Kerbal Space Center
| 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 (abbr. KSC), located on Kerbin, is currently the only 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).
Contents
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.
Launch pad
Craft designed in the VAB will be launched from the launch pad. This launch platform allows only vertical launches or starts of rovers, as it is elevated and planes don't have enough space to climb.
Space Plane Hangar
The Space Plane 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.
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.
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.
Flag Pole
The Flag Pole is located in front of the Astronaut Complex and can be used to select a default mission flag. It used to be located south-west of the VAB, but was moved in version 0.21.
Research and Development
The Research and Development building allows players to unlock spacecraft parts in career mode by researching nodes on the tech tree.
Mission Control
Mission Control is a small building located south of the VAB and west of the tracking station. It is used for getting contracts.
Non-functional Structures
Coolant Tanks
A big globular Coolant Tank with a climbable ladder as well as three smaller Coolant Tanks can be found southwest of the Launchpad.
Water Tower
Located southeast of the Launchpad, the Water Tower is about as tall as the former Launchpad Tower.
Flag Pole
A second flag pole can be found on the northwest of the Launch Pad.
Future buildings
Administration Facility
For 0.25 the Administration Facility is planned to be added.
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. To assist in spotting the KSC from orbit, please refer to this handy map (it's marked with the red arrow):
See also
Trivia
- The KSC's name could be a reference to the NASA space center, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
