Base Pack. Months in the making! 6 craft files including a SSTO! Endless possibities!

[Rune]

So yeah, this took a while, and it is a very complicated release, since I'm giving 6 different, files, to build (and service!) modular bases in two different ways, in pretty much any rock in the system. So before I get into the gritty details, and there will be many, perhaps it is better that I show the finished product (and take a while to prepare yourself from the truly lengthy post, sorry but there is lots to tell! ):

That right there is Boulder Base, one of the test bases built during the testing phase of this massive project I actually started in the previous version. In the center you can see the node module with the upwards-facing cupola, and connected to it are a fuel module (the big red), a hab module (the one with the antennas), the lab module, connected to it an obsolete Mk I Shuttle (lacking atmospheric propulsion, I kept it for servicing this airless moon), and behind the tank you can barely see the pressurised rover capable of hunting for biomes with a full science suite, and below it the construction rover you use to move modules around. To show a bit about how the base is actually put together, suffice to say this is how you manage to move full big reds on the upright position, and handle regular base supply on a fully stock game (I personally refuel on a not-supplied custom kethane module). Basically, you put the construction rover under the landed modules, and if necessary add stability with the pressurised one to drive it to a docking:

So yeah, that would be the basic one, with one module of each. And how would you expand on it? Well, doubling on the non-science modules (of which you only need one copy) can't hurt, and it's what I did on MunBase:

Two Habs, two Nodes, two Fuel Dumps, and the single lab and pressurised rover (two construction rovers, though). Plus my personal kethane module, as you will see in the pictures, and with the same obsolete shuttle and KAS parts, but you get the idea on how the boundless expansion works, right? You always end up with open ports, and the different configurations are endless. The pressurised rover, BTW, is equipped with rocket engines and fuel, not only for short hops on low gravities, but also to be able to refuel the shuttle from the base tanks. In a stock way (If you aren't a good enough pilot to try to dock it to the base, which few are, that's very very handy)

"Ok, that's all fine and dandy... but just how exactly do you land those modules? You seriously have a dedicated launcher for each?" ... I hear you think. Well, this is where the "two different building methods" comment applies. I should have said "delivery methods", actually. See, I first built a rocket to launch a bunch of modules in one go. A very ugly, jumbled together rocket, with excess delta-v, and upper stage that doubled as universal skycrane and could be refuelled, and ugly as sin. It sometimes fails spectacularly during liftoff even! Very kerbal. That is how I built Munbase in three launches, two of the file I labelled "Base Basic Pack", which has the Node, Hab, Fuel Dump, and construction rover; and one launch with the "Base Science" file, which carried the lab module and the pressurised rover. Pretty functional, and it did the job. It is expedient and I anticipate it will be the most used one. This is the biggest thing to launch of the files I provide, and paradoxically the easiest way to expand bases, because quickload and exploding runaway boosters are cheap in KSP:

However, once I got that to work (mostly), I started to get fancy. I though to myself this may be a very convenient way to set up a test munar base, but it would be a very big bother to, say, resupply one on Laythe. You would have to refuel it a lot of times to get the modules there, including on Laythe orbit, and end up with too many copies of one module and not enough of others. No, the best way to go about this would be a single-stage skycrane, that could accept any kind of module, especially a Fuel Dump, and deliver it (relying heavily on orbital refuel, I'm not that crazy) to any place where you could ever want a base. Tall order, and I knew before I started that I wouldn't be able to get Eve and Tylo in there. But I did manage to get a skycrane that can lift either a big red partly fuelled, or two of the other modules, form kerbin to orbit in a single stage. And it looks awesome.

