[1.12.X] Tantares - Stockalike Soyuz and MIR [16.1][28.05.2024][Mars Expedition WIP]

[hcalves]

http://i.imgur.com/KvWAaYE.png

Just a thought...

Pretty sure this *does not* read as "TAVIO".

EDIT: Niemand303 beat me to it!

[billbobjebkirk]

I think, a 4-5 man capsule, I would like to do the PPTS proper, rather than a relatively unknown European ATV concept.

well, the PPTS and crewed ATV capsules aren't all that dissimilar in shape, other than the window on the PPTS. The interiors are... comparable... but not really: http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1211927654/img/1.jpg

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/images/spacecraft/manned/ptk_np/2013/maks/flight_controls_1.jpg

Edited December 17, 2014 by billbobjebkirk
But Not Really

[tg626]

And yes, if you like it, please do use it - my small contribution to this awesome mod set.

[Beale]

Sure, I can understand that. A three person CARV would still be great though, although I think 3-4 seats would be better than 2 or 3. The CARV would fit so well with the ATV parts you've already made, and like the Apollo D2 and Fuji it is a really fun little journey into what-if.

Perhaps 4 seat is good...

We shall see.

well, the PPTS and crewed ATV capsules aren't all that dissimilar in shape, other than the window on the PPTS. The interiors are... comparable... but not really: http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1211927654/img/1.jpg

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/images/spacecraft/manned/ptk_np/2013/maks/flight_controls_1.jpg

The concept spacecraft there, is very odd. It looks almost "primitive", but I guess it is an early mockup.

Thanks for showing me these

http://i.imgur.com/AthsGih.png

And yes, if you like it, please do use it - my small contribution to this awesome mod set.

Aha!

That is cool!

Yeah, This seems pretty good to use

Something silly

My best "spaceplane" ever... A kind of "Kliper", sort of.

Lovely RLA Cutters.

In orbit with 10% fuel left in external tanks.

Kliper tank is 100% full. 1,300m/s DV.

Oh! I forgot the parachutes! Time for a rescue mission.

I noticed the radial decouplers still are not fixed. I thought it would've been a priority... Eh, but 0.90 is brilliant so far.

[DGatsby]

Perhaps 4 seat is good... We shall see.

Cool man! I know whatever you make will be great. Also, Stock Bug Fix Modules as a good fix for the decouplers; I am also disappointed that it hasn't been fixed yet.

I like your spaceplane as well. Although I don't think I'd want to be sandwiched between the boosters like that!!

[tg626]

My biggest beef with the radial decouplers is that you CAN'T set them to "push" through the center of mass of an empty tank/engine. It always goes for the physical mid point which is WAY higher resulting is enormous torque being applied...

So, I use Sepratrons at the right points and zero out the ejection force with "tweakable everything" mod.

Meanwhile... I've be kvanting around.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Businfu]

Does anyone have a config file for Interstellar Life Support? I'm trying to make one but Its my first time doing something like that... any help would be awesome!

[DGatsby]

I found a pretty neat what-if mission! As an alternative to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, some McDonnell Douglas engineers proposed a joint mission called the Skylab-Salyut Space Laboratory. It was eventually decided against, considering that modifying the two stations would take a lot more work than the ASTP project. It's a neat idea though, and one worth recreating:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[tg626]

That is interesting! I knew about the "we could reboost it and use it with the shuttle" idea, which included folding 2 of the 4 windmill solar arrays for docking clearance, but never about a joint space station like a Skylab/Salyut. It gives me ideas for KSP!

As a side note, my Salute 7 station is on a 52 degee inclination. That's the first time I've done that for manned missions and surprisingly it makes for even moar dramatic scenery!

(MechJeb is your friend for this, if only to get the planes aligned at launch)

[tg626]

The ALN Docking and Command Module needs to be inverted. What I mean by this is that right now, the Nav ball is inverted from the way it should be to use this module to do docking in an "TKS" clone. I have to stay OUT of the IVA mode and choose "Control From Here" on the docking port to be able to use the nav ball correctly for guidance.

Should be a simple matter of flipping it over - in fact I bet it could be done in a MODEL{} node in the config, but I tend to try and avoid making mods myself on things like this that are being so actively developed.

Comfirmed:

MODEL{
    model = Tantares/Parts/TKS/Alnair_Orbital_B/model
    rotation = 0, 0, 180
}

corrected it... Now you have to flip it over in the VAB to build a TKS/FCB but when you get to orbit and "control from here" on this part (or jump into the IVA for it) the navball has it so THIS end is the front. Making the vessel in essence a "dual cab" ship, to borrow a railroad term.

