Development of the “Why Do I Do this to Myself” station

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#1
So I enjoy making space stations. A few months ago, I began work on a new station. After I launched the core and main arms of the station up, I created the solar panels, which is where I made my mistake. I designed the solar arms in a way that boxed in part of the station, thereby limiting further development. Today, I realized that none of my current stations are large enough to refuel multiple big ships without a resupply, so I chose to try to change this old station into my major fuel source.

Before:
786BB127-D7DB-41B4-A4EB-B5AD546708B2.png


Instead of the entire station radiating out from a central core, it instead will be a long pole with the modules sticking off that. Now, I didn’t intend to make a thread about this until I started adding the fuel, so I have no screenshots of the launch of the new solar arrays, only one of them already on the station.
CB09690D-F393-4AC5-A21C-2CDBD07C6E0F.png


Then I began designing a fuel source worthy of the size of these new solar panels. After downsizing to something that I can realistically launch, I came to a module weighing 1200 tons. That may not be a lot for some of you, but it is the largest amount that I’ve ever tried to launch. And this brings me to my monstrosity of a rocket.
E28819D1-F59B-4A34-8EFF-4B4A710321AC.png


This thing was not built well. This is not a rocket I am going to keep, much less tune. It has innumerable problems, but it was built for one purpose: to get the fuel into orbit.
2D789932-39E6-459D-9252-AF18C708CC6D.png

2C3AD71F-1BE0-4F20-B22F-F911FAE55E03.png

And to my great surprise, it did.
B63C0850-8FDE-425D-9E63-2286FA0B9334.png


And it docked. Then, I found that one was not enough.
F6B7D006-58C4-4386-A998-8DE8C2CB410B.png


So I used that horrific launcher three more times. Thankfully, the large pieces are done (unless I decide to put more fuel on). Next up will be habitation modules, but... maybe tomorrow... or Tuesday, I think I’m taking a break.
 
T

The Dark in the Light

Guest
#2
So I enjoy making space stations. A few months ago, I began work on a new station. After I launched the core and main arms of the station up, I created the solar panels, which is where I made my mistake. I designed the solar arms in a way that boxed in part of the station, thereby limiting further development. Today, I realized that none of my current stations are large enough to refuel multiple big ships without a resupply, so I chose to try to change this old station into my major fuel source.

Before:
View attachment 35165


Instead of the entire station radiating out from a central core, it instead will be a long pole with the modules sticking off that. Now, I didn’t intend to make a thread about this until I started adding the fuel, so I have no screenshots of the launch of the new solar arrays, only one of them already on the station.
View attachment 35166

Then I began designing a fuel source worthy of the size of these new solar panels. After downsizing to something that I can realistically launch, I came to a module weighing 1200 tons. That may not be a lot for some of you, but it is the largest amount that I’ve ever tried to launch. And this brings me to my monstrosity of a rocket.
View attachment 35167

This thing was not built well. This is not a rocket I am going to keep, much less tune. It has innumerable problems, but it was built for one purpose: to get the fuel into orbit.
View attachment 35168
View attachment 35169
And to my great surprise, it did. View attachment 35170

And it docked. Then, I found that one was not enough.
View attachment 35171

So I used that horrific launcher three more times. Thankfully, the large pieces are done (unless I decide to put more fuel on). Next up will be habitation modules, but... maybe tomorrow... or Tuesday, I think I’m taking a break.
If your not gonna keep that launcher, can we have it :p?
 

Horus Lupercal

Primarch - Warmaster
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#5
I came to a module weighing 1200 tons. That may not be a lot for some of you, but it is the largest amount that I’ve ever tried to launch
You say that, but there's only a handful of people that are capable of lifting that kind of weight with a design of their own.

Welcome to the kiloton club.

This is not a rocket I am going to keep, much less tune.
Shame, there's a few quick fixes that'll make it easier to handle I can think of.
 

