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MechJeb
BySarbian2.6M DownloadsUpdated Mar 2, 2019Created May 6, 2014
Autopilot, Information displays, and general Automation plugin
Kerbal Attachment System (KAS)
Byihsoft2M DownloadsUpdated Jun 7, 2019Created Aug 31, 2014
KAS introduce new gameplay mechanics by adding winches and eva attachable struts/pipes.
Kerbal Planetary Base Systems
Bynils2778642K DownloadsUpdated Apr 25, 2019Created Jul 1, 2015
Parts for bases on other planets. Includes Habitats, Greenhouse, support for Life Support mods and..
TweakScale
Bylisiast493K DownloadsUpdated May 5, 2019Created May 16, 2014
Rescale any part!
Kerbal Engineer Redux
ByCYBUTEK1.2M DownloadsUpdated May 28, 2017Created Jul 23, 2014
Kerbal Engineer reveals important statistics about your ship and its orbit during building and flight.
Kerbal Inventory System (KIS)
Byihsoft1.2M DownloadsUpdated May 31, 2019Created Mar 14, 2015
KIS introduce new gameplay mechanics by adding a brand new inventory sytem and EVA usables..
Airplane Plus
Byblackheart_612285K DownloadsUpdated Mar 26, 2019Created May 21, 2016
Adds plane parts. Images are on the album.
KSP Interstellar Extended
Byfreethinker79582K DownloadsUpdated Jun 25, 2019Created Oct 8, 2015
KSP Interstellar Extended aims to continue in providing a realistic road to the stars.
Near Future Propulsion
ByNertea_01513K DownloadsUpdated Apr 17, 2019Created May 21, 2014
Advanced ion/plasma thrusters, VASIMR engines and two new fuel types with a stockalike aesthetic
Near Future Solar
ByNertea_01405K DownloadsUpdated May 21, 2019Created May 21, 2014
Futuristic solar panels for your spacecraft.
Near Future Spacecraft Parts
ByNertea_01293K DownloadsUpdated May 21, 2019Created May 21, 2014
Stockalike spacecraft parts with a futuristic look
Near Future Electrical
ByNertea_01327K DownloadsUpdated Apr 17, 2019Created May 21, 2014
Nuclear reactors, capacitors and large batteries with a stockalike aesthetic
Stockalike Station Parts Expansion Redux
ByNertea_01Stockalike Station Parts Expansion Redux
by Nertea_0167.4K DownloadsUpdated May 21, 2019Created Mar 2, 2018
Build stations with inflables, centrifuges and much much more!
Docking Port Alignment Indicator
Byusnavyfish453K DownloadsUpdated Mar 3, 2019Created May 8, 2014
The Docking Port Alignment Indicator is designed to help you dock manually, by presenting target..
Kerbal Reusability Expansion
ByEmbersArc159K DownloadsUpdated Jul 6, 2018Created Dec 31, 2015
Landing Gear, Grid Fins and more!
Near Future Construction
ByNertea_01239K DownloadsUpdated May 21, 2019Created May 21, 2014
Large trusses, new docking ports, multi-adapters and radial attach points for spacecraft construction
EVE: Environmental Visual Enhancements
ByWarwickAllisonEVE: Environmental Visual Enhancements
by WarwickAllison101K DownloadsUpdated Mar 7, 2018Created Mar 7, 2018
Clouds and City lights
Near Future Launch Vehicles
ByNertea_01122K DownloadsUpdated Apr 17, 2019Created Jul 6, 2017
Extra-large launch vehicle parts
OPT Space Plane Parts V2.0
Bykkgc3124481K DownloadsUpdated Jul 28, 2017Created Oct 19, 2014
Large, Sleek Spaceplane Parts!
SCANsat
Bydmagic_ksp242K DownloadsUpdated Dec 31, 2018Created May 7, 2015
SCANsat: Real Scanning, Real Science, Warp Speed!
1234…45
According to the dev team's blog, KSP, 1.0 is 7 days from launch, and I was wondering, does the game itself auto-update, or do I have to manually download the game again from the website? Please note, this question is NOT about KSP 1.0, I'm simply wondering if the game auto-updates.
Ricardo1,08633 gold badges1616 silver badges3838 bronze badges
Ethan BierleinEthan Bierlein37511 gold badge77 silver badges3232 bronze badges
1 Answer
According to the FAQ, you have to open the patcher in the game's folder manually.
