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 the starting area 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.
The KSC and each of its buildings are biomes of Kerbin and they can be mined for science.
Contents
Always functional structures
Note that the costs shown here assume a career played on Normal difficulty (with Funds Penalties: 100%). The actual cost for an upgrade is the number displayed below multiplied by the Funds Penalties setting.
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.
| Level | Cost | Supported part count | Action groups available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 30 | None |
| 2 | 225 000 | 255 | Basic: Abort, Brakes, Gear, Lights, RCS, SAS, Stage |
| 3 | 845 000 | Unlimited | Basic and Custom 1-10 |
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 craft that require take off or landing runs.
| Level | Cost | Max vessel height (m) | Max vessel width (m) | Max vessel mass (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 20.0 | 21.2 | 18 |
| 2 | 75 000 | 36.0 | 39.6 | 140 |
| 3 | 282 000 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
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.
| Level | Cost | Supported part count | Action groups available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 30 | None |
| 2 | 225 000 | 255 | Basic: Abort, Brakes, Gear, Lights, RCS, SAS, Stage |
| 3 | 845 000 | Unlimited | Basic and Custom 1-10 |
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 SPH is upgraded you can't add arbitrary actions.
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.
| Level | Cost | Max vessel length (m) | Max vessel width/height (m) | Max vessel mass (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 20 | 15 | 18 |
| 2 | 75 000 | 36 | 28 | 140 |
| 3 | 282 000 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
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 around the KSC can also be recovered directly from the main screen). Debris can be tracked and deleted here. Celestial bodies can also be observed at the Tracking Station.
| Level | Cost | Functions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | Orbits visible in map, flight planning available (with upgraded Mission Control) |
| 2 | 150 000 | Patched Conics visible in map |
| 3 | 563 000 | Patched Conics visible in map and unowned object tracking |
Astronaut Complex
The Astronaut Complex allows hiring of astronauts to join the crew of future missions.
| Level | Cost | Capacity | Kerbals can EVA and plant flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 5 Kerbals | Unavailable |
| 2 | 75 000 | 12 Kerbals | Available |
| 3 | 282 000 | Unlimited | Available |
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.
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. It is also used to see your science archives.
| Level | Cost | Science limit | Surface samples and resource transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 100 | Unavailable |
| 2 | 451 000 | 500 | Available |
| 3 | 1 690 000 | Unlimited | Available |
Mission Control
Mission Control is a small building located north of the VAB and east of the SPH. It is used for getting contracts.
| Level | Cost | Active contracts | Flight planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 2 | Unavailable |
| 2 | 75 000 | 7 | Available |
| 3 | 282 000 | Unlimited | Available |
Administration Building
The Administration Building is a small building in face of the Astronaut Complex. It is can be used for getting/using strategies.
| Level | Cost | Active strategies | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start | 1 | 25.0% |
| 2 | 150 000 | 3 | 60.0% |
| 3 | 563 000 | 5 | 100.0% |
Non-functional Structures
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
Trivia
- The KSC's name could be a reference to the NASA space center, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
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