Challenge: Cheapest Kerbin orbiter for 2 tourists

[martincmartin]

We occasionally get contracts to take tourists places, I just got one to orbit Kerbin.  As a good engineer, I want to do it with lowest cost.  Here's my rocket.  How can it be improved?

Bonus points for only using things from the first 4 columns of the tech tree, i.e. that cost 45 science or less.

 Total cost: 7,980

30.6t

1 x Mk1 Command pod

1 x Mk16 Parachute

2 x Mk2-R radial parachute

1 x Mk1 Crew cabin

1 x Heat Shield

2 x Stack Decoupler

2 x FL-T400 fuel tank

1 x LV-909 terrier engine

3 x Thumper solid booster

2 x Aerodynamic Nose Cone

4 x basic fin

 

Edited February 5, 2016 by martincmartin
Make cost clearer

[LordKael]

I'm not sure about the cost of that thing, because you didn't post it, and I'm not going to go do addition. But, I made a supremely cost effective tourist vehicle with:

1x Mk1 Cmd Pod

3x Mk1 Crew cabin

Fuel

Terrier Engine

2x Hammer SRBs

4x fins

 

This lets me train new recruits, as well as profit handsomely from tourist contracts.

[Nich]

 I would ditch the heat shield and do parachute powered landings with landing gear at KSP to improve recovery value.   Also you might consider having a probe core fly rather than an astronaut as they are significantly lighter

Edited February 5, 2016 by Nich

[martincmartin]

Thanks.  Actually I did include the total cost, it's 7980, I just edited it to make it clearer.

I'm surprised you can reach orbit with 2 hammers and a terrier, I thought you'd need a lot more thrust than that. I'll give it a try next time I'm playing.

Edited February 7, 2016 by martincmartin

[nosirrbro]

Now, if I make an SSTO with almost no cost between missions from the fuel but it has a large upfront cost does that count or no?

[maccollo]

Remove the capsule monoprop and reduce the heatshield ablator to about one quarter (or maybe you can even remove it entirely?). If you fly it well you should be able to get it to orbit with only one booster and slightly less fuel on the upper stage. The margins are gonna be somewhat tight though. Also you probably don't need the fins. You can also remove the decoupler between the booster and the upper stage.

Edited February 5, 2016 by maccollo

[Nich]

Cost 4800

recovered for 2500 (I was away short on KSA)

 

[livefree75]

Shouldn't this go in the Challenges section?

[Jhawk1099]

Well what about an SSTO? If you can get it into orbit and land it on the runway (I have yet to do this but ive been close) then it will cost you just the fuel

 

[martincmartin]

11 hours ago, Nich said:

Cost 4800

recovered for 2500 (I was away short on KSA)

 

Awesome!  I don't have that adapter yet, or the batteries, but it still looks interesting.  Is that an inline reaction wheel under the Stayputnik?

7 hours ago, Jhawk1099 said:

Well what about an SSTO? If you can get it into orbit and land it on the runway (I have yet to do this but ive been close) then it will cost you just the fuel

 

How could you land it?  On re-entry, the mass would be so high that you'd never be going slow enough to deploy any parachutes. 

[Nich]

I dont see an SSTO working with tier 4 tech.  Best I was able to do was a 70x9 with a swivel starting at 1 TWR.  Reliant has better thrust and can take a little more fuel but it is less efficient I just cant get the same vacuum dv

But a combow powered/parachute landing is always possible.  I could see using a smaller SRB to start.

Yes you need the inline reaction wheel as stayputnik sucks or doesn't have one I don't remember.  Also this is a pain in the a** to fly with no SAS

[Nich]

So I was wrong reliant with its extra thrust was able to make orbit but man it was a pain in the butt.  I had to turn off first 3 tanks to keep the craft stableish.  Then moved all remaining fuel to the bottom tank for re-entry.  It was fairly stable on reentry and slowed down below 250 before 9000m.  You do have to be careful to recover asap otherwise it can tip.  Cost is 1020 if you can land it at KSA, 2300 if you only get 75%

 

 

[Jhawk1099]

1 hour ago, martincmartin said:

How could you land it?  On re-entry, the mass would be so high that you'd never be going slow enough to deploy any parachutes. 

You have to start re entry way way way ahead of the KSC but its possible. And if you undershoot you can either glide or use any fuel you have left to fly there and then slow down and deploy chutes if need be.

[martincmartin]

I just did it with this, based on Nitch's idea cost 4170.  You're right, controlling it without SAS is a pain.  And there was basically no margin for error, after achieving orbit I only had a tiny amount of fuel left, just enough to change periapsis to 24km.  But it worked!

Edited February 6, 2016 by martincmartin
Fix image link