Start the Patcher located within your game folder manually, it should be the one with the Squad monkey, if you have a Patcher file with a Kerbal icon feel free to delete it. You can also download a fresh up to date copy from the Store following the instructions. If you have the Steam version of the game you don't have to do anything, the Steam client will update your game automatically.
So it looks like it will not auto-update. That being said, I only have experience with the Steam launcher (which does auto-update) so this may be incorrect. If you have mods installed or you don't want to update right away, I'd make a copy of the entire KSP folder and store it somewhere on your computer because you generally can't go wrong with making backups.
Rob RoseRob Rose57411 gold badge33 silver badges2424 bronze badges
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged kerbal-space-program or ask your own question.
Before anything else, thank you for wanting to contribute to CKAN.
This page is a wiki; please feel free to contribute, and be bold with your edits!
Adding a mod to the CKAN is simply a matter of writing a small JSON file to describe the mod, its relationship with other mods, and the installation process. If the mod is released on SpaceDock, or if the mod is packaged in the usual fashion, then the process is even easier!
If you need a hand to write or submit your file, feel free to hop on IRC (#ckan on irc.esper.net) or open a new issue on NetKAN and we'll be happy to help you!
Before you start
Ensure the mod you want to add hasn't already been added into CKAN. Under some circumstances the CKAN client 'hides' mods so can be unreliable. Performing a couple searches (search bar at the top of the page) of the CKAN metadata repository and the NetKAN repository for the mod's name, spacedock page, github page and/or author name is a good way to check. (You should also try looking in the CKAN app and searching while your filter is set to 'all', and/or search this page.)
(Hopefully) temporary important information: Make sure you check the opt-out list before proceeding.
Also be aware that some mod authors (e.g. RoverDude) manage their own metadata files. In this case it may be more appropriate to make a pull request on the mod author's repository to add the new .netkan and then subsequently create a pull request (or let the author make a pull request) in the metadata repository using the
$kref
string followed by a link (see the CKAN specification for more details) to the actual .netkan in the author's repo. (See the submitting section for more information.)It's recommended that you go to the CKAN release page and download the latest
ckan.exe
. You'll also need the latest netkan.exe
, which is periodically updated by our build system. These utilities require a Mono/.NET 4.5 environment (and libcurl on linux/mac) to run, and hence are compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac!Quick Downloads
Tips
Using a capable text editor can help you create valid JSON (the data format used for .ckan and .netkan files).
GitHub's own Atom editor has two useful plugins, atom-linter and linter-jsonlint, which—when both are installed—will warn you about any errors. Select JSON as the grammar to use when editing .ckan and .netkan files; you configure this to happen automatically by installing the
file-types
add-on and adding this to your config.cson:Some useful snippets to add to Atom for netkan files can be found in this gist.
Quickstart
Here's a straightforward guide to get you on the way:
Step 1. Create the metadata file. Start by finding the guide that matches the hosting solution the mod uses.
- Mods on SpaceDock can start here
- Mods on GitHub can start here (Mods hosted on both SpaceDock and GitHub should follow the SpaceDock guide)
- Mods on neither SpaceDock nor GitHub can start here
Step 2. Verify the metadata file. See Verifying Metadata Files section
Step 3. Submit the mod to the CKAN repository. See Submitting section
While we love submissions of new .netkan files, it's also completely fine to request a mod be added. If you're the author of said mod, please make sure you mention that. If you know the author is on GitHub, it's polite to tag them in the request when you open it.
SpaceDock guide
Automatic
When uploading your mod, look in the bottom right corner for a checkbox labeled 'Add mod to CKAN':
If you check this checkbox, your mod will be marked with a CKAN tag, which allows the CKAN team to find it for indexing.
Manual
Because the mod is hosted on SpaceDock, once you set up the .netkan file the first time you shouldn't need to update it since CKAN can get required information from the SpaceDock API.