This here is the "Skycrane" file, and it could deserve its own post by itself. Its alternate configuration you will have to build yourself from the other files, one with the Hub+Hab+Rover bundle (which weights pretty much the same as this light lab+pressurised rover pack), and the other with a Fuel Dump. Fun fact: it does not, in fact, have T/W>1 on jet engines, you need to turn on the spikes to lift off after you spool up the jet engines. Once you get to 2000m, toggling on and off the spikes to remain under terminal velocity, turn them off and turn the nukes on: they have higher isp by then and are enough to keep accelerating slowly. From then on airhog your way to just-before flameout as you would with another SSTO, then its away with the jet engines and in with the aerospikes. Complicated as boop, but it works beautifully. It's either a rocket-assisted airbreathing SSTO skycrane, or an airbreathing-assisted rocket skycrane. In any case, it looks cool with that trilateral symmetry and clean lines for such a big clearance for payloads, and it can drop any of the three bundles in any place with atmosphere (and many without it), and make it back to orbit from all but Eve and Tylo. A feat, IMO, and it means I could slap the "reusable" sticker on this. Oh, it's equipped with a universal docking port, BTW.

Ok, that makes three files out of six. The other three? Well, two are the other bundles you can take with the skycrane (Hab+Hub+Constructin Rover, and Fuel Dump), only mounted in a much more reasonable 50mT parallel-staging crossfed rocket. What other would call "asparagus staging". To save a lot of time and lag, and to keep on reusing the same skycrane to drop modules on an expanding base. Also, they are the perfect file to get any of the individual modules to convert into a subassembly or modify. Convenient, right? Something had to be!

And last but not least, this should definitely get its own post, but I am giving it away with the pack just so you have all the pieces together. A six kerbal, VTOL, airbreathing SSTO with enough delta-v under rocket power to SSTO from Duna and capable of docking to the base modules or be refuelled by the pressurised rover... ladies, gents, and kerb, I present the "Heinlein". Because it lifts off and lands as Kod and him intended spaceships to.

In some pictures you will see the test version, where the intakes are much more visible and ugly, but don't worry, the file is the new one. A shame I still think the old shuttle looks better, if only this one wasn't so much better! Now, here is the (commented) imgur album, and all the files, labeled. Enjoy your construction projects, and send postcards of your bases!

Oh, and an extra, combo bonus. If you are savvy, you will immediately see how I'm modifying Medusa-class motherships to carry base bundles to set up basically copies of MunBase on Duna and Laythe for starters. If not, look up the last picture on the Medusa album, or just ask if you are interested and still don't get it

IMGUR ALBUM

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DOWNLOADS

Base Shuttle

Base Basic Pack

Base SCIENCE!

Base Skycrane

Hub+Hab+Construction Rover bundle on rocket

Fuel Dump on rocket

Rune. Damn that was long. In many ways! I really hope you guys like it.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Rune

[Dodgey]

Looks good. I'm working on my own version at the moment. Quick question how did you get those small pipes into place between the modules?

[Captain Sierra]

Darnit, you have beaten me to release. I'm curious to see what you'll think of what I release later. These look great. I really like the hub, but I find 3x symmetry, while popular, is overdone. I see 4x symmetry in my future.

[KissSh0t]

I really like the skycrane... that is a very good design.

[Exothermos]

jeez, Rune, you are really rolling out the big complicated stuff lately.

This looks fantastic, and I really like your little SSTO shuttle!

[Rune]

Looks good. I'm working on my own version at the moment. Quick question how did you get those small pipes into place between the modules?

You are either refering to the KAS pipes, which are part of a mod and I'm not giving in the downloads (I try to minimize the number of ongoing flights by consolidating them into single crafts), or the structural fuselages that join the modules. The answer for the second is easy: they come stuck to the Node modules. You can easily move them around with other modules and the pressurized rover, though, but if they ever fall to the ground... no way other than KAS winches to reattach them then, I think.

Darnit, you have beaten me to release. I'm curious to see what you'll think of what I release later. These look great. I really like the hub, but I find 3x symmetry, while popular, is overdone. I see 4x symmetry in my future.

