Kerbal Space Progam
You've always known you have what it takes to be an astronaut, you just never got your chance. Well, except for that whole motion-sickness thing. And the acrophobia...
Okay, you've always know you have what it takes to be a rocket scientist, you just never got the chance -- until now, with Kerbal Space Program.
Imagine you're starting in 1960 (except on a planet called Kerbal) and you're trying to build a space program. How do rockets work? If we stack two watchamacallits on a single staging-a-thingee, will it work? Hrm... let's try it!
My first series of rockets are the Gnats, (start humble, dream huge). After three successful models, all of which were based upon increasing numbers of solid booster stages, I had reached a limit of stability and maximum velocity. I decided that the only way I could get enough Oomph (that's the technical term) for a sub-orbital range trial was by venturing into liquid-fuel rockets for the primary lift stage. Tricky beasts, liquid-fuel rockets. But I dared:
You see here the mission results for the brilliantly engineered (and competently flown) Gnat IVc launch vehicle -- my first attempt at a multi-fuel, three stage rocket. (Ahem... Ok, fine; it's the third attempt. Hence the "c". The first two attempts were... learning experiences. Now shut up.)
Anyway, the Gnat IVc achieved -- on its first launch, no less -- an impressive suborbital journey. From the launch pad at Cape Wotthefuq, our intrepid astronutz traveled to almost 28 km in altitude and more than 102km down range where, six-and-a-half minutes later, the command module parachuted to a landing somewhere in the rugged deserts of Omaigawdistan. Pictured below are the brave explorers at the moment of their return to kerbal firma:
Bill is happy the mission went well. Jebediah... well, Jeb prefers to be doing dangerous things. Sitting still bores him. And Bob is delighted. That's because Bob isn't terrified anymore, which is his normal state when he's not sitting still. Bob also has questionable opinions concerning the aerospace engineering capabilities of yours truly. Little green-headed ingrate...
So go create your own space program. The demo is available for free (duh), but it's good enough I've decided to shell out a few clams for the current version. Space stations, EVA, landing craft for exploring other worlds... it's all in there, supposedly. If you can figure out how to get there.
For now, however, I'll just be happy if I can get the Gnat V (currently under construction) to boost the three stooges into orbit. I'm not even worried about circularization at this point; just a single orbit will be a victory. Hey, this stuff's hard, y'all!
Jebediah can hardly wait for the launch. Bob... well, we can't find Bob right now.
__
Okay, you've always know you have what it takes to be a rocket scientist, you just never got the chance -- until now, with Kerbal Space Program.
Imagine you're starting in 1960 (except on a planet called Kerbal) and you're trying to build a space program. How do rockets work? If we stack two watchamacallits on a single staging-a-thingee, will it work? Hrm... let's try it!
My first series of rockets are the Gnats, (start humble, dream huge). After three successful models, all of which were based upon increasing numbers of solid booster stages, I had reached a limit of stability and maximum velocity. I decided that the only way I could get enough Oomph (that's the technical term) for a sub-orbital range trial was by venturing into liquid-fuel rockets for the primary lift stage. Tricky beasts, liquid-fuel rockets. But I dared:
You see here the mission results for the brilliantly engineered (and competently flown) Gnat IVc launch vehicle -- my first attempt at a multi-fuel, three stage rocket. (Ahem... Ok, fine; it's the third attempt. Hence the "c". The first two attempts were... learning experiences. Now shut up.)
Anyway, the Gnat IVc achieved -- on its first launch, no less -- an impressive suborbital journey. From the launch pad at Cape Wotthefuq, our intrepid astronutz traveled to almost 28 km in altitude and more than 102km down range where, six-and-a-half minutes later, the command module parachuted to a landing somewhere in the rugged deserts of Omaigawdistan. Pictured below are the brave explorers at the moment of their return to kerbal firma:
Bill is happy the mission went well. Jebediah... well, Jeb prefers to be doing dangerous things. Sitting still bores him. And Bob is delighted. That's because Bob isn't terrified anymore, which is his normal state when he's not sitting still. Bob also has questionable opinions concerning the aerospace engineering capabilities of yours truly. Little green-headed ingrate...
So go create your own space program. The demo is available for free (duh), but it's good enough I've decided to shell out a few clams for the current version. Space stations, EVA, landing craft for exploring other worlds... it's all in there, supposedly. If you can figure out how to get there.
For now, however, I'll just be happy if I can get the Gnat V (currently under construction) to boost the three stooges into orbit. I'm not even worried about circularization at this point; just a single orbit will be a victory. Hey, this stuff's hard, y'all!
Jebediah can hardly wait for the launch. Bob... well, we can't find Bob right now.
__
Labels: wasting away...
posted by Jar(egg)head at 00:01
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