Blast from the Past. Finishing my 0.23 Jool Grand Tour

[Soda Popinski]

After taking a bit of a break from KSP, playing Elite: Dangerous (Damn you Scott Manley!), I'm getting back into KSP.  Before continuing my 1.1 (now 1.2) game, I felt compelled to complete my Jool Mission I started in 2014 back in 0.22 (Damn you my OCD!).  Last I left, I managed to strand a guy on Tylo, and am currently sending a rescue mission (video on that to come).

In the meantime, the Imgur albums I used for the first 5 parts don't seem to work, so I recreated the slideshows as YouTube slide shows and added Narration.  Then it goes to the next updates which were my first forays into YouTube videos (no narration).  Part 9 is completely new, using footage I took over 2 years ago.  I just finally put it together.

 

Note: Just added scan of original design doodle.

Now, T minus 8 days until launch. Will update Mission Report.

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MISSION UPDATE:

After some "simulation runs" (*cough* F5/F9 *cough*), the crew reported a "wicked shimmy" as the entire craft seemed to wobble when the drive section was activated. So before the "real" burn was started with only 20 minutes until the first burn was to start, Jeb volunteered to EVA and install more struts to stabilize the engine. These went between the NERVA engines and Mobile Kethane Drill Refinery (MKDR). Cross struts were also placed between the lander engines and kethane refinery lander halves.

Meanwhile, we've got 200 days to kill. The ship computer, KAL keeps insisting we should go into hibernation to conserve food, water and oxygen. We've never needed to do that before. Besides, Jeb brought "Kards Against Kerbanity" and "Settlers of Kataan." It'll be fun assembling that game board in zero-G.

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Mission Update: Arrival at Jool

After the mostly successful conclusion of the Duna Explorer Mission, Kerbin's eyes turn once again to the Discovery 2, on her mission to Jool. After a 200 day journey, the crew finally heads into Jool's sphere of influence. A new rule was written up - do NOT bring Kards Against Kerbanity on long duration missions. It turns out you don't want to know exactly how horrible your crew-mates are right away.

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Mission Update: Vall

Here we see the gallant crew of the Discovery 2 make their approach to ice covered Vall, theorized to hold liquid oceans under its frozen crust. This will be the initial landing site for exploration, but more importantly (for the crew, not for the eggheads back on Kerbin), the site to find and mine kethane to refine fuel. Without successful refueling at Vall, there will be no return trip.

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Mission Update: Fill 'er up!

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Mission Update: Probing Around

I liked the effect of having multiple screenshots looking like a time-lapse video, so I originally started doing that. It got a bit out of hand for an Imgur slide-show (who wants to hit the Forward button that many times?). Plus, partway through, I found out the nVidia drivers update included a free video cap, so I wanted to incorporate a little video. Seemed easier to just do it all in a single video... took a lot longer than I expected.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it. I might suggest watching it full screen.

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Mission Update: Touchdown on Vall (2/14/14)

This time, I started all video. So no more choppy slide shows. I also mixed up the music a bit, and had more explanations and descriptions than in the last video.

(SPOILER ALERT - you will see a couple of Easter Eggs / anomalies - there's a warning partway in the video)

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Mission Update: Bippity BOPpity Boo (6/18/14)

It's been quite a while since an update. I got busy.

In this update, the gallant crew of the Discovery 2 make it to Bop. An anomaly detected from orbit shows possible organic readings. Dr. Jondred Kerman, exobiologist to the stars, is the man for the job. Let's hope he can fly the Lander.

(SPOILER ALERT - you will see a couple of Easter Eggs / anomalies - there's a warning partway in the video)

If you just want to see the anomaly, and the entertaining antics,

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(update January 3, 2017)

After a 2.5 year hiatus, here's the rest of the muns of Jool with some interesting antics by Jebediah.  I'm continuing this old game to finally complete the mission.  These videos were actually captured a couple of years ago, but I want to get them up before I put up the new stuff.  I also redid the Imgur slide-shows (Parts 1-5) as slide-shows on YouTube which I narrated.

(this video below was posted 2 years ago, but was was from video captured later in the mission at Tylo)

As usual, I'm a bit behind on updates. But here's a mini-update that I originally posted to the FAIL thread in the General Forum. Sort of a "behind the scenes."

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Update January 31, 2017: Rescue Mission is a Go!
I made a dedicated thread to Project Overkill, as it's not a typical Mission Report, but sort of a hybrid Cinematic/Comedy.  I even put in some voice acting (did you know you could hear your wife's eyes roll?).  Since it's related, and comes from this mission, it seems appropriate to add the video to this thread.  Part 2 in a week or so, Crom willing.
 

 

Edited January 31, 2017 by Soda Popinski
Added in latest video

[Vanamonde]

I like the look of that ship. You seem to build the way I do, for function rather than looks, which can itself result in designs with a nice visual appeal.

[Soda Popinski]

I like the look of that ship. You seem to build the way I do, for function rather than looks, which can itself result in designs with a nice visual appeal.

Thanks! I did use the real world design philosophy that went into the Discovery from 2001 - placing the radioactive fission engine as far away from the crew as possible to minimize shielding (using the inverse square law). Put structure and tankage in between.

