The complete(ish) history of rockets! Recreating the entire space race in KSP!

[Mulbin]

Date - December 17th 1957

Time - 17:39

Craft - SM-65A Atlas

Launch Site - KSC

Mission - Suborbital - Missile Test

Outcome - Success

Mission Notes

The first successful launch of the SM-65A

[Mulbin]

Annual summary - 1957

Launches

Manned Launches - 0

Satellite Launches (successful) - 1

Satellite Launches (Partial) - 1

Satellite Launches (Failed) - 1

Achievements

First man made object in orbit - KSSR

First living creature in orbit - KSSR

Orbital Map at Close of Year

Edited October 4, 2013 by Mulbin

[BostLabs]

Very awesome stuff.

stupid question time. How did you do the other launch sites?

[DisarmingBaton5]

Are you going to simulate orbital decay?

*koff*editthesavefile*koff*

EDIT: I mean with the sputniks. IIRC their orbits decayed pretty quickly.

[Mulbin]

Very awesome stuff.

stupid question time. How did you do the other launch sites?

I use hyperedit to move smaller rockets. For larger launches I have used the interplanetary launchpad mod to create a second launch site in the desert. I only use mods that add features to the game... the ships are 100% stock.

Are you going to simulate orbital decay?

*koff*editthesavefile*koff*

EDIT: I mean with the sputniks. IIRC their orbits decayed pretty quickly.

To keep things easy when the sky starts filling up I will likely just end the flights at the appropriate point... although burning up in the atmosphere might be nice! For example I will end Sputnik 1 just before I launch Explorer 1

[Mulbin]

Update...

I've got a few more missions to post up later but first wanted to mention a change in the way I do things now that I've hit the satellite era. I've got very used to launching 90 degree equatorial orbits with ksp so wanted to do something more accurate with my orbits for this. Real satellites are usually orbiting at an inclination from the equator. I have also created a scale of altitudes to better represent the conversion from real world to kerbal orbital heights.... coupled with some good records of the real things I can now reproduce historically accurate orbits for each craft!

Here is my current save showing Sputnik 2, Explorer 1 and Vanguard 1 in their correct orbits. As you can see they are a lot more interesting than the average kerbal orbit!

I'll publish the explorer and vanguard missions tonight!

[Mr Shifty]

This is such an awesome journal. Isn't Vanguard 1 still orbiting, and expected to continue for about 200 years?

Regarding orbital inclinations: how are you simulating launches from non-equatorial launch sites (i.e. nearly every launch from Earth)?

Edited August 24, 2013 by Mr Shifty

[Mulbin]

This is such an awesome journal. Isn't Vanguard 1 still orbiting, and expected to continue for about 200 years?

Regarding orbital inclinations: how are you simulating launches from non-equatorial launch sites (i.e. nearly every launch from Earth)?

Yep Vanguard is still up there although it stopped transmitting in the 60s. Regarding simulating non equatorial launches.... I'm not! KSC is on the equator and you have to reach a point where you say "This is KSP... not Orbiter!" This is really more a "what if" thread that looks at the space race in the Kerbal universe... its meant to give an insight into how space travel evolved rather than recreate it perfectly. Its also meant to show just how versatile the parts set of KSP has become when it comes to recreating rocket designs with just stock components.

[Mr. Pseudonym]

This is awesome. Subbed.

[Mulbin]

Date - February 1st 1958

Time - 03:48:56

Craft - Juno 1

Payload - Explorer 1

Launch Site - KSC

Mission - Medium Kerbin Orbit - Scientific

Outcome - Success

Mission Notes

The first successful launch of an American Satellite.

[Mulbin]

Date - March 17th 1958

Time - 12:15:41

Craft - Vanguard

Payload - Vanguard 1

Launch Site - KSC

Mission - Medium Kerbin Orbit - Scientific

Outcome - Success

Mission Notes

The first successful launch of the tiny, 6 1/2 inch Vanguard satellite. Vanguard 1 is the oldest satellite still in orbit today... and will continue to orbit for another 2 centuries.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Mulbin

[Mulbin]

Two more flights added... I'll get the main timeline post updated and add the downloads later tonight.

[Coffeesaxophone]

Awesome so far! Also, question in which year do you plan to end this, 1969 or 1975?

[Mulbin]

Awesome so far! Also, question in which year do you plan to end this, 1969 or 1975?

I'd like to carry on as far as possible, at present though the biggest hurdle I have is that I can only find detailed records of space launches up to 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_spaceflight

After that the lists are incomplete with only Apollo and Soyuz.

[ethan829]

Nothing to see here. Move along.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see what you mean now.

[Coffeesaxophone]

I'd like to carry on as far as possible, at present though the biggest hurdle I have is that I can only find detailed records of space launches up to 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_spaceflight

After that the lists are incomplete with only Apollo and Soyuz.

This launch timeline is pretty complete

http://www.astronautix.com/chrono/index.htm

[DoctorDavid]

Very good work on recreating the launches! I'll be interested to see how you recreate the Apollo launches. Out of interest, will you be touching on the Soviet Moonshot? I know it never flew to the Moon, but I didn't know about whether it had test flights or not.

[Mulbin]

This launch timeline is pretty complete

http://www.astronautix.com/chrono/index.htm

Great! Thanks, that should fill in the blanks.

Very good work on recreating the launches! I'll be interested to see how you recreate the Apollo launches. Out of interest, will you be touching on the Soviet Moonshot? I know it never flew to the Moon, but I didn't know about whether it had test flights or not.

I've already build an apollo clone (currently on the 9th version), no doubt I'll refine it even more to fit the individual Apollo missions.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/28073-Now-100-more-X-in-its-name!-Munbug-IX-Saturn-V-Apollo-CSM-Lander-Buggy-ALSEP

As for the Russian N1 Rocket, there were 4 launches... all of which ended in explosions. I'll still build a working version though!

[Speeding Mullet]

Superb thread so far, easily digestible, and interesting.

[Giggleplex777]

You forgot about the Navaho missile!

Edited September 1, 2013 by Giggleplex777

[Fox62]

Image doesn't work

[MrPopcup]

Wow great stuff!

[Mulbin]

You forgot about the Navaho missile!

No I didn't! I've decided to focuss soley on rockets that either advanced the development of space craft or actually became launch vehicles themselves. Hench also no Polaris etc. I have the thor, atlas etc, because they became space launch vehicles later.

Image doesn't work

Can you be more specific? If there are any missing images it may be that my thread is getting too much traffic!

Wow great stuff!

Thanks!

[Giggleplex777]

No I didn't! I've decided to focuss soley on rockets that either advanced the development of space craft or actually became launch vehicles themselves. Hench also no Polaris etc. I have the thor, atlas etc, because they became space launch vehicles later.

But without what they learned while developing it, they would have the Thor or Atlas vehicles.

"Although the Navaho did not get into service, some of its components did. Some went into other equally unsuccessful North American projects such as the F-108 and B-70. Others fared better. The Redstone used the rocket engine concept, and the Thor and the Atlas adapted the engine. The Hound Dog, the nuclear submarine Nautilus for its epic under-the-ice passage of the North Pole, and the Navy's A3J-1 Vigilante bomber, all adapted the Navaho's inertial autonavigation system. Therefore, while the Navaho proved costly, the program did have positive benefits."

Edited September 1, 2013 by Giggleplex777

[ArcticX9]

But without what they learned while developing it, they would have the Thor or Atlas vehicles.

Wellllll... It kinda just used the same engine. If Mulbin was going by that, he'd have a LOT more work to do than what I believe his current objective is.