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#7
Next up are the much smaller habitation modules. I decided to place them up at the top inside the large solar panels, since I will need the bottom for docking space. I chose to do these in smaller launches as well, so I could get a better feel for the space provided.

First up, an addition to the arm with ports on the side so I can actually build off of it.
FA1E0509-B44F-4A9B-B509-DD2E5B1163F7.png


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Built off of this will be the communication and control module, launched on another simple rocket that I barely took to orbit.
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And then the living and recreation quarters followed on a rocket identical to the first launch.
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Looking at the station now, It’s clear that there is quite a bit of space between these new modules and the core of the station, so I might insert another two modules there. The top of the vertical arm will probably be capped off at this point because the communication dish would be too close to it if it continued. This, however, was the reason why I used multiple smaller modules. This way I can rearrange things as necessary to fit further additions.
 

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#8
More development of the upper section of the station.
Starting with a quick launch of a second junction, followed by another module that’s carrying a cap for the top of the arm.
142DE74B-D598-43FB-B7A3-3D4B8CCF30FE.png


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C7633397-58AE-404F-9A96-4868E8C683A9.png


That piece was a bit small, so I sent another section up to fill in the excess space.
3169893B-E8EE-48C9-A4C6-5AB6C6ABBE48.png

96C7EAE9-CD73-41FA-B9CD-0745D1EA319F.png

Huh.

B9719460-0D1C-4BDA-A263-399FE618F119.png


A bit close the the solar panels, but it fits perfectly. Next is a generator for the right side.

40DC92A8-F7DD-40A8-9D6A-CD6CA75D1FBC.png


After docking it, I realized that I had made it too dark, so I sent a second one up quickly.
25452001-44A8-4235-A2D8-B632E6B3C174.png


And that’s the top section done for now. Next up, the docking area.
 
T

TtTOtW

Guest
#9
Looking really good man! I'm sure it's an absolute pleasure to see coming into view when approaching for docking.
 

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#10
Looking really good man! I'm sure it's an absolute pleasure to see coming into view when approaching for docking.
It’s nice to see as it gets closer, then I hit he time warp button, and I get to admire each frame for a second or two.

To build the first part of the docking area, I sent up an extension of the arm along with the main junction. Again, split into smaller pieces for easy rearrangement.
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This was then followed by the first four pieces of the docking arms.
8AF87A57-E156-435C-95E6-D7EFE01B8213.png

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9ADC1F9E-E18C-4A23-944D-CFAE5335311A.png


Then, the area above the arms began to look a bit empty, so... more fuel I guess. I fixed up the rocket from earlier, the boosters can probably use some more work, but it definitely functions better now.
0EAEBBE8-3DE4-4246-A63F-91AC537BB966.png

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And then there were six. I’m probably going to wrap the docking area around to the sides of the new fuel tanks.
 

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#13
The final additions to the docking area for now, starting with 2 more junctions.
33506828-F7EE-48C3-B82F-6C0BC82C8EAE.png

83EED444-EC2B-47DE-A2B2-CF27B85CD2E0.png


The new docking arms will be located on the sides of the newest pair of fuel tanks.
AC19BAE1-86DB-4FFD-BA0A-7437207DAAE5.png


It was at this point that I realized that two of the new arms will not be able to connect to the junctions. These two arms and the junctions have RTGs on both ends, meaning that they will not be able to dock. At this point I had two options.

1. Relaunch a corrected version of these arms.

2. Crash two of my remaining worker drones into the excess RTGs in an attempt to break them.

You can probably guess which one I chose.
9145DC5F-B8DB-47E4-9B9D-4C1C3602A98D.png


Much to my surprise, it worked on the second attempt (The first deorbited the entire station). Next up, more end caps for the new arms and replacement worker drones.
39F0CF02-788D-4FF9-9AC5-272994E70788.png

7726C08A-DA31-43C2-BA92-16BD22DC3EB3.png


That is probably the end of the docking area. The final piece on the station will most likely be more solar panels, since the current ones look a bit small compared to the rest of the station.
 