Copy paste the following into a new file titled
<identifier>.netkan
(see later for how to choose an identifier):The
spec_version
is the version of CKAN required to read the metadata, you should not change this.You need to change
<identifier>
to a short, unique, name for the mod that will identify the mod inside the system (end users will not see this name). It may only consist of ASCII-letters, ASCII-digits and -
(dash) and it should match the name of the directory that you wish to copy to GameData. Ex: A mod titled 'My first ever mod!! I'm so great!$##' that installs to 'BestModEver' should have the identifier 'BestModEver' because that's where the mod installs to.If the
identifier
is not identical to the folder that should be installed you will need to add more information into the .netkan file in order to tell CKAN where to install files to. See the 'Special Installations' section.The
<sdid>
should be replaced with the SpaceDock ID of the mod. This is an integer number and you can find it in the URL of the mod's page:The license will usually need to be coded in ex.
'license': 'CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0'
. See here for an all-inclusive list of allowable licenses.If the license on the SpaceDock page exactly matches a license specified in the schema, you can replace the 'license' line with
'x_netkan_license_ok' : true
. This tells the CKAN bot that SpaceDocks's API for licensing information will provide an allowable license string.If the mod contains a valid
.version
file for KSP-AVC see this sectionIf the mod has 'Dependencies or Recommended Companion Mods', see the section with that title, if not you can move on to the Verifying Metadata Files section.
GitHub guide
Copy paste the following into a new file titled
<identifier>.netkan
(see later for how to choose an identifier):The
spec_version
is the version of CKAN required to read the metadata, if possible, you should not change this.You need to change
<identifier>
to a short, unique, name for the mod that will identify the mod inside the system (end users will not see this name). It may only consist of ASCII-letters, ASCII-digits and -
(dash) and it should match the name of the directory that you wish to copy to GameData. Ex: A mod titled 'My first ever mod!! I'm so great!$##' that installs to 'BestModEver' should have the identifier 'BestModEver' because that's where the mod installs to.If the
identifier
is not identical to the folder that should be installed you will need to add more information into the .netkan file in order to tell CKAN where to install files to. See the 'Special Installations' section.You will need to change
<user>
to the GitHub username, and <repo>
to the repository name (Eg: for a mod hosted at https://github.com/pjf/DogeCoinFlag the <user>
is pjf
and the <repo>
is DogeCoinFlag
meaning $kref
should be #/ckan/github/pjf/DogeCoinFlag
).The CKAN bot will attempt to turn the Github Repository name into a nice full name, inserting spaces before uppercase letters or instead of dashes. If this is not successful, you may wish to add a
name
field containing the full name you want users to see for the mod under name
The CKAN bot will similarly use the Repository owner to populate the author's name, which you can replace with one or more authors in an
author
tag, and if the repository description is set (see below screenshots), that will be used to create the mod description that users will see, which you can replace with an abstract
tag.If the license of the GitHub repo exactly matches a license specified in the schema, you can replace the
license
line with 'x_netkan_license_ok' : true
. This tells the CKAN bot that GitHub's API for licensing information will provide an allowable license string.Remember, you will have to update the .netkan with the newest
ksp_version
manually when KSP updates, since Github can't provide us with this information.Besides when KSP updates though, the mod should remain up to date when new versions of the mod are released.
resources
conveys extra information to the CKAN clients that users can see. The most useful of which is homepage
which should be changed to the best source of information regarding the mod (usually the mod's KSP thread)Nba 2k14 free download. Delist Me Abuse DB ONLY. InterServer Real Time Malware DetectionReal time suspected malware list as detected by InterServer's InterShield protection system.DNSRBL available at with lookups to rbl.interserver.netStatsInfo on 88.99.2.89Abuse DBID 722236First Seen 2017-12-26 03:16:16Last Seen 2019-06-26 07:18:39Reason 'modsecurity'Total Servers 51Total listings 135Error: Your IP may be getting blocked by our IPS due to a known string of false positive. Complete the reCAPTCHA then submit the form to delist.
If the mod contains a valid
.version
file for KSP-AVC see this sectionIf the mod has 'Dependencies or Recommended Companion Mods', see the section with that title, if not you can move on to the Verifying Metadata Files section.
Curse Guide
Because the mod is hosted on Curse, once you set up the .netkan file the first time you shouldn't need to update it since CKAN can get required information from the Curse website.