Edited December 18, 2014 by tg626

[MainSailor]

I noticed the radial decouplers still are not fixed. I thought it would've been a priority... Eh, but 0.90 is brilliant so far.

I'd been using the Stock Bug Fix pack that fixes the decoupler issue. Haven't tested in .90 as I'm not using it yet, but the folks in the thread indicate it still works well.

That is interesting! I knew about the "we could reboost it and use it with the shuttle" idea, which included folding 2 of the 4 windmill solar arrays for docking clearance, but never about a joint space station like a Skylab/Salyut.

Long before Shuttle-Mir they'd also considered a Shuttle-Salyut mission as well. IIRC it was before the Shuttle flew when they still thought they'd have it before 1980.

Edited December 18, 2014 by MainSailor

[biohazard15]

I'd been using the Stock Bug Fix pack that fixes the decoupler issue. Haven't tested in .90 as I'm not using it yet, but the folks in the thread indicate it still works well.

Long before Shuttle-Mir they'd also considered a Shuttle-Salyut mission as well. IIRC it was before the Shuttle flew when they still thought they'd have it before 1980.

Yup, the decoupler bug fix works like a charm. I wonder, what prevents Squad from including it into the stock game?

[Businfu]

I started up a new career mode on hard using this, DRE and Interstellar Life Support, and I found that the Tantares parts make the early game way fun and interesting. I went ahead and made a cfg to give the Tantares station parts compatibility and balance with Interstellar Life Support. Playtested and it makes for a very fun early game on Hard. So fun in fact that I have to share it with everyone! This code is a complete cfg for Insterstellar LS compatibility.

@PART[Tantares_Orbital_A]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 6  
        @maxAmount = 6
    }
}


@PART[Tantares_Orbital_B]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 15  
        @maxAmount = 15
    }
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_A]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
     @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 80  
        @maxAmount = 80
    }
}

@PART[Hamal_Orbital_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 80
        maxAmount = 80
    }
}


@PART[Vega_Crew_A]:HAS[2RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 40  
        @maxAmount = 40
    }
}    




@PART[Vega_Crew_B]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 40
        @maxAmount = 40
    }
}    


@PART[Vega_Crew_C]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 15 
        @maxAmount = 15
    }
}        


@PART[Pollux_Control_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 100
        maxAmount = 100
    }
}


@PART[Capella_Control_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 400
        maxAmount = 400
    }
}

Also wrote a couple things to have the "Spectre" lab and the "kervant" lab show up as part requests for space stations (with a science bonus that is scaled down since they are easier to launch than the full-on science lab). I'm new to this so they still have to be copied directly into the contracts.cfg in the squad folders.

        PART_REQUEST
        {
            Title = Have a "Spectre" lab at the outpost
            KeyWord = Scientific
            Part = Alnair_Orbital_C
            Trivial
            {
                Chance = 20
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Significant
            {
                Chance = 25
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Exceptional
            {
                Chance = 35
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
        }
        PART_REQUEST
        {
            Title = Have a V-C4 "Kervant" lab at the outpost
            KeyWord = Scientific
            Part = Vega_Crew_D
            Trivial
            {
                Chance = 20
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Significant
            {
                Chance = 25
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Exceptional
            {
                Chance = 35
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
        }

Finally, I felt the station parts merited a cost tweak for more balanced gameplay. They were MUCH cheaper than stock alternatives. The following cfg balances each part based on stock costs for the hitch hiker.

@PART[Vega_Crew_D]
{


    @entryCost= 6000
    @cost= 2000
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_C]
{


    @entryCost= 10400
    @cost= 4000
}


@PART[Tantares_Orbital_B]
{
    @entryCost= 3500
    @cost= 1000
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_A]
{
     @entryCost= 8000
    @cost= 1500
}



@PART[Vega_Crew_A]
{
    @entryCost= 5500
    @cost= 2000
}    




@PART[Vega_Crew_B]
{
    @entryCost= 5500
    @cost= 2000
}    


@PART[Vega_Crew_C]
{
    @entryCost= 6000
    @cost= 2000
}        

Beale, feel free to include any of this in the mod pack if you like it!

EDIT: Fixed a syntax error in the cost tweaks for the station parts. The purchase costs should now be correct.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Businfu

[Beale]

My biggest beef with the radial decouplers is that you CAN'T set them to "push" through the center of mass of an empty tank/engine. It always goes for the physical mid point which is WAY higher resulting is enormous torque being applied...

So, I use Sepratrons at the right points and zero out the ejection force with "tweakable everything" mod.

