Star Command signing on.

[Star Command]

Hello all, this is Star Command. I am on a mission to explore the reaches of my solar system and explore every planet and investigate floating objects. I plan to eventually establish an outpost on the outside of it. This outpost would be self sufficient and be able to hold a maximum of 40 crew members. I realize that this may not be entirely possible in the current version of KSP but possibly with the help of future updates and mods.

What I think would be awesome is if in a future update, if it isn't possible already (I'm not sure), is if you could escape the Sun's gravity and orbit and just float free or explore the stars and other solar systems. If that were possible I would build another out post or move my 40 man crew so that it it is perpendicular to the orbits of the planets and directly over the Sun just floating there, with windows facing the solar system. Another eventual goal is to establish colonies of Kerbals on other planets as well.

That being said, I am fairly new to rocket science but I am good at physics and math. Currently I am in college and trying to work so it is alt to take in trying to learn all the math and balance everything else. It's honestly like a whole other class that I have to teach myself. Right now I my strategy is pretty much building a ship and launching it, and reverting to the build or launch until success. I really want to learn the math because I think that it would be awesome and it will save me a lot of time when it comes to doing everything if I can plan it out and know every step and piece.

And for anyone interested, I currently have a lander crashed on the Mun with 2 stranded Kerbals, a lander with just enough fuel to return home orbiting between 20,000 and 33,000km, and a pod en route to establish an orbit around the Sun at 26,000,000-30,000,000km between the orbits of Duna and Dres. I plan to either send a rescue crew to the Mun or establish a colony there to save my stranded Kerbals and bring home my ship orbiting Kerbin. My pod orbiting the Sun will serve as my scout as I venture off into space as well as be a testament to my deep space explorations. I don't plan on it coming home, it has a 201 units of Liquid fuel and 246 units of oxidizer left powering a LT-N rocket motor. I am currently only using fuel to adjust orbit, but when my fuel does eventually run out I plan to either leave it where it stops or shoot it into space to float on forever if its possible.

BTW: This is all in sandbox mode for now, I plan to also start a career at some point but I want to get good at the game first.

---

Star Command signing off. Edited November 20, 2014 by Star Command

[sdj64]

Welcome to the Forums, Star Command. That's an ambitious goal you've got there. Even without mods, it is possible to go on escape velocity from the sun and just float in space. However, you should take a look at the Star Systems mod. It sounds exactly like what you're looking for. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/99353-0-25-StarSystems-v0-3-3-1-%28Nov-13%29-Under-New-Managment

You could try out other mods, I think USI Colonization has some parts for self-sufficient space stations. But if you're new to KSP I would suggest starting out with just stock parts, so you can learn the game before you try too many mods.

[Pecan]

...I plan to eventually establish an outpost on the outside of [the solar system]. This outpost would be self sufficient and be able to hold a maximum of 40 crew members...

...perpendicular to the orbits of the planets and directly over the Sun just floating there, with windows facing the solar system...

I really want to learn the math...

it has a 201 units of Liquid fuel and 246 units of oxidizer left powering a LT-N rocket motor. I am currently only using fuel to adjust orbit, but when my fuel does eventually run out I plan to either leave it where it stops or shoot it into space to float on forever if its possible...

BTW: This is all in sandbox mode for now..

Solar System: Mods provide other systems but not stock. "Self-sufficient" is dead easy because no supplies are required, unless you add life-support mods or similar.

Facing: There's no problem with setting a station or whatever orbiting the sun perpendicular to the planetary plane (although some planets are in inclined orbits anyway), except that you have to make sure it isn't at a planetary-orbit altitude or it might 'accidentally' encounter it, 'with hilarious results'. KSP does not model multi-body physics (again, unless you install an appropriate mod) so once in orbit around the sun something will stay there unless it enters the Sphere of Influence (SoI) of one of the planets by approach too closely. You won't be able to keep the windows facing the sun though as a vessel's rotation is not tracked unless you're actually controlling it. When you switch back to the space centre or another ship your station will just keep facing the same way so, half an orbit later, will be staring away from the sun instead of towards it.

Maths: there are two equations that are really important to rocket design.

Thrust to Weight Ratio (TWR): dead easy, it's the total maximum thrust of your active engines divided by the mass of your ship. The higher the number the faster you can accelerate (change velocity). Most importantly, if it's below 1 you won't be able to lift-off from the launchpad. Ideal launch TWR is generally considered to be 1.2 - 2, lower means you spend more energy fighting gravity (getting up), higher means you spend more fighting atmospheric drag (getting fast). Increase TWR by using more, or more powerful, engines or by reducing the mass of your ship.

deltaV (dV): bit harder, it's the amount by which your engines can change your velocity vector - the speed and direction in which you're travelling. With 1,000m/s dV from rest you can accelerate to 1,000m/s in any direction (assuming there isn't anything in the way!) or accelerate to 500m/s, flip the ship around and 'accelerate' in the opposite direction back to 0m/s, for instance. Your deltaV depends on the fuel-efficiency of your engine(s), the amount of fuel available and the mass of your ship. You need about 4,500m/s deltaV to launch into orbit from Kerbin. Increase deltaV by using more efficient engines, adding fuel or reducing the mass of your ship.

deltaV is calculated using the rocket equation, dV = (Isp * G) * LN(wet_mass / dry_mass) (wet_mass being the total mass of the whole ship including fuel and dry_mass being after all the fuel is burnt). Breaking it down:

1. (wet_mass / dry_mass): means the greater proportion of the rocket which is available fuel the better
   
2. LN(wet_mass / dry_mass): LN() is the natural logarithm function meaning there are diminishing returns to just adding fuel to improve the figure in 1. because it takes fuel to lift fuel
   
3. (Isp * G): G is gravity and either 9.81 or 9.82 in KSP, I can never remember (see below). Isp is engine efficiency
   
4. 3. times 4.: more efficient engines with more fuel available (up to a limit) go further
   

Soooo - there are a few numbers you need to know before you can work out TWR and dV. Engine Isp and thrust can be seen in the part descriptions in the VAB/SPH. Each part's mass is also given there but to get the total you'll either have to add them all up or 'launch' to go to flight mode, press 'm' for the map view and click the 'i'nformation button on the right of the screen - that's the only place KSP shows ship mass. To get the figure without fuel (so you can work out dV) you'll need to subtract the mass of the fuel within the tanks, but not the mass of the empty tank itself, or launch with empty tanks and check 'i'nformation again. Every time you add or remove a part you'll have to re-calculate mass, TWR and deltaV.

It's a right pain, in other words. Do yourself a favour and install either the Kerbal Engineer Redux (KER) or MechJeb (MJ) mod. These will both show you everything you need to know in the VAB/SPH as you build. First simple facts and figures to remember - you want a launch TWR of 1.5 and 4,500m/s deltaV. It's a lot easier with mods, Squad think we should have to work hard/crash a lot before getting into space.

...units of fuel...: You'll realise from the above that that doesn't tell you anything about TWR and deltaV (the important performance figures) unless you also know its mass. Shooting it into space won't be an option once all the fuel has run out because ... you won't have any fuel!

Sandbox: The tutorial in my signature is all about sandbox mission and vehicle design ;-)

Edited November 21, 2014 by Pecan