Can You Use Only The Worst Engine to Jool 5 in Kerbal Space Program?

Spark engines are honestly not the worst thing ever except for the lag, though I had this exact issue in my spider only video as well.
My Discord: / discord
KSP playlist: • Kerbal Space Program

[@ReidCaptain]

Where should I go in an RCS only mission? Also, what other things should I try?

[@Vekkizunt]

Eeloo with RCS only sounds pretty interesting!

[@lukisltu5282]

yes we need an rcs only video and you should try ion only to some kind of planet idk

[@fish3340]

Make a functioning fish that works in the ksp ocean

[@lukisltu5282]

@@fish3340 omg yes perfect idea

[@nightskyreal]

Making a submarine

[@David_Phantom]

I've never seen someone look so happy to be stranded on a planet after an over 900 year mission.

[@binlovesbanana]

they are insane

[@Top-Code]

@@binlovesbanana you misspelled kerbal

[@SoppoBlock2]

Space: the final frontier. This Kerbal’s continuing mission…. Sitting here.

[@binlovesbanana]

@@Top-Code oop, my bad

[@Gamerboy-ml3xp]

If you were floating for 900 years you would be happy to touch land too.

[@manvslife271]

The spark engine is literally one of the best engines in the entire game, it has an insane TWR and efficiency, which makes it so good for low mass missions.

[@seantaggart7382]

Agreed Its just not that powerful With alot of mass

[@amogu_]

A single Spark engine got me my first Minmus landing

[@sycodeathman]

For real. In fact for low mass missions the Spark outperforms the LV-909, despite a 25 second difference in Isp. It's cuz the spark is so low weight that it makes up for the lower Isp with an increased mass fraction.

[@machirim2805]

spark is a hero. it got my voskhod-orion hybrid + lander to the mun and back.

[@nightwolf7231]

@@amogu_ I used it as well during my Munar Excursion missions to the Mun and Minmus. its good soo good or low grav and decently low mass.

[@provi_2244]

Quick tips: - Enable " advanced tweakables" in the configuration menu so you can use autostrut for no rocket wobbliness (right click any part you have placed and hit autostrut: heaviest part) - You can put as many octogonal struts as you want in a fuel tank and strap engines to them, so you can have maybe 33 engines in the bottom of one big fuel tank

[@ReidCaptain]

True and true, but my thinking was that I was already nearing 1000 parts and octagonal struts would have pushed me far over that

[@provi_2244]

@@ReidCaptain yes, that was a sensible move

[@cloudedarctrooper]

Autostrut is the less-laggy version of manual struts. It literally just anchors parts to eachother and reduces lag.

[@provi_2244]

@@cloudedarctrooper not only less laggy but in my opinion is better than manual strut because it's automatic and doesn't add more parts. I think in ksp2 autostrut should be by default

[@widnyj5561]

Spark is the worst engine? That's quite an overstatement, it's perfect for early probes, and even late game landing probes (e.g. for seismic data gathering). It has not the best ISP, but it's very light and has decent TWR - which in effect grant more dV than using some other heavier, but more efficient engine

[@atlas4733]

Exactly my thinking. I’ve used the spark engine a lot, and even though it has very similar stats to the larger terrier engine, I love being able to reduce my weight on upper stages. It’s a great middle ground between the ant and the terrier.

[@user-bl1il3cr9k]

In 2013, when the Spark was introduced, it was the most efficient liquid fuel engine after the Nerv with an ASL ISP of 300 and vacuum ISP of 350. Miss those days.

[@TheOneGaming0]

Bro really did 900 years of gravity assists

[@DoggosGames]

Kerbin probably either broke out into world war and got obliterated or he returns back after a rescue ship comes and the tech is ancient

[@Breadloafcat]

Poor Val, 900 years of gravity assists, yet no snacks :(

[@TikTikboom173]

​@@Breadloafcatkerbals are plants. They don't need snacks.

[@Breadloafcat]

Val Hungry :(

[@brysonmorris622]

You should do a career mode series or something I’d love to see some of the ideas you come up with when limited on resources. It would get people excited for KSP 2 early access.

[@MasterLPG]

*Well about KSP 2 here...*

[@yourbrojohno]

This is literally my favourite engine cause of its good TWR and fits with the ring fuel tank to make easy Landers and effective staging.

[@piotrek1225]

Exactly. Thats the only good engine in the game.