Meanwhile... I've be kvanting around.

http://youtu.be/q98vIT-ZM-o

http://imgur.com/a/xp85Y

Hey, real nice! What is the name of this, I think the "Toug" spacecraft (The one that pulls Kvant). I have like to recreate it a few times

I found a pretty neat what-if mission! As an alternative to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, some McDonnell Douglas engineers proposed a joint mission called the Skylab-Salyut Space Laboratory. It was eventually decided against, considering that modifying the two stations would take a lot more work than the ASTP project. It's a neat idea though, and one worth recreating:

http://imgur.com/a/LNBqF

Cool!

No idea that was ever an idea. Would have been far more significant than Apollo-Soyuz IMO.

The ALN Docking and Command Module needs to be inverted. What I mean by this is that right now, the Nav ball is inverted from the way it should be to use this module to do docking in an "TKS" clone. I have to stay OUT of the IVA mode and choose "Control From Here" on the docking port to be able to use the nav ball correctly for guidance.

Should be a simple matter of flipping it over - in fact I bet it could be done in a MODEL{} node in the config, but I tend to try and avoid making mods myself on things like this that are being so actively developed.

Comfirmed:

MODEL{
    model = Tantares/Parts/TKS/Alnair_Orbital_B/model
    rotation = 0, 0, 180
}

corrected it... Now you have to flip it over in the VAB to build a TKS/FCB but when you get to orbit and "control from here" on this part (or jump into the IVA for it) the navball has it so THIS end is the front. Making the vessel in essence a "dual cab" ship, to borrow a railroad term.

It's a nice idea for sure. And, if I hadn't yet made the part, I would do it like this, in hindsight.

Ah, but I think the fix will have a few problems:

• Break saves for people currently using the TKS
  
• I imagine a flipped TKS cabin will get reported as a "bug" endlessly (If a person is not familiar with how part orientation affects things).
  

So, what do people think? Is it to late in the game to potentially break saves? I would like to fix this (though the problem can be mitigated with RPM, somewhat).

I'd been using the Stock Bug Fix pack that fixes the decoupler issue. Haven't tested in .90 as I'm not using it yet, but the folks in the thread indicate it still works well.

I know about the bug fix module, it is great yeah.

But, I do really think this thing should have been fixed by now, though

It's been, what, three versions with broken decouplers?

I started up a new career mode on hard using this, DRE and Interstellar Life Support, and I found that the Tantares parts make the early game way fun and interesting. I went ahead and made a cfg to give the Tantares station parts compatibility and balance with Interstellar Life Support. Playtested and it makes for a very fun early game on Hard. So fun in fact that I have to share it with everyone! This code is a complete cfg for Insterstellar LS compatibility.

@PART[Tantares_Orbital_A]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 6  
        @maxAmount = 6
    }
}


@PART[Tantares_Orbital_B]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 15  
        @maxAmount = 15
    }
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_A]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
     @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 80  
        @maxAmount = 80
    }
}

@PART[Hamal_Orbital_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 80
        maxAmount = 80
    }
}


@PART[Vega_Crew_A]:HAS[2RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 40  
        @maxAmount = 40
    }
}    




@PART[Vega_Crew_B]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 40
        @maxAmount = 40
    }
}    


@PART[Vega_Crew_C]:HAS[@RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    @RESOURCE[LifeSupport]
    {          
        @amount = 15 
        @maxAmount = 15
    }
}        


@PART[Pollux_Control_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 100
        maxAmount = 100
    }
}


@PART[Capella_Control_A]:HAS[!RESOURCE[LifeSupport]]:AFTER[IFILifeSupport]
{
    RESOURCE
    {  
        name = LifeSupport  
        amount = 400
        maxAmount = 400
    }
}

Also wrote a couple things to have the "Spectre" lab and the "kervant" lab show up as part requests for space stations (with a science bonus that is scaled down since they are easier to launch than the full-on science lab). I'm new to this so they still have to be copied directly into the contracts.cfg in the squad folders.

        PART_REQUEST
        {
            Title = Have a "Spectre" lab at the outpost
            KeyWord = Scientific
            Part = Alnair_Orbital_C
            Trivial
            {
                Chance = 20
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Significant
            {
                Chance = 25
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Exceptional
            {
                Chance = 35
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.4
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
        }
        PART_REQUEST
        {
            Title = Have a V-C4 "Kervant" lab at the outpost
            KeyWord = Scientific
            Part = Vega_Crew_D
            Trivial
            {
                Chance = 20
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Significant
            {
                Chance = 25
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
            Exceptional
            {
                Chance = 35
                FundsMultiplier = 1
                ScienceMultiplier = 1.25
                ReputationMultiplier = 1
            }
        }

Finally, I felt the station parts merited a cost tweak for more balanced gameplay. They were MUCH cheaper than stock alternatives. The following cfg balances each part based on stock costs for the hitch hiker.

