Flat rocket challenge

[Tweeker]

I was messing around today, and put this into Orbit,

I thought it might be a good idea for a challenge, build a flat rocket, and fly it somewhere.

Level 1 = Orbit

Level 2 = Mun or Duna & Back

Level 3 = Another planet and Back, Duna excluded.

Level 4 = Jool 5 challenge

Edited August 14, 2016 by Tweeker
Changed rule to make Duna part of Level 2

[qzgy]

What do you mean by flat rocket?

[Stratzenblitz75]

Flat rockets are fun! They are quite an interesting engineering challenge to build and control, especially if they are really short and wide.

Here's what a 70 cm tall rocket to Moho looks like:

 

Also, I think you should clarify the rules of your challenge. For example, whats the maximum height allowed? Or, is there a maximum ratio of height to width? Is there going to be a scoring system? Are mods allowed?

[Tweeker]

Well,

Generally speaking every effort should be made to build the rocket radially.

  1)  In general the rocket should use the shortest tank of each size,

.625m =Oscar-b

1.25m = FL-T100

2.5m = X200-8

3.75m = S3-3600

Any mono-prop tanks

The tanks cannot be stacked vertically, but can be added radially.

The middle height tanks are frowned on.

The tallest tanks can be used if they are laid on their sides.

2) Any thing that docks or un-docks, or decouples from the rocket should do so on the side

3) The Kickback, Thumper, and Twin boar must be laid on their sides. The Hammer may be used provided it isn't put "under" anything

4) Engines and heatshields are the only thing that can be put under the rocket, and parachutes or heatshields maybe be attached on top of fuel tanks

5)  All science parts may be installed as you like except:

The Science jr should be radially attached,

The mobile processing lab must be laid down.

 

I am sure there is more, but In general just stick with the spirit of the challenge.

 

  

[Cunjo Carl]

This nearly but doesn't quite match the description. It's close enough, I hope folk'll find it interesting anyways.

The Asparagus Monster

Medium tanks of all sizes are staged in a single-layer spiral fashion.The ship starts with 12 tiny oscar-b tanks in the middle, and goes out to 12 of each medium tank all the way up to the 3.5m kerbodyne. Since each scale has 12 tanks, there's 24 stages all asparagussed in there. The thing pushes 10km/s at 4-5TWR. Not particularly impressive, but it's an interesting idea pushed to a silly extreme.

I'm trying to think of a way to run this challenge with sheets of big deltas, but I'm not quite getting it. If I ever do, then off to the mun I'll go.

@Tweeker If you swapped the Vector with a Skipper and sprinkled in some radial SRBs, I have launched that exact rocket. It has all the aerodynamics of a Humvee, but boy it's fun to stage up and fly!

 

@Stratzenblitz75 Nice camera work! Service bays are indeed the best command pods. Oh, and I love your Eve ∞  mission by the way. 

Edited July 29, 2016 by Cunjo Carl

[Tweeker]

 

@Cunjo Carl   I think your rocket might get a pass, even though it could be flatter.  It's form is still nice and flat.

speaking of bad aerodynamic I built this thing too, It doesn't fit in the definition of the challenge, but it sure has some interesting aero effects, especially when making your turn to circularize.

 

@Stratzenblitz75

That is outstanding. GG!! That qualifies for level 3 with bonus points

[Crocket]

Will do! Working on it right now!

[specialopsdave]

Are you allowed to mount a Flea SRB on a decoupler under the main engines?

[Tweeker]

4 hours ago, specialopsdave said:

Are you allowed to mount a Flea SRB on a decoupler under the main engines?

See rule #2

  2) Anything that docks or un-docks, or decouples from the rocket should do so on the side

 

[specialopsdave]

6 minutes ago, Tweeker said:

See rule #2

  2) Anything that docks or un-docks, or decouples from the rocket should do so on the side

 

Ah, okay! Sorry, I didn't see that.

[Tweeker]

Bang! Zoom! Straight to the Mun!!!!

I tinkered with this during the week.

It's fairly slow to ascend, Probably because it has so much drag. It doesn't really start picking up speed until you are most of the way out of the atmosphere.

once in orbit it looks like this:

That has enough delta V to land on the moon:

And almost enough to return to orbit.

The last stage runs on 2 sparks, and has about 3,300 M/s Delta V or 2,900 if you don't ditch the 6 outside tanks.

That's more than enough to return to Kerbin. Once again it slows down fast, You can aero-brake it in without a heatshield, and you are slow enogh for a chute to open by 15,000 meters. I got cocky and skipped the parachute, but I misjudge the burn. So no engines or landing gear in the picture. 

[Tweeker]

I added some moar boosters to the outside of the rocket, 

It can make Duna now,

That should be enough for level 3, but It feels too easy. There was not a lot more required than level 2, So i'm going to make a rules change.

Level 2 is now a return mission from The Mun or Duna.

Level 3 is a return mission from any other planet except Duna.