[@dimanyak373]

It's very good for small satellites

[@absolutehuman951]

@@dimanyak373 it's kinda even overkill most of the time. Even an Ant is enough

[@sovietunion8304]

That is where it stops A few of them for medium(Val size) landers one for small landers (minmus size) anything above that it’s better to use bigger engines

[@OneSuperLan]

Poor Valentina spent 905 years in space and now stuck on tylo😢

[@cheshirskiykotya6414]

1 earth year is 6 kerbin years

[@OneSuperLan]

@@cheshirskiykotya6414 valentina doesnt know about earth, she count in kerbin years

[@sawyer3818]

@@cheshirskiykotya6414 its only 3.5 kerbin years

[@sneakyspy103]

Go to every atmospheric planet/moon without parachutes

[@ReidCaptain]

Lol I like it

[@strelnagaming]

@@ReidCaptain do it

[@demondangr]

This is a very good idea, though when you think about a space plane it makes it way easier, due to the fact that you can just glide until you are slow enough, or use you thrusters dto slow down when landing on a non atmospheric planet, and if you have a main ship to refuel at it makes it even easier.

[@alexus6237]

I really like the spark engine 😢

[@YMandarin]

you don't actually need to use an engine plate to place multiple spark engines you can press T to toggle between node attachment and surface attachment (not sure if you need to activate advanced controls first)

[@justasidequestnpc6396]

AFAIK that only works if you have the Editor Extensions mod installed, but it's been a while since I played without it so I might be wrong. If you can't install EE for some reason, you can just surface mount a Cubic Octagonal Strut, attach the engine to the node on the strut, and then offset the strut into the craft so the engine lines up right.

[@YMandarin]

@@justasidequestnpc6396 at first I also thought that, so I went to the vanilla wiki and looked for the key bindings, and there it was: toggle surface attachment, standard key: Mod

[@boahnowers]

you can also just hold alt to ignore node attachment

[@8bits59]

Man looked at N1 and said "not enough engines"

[@Weretyu7777]

You know, now you got save that Kerbal. You can't just leave him on that moon.

[@kaz49]

On a lonely planet, slowly spinning its way to damnation, amid the incompetence and unpreparedness of lesser space programs, one team stands resilient against the herds! Putting their lives on the line to aid those who were previously unaware of the quicksave option. Yes, it's the incredible adventures of Jebediah and his crack team of Kerbonauts! They are: THE BLUNDERBIRDS! Saving the Kerbin race one stranded explorer at a time! (Search up "Matt Lowne blunderbirds" if you didn't get the joke :D)

[@boltgamr1029]

So that 100m/s of delta v you were like "ah this could be an issue, it'll be fine" turned into "that would've been nice to have"

[@k1nk1ne]

900 years mission. A journey through millenia

[@virtuallyreal5849]

*Centuries

[@k1nk1ne]

@@virtuallyreal5849 95 years short. Ok ok! Almost millenia

[@virtuallyreal5849]

Arguably 1095 years short, but yea.

[@SteinGaming2006]

Its a bad engine for big rockets, because its meant for small landers or rockets and is in my opinion the best engine for small spacecraft. Thats why its my go to engine for small landers and spacecraft because its just great for those.

[@randomaccount6146]

The spark is actually one of my favourite engines. I always use it for super small probes and for mobile relay antennas

[@proxima_fish]

The spark engine is amazing for low-mass missions, it's got good TWR and efficiency while being very light

[@amogu_]

it can replace terrier engines entirely if your lander is small enough and you're going to a small body like minmus or pol

[@yepd4321]

you can use radial decouplers and fuel lines to enable cross feed to allow for onion staging which is the most efficient way to do it.

[@madsjohansen8363]

Really good video, keep up the good work

[@ReidCaptain]

Thanks!

[@emptyshirt]

I was gonna say that the spark is actually really good, then I calculated the thrust to weight ratio. Its equal or better than the Swivel in every way, but doesn't generate electricity.

[@KerbalChris]

the spark engine has feelings man

[@ajuntapall8860]

Valentina after spending 905 years in space: "Wait, what do you mean this trip was one-way?"

[@Roach18]

The spark Engines are actually really good for probes, the low weight of probes makes it perfect with it's low fuel consumption.

[@-.-SpaceCat-.-]

The poor Kerbal was left stranded on tylo lol

[@jackmcslay]

One of my favourite things about minimalist missions is watching the mission timer. Imagine spending 905 years in space just to end up stranded on Tylo

[@SeedlessProductions]

That long, lingering shot on 1312...yes. Yes!

[@aasishwarsaravana5748]

You could always use the structural mini beams for multiple engine mounting. Great video though!

