Spacecraft inspiration?

[Taki117]

I've built up quite the space program, but I'm at a loss as to what my next step should be, or even how to design my next step. Any advice from the community?

Edited January 26, 2014 by Taki117

[Speeding Mullet]

If you talk us through your space program a little bit, what have you done, where have you been etc. then I'm sure some excellent suggestions on direction and design would be forthcoming.

Also it depends whether you want to continue with your current save, or you want to play in career or sandbox mode starting new saves etc.

Have you considered some of the challenges available. Sturmstigers Duna Challenge is a very well thought out one as an example.

[maccollo]

I'm the "Rockets with a specific purpose" kind of person. So having said that...

Build a single launch rocket that will land one kerbal on every planet and moon and then return him to Kirbin.

Make this rocket as light as possible.

Single launch to Eve and back

Single launch to with 3 kerbals to Tylo and back.

Download the Real Solar System and TAC life support and do various missions in that.... Like a 3 man expedition to mars and back. Do it with as few launches as possible.... Or you could try doing it in one launch...GOOD LUCK!

[Taki117]

Well, I've been everywhere that the ribbons say I have (Kerbin, Mun, Minmus, Duna, Ike, Dres, Moho) and have unlocked almost all of the stock tech tree. I play with KSPX, KSP interstellar, KW Rocketry, FAR, DRE, TAC life support, SCANsat, and RemoteTech. I have communications networks around Kerbin, the mun, and Duna, with mapping completed on the above. I kinda want to test out the Plasma engines for KSP interstellar, but I don't know what I want my Microwave Relays to look like.

[SpacedCowboy]

OK, I'll bite. How bout a "space boat"? I know from lurking around the forum, that you've been around for a while, so you should have the know how. Just today I was working on craft built in the SPH, employing rapiers, (due to their high impact figures). I had a "boat", launched off the runway, and slowly taxied down to the ( I call it the "kerblantic ocean ). I slowly slipped it into the drink, and gradually increased the throttle. It drank jet fuel like crazy, but it ended up making it about 3/4 of the way to runway island, and reaching just about 19 MS., and then ran out of fuel. But in the mean time, I took some screen shots, because it was creating this fantastic rooster tail, which I didn't think the games graphics were capable of. It was awesome! I know this is not a "spacecraft", and this is more down to "Kerth", but the concept of Kerbal boating is intriguing to me. Sorry, I'm an idiot, and don't know how to post the pics. (Any help there?) PS no mods were used

[Cerberus738]

I made a boat just the other day! I got it up to 36m/s I usedthe structural fuselage to build pontoons and then had 5 jet engines to push it around. It was surprisingly stable!

[SpacedCowboy]

Yeah Okay, So take the wind out of my sails! "Inconceivable!" (quote from "Princess Bride), 36m/s, really ? Yeah that's what I was using, the structural fuselages for pontoons, but two Rapiers. Love to see your design, can you post a pic?

[Cerberus738]

I will post a pic! Right after I figure out how sometime tomorrow I'll launch it again and take some pictures.

[technion]

My two major challenges have been "joolean tour", featuring a landing on all moons in one mission, and a return trip to Eve's surface. I highly recommend both of these for the advanced player.

[Speeding Mullet]

Well, I've been everywhere that the ribbons say I have

In which case I will defer to more experienced players, but I would still thoroughly recommend sturmstiger's challenge!

Best of luck!

[bowfonz]

I play with KSPX, KSP interstellar, KW Rocketry, FAR, DRE, TAC life support, SCANsat, and RemoteTech.

Try Kethane. It opens up some interesting possibilities and should keep you busy for a while.

[Cerberus738]

K here's my boat! its just a concept test so its not very pretty. but the capture clearly shows 35.5m/s it had 7 engines at first but the 2 hanging on the outside edges broke off in the water when i got above 35. it seems anything over 30m/s gets unstable. probably need more reaction wheels. does anyone know a good method for control in the water? do control surfaces work? if i made a rudder? i might try that....

also... yes... it is headed for land... with the wheels down. lol. R.I.P Billas...

EDIT: It's 14t at this point.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Cerberus738
added mass to descriptive text!

[Captain Sierra]

Try Kethane. It opens up some interesting possibilities and should keep you busy for a while.

For starters Taki, try this. Also, Jool. Jool either loves you or hates you (for me, hates), no in between with that b****. Go play around in the Jool system some, see if you can set up a self-sustaining operation via kethane.

[Taki117]

For starters Taki, try this. Also, Jool. Jool either loves you or hates you (for me, hates), no in between with that b****. Go play around in the Jool system some, see if you can set up a self-sustaining operation via kethane.

TO JOOL! then. Though with TAC Life support without a food processor it will never be truly self sustaining.

[Captain Sierra]

TO JOOL! then. Though with TAC Life support without a food processor it will never be truly self sustaining.

What, that mod doesn't give your kerbals a kitchen? Could you edit that into a hitchhiker or some other hab module where you'd expect it to be?

[Taki117]

What, that mod doesn't give your kerbals a kitchen? Could you edit that into a hitchhiker or some other hab module where you'd expect it to be?

I don't think so. At least I wouldn't know how to. I could probably look at the CO2 scrubbers and water pruifiers to see how they work, and then do something similar to add the functionality. Although, that is an interesting idea. Using Kethane to crate food, water, and oxygen.

[SpacedCowboy]

Alright, thanks for responding, with my craft, I used rapiers because of their impact tolerance, which are at 20 m/s. Where as that's why I think you lost those two turbos that were below the surface. As far as rudders are concerned, I used the R-8 winglets,(or whatever their called.), 2 in a 45% config. They seemed to work pretty good. Still impressed by your 36m/s I know we're off subject in this forum, but can you, or anybody please show me how to post screen shots on the "forum"? I don't know how to do it "cause I'm comp/tech challenged! But I do know a picture is worth a thousand, maybe a million words!

[Cerberus738]

you have to upload it to a image host somewhere. mines at imgur... there's lots of free hosts out there. anyways. upload it to that. then they should give you a link and you post that link using the insert image button in this forums text editor!! easy peasy!

[thunderstar]

how about big payload rockets?, i was like you, didn't know what to do next, now i enjoy designing, exploding, redisigning and fliying huge rockets that can carry bigger payloads every time, i had a concept of a 1000 ton payload to LKO today, but explodes at the launchpad, current record is 346 tons

[Cerberus738]

150 tons is my limit so far. i designed a 300 ton ship but it was split into 5 pieces and assembled in space.

[thunderstar]

keep trying! its hard at the beggining, but you'll do it, for example i already managed to make a 450 tons to LKO rocket, was hard but fun!

[Cerberus738]

that seems monstrous. i don't think my computer could handle the number of parts required for that...