Difference between revisions of "Kerbal Space Center"

Revision as of 15:32, 27 June 2015

Kerbal Space Center
Location		Kerbin
Coordinates Map		0° 6′ 9″ S
		74° 34′ 31″ W
Altitude		~68.41 m
Since version		0.7.3

The Kerbal Space Center illuminated at night

The Kerbal Space Center (abbr. KSC), located on Kerbin, is the only current location that missions can be launched from. Featuring a number of buildings and structures on an approximately 25 km² large plateau, it acts as a central hub granting access to all parts of the game. All buildings, except for the runway, are placed on hexagonal sections (mostly regular, except the one for the tracking station which is a truncated triangle).

Since 0.25, depending on the Game Difficulty settings, the buildings of KSC are destructible, taking damage from impacts.

Since 0.90, there are multiple levels to each building in the Career mode, with the starting buildings having significant restrictions compared to previously. Upgrading all of these facilities costs 9.8 million funds (modulo the difficulty setting), and is likely to take the dominant portion of spending in the early game.

Always functional structures

Vehicle Assembly Building

The Vehicle Assembly Building (or VAB for short) is a large construction facility at KSC, where rockets and other vertically launched spacecraft can be designed. Craft designed in the VAB can only be launched from the Launch Pad, though it is possible to import vessels between the VAB and SPH.

The default actions associated with the basic groups (except abort) are always available - it's always possible to stage, turn lights on and off, etc. - but until the VAB is upgraded they can't contain arbitrary actions.

Launch pad

Craft designed in the VAB will be launched from the launch pad. This launch platform allows vertical launches, or may serve as a starting point for rovers. It is too small to be useful for crafts that require take off or landing runs.

Spaceplane Hangar

The Spaceplane Hangar (or SPH for short) is a facility similar to the VAB that allows construction of aircraft and spacecraft in a horizontal environment which can then be launched from a conventional runway.

Note that, while the action groups made available at level 2 are named, there are no limitations on what actions they may contain.

Runway

Vessels designed in the Space Plane Hangar can only be launched from the runway. It can also be used for landing. At the moment there is only one runway (09/27) in service with a length of 2526 m going from east to west and a width of 70 m. There is also a runway on an island to the southeast, which is available for landing but not launching. By default, craft designed in the SPH face a 90° heading (facing east) and start from the west end.

The starting runway is just a dirt track. It's so uneven and bumpy that it's usually easier to land (and, with some planes, take off) on the hills to the west instead - or resort to parachutes.

Tracking Station

The Tracking Station allows access, observation and management of all missions currently active, including splashed-down or landed ships. Note that this does not include crashed or otherwise ended missions. Any Kerbals, craft or debris safely on Kerbin's surface can be recovered here. Debris can be tracked and deleted here. Celestial bodies can also be observed at the Tracking Station.

Astronaut Complex

The Astronaut Complex allows hiring of astronauts to join the crew of future missions.

Career/Science Mode structures

Research and Development

The Research and Development building allows players to unlock spacecraft parts in career and science mode by researching nodes on the tech tree.

Mission Control

Mission Control is a small building located north of the VAB and east of the SPH. It is used for getting contracts.

Administration Building

The Administration Building is a small building in face of the Astronaut Complex. It is can be used for getting/using strategies.

Non-functional Structures

The illuminated water tower at night

Coolant Tanks

A big globular Coolant Tank with a climbable ladder as well as three smaller Coolant Tanks can be found south-west of the Launchpad.

Water Tower

Located south-east of the Launchpad, the Water Tower is about as tall as 1/3 of the VAB. It is possibly part of an unseen Sound Suppression Water System similar to the one at Launch Complex 39 in real life.

Flag Pole

A second flag pole can be found on the northwest of the Launch Pad.

Location of the functional buildings in the Space Center

Location of the KSC on Kerbin, From Orbit

The KSC is on a roughly square-shaped, sandy peninsula on the east coast of an Africa-shaped continent. The launch pad is precisely on the equator. To assist in spotting the KSC from orbit, please refer to this handy map (it's marked with the red arrow):

See also

• Inland Kerbal Space Center
• Old Airfield

Trivia

• The KSC's name could be a reference to the NASA space center, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

v t e Kerbals   Kerbonauts Jebediah Kerman Bill Kerman Bob Kerman Valentina Kerman Pilot Engineer Scientist Pilot   Kerbal Space Center Staff Wernher von Kerman Gene Kerman Mortimer Kerman Linus Kerman Walt Kerman Gus Kerman Research and Development Mission Control Finances Science Public Relations Operations   Others Alan Kerman Bobak Kerman Dawton Kerman Dinkelstein Kerman Eumon Kerman Felipe Kerman Jules Kerman Kirrim Kerman Kurt Kerman