Kerbal Space Program

[Swabbie]

Since 0.25 came out my sub has been kind of been in dry dock. I've been playing career mode hard and I think its not bad.

[Fr8monkey]

The next update will move it to version .90 and into beta version.

a TL;DR info page.

[Fr8monkey]

Hey everyone... KSP just went Beta. It is now in version .90!

[ikalugin]

What is the biggest payload you guys get into the standard low kerbel orbit (100km circular)?

[Oberon]

In the last version I think the biggest payload I threw up to Kerbin orbit was my fueling station which was about 30 tons when it was finally put into orbit at around 200km.

Of course, actually getting the bloody ships to dock at the station to refuel is another matter entirely...

[ikalugin]

I launch around 500t to the 100km orbit with my current booster.

[Raptor1]

I used to get something like 300 tons into orbit on top of an utterly ridiculous and woefully inefficient rocket. I had an improved design that could probably take a lot more but I haven't tested it much. That was all quite a while ago, though.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Raptor1

I used to get something like 300 tons into orbit on top of an utterly ridiculous and woefully inefficient rocket. I had an improved design that could probably take a lot more but I haven't tested it much. That was all quite a while ago, though.

Yes you get the new extra large parts now in the vanilla, so making huge boosters is easy now.

I need to optimise my first stage though, it has a horrible performance. Maybe even look into optimising the 2nd stage - the 3rd uses fairly efficient set up of 42 200 and 215 force engines.

[Oberon]

I shall have to have a look tomorrow when I have more time.

[NeonSamurai]

With KW Rocketry's 5m parts I can throw up some pretty big things, while still keeping it looking like a rocket (which is important as i also use Ferram Aerospace).

I'm still stuck in 23.5 though as I am running my own interstellar quest. Once that is done I will look at moving to 90. But it is going to take me a while as I have a lot of mods to balance.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

What is the biggest payload you guys get into the standard low kerbel orbit (100km circular)?

I just built a lifter (using the KW mod), that can put 910t+ into a 125km orbit fairly easily. I was shooting for 750t, but overbuilt it a bit. It's actually fairly small, only 2.x tanks high, no tank more than 1 intermediate tank away from the core.

Used an asymmetrical staggered asparagus staging system to increase efficiency. "Invented" some "new" math formulas just to figure out fuel flow rates and staging order. I didn't like the way an asparagus system's TWR drops at each stage, so I built it so one set of tanks would be about half done when the other set stages, keeping a higher TWR throughout. I had found with a normal asparagus system, my total mass to payload ratio was about 9:1, but with this staggered system, it's about 7:1

Hardest part was building a test payload big enough, yet stable enough to stay on top. I'm going to be modding some small parts to be insanely heavy (like short 3m parts that weigh 250t), just for payload test launches.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

I just built a lifter (using the KW mod), that can put 910t+ into a 125km orbit fairly easily. I was shooting for 750t, but overbuilt it a bit. It's actually fairly small, only 2.x tanks high, no tank more than 1 intermediate tank away from the core.

Used an asymmetrical staggered asparagus staging system to increase efficiency. "Invented" some "new" math formulas just to figure out fuel flow rates and staging order. I didn't like the way an asparagus system's TWR drops at each stage, so I built it so one set of tanks would be about half done when the other set stages, keeping a higher TWR throughout. I had found with a normal asparagus system, my total mass to payload ratio was about 9:1, but with this staggered system, it's about 7:1

Hardest part was building a test payload big enough, yet stable enough to stay on top. I'm going to be modding some small parts to be insanely heavy (like short 3m parts that weigh 250t), just for payload test launches.

This is actually fairly impressive. Would get that mod now .

p.s. well, with the engine 3 times more powerful than the stock engine I guess one could make such large missiles easily. Would remake my Vulcan launcher with them new engines.

[Gargamel]

The big engine does help, but I'm more impressed that it will allow for nice elegant asparagus style setups, not the huge honeycomb types you see on the forums.



Sorry for the huge pic!

[ikalugin]

Define "honeycomb design" please.

[Pisces]

6 tubes around a center tube of the same size makes a nice fit. This makes a hexagon shape on the outskirts. Adding more tubes on the edges makes it look like a layered honeycomb structure, just like the way bees make their home.