Number of pieces?

[Guest Aaack]

Hi guys! Im trying to launch my Mün base now.

But I think I reached the maximum amount of pieces the game can calculate, because the bloody thing breaks every single time on launchs, to test I used the unbreakable joints hack and it still breaks!

Where can I see the number of pieces of the craft? Thanks in advance!

Edited July 20, 2013 by Aaack

[Nasakev]

On the launchpad (before liftoff) hit m to bring up mapview. On the right should be two tabs, one for crew information and one for vessel information. The vessel information tab should have the number of parts.

[Guest Aaack]

hummmmm 541 pieces, it shouldn't give me so much trouble...

Thanks for the tip Nasakev!

[dave4002000]

541 pieces?!? Man, you might be better off breaking that up into separate parts and doing multiple launches

[Johnno]

because the bloody thing breaks every single time on launchs

You're having structural failures somewhere, the quick answer would be MOAR STRUTS. Try identifying the weak spots, keep an eye on the rocket prior to/during launch to see what breaks first (F3 has flight log as well). Try to spread the payload's stress on the lifter into several points. If all else fails you'll have to rebuild your launcher in a better way.

Pictures would be helpful to further diagnose the problem. But if it's a heavy base the answer is likely still MOAR STRUTS.

[Cheebsta]

This could be cause by struts that you duplicated or picked up the part they where on and put it back in place, or somewhere else on the vessel. I have had several rocket designs spontaneous dis-assemble themselves as soon as physics kicked in, and re-strutting has fixed them all so far. Sometimes that is easier said than done though depending how strut happy you are in builds.

[Guest Aaack]

It always breaks in the same place, I've changed the strategy, instead of a direct link I've added an octogonal strut like this:

That uses to hold until the separation of the first group of boosters.

But now it doesn't even lift off!, one of the launch holders (TT18-A), won't detach and rips off the whole booster making the launch a disaster...

I think I've a case of way too much struts, Actually I'm removing some and it looks like it's gaining some stability. But... It's way too complex yet, heres some pics:

Most of that geometry will go away, the complexity of the base is mostly fuel tanks for the lander stage which I plan to jettison after touchdown.

[Guest Aaack]

oh one more thing, what baffles me is that I had this cheat activated, why it keeps breaking if in theory it shouldnt?

[catmando]

holy moly... that is certainly a job for jeb to get off the ground.. jeb and a lot of prayers to the gods of kerbin

[Guest Aaack]

And the lag is just EPIC

[Guest Aaack]

Welp Failed again Ill keep removing struts, this time a booster broke loose. It was interesting to see it at 2 fps lol

**Noticce how the rocket is brutally bent without breaking...

Edited July 20, 2013 by Aaack

[Cheebsta]

That actually looks like it could just be how the launcher is set up, I always have bad luck with rings of tanks.

This is how I build ridiculously over-staged rockets now: Problem with Asparagus Staging Question regarding interplanetary tugs

I had so many people speculating about how it didn't work I went ahead and took the 5 minutes none of them did to build a proof of concept, and took pictures, lol. These things are nasty stable, even when you string big snakes of tanks. And they seem to require the least amount of struts despite looking like they should need the most. Exploiting game logic ftw, lol.

[Guest Aaack]

let me check that, i'm having enormous issues after separating the first aparagus stage...

[Cheebsta]

let me check that, i'm having enormous issues after separating the first aparagus stage...

It's explained better earlier in the thread, there is a bit of a trick to it that I was showing in the first two pictures to make sure fuel lines connect properly when you go to duplicate things.

[Guest Aaack]

Actually the asparagus system works perfectly, (i used the same lifter for a rover), but now ill try to use the fuel line of the orange tank as guide. i think the whole thing is so reinforced the game don't know where to stress it.

Im removing struts now, tons of them just as concept proof.

[Cheebsta]

Actually the asparagus system works perfectly, (i used the same lifter for a rover), but now ill try to use the fuel line of the orange tank as guide. i think the whole thing is so reinforced the game don't know where to stress it.

Im removing struts now, tons of them just as concept proof.

Ahh okay, well if this is the case, then try putting a few struts up to the payload. It's likely the weight up top making the rockets shear themselves off, so use that weight to hold them down where they should be.

[Guest Aaack]

Thats the point it's just too damn heavy

I'll put struts from the base to the orange tanks... and post results for the lulz <--not much faith at this point

[SleepingDragon]

Have you thought about using mainsails? Also, put your craft file.

[Guest Aaack]

So here's another question... is the direction of the struts important? like fuel lines?

[Guest Aaack]

I had enormous issues woith mainsails, after seeing some youtube videos I experimented with clustered engines and they are way more stable and fuel efficient. But why are you mentioning mainsails? to reduce the part count?

[Guest Aaack]

ok, So after adding struts from the base to the orange rockets the thing survived up to the third stage.

Conclusion: it't too heavy and needs support everywhere. At least I know the diagnosis now! YAY

What could possibly go wrong, right?

[SleepingDragon]

Less parts, more trust. Maybe you could get rid of some outer tanks then.

[Guest Aaack]

Welp I managed to put the tihng in the ugliest orbit ever. I think I barely have the dv to reach the mun....

Barely.

I think I'll add 3 or 6 stages or asparagus boosters...

But the answer was make the orange tanks to support the weight of the base. !

MOAR STRUTS!

[Cheebsta]

More does usually do the trick once you're sure they're not the reason for exploding on launch, lol. When I first clicked to this page and saw the pic my next suggestion was going to be exactly what you did in the second picture. Make sure more than 2 struts are still holding the top up when you hit orbit (if there are that many tanks left around the outside).

I am glad you got it into space before giving up. I really thought it should be able to do it once you said you knew the launcher worked previously.

[Guest Aaack]

Well the short time it was in orbit I saw what sudden changes in thrust can do to the base, very wobbly but it's reinforced like crazy and can stand it, look:

Now I've added 6 more boosters on the asparagus chain. let's see if i have enough dv to reach the mun!