BTW: I just happened to watch Scott Manley's Reusable Episode 25, which made a very similar ship, but better of course (included the centrifuge). Similar Jool mission, 4 probes, lander, kethane refinery. Umm...great minds think alike?

[Soda Popinski]

MISSION UPDATE Consolidated to Post 1

Edited February 7, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[Rhyunix]

This is cool! I agree with Vanamonde about your style- I like it!

[kiwiak]

Interesting, looking forward to next episodes!

[Soda Popinski]

Mission update consolidated to post 1

Edited February 8, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[The Error]

Cool. The next report will totally not involve a mysterious black rectangular object named Zagadka, right?

[Soda Popinski]

Cool. The next report will totally not involve a mysterious black rectangular object named Zagadka, right?

This is my first time to Jool, so I honestly don't know what I'll find, but I have my suspicions. ScanSat has picked up an anomaly on Vall, but it's pretty far South. Doing such a big inclination change will require a lot of refueling missions. In the next update, you'll see I under estimated the delta-V requirements a bit.

[Soda Popinski]

Mission Update Consolidated to Post 1

Edited February 8, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[The Error]

You're running the fine line for fuel, m8.

[Brotoro]

Nice ship! Good luck on the rest of the mission.

[Soda Popinski]

Mission Update Consolidated to Post 1

Edited February 8, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[The Error]

Hooray for anomalies!

[Soda Popinski]

Been kind of stuck lately. I'm using RemoteTech2, which requires a line of sight connection to an unmanned probe in order to control it in real-time (or near depending on distance and signal delay). I launched a probe to Laythe, and due to the coms blackouts (while either the Discovery 2 or the probe go behind the moon), I opted to use RemoteTech2's built in Flight Computer where you can key in delays for each command. This would require the probe to hold attitude at either prograde or retrograde depending on the maneuver.

Unfortunately, I found I had quite a bug. The probe would just go crazy when you tried to aim it using RemoteTech2 while controlling form the probe-core, which I'd have to do to aim the engines correctly.

This made it impossible to hold the proper attitude. I spent some time trying to figure out how to reproduce the bug, reported it, and even managed to find a work around. Turns out, the probes were originally connected radially to the Discovery 2, that is the original control point. The wobble happens if you switch control points. So, I had to figure out how to point the probe's engines the correct way, relative to the original attachment point. Radial and anti-radial are now prograde and retrograde respectively. Doing inclination changes is a bit trickier, as I need to key in specific pitch/heading/roll numbers.

Now that I've got it figured out, I hope to get an update within the next few days.

[Soda Popinski]

Mission Update: Probing Around (video)

Consolidated to Post 1

Edited February 9, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[Soda Popinski]

Any suggestions / advice on the video?

Too long? Too much detail? Not enough detail? Too much bad humor?

[kiwiak]

Boh descriptions and mission itself are very cool.. looking forward to devlopment.

[Soda Popinski]

MISSION UPDATE: Touchdown on Vall

This is almost all video, with not a single choppy slide show. I also used some Kevin Macleod music for the "soundtrack." This time, I added more explanation, so it's not just watching me do stuff.

I'll add it to the OP, but here's a link:

[DaMichel]

Good stuff. I love these kind of missions. Nice ship design, writing and presentation. I actually liked the albums/slide show style, but the last video is also good. First video sometimes skipped a bit too fast through the text.

[Soda Popinski]

Good stuff. I love these kind of missions. Nice ship design, writing and presentation. I actually liked the albums/slide show style, but the last video is also good. First video sometimes skipped a bit too fast through the text.

Cool. Thanks for the advice on the video. I'll try rerendering it with longer pauses. It's taking me a while to get the hang of how long to leave the captions on.

What would be ideal is if I could use Imgur with embedded videos so one can click to see the animations for the bits that it's useful.

[Soda Popinski]

After about 4 months, here's an update to my mission. I got a bit busy. Hopefully, I'll finish the mission before KSP 1.0 hits the shelves.

Part 8: Bippity BOPpity Boo

Also updated the original post.

If you just want to see the anomaly, and the entertaining antics,

Edited June 19, 2014 by Soda Popinski

[Soda Popinski]

Is it just me, or does the whole thing look a bit dark? I'm wondering if I should re-render part 8 with a curves adjustment.

[Soda Popinski]

As usual, I'm a bit behind on updates. But here's a mini-update that I originally posted to the FAIL thread in the General Forum. Sort of a "behind the scenes."

[Soda Popinski]

After a short 2.5 year hiatus, I'm finally completing this mission (if all goes well).  Meanwhile, I realized, I'm behind on an update, as I'd finished hitting the last 3 muns of Jool.  Here's a quick mashup of those landings, along with Jeb doing an EVA from orbit to Pol (4:25).  It does end requiring a rescue mission, which is what I'm currently doing.  You can see the 23,000 m/s delta-V rescue ship at the end of this video.
 

Chronologically, this goes between Part 8 and the Tylo Crashes, so I squeezed it into the Original Post.  I also realized the Imgur Albums broke, so I recreated those slide-shows in YouTube and added Narration.  It took a lot longer than I expected to do.