[Showcase] From the ground up - The process of spacecraft design

[TheAndrewTaco]

How do you build your ships/planes/whatever? Do you throw it together on a whim? Do you put it through planning stages? Do you calculate and conform the craft to design requirements? Do you prototype it? Revise it? Come forth and share your design process with the community! Tips, tricks, and all else are more than welcome! I'll start-

I like to build spacecraft that fit the requirements of my mission as exactly as possible. I've taken to doing a lot of sketching in study hall or other free times as a first phase, like this:

My handwriting is bad and my artistic skill is worse, but hey, I try.

Anyways, from here I'll carry the design over into the game. I don't have any actual pics of this. Notice the word "attempt" at the top of the doodle. Ran out of fuel, badly.

But that's just me. How do you build spacecraft?

[spaceman1999]

I do basically the same thing you do with sketches but I tend to sketch on a whim. I'll see if I can post some pic of some sketches!

[Dynamo]

Most of my designs end up being drawn up in my head. I have various classes of lifters, and i design payloads as i see fit, and then assign them to a lifter in their class. Most of my small vehicles work this way. However, for the interplanetary i use 'plan diagrams', or prefab constructions of the vehicle as it would be docked in orbit, to get a feel for the aesthetics and structural strength of a docking-built vehicle. I also use typed notes to record my thoughts and notes in the development process, just as an aid for my thoughts on the vehicle and to spur creativity in design.

Plan Diagram Examples:

From the Talyos Project (Unmanned probe seed of the Jool system) in 0.20

From the Aquilon Project (IP ferry for 2 SSTO's that will put the first Kerbals for Field Dynamics on Laythe) in 0.21

[Blue]

I do sketch occasionally, but for many of my craft I just experiment from scratch until something works.

When I sketch, it's usually a vertical alignment of the craft to the page-- prograde is upwards on the page, and retro is downwards. This way I can sort of standardize part sizes, with an T-F200 fuel tank being the height of 1 lined space.

When I experiment, after I've built something to a modest level of satisfaction, or have flown 10 times without success, I compare and review my design against what other people have done and posted on the internet, to see if there are any improvements to be made.

Since the hardest things to do in the game I've already been able to build (though not necessary practically use) I would say I have a pretty good grasp of what's required to do what, at least in a rough game-sense.

[Valley]

1. I first decide WHAT is my goal.

2. Than what I NEED to reach my goal.

3. Than I figure out HOW to get it done.

4. Than I start designing and testing. IF I can do it without a pilot I will try that first - keeps Kerbals from croaking and also sometimes helps with weight.

4a. I may go through a few designs. Sometimes I may use an older design, adjust it here and there, and use it. My designs are very rarely normal looking.

One of my Space Trucks.

One of my military craft.

Testing a design to bring fuel tanks to the Mun. It failed. Epic fail.

Part of the reason is I understand the basics of space travel. Part of that is I don't know, sometimes, what is thought of as impossible.

Also I prefer my ships to look like working, functional, spacecraft. Shiny, pretty ships bore me. Ships that can be used for more than one function is a plus.

One issue is I use MechJeb 2, so what works for a human player as a pilot may not work with it - everything has to be balanced properly. Also, if docking is somehow involved, I need to place the RS just RIGHT and give it at least 200 units of mono. Otherwise it just can't seem to dock.

This means most space stations also carry extra fuel for normal engines, RS, and Ion engines (just in case) for future spacecraft. I like to make sure ships are refueled at all stops.

[Spartwo]

-Analysis:What it needs to do

-research:Testing ideas

-sketches:I know...

-prototype

-Analysis:Did it work?

-Complete craft

[Kerbol Prime]

Sometimes I do quick sketches when I'm not at my computer.

Most of the time, I determine a purpose (orbiting, landing at whatever place, interplanetary) and what the craft should have (dockable, re-entry, etc) then I build it from scratch. Before .22 I also built the launcher from scratch or replaced the core on another launcher, but with subassemblies added I pick out one of my lifters and stick it under the ship.

[camulus777]

hey you sketch too I'm not crazy after all. I have an entire composition book of ships. You made may day.

[TheAndrewTaco]

hey you sketch too I'm not crazy after all. I have an entire composition book of ships. You made may day.

I do sketch! I've made a habit of keeping a little notepad with me just for that purpose. It's not crazy so much as uncommon, I think.

[life_on_venus]

I'm terribly inefficient. I set a goal in my head, then custom make an entire payload and launcher specific to that one mission. I also hardly ever use asparagus staging: I can't be arsed, and I insist on making my vehicles both pretty and utilitarian at the same time, all the while making sure they are unnecessarily unique and deviate from conventional "mainstream" designs. Hipster space program?

[guz667]

I only end up sketching when I have free time BUT cannot get to KSP itself. Otherwise, my process is thus:

-Get inspired by a mission idea

-Decide what will get me there

-Put together the payload I want to bring wherever.

-Add on how much fuel I know I will need to do that with engines that have good enough Isp and thrust (dV and what have you)

-Add fuel and thrust to get it off of Kerbin

I actually inadvertently outlined my whole deal in a video I made to teach about Thrust-to-Weight-Ratio, now that I think about it...

[Matticus88]

I have drawn out my space station plans before, but i don't do it now, its always a lapse in concentration that sends my new part flying into the station, destroying most of it and at that point i rage quit and threw my drawn plans into the bin lol

[NASI Director]

Much like was already said, I...

