*v1.2 Update* Pop 3 MLS - Non Asparagus 0.23.5 Modular Lifter System

[9t3ndo]

I'm proud to introduce my new Lifter, the....

Pop 3 Modular Lifter System

Changelog

[CENTER]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 1.2

*New Part: Transfer Stage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 1.1

*fixed the fuel bug in the Upper Stage
*fixed the fuel bug in the Lower Stage
*fixed the fuel/stability bug for the Booster (Light)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 1.0

Release

[/CENTER]

Pop 3 MLS Subassemblie Pack v1.2

The Pop 3 MLS consist of:

First: The Transfer Stage

Provides:

-------------* LF: 360

-------------* OX: 440

-------------* 120kn (Nuke)

-------------* RCS-System

-------------* Thermoelectric Generator

-------------* SAS Module

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLSTransfer Stage

Part Count: 42

Second: The Upper Stage (Orbit burn) *fixed fuel issue*

Provides:

-------------* LF: 8646

-------------* OX: 10567

-------------* 4000kn

-------------* SAS Module

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLS Upper Stage

Part Count: 22

Third: The Lower Stage (Gravity Turn) *fixed fuel issue*

Provides:

-------------* LF: 6480 (expandable)

-------------* OX: 7920 (expandable)

-------------* 7900kn

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLS Lower Stage

Part Count: 20

Fourth: Booster (Light) *fixed fuel/stability issue*

Provides:

-------------* LF: 12690 (expandable)

-------------* OX: 15510 (expandable)

-------------* 6700kn

-------------* Steering Wing

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLS Booster Light

Part Count: 32

Fifth: Booster (Heavy)

Provides:

-------------* LF: 18720

-------------* OX: 22880

-------------* 9600kn

-------------* Seperator

-------------* Launch Stability Enhancer

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLS Booster Heavy

Part Count: 94

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~~~Some Variations~~~

<---------------------------------------------------Old Lifter--------------------------------------------------->

<Pop 3 Lifter Subassemblie>

Edited May 4, 2014 by 9t3ndo
Big Update

[rtxoff]

how much can it lift into lko?

[The Destroyer]

Reminds me like my new 30-ton lifter (to 2 million km)

[9t3ndo]

how much can it lift into lko?

5 orange tanks was no problem, to lift them into a 260k LKO like in the last screenshot

[GusTurbo]

This is really awesome. Is there a Pop 4 variant on the way?

[9t3ndo]

Maybe yes, because the second stage provides less power than i had imagined before. I think the design itself has more potential in the second and third stage. The booster stage has the power to lift 12 Orange tanks but not the other two stages :-/

[Larrt_M]

Not sure what the problem is but most of the time the rocket gets blown apart when attempting to decouple the second stage? Tried it with a couple different payloads.

[9t3ndo]

Hmmm, i've tested it now with light and heavy payloads, with "PHYSICS_FRAME_DT_LIMIT = 0.01 - 0.04" and i can't reproduce the fault

Has anyone else this problem?

~EDIT~

Breaks it in the front, where the payload is attached?

Edited April 30, 2014 by 9t3ndo

[Larrt_M]

Hmmm, i've tested it now with light and heavy payloads, with "PHYSICS_FRAME_DT_LIMIT = 0.01 - 0.04" and i can't reproduce the fault

Has anyone else this problem?

~EDIT~

Breaks it in the front, where the payload is attached?

No, it breaks apart the third stage. The third stage engine disappears! I just decided to try a different payload, but that would not matter.

I took some pictures doing test runs at a low altitude, dropping the first stage right away.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad343/Larry_M/KSP2014-04-3011-23-13-82.jpg

The other rocket has a rover for a payload, and works about half the time. The one in the picture has not worked yet in about five tries. I even tried separating the engine and decoupler of the first stage. I could just change the first stage but why is this happening?

Edited April 30, 2014 by Larrt_M

[9t3ndo]

can u upload the craft file? I want to test if it's also happening in my game install

[Larrt_M]

I sent you a PM

I only have 4 add-ons installed, and they are all small except for the cloud pack.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Larrt_M

[9t3ndo]

ok, maybe i found the "bug"

it looks like the new decoupler provides a significant power hit on the engine from the third stage. And if the paylaod is over ~25 tones and you're under 40k meters, the drag + the punch from the decoupler breaks the connection between the fuel tank and the engine from the third stage.

~edit~

ok it's definitely the decoupler of the third stage. The problem is the decoupler provites for the bottom connection a not solid joint and its all the time "wobbly". If you trigger the decoupler, it's in the most times canted and the decouple force breaks the joint from the engine.

Edited May 1, 2014 by 9t3ndo

[Larrt_M]

Is there a fix for that, or should I change the third stage?

Edited May 1, 2014 by Larrt_M

[9t3ndo]

I'm working on an update anyway, because the 2nd stage has not enough power to fit with the first booster stage

[Larrt_M]

Nice, I will be watching for that update.

I converted the third stage over to three nukes for this rescue ship, still using your first and second stages. It works great! That first stage is awesome! But I will be watching for that update, can't wait to see what you do with the second stage.

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad343/Larry_M/KSP2014-05-0107-35-33-87.jpg

[9t3ndo]

looks rly nice.

a little sneak peak for the upcoming update.....

the pop3 lifter turns into a modular system consisting of a booster, lower and upper stage so it can adapt to your needs.

btw....these two in combination are absolutely stabilization killer...

Edited May 1, 2014 by 9t3ndo

[Larrt_M]

That looks fantastic, but that center booster is not working in that picture.

That looks like a nice tanker load there.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Larrt_M

[9t3ndo]

it's fired up if you mean the smaller thrusters. they "glow" not so obvious. with this configuration i carried 7 full orange's to a 200k orbit.

[Larrt_M]

OK, it just doesn't look it. Yeah, that's a lot of weight, nice!

Looking forward to trying it out.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Larrt_M

[9t3ndo]

~Big UPDATE~

updated the OP with the Pop3 MLS

[Larrt_M]

Nice!

I'm going to try those out tomorrow. I haven't worked with assembly parts like this. Is it possible to select the big booster assembly then select the number of booster assemblies to be placed like fuel tanks, allowing you to perfectly place 2 or 3 booster assemblies around the center assembly? I sure hope so!

[9t3ndo]

sure, a subassemblie worked like a single part

[GusTurbo]

Wow, these improvements look really awesome, too!

[9t3ndo]

Little update

Version 1.1

*fixed the fuel bug in the Upper Stage

*fixed the fuel bug in the Lower Stage

*fixed the fuel/stability bug for the Booster (Light)

[9t3ndo]

Version 1.2

*New Part: Transfer Stage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bring small things far away

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Provides:

-------------* LF: 360

-------------* OX: 440

-------------* 120kn (Nuke)

-------------* RCS-System

-------------* Thermoelectric Generator

-------------* SAS Module

DOWNLOAD: Pop 3 MLSTransfer Stage

Part Count: 42