Kerbal Space Program
Discussion
DIW35 said:
Apparently the Rapier has had a buff in this latest release. I have a SSTO that uses one that I designed in the previous release, and haven't used it in this one yet, so it will be interesting to see how it performs.
Im Exclusive using the rapier now for manned flights, I only use SSTOs for manned stuff. Ive had some issue with SSTOs recently trying to get them balanced (they keep going nose up) not sure if its me over complicating things or changes to the engine, I will have to try one of my simpler designs and have a look, its seriously easy getting into orbit with the 1 rapier engine.FunkyNige said:
Messing around with the RAPIER engines today to see how they work (if you do try them, set the air breathing on/off switch to manual and assign all engines to one button) and made a bit of a beast of a plane.
Once it was in the air it was fine, but to get there it needed a rather violent take-off method...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwdCa3JSN8&fe...
Ignore the lights, that was just me trying something out.
What do you use to record?Once it was in the air it was fine, but to get there it needed a rather violent take-off method...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwdCa3JSN8&fe...
Ignore the lights, that was just me trying something out.
After 92 years of orbiting Kerbin, my very first spacecraft to reach orbit with the famous Jebediah has been intercepted and returned to Kerbin. Although quite time consuming I think i've got the hang of this intercepting business, I matched the orbits but had to do alot of manual correction to get it perfect enough to grapple it.
Foliage said:
Im Exclusive using the rapier now for manned flights, I only use SSTOs for manned stuff. Ive had some issue with SSTOs recently trying to get them balanced (they keep going nose up) not sure if its me over complicating things or changes to the engine, I will have to try one of my simpler designs and have a look, its seriously easy getting into orbit with the 1 rapier engine.
I find simple works quite well.
Foliage said:
FunkyNige said:
Messing around with the RAPIER engines today to see how they work (if you do try them, set the air breathing on/off switch to manual and assign all engines to one button) and made a bit of a beast of a plane.
Once it was in the air it was fine, but to get there it needed a rather violent take-off method...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwdCa3JSN8&fe...
Ignore the lights, that was just me trying something out.
What do you use to record?Once it was in the air it was fine, but to get there it needed a rather violent take-off method...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmwdCa3JSN8&fe...
Ignore the lights, that was just me trying something out.
It was only recording 30 seconds at a time but I haven't had chance to look into why that is, could well be the free version has a limit on or something like that.
folos said:
DIW35 said:
I find simple works quite well.
I think I'm going to try to copy that design and piggy back it to Laythe. I'm also going to attempt a manned landing on Moho - my last one crashed into the surface at 600m/s as the ion engines weren't sufficient to slow it down enough.Jeb's rescue mission went suprisingly well. Twenty five years after leaving Kerbin I achieved a low orbit around Eeloo.
I had an exostructure with three nuclear engines that I used for the transfer that still had about 600m/s left - meaning that I had to separate them just before landing and then fire the final stage quickly to achieve a soft landing around 7km from Jeb.
A quick jetpack over and he was with his rescue craft that had just over 4km DV left for the return flight, easily enough. I earned over 1300 science from the mission as I recovered all the science data i'd gathered on the failed original mission.
Some screenshots:
After meeting up and boarding the rescue craft:
Takeoff!
Home!
I had an exostructure with three nuclear engines that I used for the transfer that still had about 600m/s left - meaning that I had to separate them just before landing and then fire the final stage quickly to achieve a soft landing around 7km from Jeb.
A quick jetpack over and he was with his rescue craft that had just over 4km DV left for the return flight, easily enough. I earned over 1300 science from the mission as I recovered all the science data i'd gathered on the failed original mission.
Some screenshots:
After meeting up and boarding the rescue craft:
Takeoff!
Home!
Been messing about with VTOL capable craft, and ended up with these two, which turned out to be surprisingly easy to fly.
Hummingbird Small, quick bird, capable of maintaining hovering flight.
Grasshopper Slender insect, capable of flight, but usually restricted to short jumps.
Craft files are available if anyone is interested
Hummingbird Small, quick bird, capable of maintaining hovering flight.
Grasshopper Slender insect, capable of flight, but usually restricted to short jumps.
