Can I salvage my Kerbal Space Program career with a single launch?

[BACK]
Can I salvage my Kerbal Space Program career with a single launch?
Posted On: April 17, 2023

My KSP career has stagnated. I can't get enough income from contracts to cover my launch costs. My per launch costs to LKO and back are 20-30k depending on payload size. Is there any way to get income other than through contracts?


Here's what I have to work with:.


39k in cash.


Flight Control (and everything before it plus Advanced Rocketry).


EVAs from an astronaut training complex.


Have never returned or transmitted EVA data from space.


37 research.


I have very few contracts that will pay for a launch. I have more contract slots available, but no lucrative contracts available.


64k to recover Herdun Kerman from a 100km circular orbit of Kerbin.


124k to explore the Mun.


27k to transmit or recover science data from space around Kerbin.


A series of small catastrophes have depleted my surplus resources. An experimental orbiter left Jeb stranded in Kerbin orbit with no means to return. I recruited two more pilots who suffered similar fates. I dispatched first Camley Kerbin then Billy-Bobdrin Kerman to recover Herdun Kerman. Camley got within a couple kilometers multiple times before depleting his fuel reserves; he had to deorbit. While Camley was deorbiting, Billy-Bobdrin launched a follow-up mission to recover Herdun. Billy overshot his prograde burn at periapsis and couldn't match Herdun's orbit. In an effort to salvage Billy's launch, mission control directed him into a polar orbit to survey new biomes. Billy overcooked that burn as well and is stranded in an eternal Kerbin orbit serving as a warning to new pilots. This warning is apparently too severe; no new pilots are willing to sign on. When mission control was done with Billy they turned their attention back to Camley, but couldn't find him on tracking; it's presumed that Camley began his deorbit but never deployed his parachutes. In another serious blow, the contractor offering to pay for science data from space around Kerbin wouldn't pay for a recovered mystery goo observation made in LKO by engineer-turned-pilot Bill Kerman.


Is there any way to get income from a launch other than through contracts?


Question from user Cirdec at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

Contracts are currently your only source of income in KSP*. .


When you don't have any contracts you find profitable, you can reject any contracts you haven't accepted yet without a penalty. You should do so until you get some which are lucrative and easy to do.


Your best bet are "Test [part] in flight over Kerbin" contracts, which have a low height requirements. It is often possible to build a single vessel which can complete multiple of them with a single flight and then land near the KSC in one piece. When you recover the vessel at the KSC, you get a refund for almost the complete launch cost.


To secure your financial future in the long term, you should get a capsule with solar panels and an antenna into the orbit. When you have one, you can fulfill the "Return science data from Kerbin orbit" just by switching to the vessel, making a crew report (even when it is only worth 0.0 science) and transmitting it. The contract is repeatable indefinitely, so you can do this again and again to get unlimited money with zero effort.


*) Edit: OK, I lied. Contracts are not really the only one. You can also use the "Patent Licensing" strategy in the administration building to convert some of the science points you get into cash. But the transfer rate is so bad and the number of science points you need to pay to activate it is so high, that it is not a viable option to make lots of money, especially in the beginning. The only useful application for this strategy is when you already unlocked all parts and want at least some use for additional science points you make.


Answer from user Philipp at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]
Can I salvage my Kerbal Space Program career with a single launch?
Posted On: April 17, 2023

My KSP career has stagnated. I can't get enough income from contracts to cover my launch costs. My per launch costs to LKO and back are 20-30k depending on payload size. Is there any way to get income other than through contracts?


Here's what I have to work with:.


39k in cash.


Flight Control (and everything before it plus Advanced Rocketry).


EVAs from an astronaut training complex.


Have never returned or transmitted EVA data from space.


37 research.


I have very few contracts that will pay for a launch. I have more contract slots available, but no lucrative contracts available.


64k to recover Herdun Kerman from a 100km circular orbit of Kerbin.


124k to explore the Mun.


27k to transmit or recover science data from space around Kerbin.


A series of small catastrophes have depleted my surplus resources. An experimental orbiter left Jeb stranded in Kerbin orbit with no means to return. I recruited two more pilots who suffered similar fates. I dispatched first Camley Kerbin then Billy-Bobdrin Kerman to recover Herdun Kerman. Camley got within a couple kilometers multiple times before depleting his fuel reserves; he had to deorbit. While Camley was deorbiting, Billy-Bobdrin launched a follow-up mission to recover Herdun. Billy overshot his prograde burn at periapsis and couldn't match Herdun's orbit. In an effort to salvage Billy's launch, mission control directed him into a polar orbit to survey new biomes. Billy overcooked that burn as well and is stranded in an eternal Kerbin orbit serving as a warning to new pilots. This warning is apparently too severe; no new pilots are willing to sign on. When mission control was done with Billy they turned their attention back to Camley, but couldn't find him on tracking; it's presumed that Camley began his deorbit but never deployed his parachutes. In another serious blow, the contractor offering to pay for science data from space around Kerbin wouldn't pay for a recovered mystery goo observation made in LKO by engineer-turned-pilot Bill Kerman.