[@beez1717]

Amazing job! I would have only changed one thing about this mission and that would be to use drogue chutes so you could slow down a lot faster. It would probably have saved you a lot more fuel depending on how well you executed the maneuver.

[@PizzayaWasTaken]

Finally, a nice KSP video on a cool winter day

[@mbanana23456]

Gotta love it when the only limits the game throws at you is your p.c. turning into a rocket engine.

[@jayredd8340]

You say it's because the game was on for 12 hours, but I'm convinced that Pol is cursed.

[@carltonleboss]

You can't just leave Valentina stranded on Tylo, y'know.

[@enderkatze6129]

Now save the kerbal. This is a threat. Save him.

[@ReidCaptain]

Perhaps

[@atlas4733]

I love this engine! I’ve used the spark engine a lot, and even though it has very similar stats to the larger terrier engine, I love being able to reduce my weight on upper stages. It’s a great middle ground between the ant and the terrier.

[@bittucngt2888]

905 kerbal years and 388 kerbal days after crash landed i wonder how many generations of kerbals have been born on that space craft since it left kerban ?

[@ironicoxide]

i use the spark a lot for satellites and stuff. good for when you need a little more juice than rcs for a low mass payload, for a rendezvous or tweaking your orbit or whatever.

[@spooderman4008]

Can you make the SpinLaunch's Orbital Accelerator? It's basically a giant spinny that lets go of a payload that contains a small rocket into near orbit where the small rocket will complete said orbit.

[@Akotski-ys9rr]

I like how he’s just casually warping through decades of time

[@GlaceonStudios]

Next time you try to fly by Duna, I suggest you use it to slow down to get back to Kerbin. This should probably get you a more energetic Kerbin assist. Or try and burn toward Eve, maybe.

[@ceriks9954]

I loooove your content sooo mutch keep it up man👍👍❤️❤️

[@ulaaks3334]

How did u get back in the lander on laythe? I swear the jetpack don't work there

[@jadegecko]

Funny thing is, back in the day the Spark was ridiculously OP

[@peternorton188]

More fuel than you needed on your Val descent. Leaving that excess in orbit would’ve meant less fuel burn and prob have left enough for your initial Tylo design. Fun video!

[@contingenesis5126]

You can feel his sanity slowly decreasing in his Voice as The video Goes by

[@josephmatthews7698]

Dude goes to Jool with sparks and I can't even make it to the moon with three twin boars and half a dozen reliants. Wtf.

[@jmstudios457]

Honestly the Spark isn't terrible. Its a great early-mid game landing engine and I find myself using it a lot for Minmus landers, when the extra thrust of the terrier isn't needed and often the reduction in dry mass gives me more DV than I would have gotten with the terrier

[@fragmentofself]

Just think how bored (and long lived) you'd have to be to say "A thousand year space mission? Sure, why not?"

[@user-sb5jz6uv2j]

really nice to see what a chalange this one really is since almost all youtubers can easy do jool5

[@duboiplayswert4641]

7:17 this took a little while 160 years

[@sharkocat5199]

The spark has great thrust to weight and amazing efficiency, its an amazing engine for probes, and it can get you pretty much anywhere in the kerbol system! Its one of the best engines in the game in my opinion

[@cameronbruscino6687]

Ya remade the N1 rocket… Congrats comrade!

[@xander2853]

Worst engine? The spark is great 1 lightweight 2 relatively efficient 3 early game 4 delicious 5 the most powerful tiny engine

[@januszdawidowystudios2137]

congratulations for valentina for not going insane after 905 years

[@timer192]

The Kerbal is still there to this day

[@deeptnt3399]

lets gooo the sparky dogs won the vote

[@michalsniadala1667]

nice new ksp video

[@miksceihners50]

While no doubt impressive, returning to Kerbin is a vital part of any Jool 5 mission

[@ducoschollmeijer4841]

Mod recommendation: The Waterfall mod turns engine plumes from particles into meshes, which optimizes them. It also looks way better

[@korbinh4147]

The spark engine is arguably the best LF/O thruster in KSP. Its only competition is the vector. When I did my grand tour mission which included the outer planets mod, I used the spark engine for everything except for the first stage of the Eve lander (which was a vector). The spark has enough Isp and TWR to create a ~3-ton Tylo lander or a ~5-ton Laythe lander. I'm sure the latter stat can be significantly reduced since I'm not good at atmospheric landings in this game. All these cases were, however, Apollo-style landers; creating a Kerbin launch stage from spark engines does indeed seem challenging.

