Realism mission rules

[Sid]

I like using KSP to recreate some of the real ( and imagined ) missions of the 60's and 70's

To give myself more of a challenge I have set some mission rules to add realism to the way I build and fly. Here they are, in no particular order - can anyone add to these, or critique them ?

1) Spacecraft will have the minimum delta-V required to complete the mission - with a little contingency and subject to limits imposed by available tank sizes and engines

2) Stages used to both enter Kerbin orbit and later inject the craft into a transfer only get that one relight. The relight must be performed within an hour of entering orbit. Service modules and probe engines can have unlimited relights.

3) Payloads must be sized to fit in reasonable sized shrouds. 'Reasonable' being open to discussion, but if it doesn't look like it could have been built and flown in the era then it's out.

4) Space stations and small probes can have reaction wheels\ASAS but larger craft must use RCS for attitude control.

5) No attempt will be made to land Kerbals on another body until at least one mapping\photographic probe and a lander have been sent first. Successfully

6) "Kerballed" craft and launch vehicles must be Kerbal-rated. At least one remote controlled flight first to ensure controllability, structural safety and clean separation of boosters. An escape system must be fitted, and tested. Parachute systems also to be tested.

That's all I can think of. This is the first time I have actually written the rules down. I haven't really thought too much about nuclear engines yet, but I think I'm going to pretend that Nerva was never cancelled.

[innovine]

I like to take note of where my boosters and fuel tanks impact Kerbin. I try and have each stage's discarded parts splash down at sea.

If you are not already doing it, you might plan and attempt the return journey for every mission. Don't send anyone on a known one-way-trip. (my first kerbal on duna also made it back, barely)

To improve realism a bit, you might want to place orbital communication relay satellites in various places, and make sure your landing has line-of-sight between them, all the way back to ksc. Also, land in daylight. This will provide for best TV coverage

Edited July 29, 2013 by innovine

[The Scientific Moustache]

I have no Kerbal may be in space for more than 90 days unless on a specific deep space mission, so my station crew and munar shuttle crews have to be changed.

[FrostOmega]

5) No attempt will be made to land Kerbals on another body until at least one mapping\photographic probe and a lander have been sent first. Successfully

Nice, liked that one.

Also, Try to guarantee every Kerbal safety. Redundanty.

[Sid]

Brilliant. You have reminded me of several things I'm doing wrong ( I don't mean there is a wrong and a right way in KSP - just for the task I have set myself )

Boosters and spent stages. I need to start dealing with them properly.

Night landings on Kerbin ( I do always bring them back, but I'm not being careful as to night or day )

Comms satellites. Tracking was a huge factor in mission planning....shouldn't have missed that one either

I haven't attempted a mission with Kerbals longer than a few days so far, but I like the 90 day restriction

[legodragonxp]

One 'rule' I play by on interplanetary missions is that for every Kerbol orbit change you must bring supplies with equal to 1 'Structural Fuselage' per kerbal per orbit. So someone going to Duna or Eve, which is one orbit change, you would need to bring along one structural Fuselage container per kerbal on the flight. Moho or Dres would require 2 per kerbal, Jool 3, and Eeloo 4.

An example would be a three-man flight to Jool would be three orbital jumps and therefore require 9 Structural Fuselage pieces to be on the ship.

Space Stations require 1 Structural Fuselage shipments of supplies per kerbal every 12 launches from the KSP. I use that as a measure instead of real time to keep the tracking simpler, especially while using time compression. These are basically the analog to Progress supply ships.

While the mass of the Structural Fuselage is very low I just attribute it to the kerbal's desire to eat rice cakes.

-Lego

-Lego

[Sid]

I like that one as well Lego. In fact I like all the suggestions so much that I am going to start over and incorporate them.

Thanks.

[Vanamonde]

For long missions, I like to install one Hitchhiker module per 2 crew, to simulate living quarters.

[AmpsterMan]

I assume each hitchhiker has enough supplies for 360 days per Kerbal. That means s fully staffed Hithiker can have Kerbals for 90 days, or a Mk1-2 pod for 120 days

[Tygroux]

I like that one as well Lego. In fact I like all the suggestions so much that I am going to start over and incorporate them.

Thanks.

You might want the RemoteTech and Iron cross mod.

There is a few others listed somewhere, but these two makes a lot of things different.

I usually try to not send kerbals in space for a prolonged period without a backup plan.

That mean when i build a space station, a first send a core module, towed by an MPCV. (think a very big, re-entry capable reusable Apollo 11 service Module.)

The MPCV have spare seats.

The MPCV stay docked, and serve as an emergency crew return vehicle. It leaves only when Escape pods have been added.

I make sure to always be able to evacuate 150% of my kerbals. (in case some escape pods gets lost in the accident.)

When sending an extraplanetary mission, same thing. The crew must always have a Service Module available in orbit and/or a rescue mission must be possible within 30 days, in case things go kerbal.

[DChurchill]

5) No attempt will be made to land Kerbals on another body until at least one mapping\photographic probe and a lander have been sent first. Successfully

I like this one. I've always played by this rule. I have Ion probes with Lazor cams and ISA Mapsat on them for just this purpose, a la Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

[Wesreidau]

For me, the abort button must be able to be activated at any time during sub-orbital flight (ascent) to return all Kerbonauts safely to Kerbal. The only command in an abort not bound to the abort button is the parachute trigger. If a design cannot accommodate this, it must be manned in orbit by a shuttle.