Is there any way to get income from a launch other than through contracts?


Question from user Cirdec at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

Contracts are currently your only source of income in KSP*. .


When you don't have any contracts you find profitable, you can reject any contracts you haven't accepted yet without a penalty. You should do so until you get some which are lucrative and easy to do.


Your best bet are "Test [part] in flight over Kerbin" contracts, which have a low height requirements. It is often possible to build a single vessel which can complete multiple of them with a single flight and then land near the KSC in one piece. When you recover the vessel at the KSC, you get a refund for almost the complete launch cost.


To secure your financial future in the long term, you should get a capsule with solar panels and an antenna into the orbit. When you have one, you can fulfill the "Return science data from Kerbin orbit" just by switching to the vessel, making a crew report (even when it is only worth 0.0 science) and transmitting it. The contract is repeatable indefinitely, so you can do this again and again to get unlimited money with zero effort.


*) Edit: OK, I lied. Contracts are not really the only one. You can also use the "Patent Licensing" strategy in the administration building to convert some of the science points you get into cash. But the transfer rate is so bad and the number of science points you need to pay to activate it is so high, that it is not a viable option to make lots of money, especially in the beginning. The only useful application for this strategy is when you already unlocked all parts and want at least some use for additional science points you make.


Answer from user Philipp at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]

Hogwarts Legacy Recommendations? Hogwarts Legacy Recommendations?

Posted On: April 23, 2023
I finally got a PS5 and blew through Hogwarts Legacy. Can anyone recommend a similar story based open world game I can play before I go back for my next rerun? Question from user Elise2016 at Hogwa...[More]


Is there a way to de-fuse weapons in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? Is there a way to de-fuse weapons in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?

Posted On: May 17, 2023
Sometimes I want to de-fuse a weapon because I've found a better component I want to add, or a better weapon to use that component. Is there a way to de-fuse a weapon or shield? Question from u...[More]


Is Porofessor a cheat in League Of Legends? Is Porofessor a cheat in League Of Legends?

Posted On: February 23, 2023
I've been using a legitimate app called Porofessor that provides a lot of helpful info when playing league of legends. Such as displaying objective / jungle camp timers when things will respa...[More]


In MoH Allied Assault, can you save Jack Grillo? In MoH Allied Assault, can you save Jack Grillo?

Posted On: March 13, 2023
has anyone confirmed whether it's possible to prevent the death of Maj. Jack Grillo at the start of Mission 2, Scuttling the U-529, Level 1, Secret Documents of the Kriegsmarine? I recently mad...[More]


Can you delete or overwrite HM moves in Pokemon RGBY? Can you delete or overwrite HM moves in Pokemon RGBY?

Posted On: February 26, 2023
Is there any way to remove HM moves from a Pokemon in the first generation games? This includes learning and overwriting the HM or using a move deleter. Question from user zero298 at gaming.stackex...[More]


Can you play the entire game solo? Can you play the entire game solo?

Posted On: May 28, 2024
Just curious. It seems like it would be impossible with some of the fights but I wonder if it can be done. Like you just use tav and leave all your companions at camp every day?Question from user glit...[More]


Can I replay levels in Hi-Fi Rush? Can I replay levels in Hi-Fi Rush?

Posted On: February 19, 2023
I missed some collectables in a stage and want to go back to get them. Is there a way to replay a stage? Question from user Stevoisiak at gaming.stackexchange.com. Answer: Yes, you can replay...[More]


What does disliking a player do in DOTA 2? What does disliking a player do in DOTA 2?

Posted On: October 18, 2023
If I click "dislike player" after a match, what does that do? Question from user nightblade9 at stackexchange. Answer: Dota 2 Summer 2023 Patch notes state:. Additionally, we&rsq...[More]


What are decals for in Starcraft 2? What are decals for in Starcraft 2?

Posted On: May 6, 2023
What are the Decals in the rewards section used for? Question from user Erv Walter at gaming.stackexchange.com. Answer: Images of StarCraft II buildings and units with decals:. Answer from...[More]


Star Trek Online 2023 Event Campaign Progress Star Trek Online 2023 Event Campaign Progress

Posted On: March 7, 2023
The 2023 Event Campaign is now ongoing. There are a total of 5 events happening over the year, each requiring 14 days of progress. If for some reason, I was unable to get the 14 progress points necess...[More]