Where do you think I've been the last couple of days? (grin)
One REALLY welcome change is the ability to actually pilot the craft from the orbital map view. You still don't have status on fuel and stages with that, but having the central artificial horizon ball indicator and associated important parts available, the throttle and roll/yaw/pitch control, ability to turn the SAS and RCS on and off and all of that are just joyous. It's now possible to be SUPER precise in making orbital insertions and not overshoot/undershoot.
On that note, with these additions I've been able to figure out how to boost out to just beyond moon orbit and find the EXACT place to shoot for that precise "free return trajectory" that loops around the backside and sends me home with no further major boosts if I do no course correction to park in moon orbit. The first time I wasn't sure if I'd lucked into it that way or not, so I tried it again a couple of times with the same results. On the third one I felt like crowing "UP to orbit, ONCE around the planet, OUT to the Mun, HOOK around the backside, BACK to Kerbin - NOTHING BUT NET!! BOO-YAH!!"
And I have finally achieved one of my other major goals. The true CLASSIC I've been hoping to figure out how to achieve since I first saw the "Von Braun" style rocket parts in the Silesko pack add-on --
![[Image: screenshot14-1.png]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Logan_Darklighter/Kerbal/screenshot14-1.png)
![[Image: screenshot15-1.png]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Logan_Darklighter/Kerbal/screenshot15-1.png)
The Falcon has landed. I call this one the Falcon XLS. "X" because she's the tenth model. And "LS" for "Landing Ship".
It's the exact same 3 stage booster system as the old Mark 8. But the main craft has added RCS thrusters (and fuel) an Advanced SAS, a lightweight high capacity upper fuel tank from the C7 Airframe parts package, and ejectable landing legs. Take off from the Mun and pop them off to save just that little bit of extra weight for the return trip. Though I wound up with enough fuel left that I might've been able to leave them on. I might try for a soft parachute-less landing back on Kerbin if I can manage the fuel enough on a future trip.
Also - pressing F2 removes the UI completely. Allowing you to take screenshots without it. Was it necessary? Not really. Cool? Definitely!
![[Image: screenshot191-2.png]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Logan_Darklighter/Kerbal/screenshot191-2.png)
One REALLY welcome change is the ability to actually pilot the craft from the orbital map view. You still don't have status on fuel and stages with that, but having the central artificial horizon ball indicator and associated important parts available, the throttle and roll/yaw/pitch control, ability to turn the SAS and RCS on and off and all of that are just joyous. It's now possible to be SUPER precise in making orbital insertions and not overshoot/undershoot.
On that note, with these additions I've been able to figure out how to boost out to just beyond moon orbit and find the EXACT place to shoot for that precise "free return trajectory" that loops around the backside and sends me home with no further major boosts if I do no course correction to park in moon orbit. The first time I wasn't sure if I'd lucked into it that way or not, so I tried it again a couple of times with the same results. On the third one I felt like crowing "UP to orbit, ONCE around the planet, OUT to the Mun, HOOK around the backside, BACK to Kerbin - NOTHING BUT NET!! BOO-YAH!!"
And I have finally achieved one of my other major goals. The true CLASSIC I've been hoping to figure out how to achieve since I first saw the "Von Braun" style rocket parts in the Silesko pack add-on --
The Falcon has landed. I call this one the Falcon XLS. "X" because she's the tenth model. And "LS" for "Landing Ship".
It's the exact same 3 stage booster system as the old Mark 8. But the main craft has added RCS thrusters (and fuel) an Advanced SAS, a lightweight high capacity upper fuel tank from the C7 Airframe parts package, and ejectable landing legs. Take off from the Mun and pop them off to save just that little bit of extra weight for the return trip. Though I wound up with enough fuel left that I might've been able to leave them on. I might try for a soft parachute-less landing back on Kerbin if I can manage the fuel enough on a future trip.
Also - pressing F2 removes the UI completely. Allowing you to take screenshots without it. Was it necessary? Not really. Cool? Definitely!