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[Mephansteras]

Nice! I like the characterization of the various kerbals.

[Aseaheru]

excuse me while i go faint.
from the wow.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

So, I have two parts in orbit (the ASAS appears to be broken on one) and I need to dock them, but they are basically on opposite sides of Kerbin, with a 1 m/s difference in speed. Is there a reliable way I can get them closer to dock? I am using MechJeb.

[Putnam]

go faster

[BigD145]

So, I have two parts in orbit (the ASAS appears to be broken on one) and I need to dock them, but they are basically on opposite sides of Kerbin, with a 1 m/s difference in speed. Is there a reliable way I can get them closer to dock? I am using MechJeb.

Shrink the orbit of one by a kilometer or so and it will be traveling the same speed but on a shorter track. They'll overlap eventually.

[Graknorke]

So, I have two parts in orbit (the ASAS appears to be broken on one) and I need to dock them, but they are basically on opposite sides of Kerbin, with a 1 m/s difference in speed. Is there a reliable way I can get them closer to dock? I am using MechJeb.

Shrink the orbit of one by a kilometer or so and it will be traveling the same speed but on a shorter track. They'll overlap eventually.

The lower it is the faster it goes. You can't have both in different altitude circular orbits and both the same speed.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

many thanks.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Setting up for a new interplanetary mission.

After what must have been a dozen launches failing due to design oversights or freak accidents, interplanetary mothership Celestia's Guidance MkIII is finally in orbit and ready to receive its cargo and fuel for the journey.

Spoiler: The solar panels are purely for style at this point (click to show/hide)

It was named that because it really needs the guidance of a demigod(dess) to lift off without exploding.

It has roughly two orange tanks' worth of fuel storage, of which it currently retains about a third. Or maybe a quarter. So after a quick refuelling mission, I'll probably set it up with some landers and probes and send it off to colonize Laythe.

[andrea]

Nice! I like the characterization of the various kerbals.

Thanks! I always imagined Jeb as being somebody who is reckless, not quite the brightest in the room ( or command pod), but somehow always manages to achieve success. or at least enough success to tell the tale later.
Bill and Bob never had any definite personality in my mind, but I think I'll keep Bill the engineer and Bob the navigator for future tales.

excuse me while i go faint.
from the wow.

If the awe is caused by my spaceship I am flattered, but it is probably undeserved. While it does look cool, sadly looking cool is the only thing it does right. it steers like a whale on land. it only has enough fuel to bring a relatively light payload to Duna. it might be able to reach Eve, but I am fairly sure that Jool is out of its reach ( unless I replace lander with fuel).Which for a ship of this size isn't much at all. It took 6 launches to bring everything into orbit, plus another to bring the 3 additional fuel tanks. Also, it has a too high parts to usefulness ratio. even at 0.03 delta-time per physics frame or whatever it lags when I fire the engines.
Overall, a good learning experience and it landed my first kerbals on another planet, but at  most a passable spaceship.

pre-edit: Sean's ships are usually very much praise-worthy. simple, efficent and elegant. post above is a good example.

[sneakey pete]

You have way, way, way, to many nuclear thermal engines on your rocket, which is the reason its not efficient. once you are in space, time is not critical. One burning 6 times as long will do the same work as 6 burning for a certain time. Except when you have 6, that's an extra 12.5 tonnes of mass. 2-3 max is all you should have, even with a huge huge ship.

I think i'm going to make some kind of interplanetary ship like that now though. looks fun.

edit: here's the SSTO i plan to take to laythe

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[andrea]

once you are in space, time is not critical.

for kerbals, maybe not. but it is booooring! 5-10 minute burns already feel long. my solution to fuel inefficency is to bring more fuel. I am still quite far from the point in which more fuel reduces Delta-V.
although I guess I will sorely regret that when I have to refuel. But by that point I'll probably have new ideas for a new spaceship.
Also, 12.5 tons of mass doesn't seem that much.

[Skyrunner]

My ship is too heavy. It has a couple hundred tons of weight and only five nuke engines Dx

[Sirus]

I can't seem to get my satellite core into orbit >_>

No pics because KSP is on a different computer, but the core itself is an unmanned command module, a large tank of RCS fuel, ASAS, one of those hitchhiker modules, two solar panels, batteries, a half-sized fuel tank, one of those multi-directional docking ports, and a poodle(?) engine. Tests with just the core have shown that it can get off the ground on it's own and get to a respectable height before running out of fuel.

Problems arise, however, when I attempt to attach it to a larger rocket. I have previously managed to get debris and a manned return vehicle in a stable orbit with just a single Mainsail engine and no RCS needed. Now, however, I struggle to get the core up even to 80km. I have to turn RCS on in conjunction with the ASAS just to keep the craft stable, and the core itself needs to burn all onboard fuel just getting a periapsis of 20km or so. And yes, I am attempting gravity turns and such, though I often lose control.

I haven't even attempted docking yet. I can launch simple rockets into orbit or even to Mun all day long, but it seems like every attempt to launch a satellite or something is doomed to failure.

[Skyrunner]

Then ... you need more engines. More engines call for more fuel ...
Do you have structs making sure the satellite module doesn't sway when launching? Do you have control surfaces or canards to aid the ASAS in aiming your ship? Thrust vectoring is very wobbly in earth atmosphere.

[Sirus]

I'm experimenting with engines...unsuccessfully so far.

Yes and yes.