Copy paste the following into a new file titled
<identifier>.netkan
(see later for how to choose an identifier):The
spec_version
is the version of CKAN required to read the metadata, you should not change this unless adding other elements to the netkan such as install directives.You need to change
<identifier>
to a short, unique, name for the mod that will identify the mod inside the system (end users will not see this name). It may only consist of ASCII-letters, ASCII-digits and -
(dash) and it should match the name of the directory that you wish to copy to GameData. Ex: A mod titled 'My first ever mod!! I'm so great!$##' that installs to 'BestModEver' should have the identifier 'BestModEver' because that's where the mod installs to.If the
identifier
is not identical to the folder that should be installed you will need to add more information into the .netkan file in order to tell CKAN where to install files to. See the 'Special Installations' section.The
<curseid>
should be replaced with the Curse ID of the mod. This is an integer number and you can find it in the URL of the mod's page:The license will usually need to be coded in ex.
'license': 'CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0'
. See here for an all-inclusive list of allowable licenses.If the license on the Curse page exactly matches a license specified in the schema, you can replace the 'license' line with
'x_netkan_license_ok' : true
. This tells the CKAN bot that Curse's API for licensing information will provide an allowable license string.resources
conveys extra information to the CKAN clients that users can see. The most useful of which is homepage
which should be changed to the best source of information regarding the mod (usually the mod's KSP thread)If the mod contains a valid
.version
file for KSP-AVC see this sectionHow To Download Ksp Mods On Steam Engine
If the mod has 'Dependencies or Recommended Companion Mods', see the section with that title, if not you can move on to the Verifying Metadata Files section.
Other host guide
If the mod uses a hosting solution other than SpaceDock, Github or Curse, it might still be possible to include it in the CKAN as long as the hosting allows automated downloads and you are willing to fill in a little bit of information.
Copy paste the following into a new file titled
<identifier>.netkan
(see later for how to choose an identifier):Please make sure that automated downloads are possible and allowed by the hosting solution.
The
spec_version
is the version of CKAN required to read the metadata, you should not change this.You need to change
<identifier>
to a short, unique, name for the mod that will identify the mod inside the system (end users will not see this name). It may only consist of ASCII-letters, ASCII-digits and -
(dash) and it should match the name of the directory that you wish to copy to GameData. Ex: A mod titled 'My first ever mod!! I'm so great!$##' that installs to 'BestModEver' should have the identifier 'BestModEver' because that's where the mod installs to.If the
identifier
is not identical to the folder that should be installed you will need to add more information into the .netkan file in order to tell CKAN where to install files to. See the 'Special Installations' section.You will need to add the full name you want users to see for the mod under
name
, the author's name under author
and a description that users will see under abstract
.Each new release of the mod will require manually editing the .netkan with the new
version
and each update to KSP will require the ksp_version
to be updated.You will also have to choose the appropriate license that the mod is under for
license
. See here for an all-inclusive list of allowable licenses.resources
conveys extra information to the CKAN clients that users can see. The most useful of which is homepage
which should be changed to the best source of information regarding the mod (usually the mod's KSP thread)Each version of the mod will require manually inputting the
download
location. Simply replace <download_url>
with the direct link to the mod's .zipCurrently our bots will not be able to pick up new releases automatically for hosts other than SpaceDock or GitHub. (As of the time of writing, Curse integration will be added in the near-future)
If the mod contains a valid
.version
file for KSP-AVC see this sectionIf the mod has 'Dependencies or Recommended Companion Mods', see the section with that title, if not you can move on to the Verifying Metadata Files section.
KSP-AVC support
If the distribution contains a valid
.version
file for KSP-AVC, we can search it for information about which versions of KSP the mod works with. This is done with just one special line:You should leave out the
ksp_version
field if you use $vref
.Internal .ckan
files
Sometimes your mod's metadata might need to change due to underlying changes in a new release. For example, a new version of your mod may depend on a particular version of another mod, or it may introduce a conflict with some mod that doesn't apply to older versions. Or you may wish to change your install paths. It can be hard to figure out the timing of such changes so that the old version is not accidentally changed and the new version is not released under the old metadata.
