Inland Kerbal Space Center
| Inland Kerbal Space Center | ||
 | ||
| Location |  Kerbin
| |
 Highlands
| ||
| Coordinates Map |
20° 40′ 0″ N | |
| 146° 28′ 0″ W | ||
| Altitude | 422 m | |
| Easter egg | Yes | |
| Since version | 0.14.2 | |
The Inland Kerbal Space Center (sometimes called KSC 2) is a second spaceport on Kerbin. It is generally considered an easter egg. It is not possible to launch any vehicles from this space center (unless using certain mods or plugins). While craft cannot be launched at this space center, this space center provides the same recovery bonuses in career mode as the main KSC. Craft in the vicinity of the inland KSC space center are recovered for a 98% refund of their value, while craft recovered from the launchpad obtain a 100% refund.
Contents
Buildings
The complex consists of a vehicle assembly building, a launch pad, and a tracking station; however it doesn't feature the old Spaceplane hangar or runway. Currently[outdated], the Inland Kerbal Space Center uses the old VAB, Launch Pad (minus ground textures) and Tracking Station models and textures previously used for the main KSC in version 0.20 and earlier. In this sense, it is still possible to visit the old buildings in the new version. While the launchpad is distinct from the new launchpad models, it still gives a 100% refund to craft recovered there in career mode.
The F3 menu, after crashing into the buildings, reports the launch pad here has three parts named “Launchpad Tower”, “Launchpad Platform”, and on the platform a “PlatformPlane”, with the surrounding props "Water Tower", "Coolant Tanks", and an additional "Coolant Tank". The tracking station is “Tracking Station” with an “antena_gig” attached to a “base_rot”. And the vehicle assembly building is “Vehicle Assembly Building” with a “Box064” beside it.
Landing
The complex is situated on a flat grass area roughly in a "K" shape as viewed from the south. It is easily spotted from the air due to the buildings as well as a raised berm surrounding the flat area. While the Inland Kerbal Space Center has no paved runway, the western pillar of the "K" can be used as a landing area. It is about 3 km long, comparable to the runway at KSC proper, and sits at an elevation of about 425 m. Unlike KSC proper, landing and recovering here only yields a 98% refund instead of 100% at the proper KSC runway. You may taxi to the launchpad for a 100% recovery-this should be done with caution however; as opening the map while on the pad will cause the craft to clip into it and be destroyed on closing the map (unless the craft is recovered). The approach can be tricky due to the surrounding mountains; airplanes are advised to approach from the south, as the terrain is shallower there, and land traveling north. Low-performance aircraft are advised to take off traveling south for the same reason. Spoilers and/or airbrakes can be helpful in bleeding off energy from a steep approach; failing these, one can perform a forward slip.
Site identification
Kerbal Space Program seems to treat the Inland Kerbal Space Center identically to the main Kerbal Space Center for reporting craft situations, performing science activities, and recovery purposes. Currently the game reports craft landed here as At KSC and craft on its launch pad here as "At LaunchPad". Because of this, the official name is not known. However, in 1.2 (which added CommNet), the IKSC's Tracking Station serves as a DSN groundstation under the name "Baikerbanur"; which is a clear reference to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan which still is used to this day.[1]
Gallery
The dish, a bit apart from the other buildings
The VAB from the front
The VAB from behind, launch pad in the distance
Location
Approximate location on Kerbin
The shape of the terrain viewed from above, approaching from north-northeast