Well, three-way symmetry worked for the number of modules I had in mind, and it makes nice hexagonal patterns which I think are very kerbal. But I'm eager to see your take on the concept! And don't feel to bad about me "beating you"... I have been working on this on and off since the beginning of 0.22!!

I really like the skycrane... that is a very good design.

Thanks! I must confess I was very surprised when it decided to work... It was supposed to be a prototype to see if I could do something with decent aesthetics, and then the only improvement I had to give it was proper action groups and the correct number of intakes to get enough speed on airbreathers. Seriously, that worked on the second test flight.

jeez, Rune, you are really rolling out the big complicated stuff lately.

This looks fantastic, and I really like your little SSTO shuttle!

Hahaha thanks!. Completing one kind of meant completing the other, considering they (the Medusa motherships and this base pack) are like the two halves of my space program... well, with the stations assembled by the Broadsword making the third leg of the tripod. Stations, surface bases, and huge transport ships to move the pieces around. I just finally got all the pieces to behave nicely with each other!

Other than that, my career save is a few experimental SSTOs and K-Drive ships taking advantage of the support infrastructure I'm creating, and the occasional replica flight to change pace a bit (assembling Medusas gets old, fast). Now it's a matter of slowly using this tools, while thinking about what the next big project might be...

Rune. Opening up the kerbol system, one fuel depot at a time.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Rune

[.Bole]

Hey mate

thanks for all this,

But i cant hub+rover+node launch it just turn upside down and crash in first 500m?

[Rune]

Hey mate

thanks for all this,

But i cant hub+rover+node launch it just turn upside down and crash in first 500m?

Hummm... you mean the asparagus rocket bundle right? :Runs off to have a quick test: ... Yeah, no, it launches about as good as you would expect an bundle of 7 skippers to launch, which is a very good indeed. I love that engine! Perhaps something to do with where you control from? I launch it unmanned and controlling from the probe on the core.

If you mean another file, please specify a bit more, pics would be appreciated, and I will see what I can do!

Rune. You picked probably the easiest launch to have problem with... :S

[Dodgey]

Yea Rune I was talking about the structural tubes between the modules. If you don't mind me asking were you inspired by Temstars modular base system as I am?

[Rune]

Yea Rune I was talking about the structural tubes between the modules. If you don't mind me asking were you inspired by Temstars modular base system as I am?

Then here you go, move them attached to another module, and you shouldn't have problems if you think a bit about the order in which to do things. And sure I was inspired by Temstar! It's actually the second time I release a pack that uses his base assembly method. In fact, I have posted this in his thread! When he came up with the idea, it was truly revolutionary, before that I only could ever do bases with identical modules, which are quite boring.

[Cranium]

I totally stole your engine design from Heinlein:

It's a great design, and mine can make SSTO from Kerbin with minimal fuel to spare. I had never thought of that angled design!

I tried it first with a smaller, octo-can, but it seems that anytime I try to make those clipped tanks, it tried to corrupt the file. Perhaps because of the fact that I was clipping directly to the root part of the craft. I'll have to do some testing.

[Rune]

Glad you like it! If you stick nosecones/chutes on the end of the inclined tanks, it would look even cooler, with rounded borders and stuff.

Rune. With that much fuel, you could probably drop a RAPIER and switch cans to the three-kerbal one, BTW. Just a matter of intakes.

[benzman]

I am playing 0.23 in sandbox mode and the Skycrane gives a 'locked or invalid parts' message. Is there a mod needed for this craft? All the others show up O.K.

[Cranium]

Glad you like it! If you stick nosecones/chutes on the end of the inclined tanks, it would look even cooler, with rounded borders and stuff.

Rune. With that much fuel, you could probably drop a RAPIER and switch cans to the three-kerbal one, BTW. Just a matter of intakes.

Strangley enough, when I tried to add those nosecones, it corrupted my files...again. I'm gonna have to try to repeat it with stock and see if it's a bug.

