Overview

Release 1.7.1: Sharp-eyed THEcasualGamer156 noticed that the “Ludo Blimp” that came with this pack was broken with the new KAS. Fixed!

Release 1.7.0: Airships to Duna, Eve, Laythe and Jool have been updated to work with the new KAS parts.
- The grappling hook does NOT work like the anchor in the video! If you are moving too fast when it hits the ground then it will smash your ship into the dirt! Be careful!
- It is possible to have a kerbonaut go EVA out, grab a connector, and drop from it to go bungee jumping. To retract, switch back to the main vessel, then return to the kerbonaut to grab a ladder and get back on the airship.
- You may have to climb out onto the Airship to Jool’s ladders to reach the futhermost connectors.
- Check for preset action groups, or use your own.
- Saving and reloading with kerbonauts hanging from a connector may or may not result in a sudden disappearance.

Release 1.6.0
- New rigid semi-transparent envelope, the Dodec! Designed for creating crazy new airship shapes that look awesome. Give feedback!

Release 1.5.2
- Animations fixed.

Release 1.5.1
- Fixed issue with losing control of throttle when other vessels are around.
- There still seems to be a bug with animated envelopes not deploying when unanimated envelopes are around.

Release 1.5.0
- The airship plugin is now a Part Module! Each envelope is now a normal part with the HLEnvelopePartModule module running! So you can make anything a buoyant part. I tested it on the Stayputnik for fun.
- Everything else seems to work.
- I tried to add Tosh’s PID controller. It gave super accurate vertical velocity control but it would always crash the ship into the ground if you tried to land with an anchor.
- Attempted mid-air saving again with no luck. I talked to Mu about it and he wants to redo saving for 0.19 or 0.20, so I am leaving it alone at least until then.

Release 1.4.0 Notes (Many new requests from forum users)
- Kreuzung provided code so you can now see the “center of lift” from the blimps by clicking the button in the SPH or VAB!
- Added the original Ludo Blimp. It is compatible with the plugin, so pitch control and the rest is available.
- Added a Ludo Blimp and Airship to Jool to the Ships folder. The Airship to Jool… Well, just watch my video on Gas Giant Bungee Jumping before making any decisions about using that.

Release 1.3.0 Notes
- Inflatable parts no longer spam “Resetting inertial tensor”
- This means multiple inflatables now work with ASAS!

Release 1.2.0 Notes
- Reintroduced “Make Slow to Save”. The parameters of this can be adjusted in the .cfg file for each. This may be a way of making persistent airborne balloons easier to save.
- Removed debug text. Oops!
- Added reactor to HL Airship to Eve.

Release 1.1.1 Notes
- An astute tester noted that pitch control was broken…. again. It’s been fixed. Probably the fixed code from before was lost when my hard drive crashed.
- Reduced the drag on undeployed inflatable parachutes.

Release 1.1.0 Notes
- Included craft files for flying in three different planetary atmospheres! Requires the KAS Attachment System mod to use the airship anchor.
- Cut the drag for the Ray and Una envelopes in half.
- Noted that multiple

Release 1.0.3 Notes
- Moved parts to “Aero” tab.
- The “Una” and “Ray” parts are labeled that they will not or will work in Duna’s atmosphere, respectively.

Release 1.0.2 Notes
- Pitch control fixed!
- Fixed error spam by non-animated envelopes.
- Reduced drag on deployed inflatable parachutes. They now have drag like normal vessel parts and not like deployed parachutes. This can be changed in the .cfg file.

Release 1.0.1 Notes
- Added the “Ray” parachute for thinner atmospheres!
- Seems pitch control got broken somewhere, will look into it more soon.

Release 1.0.0 Notes
- Added animated inflatable parachute! Once the buoyancy is set to greater than 0, it will deploy if there is sufficient outside atmosphere.

Alpha 3.1.1 Patch Notes
- Compressors no longer needed! The envelopes automatically pick a leader to run the GUI, logic and calculations.
- Many 0.18 bugs squashed. This also has improved altitude control.
- Docking totally works!

Check out instructional videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HooliganLabs

Release thread (post your screenshots or videos here!):

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/23774-0-18-1-Airship-to-Orbit

Development thread (contribute here!):

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/23797-Hooligan-Labs-Airship-and-Runway-Mods

Warnings:
- Docking can result in multiple GUIs appearing. Save and reload from the tracking station to fix.
- Midair saving has been removed as it often resulted in physics stopping permanently.
- Be warned, switching from your craft while it is in midair may result in KSP destroying it.

Installation

Parts into the Parts folder, Plugins into the Plugins folder. Ships contain example vessels. Source has source code, feel free to use it for your own mods!

How to use

General instructions: - Click on the Center of Lift button in the SPH or VAB to see where lift is coming from the envelopes. - Use altitude control to hover in place. - Use vertical speed for easy landing and ascent. - Use pitch control for blimp-like shapes. This requires having more than one envelope. Envelopes should be placed evenly on either side of the center of gravity for this sort of flight. Note: Inflatable animation does not work if used with unanimated envelopes too.

Comments

8 Comments for “Airships to Other Planets”

1. I am having problems with this mod. It hangs loading HL_AirshipEnvelope.

   Daemon December 12, 2012

2. Have you copied the .dll to your Plugins folder? If that does not work, press Alt+F2 when it hangs and send me the error from the debug window. Thanks for the feedback!

   Hooligan Labs December 17, 2012

3. Is there any way to get an airship to persist without the use of anchors?

   nubeees December 30, 2012

4. Unfortunately, KSP destroys anything that is not touching the ground automatically. I took out the feature because attempted work-arounds resulted in very buggy behavior. I’ve re-implemented an improved version of the feature that keeps you slow so you will be able to save for sure, but you still need an anchor for now. Test that and let me know if it works.

   Hooligan Labs January 18, 2013

5. when i use it it screw up all the words and removes letters and such anyone know how to fix this? and i cant rember where to put the source whered does it go?

   logan hunt March 18, 2013

6. Will this mod work with .19?

   Bug Armstrong March 31, 2013

7. ok…so im trying to use this to put an airstrip from the blast shields pack on the mun…any idea if this is even possible?

   apoch1999 April 6, 2013

8. Hi
   I found out that your mod fixes a problem that I have with my mod: When I open a ship that has been saved while floating on water and marked as “landed” it usually gets frozen and the debug log shows me that it’s waiting for ground contact.
   With your mod for some reason that doesn’t happen, the message “ground contact…” pops up and controls resume normally.
   I went through your source, but couldn’t find what fixes it. Can you give me a hint in the right direction ?

   dukeofhell April 16, 2013

9. Does it work? It sounds great, congratz!

   Brienne April 30, 2013

10. you should put the mod parts needed in this mod

    Patton1885 May 4, 2013

11. im missing some parts where can i get them

    screen shot http://gyazo.com/df5b4f09a67799590e44a92f9c1e6c86

    Anthony McDonald May 5, 2013

12. When you create a U.S. space shuttle?

    Krasov Sergey May 6, 2013

13. Really love this mod. One small problem. I can’t get a ship to save on Jool. I’m even using an anchor. Can anyone help?

    riley evan May 8, 2013