Flexilis Anatis

Eater of Waterfowl
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#16
I started this part thinking that I would simply add a few small touch ups and be done. That didn’t happen.

First up, to fit more of the larger solar panels, the main tube of the station needs to be extended, which considering that this will temporarily cut the station in half, was easier said than done.
80E294EF-ECDB-406A-8CD4-3CC42FDF8FB5.png

2C03DF15-8FFD-4250-B5BC-C82DC81FEA14.png


Then, up came the solar panels, which thanks to my fuel rocket, I can now launch 3 at a time. I might have been able to do 4 at a time, but that would have made the payload exceed the fuel’s weight, and I didn’t want to have to rebuild the entire rocket.
915F63E8-B1C2-45BF-9CE2-C79095473E2F.png

(Longest Rocket!)
D753EBDE-9F8D-46E4-A049-562B849130BF.png

Now I need some more space for the next batch of panels.
79ED7D48-C1C1-42EE-86FD-DC9426425957.png

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After trying these parts, the arms (below the junctions on the rocket) were too small, and the sides of the solar panels were colliding. So, new arms.
149AB70C-742F-4892-A69E-73BBD9FF4957.png

EAE63E78-3FB6-49D0-99D0-7D8F8AFF6D3C.png


And the panels are done. Now, there is an awkward gap in the station, so... you know the drill.
3CC51180-BB66-4AD6-AB77-CF5BACC04F51.png


Sent three of those up, the last on carrying both of the smaller tanks.
555A5EE0-EC16-4B29-BE0C-9B0C78653888.png


And at this point, I thought I would be done. But, What’s four more solar panels.
39505DA5-1D5D-4C56-8153-8ACF0EAD4E08.png


Launched up another payload of junctions (with the right arms this time) and some more solar panels like before, with the fourth making a solo trip.

And, I believe that the station is finally finished. I finally got rid of the derelict station floating around, and turned it into something useful.

So finally,

Before:
19372A19-8CA5-4B9E-90F4-8267121EBA59.png


After:
FE18100D-FD0D-4F20-90AC-1EBEB9B433A9.png
 

Horus Lupercal

Primarch - Warmaster
Professor
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#17
Ha, this thread is the pure embodiment of MOAR CAPABILITIES!

And I love it.
 

Lt. Snakestrike

The Kronian Serpent; Engineering Student
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#19
So I enjoy making space stations. A few months ago, I began work on a new station. After I launched the core and main arms of the station up, I created the solar panels, which is where I made my mistake. I designed the solar arms in a way that boxed in part of the station, thereby limiting further development. Today, I realized that none of my current stations are large enough to refuel multiple big ships without a resupply, so I chose to try to change this old station into my major fuel source.

Before:
View attachment 35165


Instead of the entire station radiating out from a central core, it instead will be a long pole with the modules sticking off that. Now, I didn’t intend to make a thread about this until I started adding the fuel, so I have no screenshots of the launch of the new solar arrays, only one of them already on the station.
View attachment 35166

Then I began designing a fuel source worthy of the size of these new solar panels. After downsizing to something that I can realistically launch, I came to a module weighing 1200 tons. That may not be a lot for some of you, but it is the largest amount that I’ve ever tried to launch. And this brings me to my monstrosity of a rocket.
View attachment 35167

This thing was not built well. This is not a rocket I am going to keep, much less tune. It has innumerable problems, but it was built for one purpose: to get the fuel into orbit.
View attachment 35168
View attachment 35169
And to my great surprise, it did. View attachment 35170

And it docked. Then, I found that one was not enough.
View attachment 35171

So I used that horrific launcher three more times. Thankfully, the large pieces are done (unless I decide to put more fuel on). Next up will be habitation modules, but... maybe tomorrow... or Tuesday, I think I’m taking a break.
Dude, that rocket is awful! You should only need about 1/3 of those engines... besides that though, welcome to the kt club!