In these cases you can put the version-specific metadata in your downloaded ZIP file, in a file with the
.ckan
extension. The indexing bot will read this file and add any properties it contains to that version's metadata. For example, if a new version requires Ringworld 0.1.0 and conflicts with TransferWindowPlanner, putting this file in the ZIP would take care of those requirements without affecting other versions:Note that an internal
.ckan
file can only add properties; it cannot override or remove properties that are set in your main netkan entry!Dependencies or Recommended Companion Mods
If the mod has relationships to other mods, you can easily tell CKAN by adding just a few lines:
Dependencies
With a
depends
relationship when a user tries to install the mod using CKAN, its dependencies will be also be automatically installed. CKAN won't install a mod unless it can resolve all of its dependencies. When a mod is uninstalled all mods that have a depends
relationship to that mod will also be uninstalled.Sometimes dependencies are bundled with a mod for regular users. In these cases you should use an explicit
depends
relationship rather than getting the CKAN client to install bundled files. Doing so will not only prevent users from upgrading dependencies, but will also prevent other mods from using them.Remember to make sure to specify the mod's
identifier
in the 'name' field, or CKAN won't be able to resolve the dependency. You can look at the CKAN-meta repository to find out what mods are supported and find their identifier.Don't use
depends
unless you really have to: use them only when they are absolutely necessary for the mod to function properly. Unnecessary depends
relationships can leave a mod un-installable if the dependency cannot be met (especially common when a new version of KSP is released).Recommended and Suggested Companion Mods
recommends
and suggests
are entered into the metadata in the same way as depends
but they define a different type of relationship:recommends
says that modules should be installed with the mod, but they're not absolutely required. These are installed by default unless the user deselects them. See here for a screenshot of howrecommends
are presented to users.suggests
indicates these modules are great things to install as well, but won't be installed by default. This should be the preferred method to suggest another mod to the user. See here for a screenshot of howsuggests
are presented to users.
Special Installations
If the mod has some more elaborate installation instructions, you can use an 'install stanza' to make sure everything ends up in the right place. The simplest case is when the mod name is different from the directory you need to install; for example, if an author has multiple mods installed to the same directory you could use:
In this case if a .zip file has a path to the mod of
GameData/MyAuthorName/MyMod
the MyMod
folder will be installed to the user as GameData/MyAuthorName/MyMod
. In some cases directory structures aren't important. For example if the .zip file has a path to the mod of hello/world/MyMod
then you would want 'file' : 'hello/world/MyMod'
so that the 'MyMod' folder from the zip is installed directly to the 'GameData' folder for the user.You can have multiple install sections if you need to install multiple parts and/or have ship files to copy:
Please don't use this to install any mods bundled in the archive (like ModuleManager). This will cause conflicts. Please use an explicit
depends
instead (see above section).The paths are resolved as follows:
- The input path is resolved relative to the packaged zip file: please note that 'file' can (and usually does) point to folders.
- The 'install_to' path is one of these four special folders:
GameData
Ships
Tutorials
GameRoot
Verifying Metadata Files
You've created the .netkan file, and now you need to test to see if it works. You'll be using the
netkan.exe
utility which will verify the file and generate the metadata for the mod. This is a command-line only program, and you can run it simply by providing the file's name:This will produce a
.ckan
file (the mod's full/inflated metadata) in the same directory. You can leave the --verbose
switch out, but then the tool will be silent unless something goes wrong.Having inflated the metadata using the
netkan
tool, you should now try installing the mod:You can use the
ckan
GUI to test installing the mod: File -> Install from .ckan
Or the command line:
And you can then view the files installed:
If that worked, great! The mod is now officially compatible with the CKAN: the next step is submitting
Submitting
You can now open an issue on the NetKAN and include a copy of the .netkan or if you're familiar with git and GitHub, then we love pull-requests (to NetKAN, not CKAN-meta) even more! If you send a pull-request and the tests come back negative that's normal.
netkan.exe
and ckan.exe
weren't built as or meant to be a full test suite. Common errors that will get past user tools but not Jenkins include invalid JSON structure (an extra or missing comma) and the name of a .netkan
not being identical to the identifier
. If you're able to read the console output from the bot: excellent. If not don't fret a member of the team will inform you of changes that are required.Not sure what pull-requests are but want to learn? See the Pull Requests section
More examples
If you are still confused, you might be able to solve your problems by taking a look at the metadata files of other mods. The NetKAN has many examples which our indexer uses. If you feel comfortable using git, you can also send us pull requests to this location!
The full spec
If you need it, the complete CKAN metadata spec is available, in both human readable and machine readable format. The CKAN provides both a lot of power and flexibility, so check out the spec for more things you can do and the ways to use them.
Bot status
The indexing bot's most recently checked mods and error messages are listed on this page:
This is mostly useful for mods hosted on GitHub, Curse, and SpaceDock, as mods hosted elsewhere cannot be checked for new releases automatically.