[@gabonthecob8087]

How do you timewarp so fast?

[@mumblety]

now go to every planet with spark engines

[@ReidCaptain]

No

[@cheesemancomics]

@@ReidCaptain 😳

[@Nadeli0]

He really just shut you down XD

[@steinklotz69]

I think that the greater Sigerian realm is located in the middle of the grounds of physics where Isaac newton lives.

[@greif1779]

the spark is one of the most efficient vacuum engines in the game (aside from the nerv)

[@brandoncarter3042]

I guess you’ll be calling up Matt lowne to rescue your kerbal now?

[@joshuachudley1270]

Now get Matt Lowne to Call the BlunderBirds to save you

[@Ph1syc]

To anyone wondering this game is currently free on epic games!

[@roberine7241]

and it runs on my Laptop😀 time to leave a kerbal flying around in a spaceship for hundreds of years.

[@Ph1syc]

@@roberine7241 oh crap you cn get it to launch?

[@roberine7241]

@@Ph1syc perfectly fine

[@Atomicitalia]

you should look into indoorlands! they have a very in depth ride builder. you might be able to make or break something with it. letsgameitout made a video on it and he uses the ride builder.

[@mrmunchkin2181]

Still waiting for Reid to try out the RP-1 modpack.

[@zackarysimpson220]

when you call gravity assists “flybys”

[@fertileplanet7756]

Idea: getting to a random celestial body with one object from each category of part which is determined by a random number generator

[@GoldenMoonOfDeltaCommentaries]

I feel like you need to do a video of you recovering all these stranded kerbols

[@ReidCaptain]

I have a couple rescue videos but I def didn't get everyone

[@cle4tle]

The puff after hearing that the spark is the worst: 💀

[@nutterbutterwithoutthebutt6210]

I don’t know why but I had a stroke reading the title

[@lightningboltstudios7372]

Wait how do you launch

[@Swagmaster07]

It's stupid that to do these challenges, you have to face a lot of lag, maybe you could make a moded variant of X (example engine, X can be replaced by any engine) engine, but increase its stats 10x compared to the OG, larger size, the results would literally be the same but less lag because less parts.

[@Glenn938]

2:26 what is your specs?

[@nastykerb34]

alternate title : jool 5 with only slark

[@oliwierkwiatkowski8817]

0:34 is that an Eagle 9 made by SpaceY?

[@vexital5666]

YEEEEES new ksp video i love ksp

[@tetronaut88]

The spark is very good for Minmus.

[@thatkoala958]

WE NEED A RESCUE MISSION NOW

[@demon_xd_]

amazing work (p.s. since you landed Valentina on Vall, you are npow entitled to bragging rights)

[@trickythefox9598]

8 minuts in, and 904 years have passed 💀

[@millyo6961]

Hey matt we need. The stranded ⭐

[@Phoenix2.5D]

the Stratzenblitz experience™

[@jonmab6990]

The spark engine sucks if you want to use it for liftoff, but its high thrust to fuel usage makes it good for small mun landers

[@Maxim67459]

bro built a rocket with the worst engine and got to jool while i can`t get to mun on my super rocket

[@JeshiahIsaacSutanto]

I have a mission now, Rescue time so, Matt Lowne please Blunderbirds episode.

[@astr0jack440]

Spark is really good, it’s small enough for most small missions, has great isp and thrust, it ain’t the worst engine in the game, that would be the shrimp srb

[@FluffyPorg4]

you should try to go around the sun and back

[@ReidCaptain]

Like a sun scraper type mission?

[@FluffyPorg4]

@@ReidCaptain yea

[@beeman9229]

Did i miss the part where he landed on Laythe or do I have the memory of a demented 50 year old crusty musty dusty bubble-eye goldfish covered in moss and mushrooms starving to death while having diarhhea at the same time?

[@dragnkiller1375]

Looks like a rocket gru would make

[@Arc_5]

why do i feel like he has the same script as red nile

[@ceriks9954]

Just reminding you that there is these fule tubes that can make your rocket much better and you dont have to make 20 boosters

[@1940_maustank]

I only see one use for the spark and it’s for the 2 small moons on at kerbail and eve

[@cheshirskiykotya6414]

This engine only for small probes in open space, not to take of from kerbin. Its not "bad", it has its own place in game.

[@___0006]

Spark is the worst? Nah bro your tripping, Puff is easily worse not to mention the twitch which is just a lower ISP version of the spark.