@PART[Vega_Crew_D]
{


    @entrycost= 6000
    @cost= 2000
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_C]
{


    @entrycost= 10400
    @cost= 4000
}


@PART[Tantares_Orbital_B]
{
    @entrycost= 3500
    @cost= 1000
}


@PART[Alnair_Orbital_A]
{
     @entrycost= 8000
    @cost= 1500
}



@PART[Vega_Crew_A]
{
    @entrycost= 5500
    @cost= 2000
}    




@PART[Vega_Crew_B]
{
    @entrycost= 5500
    @cost= 2000
}    


@PART[Vega_Crew_C]
{
    @entrycost= 6000
    @cost= 2000
}        

Beale, feel free to include any of this in the mod pack if you like it!

Very nice!

If the life support does not conflict with TAC support, then, I see no problem to include it with Vanilla Tantares.

Your cost changes also, I do like some of them. I have felt some parts were too cheap...

[Niemand303]

I found a pretty neat what-if mission! As an alternative to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, some McDonnell Douglas engineers proposed a joint mission called the Skylab-Salyut Space Laboratory. It was eventually decided against, considering that modifying the two stations would take a lot more work than the ASTP project. It's a neat idea though, and one worth recreating:

http://imgur.com/a/LNBqF

I totally love it! Wish our cooperation started earlier, maybe in 1963 as it was in JFK proposal. I vote for international space.

[Spaps]

This is, really, one of the BEST LOOKING mods for KSP! I use it the most Also, I just love the Ballistic Capsules, and now I'm preparing for a Munar landing with the special Lander Can from this mod. It's an amazing mod!

[DGatsby]

I totally love it! Wish our cooperation started earlier, maybe in 1963 as it was in JFK proposal. I vote for international space.

Oh absolutely! We would probably have accomplished a lot more now if we had worked together earlier. It probably would have done a lot to end the Cold War as well.

[DGatsby]

Cool!

No idea that was ever an idea. Would have been far more significant than Apollo-Soyuz IMO.

Indeed it would have! This blog, Beyond Apollo, has some really interesting what-ifs in it. My favorite is probably the Integrated Program Plan which had a very optimistic vision of post-Apollo missions: shuttles, space stations, Moon bases, Mars bases, etc. Thanks to Kerbal we can make these plans real, at least in a digital version.

[Businfu]

Very nice!

If the life support does not conflict with TAC support, then, I see no problem to include it with Vanilla Tantares.

Your cost changes also, I do like some of them. I have felt some parts were too cheap...

It shouldn't conflict with TAC, it's written to display if only if InterstellarLS is installed, though I haven't checked since TAC isn't updated.

Also, I realized the costs for the fuel and engines in the TantaresLV pack are also much cheaper than stock. With the .90 on hard, the entry purchase of an item becomes a significant investment, and I think it adds a lot to game play. I'm doing a play through and changing the costs of the engine parts as they come up to be more on par with stock. Basically going through and figuring out what stock LFO/cost ratio is at each tier and the entryCost/cost ratio of comparable parts. I'll post my cfg when its finished.

Doing all this cause I love the pack by the way! the parts are super fun to play with on career, plus they look awesome!

[tg626]

Hey, real nice! What is the name of this, I think the "Toug" spacecraft (The one that pulls Kvant). I have like to recreate it a few times

According to my research, Kvant 1 was delivered to Mir using the FCB module of TKS. It had no cargo and the docking end was replaced with an aerodynamic cone so it was called Functional Service Module (FSM). At launch Kvant faced down and the cone was the nose of the rocket. I built it was two cargo holds and the TKS tanks with an ALN control module to permit detachment and deorbiting the tug.

Since then I lofted a proper TKS with your hub in the hold which I docked to and the docked with my station, so Salute 7 is gradually becoming Nir!

BTW I was surprised that Kvant doesn't do what the stock mobile processing lab does given its presence in the science tab... (?)

As far as the Docking and Command module go, perhaps take a page from Hullcam. Hullcam has "Aerocam" and "Aerocam 180" The first one is perfect for looking down the side of a rocket, but "upside down" when on the belly of a plane - that's what Aerocam 180 is for.

Maybe made a 2nd Docking and Command module with a different name that is flipped? Folks wanting to make a proper TKS can use it, while those who have already used the current DCM will have no troubles.