Note that the status page reflects only the bot's processing, and does not change when a mod's metadata is modified manually via pull requests on GitHub. However, such updates will be shown after the bot's next pass is completed.
Licensing
The ckan bots need to run some checks on the file before they can accept it as valid. Unfortunately, this comes with an unpleasant restriction: the file will only be accepted if the license matches one defined in the CKAN schema.
Please choose a license from that list to ensure that the bots can recognize it.
Help! I need to overwrite another mod's files
By design, the CKAN does not allow the overwriting of files, nor does it allow installation order to be specified. This not only gives us a number of strong mathematical assurances (we can analyze dependencies as a set, rather than a graph), but it also means we can immediately detect conflicts, and we don't have to worry about mods installed 'earlier' in the install overwriting those from 'later' in the install when they're upgraded.
The ideal solution (when you can't use ModuleManager) to this is to split configuration from content. TACLS is a great example here; TACLS give you the core, but depends upon the virtual 'TACLS-Config' package. That can be provided by TACLS-Config-Stock, or TACLS-Config-RealismOverhaul, which both conflict and provide TACLS-Config, which means that you can only have one installed at a time. If you're running RealismOverhaul, then it depends upon TACLS-Config-RealismOverhaul, so you get the right one. And if you're not running RO, then you'll get the stock config, because the RO config depends upon RO.
Note that this makes it absolutely clear which package owns which files. If you were to upgrade TACLS, you'd still keep the RealismOverhaul configs for it if they were installed.
Of course, the module authors needn't split their configuration from their content at all; instead our metadata documents specify the TACLS config file that comes with TACLS for 'Stock', and the one that comes with RealismOverhaul for RO. No extra files are downloaded, but the end result is we still have strong assurances as to file ownership and consistency.
Additional Resources
If you need a hand to write or submit the file, feel free to hop on IRC (#ckan on irc.esper.net) or open a new issue in the NetKAN repository and we'll be happy to help you!
You can also check out the forum thread that contains more information and discussion.
Pull Requests
Submitting files via pull requests makes things a little easier on our end. Here's the easiest way to submit one simply using a web browser.
Step 1: Sign up for a GitHub account and then be logged in.
Step 2: Navigate over to KSP-CKAN's NETKAN repository (or just click).
Step 3: Click on the 'NetKAN' folder and you'll see the .netkan files for a large number of mods(or just click).
Step 4: Click the 'New File' button.
Step 5: At the top insert the file name (example.netkan) then copy + paste the contents of the .netkan file you created earlier into the text box. Click on 'Propose new file' then add any relevant details in the comment area and click 'Create pull request'.
Step 6: Smile. Someone will review the file and either request changes or integrate your contribution into database. The mod will be listed in CKAN shortly thereafter.
What's happening on the backend/more technical stuff? When you clicked on the 'New File' link, GitHub creates a copy of the entire NetKAN repository under your name (called a fork). The file you created (the .netkan file) exists in your fork of the NetKAN repository. The 'pull request' is you sending the CKAN team a request for them to take the .netkan file you created and incorporate it into the official repository. Why so complicated? For science!
Kerbal Space Program is rapidly becoming a more expansive and complex rocket simulator and that’s helped alpong greatly by Kerbal mods. With the launch of Kerbal Space Program 1.1 the game has leapt forward, but as well as Squad’s own stellar work, there’s also an enthusiastic community of modders constantly pumping out their own brand of features and enhancements.
New clouds, better physics, catalogues of new rocket parts. You name it, and within reason, it probably exists somewhere in the Kerbal SpacePort add-on repository. But without a guiding hand it’s difficult to know where to begin. So I offer you mine. My guiding hand, that is. Take it, hold tight, and let’s fly, like a cosmic Peter Pan, through the magical world of Kerbal Space Program mods.
Better Atmospheres
Kerbal’s default atmospheres are fairly boring things, a flat layer of cloud cover that helpfully vanishes as you rise through it before turning back into a low-res coating of mottled grey from space. Better Atmospheres does exactly what it says on the meticulously detailed tin, adding more detailed cloud cover not only to Kerbin, but to any other planet lucky enough to have a shred of gas enveloping it.
Distant Object Enhancement
Most planets are visible from Earth without a telescope, appearing as starlike dots in the sky. In fact, the word ‘planet’ comes from the Greek word for ‘what the heck, that star is moving around’. The Distant Object Enhancement mod draws this aspect of reality into Kerbal, rendering distant planets and moons as tiny dots with their flares intact. Other objects such as ships and anything else you fling into space will also be visible from a greater distance, which might not seem like a big deal, but really enhances the spectacle of the early stages of docking with satellites.
