Kerbal Space Program 0.9 Career 8

Channel:

TroZ

Subscribers:

909

Published on January 21, 2015 1:30:54 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3k9Tkvm0wM

Game:

Kerbal Space Program (2015)

Duration: 58:58

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2

I'm continuing my Kerbal Space Program Beta career mode game with a trip to the Mun!

Last time we upgraded the VAB, so now we can build ships with up to 255 parts! So we go to Mission Control and take some contracts with an eye toward going to the Mun. We take the contract for exploring the Mun, as well as two contracts for setting satellites into specific orbits around the Mun. We also take a contract for getting science from the space around Kerbin as well as a visual survey around Kerbin and a contract to test a parachute.

We then go to the R&D labs and unlock Advanced Flight Controls for the RCS system and Fuel Systems for the fuel pipes so we can use asparagus staging. We then head off to the VAB to build our ship.

In my typical fashion, I don't exactly have a plan, or any calculations done, but I wind up over-building my rockets, having extra fuel left over in stages. That happens with this ship, only now it is a problem. While the ship can have up to 255 parts, my first attempt has 183 parts, and weights 215 tonnes. This is a problem as our upgraded launch pad (upgraded to level 2) has a weight limit of 140 tonnes. This forces me to cut down my ship to the point that I wasn't sure it would even make orbit. I cut the number of solid boosters in 1/2 as well as cutting the number of engines in the first liquid stage in half as well. Additionally, I removed one of the two probes I was going to put into orbit so that we just squeak under the weight limit with 139.1 tonnes.

Launch goes ok, and while we don't leave the pad too quickly and don't get as high as I was hoping to before having to drop the solid boosters, we do leave the pad and are traveling at a decent rate when we make our gravity turn. We almost make it into orbit with our launch stages, but we do have to use a bit of fuel from our lander to finish getting into orbit.

Actually, we don't really get into orbit as we are in position to go directly for the mun as we get into orbit, so that is what we do. We burn for the Mun, and we get an intercept, however, doing so uses about 1/2 of the lander's fuel. While near Kerbin, we gather som science for the one contract that we have.

We coast to the Mun, and eventually enter it's sphere of influence. When we do, the orbits for the satellites show up on the map view. One of the orbits is going the same we around that we will be, so we plan our capture burn so that our apoapsis will be near the satellite's apoapsis.

We perform the burn, and get into the Mun's orbit, gathering science from our instruments. We have a bit over 1/3 of our fuel left. At this point, I'm not sure if we can land and still return.

Check back next time to see the probe being put into orbit and perhaps a landing attempt!

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