Edited December 19, 2014 by tg626

[dimovski]

And then you could drop the 1st part on the next save-breaking patch.

[tg626]

Or keep it. I've already made a custom 2nd inverted DCM using just a config file as well as an ALN decoupler to use rather then the included separator. (I don't like leaving debris behind.)

[Niemand303]

Some of my attempts at making SSSL project, inspired by DGatsby:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Beale]

This is, really, one of the BEST LOOKING mods for KSP! I use it the most Also, I just love the Ballistic Capsules, and now I'm preparing for a Munar landing with the special Lander Can from this mod. It's an amazing mod!

Very kind to hear!

Many thanks

It shouldn't conflict with TAC, it's written to display if only if InterstellarLS is installed, though I haven't checked since TAC isn't updated.

Also, I realized the costs for the fuel and engines in the TantaresLV pack are also much cheaper than stock. With the .90 on hard, the entry purchase of an item becomes a significant investment, and I think it adds a lot to game play. I'm doing a play through and changing the costs of the engine parts as they come up to be more on par with stock. Basically going through and figuring out what stock LFO/cost ratio is at each tier and the entryCost/cost ratio of comparable parts. I'll post my cfg when its finished.

Doing all this cause I love the pack by the way! the parts are super fun to play with on career, plus they look awesome!

Ok, great!

I'll get to it, soon.

I'll be glad to implement changes if they are of a greater balance

Indeed it would have! This blog, Beyond Apollo, has some really interesting what-ifs in it. My favorite is probably the Integrated Program Plan which had a very optimistic vision of post-Apollo missions: shuttles, space stations, Moon bases, Mars bases, etc. Thanks to Kerbal we can make these plans real, at least in a digital version.

Cool blog!

According to my research, Kvant 1 was delivered to Mir using the FCB module of TKS. It had no cargo and the docking end was replaced with an aerodynamic cone so it was called Functional Service Module (FSM). At launch Kvant faced down and the cone was the nose of the rocket. I built it was two cargo holds and the TKS tanks with an ALN control module to permit detachment and deorbiting the tug.

Since then I lofted a proper TKS with your hub in the hold which I docked to and the docked with my station, so Salute 7 is gradually becoming Nir!

BTW I was surprised that Kvant doesn't do what the stock mobile processing lab does given its presence in the science tab... (?)

As far as the Docking and Command module go, perhaps take a page from Hullcam. Hullcam has "Aerocam" and "Aerocam 180" The first one is perfect for looking down the side of a rocket, but "upside down" when on the belly of a plane - that's what Aerocam 180 is for.

Maybe made a 2nd Docking and Command module with a different name that is flipped? Folks wanting to make a proper TKS can use it, while those who have already used the current DCM will have no troubles.

Ah nice, thankyou for the info!

I want to see what you have build for NIR

The Kvant: Ah, it is a strange issue. Basically, I add the lab module, people report it completely breaks any craft it is added to. The Science lab module is sensitive to the position of the module within the config, however even when "correct" it still seems to break for some people.

Docking: I am not so keen either to introduce "duplicate" parts. I hope you understand.

Custom Tantares.DLL to change control orientation of a part? Who knooows.....

And then you could drop the 1st part on the next save-breaking patch.

I am not sure there will be any more of them (Here's hoping!), now that we are in Beta.

Well, crunch time is over. Thankfully.

Perhaps I can get back to modding, now.

Some of my attempts at making SSSL project, inspired by DGatsby:

http://imgur.com/a/C7dii

Nice

Edited December 19, 2014 by Beale

[TheBedla]

According to my research, Kvant 1 was delivered to Mir using the FCB module of TKS. It had no cargo and the docking end was replaced with an aerodynamic cone so it was called Functional Service Module (FSM).

Actually, you have it upside down (which is understandable given the confusing nature of the TKS). The Kvant-1 was delivered with a TKS-derived FGB module, yes, but it retained its double-cone front docking part, and it was the VA capsule that was replaced by the aerodynamic cone. Otherwise they would have to flip engine orientation within the FGB, which I suppose is not possible (or would be too complex to be practical). So just like all TKS-derived spacecraft the Kvant (as well as Polyus and probably Zarya [citation needed]) had to flip after decoupling from the launcher.

See for example this image I shared earlier in this thread, in the second figure you can see the Kvant launch configuration with the outline of the complete FGB.

For KSP purposes I built mine using Procedural Fairings which would cover the area between Kvant and the TKS, but it was not very satisfactory, so some artistic licence is probably required.