KSP Interstellar
Arriving before Kerbal Space Program received its recent expansive First Contract update, KSP Interstellar introduced a giant tech tree of new engines and fuels and other custom parts, which you’d unlock by exploring the solar system and setting up permanent bases in orbit around and on the surfaces of other planets. The technology you discover is all roughly rooted in real world science, with things like anti-matter engines available to players who can progress far enough.
Deadly Reentry
In the real world, or off of it, one of the trickier aspects of space travel is descending from a nice cold orbit back into the atmosphere without exploding. Hitting the sky at around 15,000mph tends to make air get rather hot, so considerations must be made for the angles and velocities at which you sluice into the big blue. Deadly Reentry is another well-titled mod, introducing to Kerbal Space Program this concept of careful returns to terra firma. Improperly shielded or over-exposed parts will be destroyed by the intense heat of a sheer reentry, while planets with heavier atmospheres become even more challenging to touch down on.
MechJeb
Named after the space program’s pioneering kerbonaut, Jebediah Kerman, Mechanical Jeb is an auto-pilot system capable of managing almost all of the most common space maneuvers. Assuming you bolt the MechJeb panel on to an appropriate craft (it’s a physical attachment), it can lift off into orbit, circularise that orbit, transit to and from moons and planets with ridiculous precision and even safely land at your chosen landing site without you ever having to lay a finger on the keyboard. Whether or not this powerful auto-piloting tool can be considered cheating is up to you, but if you’d rather not let your CPU have all the fun, you can manually pilot while still using MechJeb’s helpful auto-positioned maneuvering nodes, which simply inidicate when and where you should be firing your thrusters. That’s probably how real astronauts do it, after all.
ISA MapSat
This satellite mapping tool lends some purpose to your expeditions by allowing you to create topographical maps of planets and moons. Attach the dish to a probe (be sure to add a solar panel, as the scanner creates a small electrical draw, and a battery to keep it ticking over in the dark) and launch it into orbit around your preferred rock. As long as you’re within 500,000km of the planet’s surface, you’ll start gathering raw data about the geography below. ISA MapSat will also highlight any objects detected on the surface, whether it be the smouldering debris of your failed attempts to land there, or something more ancient.
Update: It seems ISA MapSat is no longer supported. Helpful commenter Mighty Gaz suggests looking to the very similar SCANsatmod instead.
Installing Mods In Ksp
Procedural Fairings
Kerbal Space Program’s aerodynamics aren’t, by default, all that punishing, which means you can launch rovers and complex objects into orbit on the tops of rockets without needing any sort of protective, streamlined casing. But, while naked machinery will survive the upwards journey, it’s certainly not a pretty sight. Make all of your rockets look like sleek dildos with the Procedural Fairing mod, which creates custom shielding on the fly to surround your rocket-mounted probes and other assorted crap you want to fire into space. As a bonus, the animation when the fairings break away to reveal your rocket’s hitherto shielded innards is spectacularly melodramatic.
Kethane Pack
The enigmatically promoted Kethane Pack turns Kerbal Space Program from a sandbox into something resembling an actual game by randomly scattering deposits of valuable kethane all across the system. To find it you must first launch kethane prospecting, expeditionary probes to analyse the planet’s surface for seams, before embarking on ambitious mining projects, sending a ship fitted with the required tools to extract the precious, fictional gas. You can convert the stuff into fuel to supply distant refuelling stations and enable more convenient exploration of the farthest reaches of the Kerbol system. Seriously, watch the trailer.
B9 Aerospace Pack
This extensive collection of new parts for Kerbal Space Program includes a selection of beautiful new cockpits with full interior modelling, a wide variety of new jet engines allowing for better spaceplane construction, parts that enable things like vertical take off and landing, as well as a host of pre-built example ships. Variable geometry wings and intakes mean you can tweak prefab parts to fit your ship designs with exact precision, which is ideal for players who’ve moved beyond simply trying to keep their craft intact and airborne and want to build something that looks like it’s just fallen out of Babylon 5’s prop designer’s handbag.
Mods! Mooooods. Find more of them at the Kerbal SpacePort or on the forum, yeah?
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