[Rune]

I am playing 0.23 in sandbox mode and the Skycrane gives a 'locked or invalid parts' message. Is there a mod needed for this craft? All the others show up O.K.

My bad! I forgot to remove one KAS winch I was using. Sorry, fixing it now, try downloading again.

Rune. Feedback is important!

[Genolution]

Very nice Rune. Now promise us you'll get out of the VAB and go some place nice.

[benzman]

My bad! I forgot to remove one KAS winch I was using. Sorry, fixing it now, try downloading again.

Rune. Feedback is important!

Loads perfectly now. Thank you!

[Rune]

Loads perfectly now. Thank you!

You are welcome!

Very nice Rune. Now promise us you'll get out of the VAB and go some place nice.

Yeah, I really should earn my interplanetary wings on career at last, shouldn't I? I promise not to embark on any massive building project, at the very least, until I have launched the Jool expedition! Well, maybe a new station for Mun... but no new craft development for a while! Anyway, everything in Kerbin's SOI is sufficiently crowded as now in my save (which is on its second week, and its the first career save I did back in 0.22).

Rune. I think I build too much ^^'

[_jack]

What mod are you using for the stars?

[Woopert]

What mod are you using for the stars?

That would be Universe Replacer

Texture packs have to be downloaded separately though, the one there is Rareden's skybox

[.Bole]

Hub+Hab+Construction Rover bundle on rocket

Its this one,and i am using mechjeb to launch

[rottielover]

I just found this and it's awesome, quick question. Is this compatible with Temstar's modular base (same docking port heights?)?

What's your advice for getting these assembled "in the field", where you end up with non-flat ground to work with? I've used the tweakable for locking the leg suspension etc, but have always had issues assembling docked bases. To the point that KAS has been a standard mod for as long as I can remember.

[Rune]

I just found this and it's awesome, quick question. Is this compatible with Temstar's modular base (same docking port heights?)?

What's your advice for getting these assembled "in the field", where you end up with non-flat ground to work with? I've used the tweakable for locking the leg suspension etc, but have always had issues assembling docked bases. To the point that KAS has been a standard mod for as long as I can remember.

I have no idea if it's compatible, since I have never downloaded his... but I can tell you the measuring system is "the bottom of the port is at the same height as the bottom of the landing legs", which is very convenient and easy to replicate. As to assembly in the field, I have tried messing with leg suspensions, and they help to slightly tilt modules (to raise or lower the target docking port as neccesary), but usually the real trick is to use the pressurized rover also, not only the construction one. That way you have a very stable contraption, and you can push hard enough to tilt the target module, maybe even make it jump. Sometimes you can even play with raising and lowering landing legs, to make things jump... the docking ports have a tendency to line up perfectly on the way down due to the magnetic force.

That, lots of quicksaving to avoid "accidents", and a bit of luck, and even the most recalcitrant modules will see the wisdom of hooking up with a bit of patience. Mostly, it's a matter of swearing a lot... and picking up a very flat spot to set it up on the first place!

Rune. Glad you like it!

[rottielover]

Thanks! With your inspiration I built a "low tech" base on minmus, I think pretty early in career play. So early in the tech tree that I don't have rover wheels yet, but I did grab the heavy landing legs.

I discovered the "golden nugget" insight when you said "line up on the way down". Got me thinking.

The secret is two fold. Minmus is the obvious choice with its low gravity (mun is doable for advanced players), and RCS, specifically the single ports used on the bottom of your modules.

Basically each base module is landed, then RCS used to move them into place. Get your ports about a meter apart, "hop" the module up and the magnetic force will pull you in on the way down.

"Minmus Alpha" currently consists of a habitation module, a Kethane refining module, a Kethane extractor module, and a command and control module.

Since I'm using TAC life, only one kerbal calls Alpha home for the next 600 days. But he's already refueled two science landers

Thanks again to Rune and Temstar.