Craft files are available if anyone is interested
Edited by DIW35 on Sunday 17th August 12:54
Foliage said:
New pack of space plane parts coming the next major patch 
, fuselage parts with lift characteristics etc
Excellent! This is what i've had to do to get MK3 fuselages into the air (with an oxidiser tank for space flight). Despite the size it actually handles quite well, but I need to reinforce the wings as extreme maneuvering makes them snap off - as does re-entry unless i'm very careful. The girder section is for reinforcement as the extra fuel tank meant there was no rigidity in the rear section., fuselage parts with lift characteristics etcI hope to come up with a way to get this to laythe, though it will be quite a challenge im sure.
Edited by folos on Tuesday 26th August 20:36
Just made a few tweaks to my SSTO posted above, by adding a vertical thrust engine. It doesn't have enough thrust to take off vertically at Kerbin, but it does mean it's now possible to land it on Mun or Minmus. Small fuel tank means that it needs to be refuelled before leaving Kerbin orbit though.
Briefly played a demo of this years ago and quite liked it, but remembered it over the weekend and got the full version. Love the idea of the new career mode and the contracts business. It can get a bit tiresome always having to do crew reports and EVA's but I'm quite liking the way it makes you have to think ahead a bit more, and gradually progress rather than just aiming for the mun before you know what you're doing.
So far I've got a craft that can reliably haul a couple of canisters of mystery goo and a materials lab in to a 70-100km orbit, but not managed to research enough stuff to design a space plane yet. I'm thinking my next craft may need to be a shuttle like vertical launch glider so I can do atmospheric experiments and contracts as I'm running out of science I can do in a standard orbit.
Looks like I've got a bloody long thread to read on here though
ETA: Been having some trouble with some of the contracts as you often need to test something at a specific altitude and speed which can be hard to achieve as part of an orbital launch. After a bit of experimentation last night I've now got a working design for a vertical launch (not got any wheels researched yet) jet and rocket powered plane that I can use to test stuff in the atmosphere, and with enough parachutes I can land the whole thing minus the one solid fuel booster needed to get it off the ground so it's pretty cheap to run.
So far I've got a craft that can reliably haul a couple of canisters of mystery goo and a materials lab in to a 70-100km orbit, but not managed to research enough stuff to design a space plane yet. I'm thinking my next craft may need to be a shuttle like vertical launch glider so I can do atmospheric experiments and contracts as I'm running out of science I can do in a standard orbit.
Looks like I've got a bloody long thread to read on here though
ETA: Been having some trouble with some of the contracts as you often need to test something at a specific altitude and speed which can be hard to achieve as part of an orbital launch. After a bit of experimentation last night I've now got a working design for a vertical launch (not got any wheels researched yet) jet and rocket powered plane that I can use to test stuff in the atmosphere, and with enough parachutes I can land the whole thing minus the one solid fuel booster needed to get it off the ground so it's pretty cheap to run.
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Tuesday 23 September 10:37
Mission 'Get a plane to Laythe' is a success!
Quite a small design, the Transfer stage had a D/V of around 7.5km/s and I entered Laythe and ditched it with around 3k remaining. I used atomic engines and any maneuver took rather a long time due to the very poor TWR. Good fun though!
The engines are MUCH less efficient than on Kerbin and it's possible to get onto an escape course from Laythe with just the jet engines, although i'll be forever trapped in orbit of Jool if I do that.
Flight testing over Kerbal:
Liftoff:
Approaching Laythe:
Entry!
Attempting to find land while in flight:
Safely down on the surface:
Quite a small design, the Transfer stage had a D/V of around 7.5km/s and I entered Laythe and ditched it with around 3k remaining. I used atomic engines and any maneuver took rather a long time due to the very poor TWR. Good fun though!
The engines are MUCH less efficient than on Kerbin and it's possible to get onto an escape course from Laythe with just the jet engines, although i'll be forever trapped in orbit of Jool if I do that.
Flight testing over Kerbal:
Liftoff:
Approaching Laythe:
Entry!
Attempting to find land while in flight:
Safely down on the surface:
Edited by folos on Friday 3rd October 22:37
Edited by folos on Friday 3rd October 22:41
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