its size limited such that you have to unlock more and more of the tech tree in order for larger sizes to be available.

What more do you want for career mode compatibility? If you can actually think of something, it would be more constructive to suggest that instead of proclaiming that it has broken career mode.

[Mun Man]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! But why are there fairings in the structural tab?

[Motokid600]

No the regular fairing bases don't have enough adjustability. I've been using the IS base for EVERYTHING in the past. I can make better looking fairings with it. I was always able to make it into a point. Granted.. it was never a perfect point. But I was able to atleast get the fairings to touch. Now there's a huge half meter gap I cannot close up. Why?

Bumping my inquary here sorry everyone. But this is a huge problem for me. Because again i ONLY use the IS base for everything. And i need to be able to make a point. I cannot do this anymore. This was no problem in the past. So.. why is it now?

[e-dog]

Bumping my inquary here sorry everyone. But this is a huge problem for me. Because again i ONLY use the IS base for everything. And i need to be able to make a point. I cannot do this anymore. This was no problem in the past. So.. why is it now?

That's likely because of minimum radius from common.cfg which is based on tech now.

[O Nerd]

Well... My FB still doesn't work.

[softweir]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! But why are there fairings in the structural tab?

They are "fuselage fairings", designed as permanent coverings for ugly conglomerations of parts. You can use them to construct assemblies equivalent to the service modules on Apollo craft - use a structural beam, cap it with fairing bases, surround it with batteries, fuel and RCS tanks and wrap the whole lot in fuselage fairings to make it look (and largely act) like one unit.

I use them quite often to make an equivalent to the ISS Zvezda module.

As I said - they are a different beast altogether, designed to make units, not designed to make decouplers.

[Andrewmacor]

e-dog...

Just a little request.

Can u make procedural Heat shields and include them in here please?

I mean u can make 2 types the ones that are just plain circular that adapts to the diameter of your ship and u can have another that actually follows the shape of the craft. That would be awsome!!! Im a big fan of your mod.

Ill be waiting for the reply.

[SnappingTurtle]

Currently, the PF parts are limited in career mode by having to be unlocked. Larger sizes unlock later in the tree.

Even the variable sized interstage has its size limited such that you have to unlock more and more of the tech tree in order for larger sizes to be available.

What more do you want for career mode compatibility? If you can actually think of something, it would be more constructive to suggest that instead of proclaiming that it has broken career mode.

I think you missed the post I was replying to. I don't like the suggestion of reducing the mod to three parts. Although I hadn't noticed that the interstage fairing base has its size limited by tech. If that's the case then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. To be clear I've been using PF about as long as I've been playing KSP, a bad word about it would never cross my lips

Edited April 16, 2014 by SnappingTurtle

[NathanKell]

Yes, e-dog now always limits procedural parts' diameters based on tech. So you needn't worry about unbalancing things.

[John FX]

Yes, e-dog now always limits procedural parts' diameters based on tech. So you needn't worry about unbalancing things.

With this sort of balancing in place it makes sense, as far as memory issues go, to have as few a number of parts as possible.

[Lestes]

I wonder if you could make fairings which fold out instead of decoupling entirely, for reusable procedural cargo bags on spaceplanes?

[Sean Mirrsen]

I wonder if you could make fairings which fold out instead of decoupling entirely, for reusable procedural cargo bags on spaceplanes?

You could use the powered hinges from the infernal robotics mod, but it'd take some setting up and wouldn't actually look very good.

Hmm, I wonder if this mod can have an infernal robotics-based procedural fairing base that has a custom radius and unfolds instead of decoupling?

[Pecan]

Note that IR is not working in 0.23.5

[Starwaster]

You could use the powered hinges from the infernal robotics mod, but it'd take some setting up and wouldn't actually look very good.

Hmm, I wonder if this mod can have an infernal robotics-based procedural fairing base that has a custom radius and unfolds instead of decoupling?

It has been done and I thought it actually looked pretty good.