> Be me, opening KSP

> Suddenly think of two things to do

> Rummage around room for a coin to flip

> For example: Heads: Munar flyby

Tails: Make space station

> Spend an hour in the VAB/SPH making the craft

> Spend another 30 minutes designing the launch craft

> MFW it doesn't work

> MFW I just add more fuel tanks and it suddenly works

> KSP physics, you so crazy.

[Guest]

Sometimes the parts in KSP can inspire, and sometimes they are cripplingly inadequate. At this stage, it's actually an art, or can be, since there are so many limits (to a stock install anyway). Trying to copy something in KSP is HARD. Like copying something already known from a movie or whatever. Everything you do will be a compromise.

Sketching or booting up into a hangar - both have definite advantages. I use both methods almost half and half. Sometimes I will randomly find something I like - it seems to take me about 15 or 16 tries - starting from scratch - but I do find something eventually, usually.

Starting from a sketch is in some ways much more free. If you allow your mind to draw by itself, without thinking of KSPs restrictions, and then LATER - worry about how to make it happen - that can be very good. You will make things people who DON'T use this method - will never find.

Here's a sketch and the resulting craft, however - at the time, I was thinking very much in terms of KSP parts.

[Hodo]

For me it starts with a concept.

Like VTOL Space planes... or craft. Like in the movie Elysium, or the dropship from Aliens.

A craft that can take off vertically from almost any planet, and land vertically and still get to space and be useful there.

So I started my VSO line of craft.

It started with this as inspiration...

And this is what I came up with that finally was a working functional product.

All the while I had to keep in mind the ship has to work in FAR, because I wont go back to the stock KSP aerodynamic code. And still be functional for more than trips to orbit and back.

This one above, which was recently lost in a purge of my gamefiles when I decided to get rid of a few plugins, was capable of taking a 20 ton rover into orbit a 150km orbit over the Mun meet with the station I have there fill its tanks to 70% fuel load for landing on the Mun. I could do it with less but I like having a reserve. Empty it can make the trip to the Mun and back to Kerbin and land at KSC on one fuel load. Granted it is pretty much empty when it lands.

But that is my process, I start with inspiration, then I spend hours designing testing and redesigning then retesting until I get something that works. Then if I like the final product, I work on refining the product to be better.

Much like I have ended my line of SP craft, because I have 3 that do everything I need, and they are near useless for landing on any other world. So I focus more on my SVO line and VSO line.

[Pipcard]

I think of an idea inside my head, then make it in the VAB with the Kerbal Engineer part to help me know the delta-Vs and TWRs of the craft/rocket. I don't need to make sketches for that.

[guz667]

Sometimes the parts in KSP can inspire, and sometimes they are cripplingly inadequate. At this stage, it's actually an art, or can be, since there are so many limits (to a stock install anyway). Trying to copy something in KSP is HARD. Like copying something already known from a movie or whatever. Everything you do will be a compromise.

Sketching or booting up into a hangar - both have definite advantages. I use both methods almost half and half. Sometimes I will randomly find something I like - it seems to take me about 15 or 16 tries - starting from scratch - but I do find something eventually, usually.

Starting from a sketch is in some ways much more free. If you allow your mind to draw by itself, without thinking of KSPs restrictions, and then LATER - worry about how to make it happen - that can be very good. You will make things people who DON'T use this method - will never find.

Here's a sketch and the resulting craft, however - at the time, I was thinking very much in terms of KSP parts.

You hit it on the head! There are many times one must compromise in KSP design. You think of some grand idea, get to building it...then realize all the parts you thought would make sense for that just don't...

It all ends up being a matter of parts. It's why I used to just mod parts. I may get back into it. No skinning or modeling, just part editing.

P.S.: Wicked craft!

[guz667]

I think of an idea inside my head, then make it in the VAB with the Kerbal Engineer part to help me know the delta-Vs and TWRs of the craft/rocket. I don't need to make sketches for that.

I like to use some outside game tools and charts when I'm not completely doing my own math (which is fun too!). Maybe these will help some more people in some of their designs!

Delta-V (though mostly I calculate without this anymore)

http://www.kerbalspacecalculator.net16.net/stageDVCalc.html

Graphing Calculator Online...SO useful!

https://www.desmos.com/calculator

Usually I only get into these when something presents a particular challenge and I just can't get it to work with whatever method I had been trying. It can be a lot of fun this way though. Makes me feel more sciencey...

[Captain Sierra]

I come up with a concept, usually a mission task like build a space station. Then I decide the formfactor, typically by building the whole thing in the VAB. Then I break it apart with Subassembly Loader. I set each section as the root and then give it a lifter, launch, dock, and otherwise assemble as necessary. Final step: take obligatory screenshot.

[DaveofDefeat]

I mostly build something over the top and needlessly complicated, then get frustrated when it blows up and stop playing for a few days, then come back and rebuild it all over again.

[NKL]

I'm super bad at drawing. i mean, really REALLY bad.

But I have TONS of flying papers of wasted/useless design. I ALWAYS do sketches of my next project. Even if the project does not look like the sketches at all ^^

[guz667]

I'm super bad at drawing. i mean, really REALLY bad.

But I have TONS of flying papers of wasted/useless design. I ALWAYS do sketches of my next project. Even if the project does not look like the sketches at all ^^

Mine usually doesn't either...;-;