One Shot Station Challenge

[Jestersage]

Sometimes it's due to laziness. Sometimes it's due to budget crunch. But sometimes, a single launch station can be more than enough. And to make it easier? One that does not need to be reassemble in space.

So let's see your one shot stations, fellow Kerbalnauts!

Minimum requirement: 
-delivery: It must be in a payload faring, or Orbiter-Derived type - So none of those "6 stacks of Mammoth surround an unprotected Von-Braun station". In short, it need to look plausible in real life, or had been proposed in real life. Otherwise you will need to challenge your claim, with reference. Fortunately for you I can't think of a way to exclude an ITS based solution (and knowing Elon, he will just use the empty tank as wet workshop too). Edit: And there are quite a lot of solutions that would fit Kerbal's spirit!
-Module-Crew: It must have a lab, and crew space. How many? See scoring below.
-Module-Fuel: It must function as a Fuel Depot, with LFO capacity of at least 2 orange tank (5760/7040) AND 750 for Monoprop (logic "and", btw. That means both. Not logic "or")
-Stable Orbit: In a stable Kerbin orbit minimum (aka you can have it in Mun/Minmus orbit, but it will be judged all the same as one in Kerbin Orbit.)

Failure to satisfy above will render the entry null and void.

Scoring: (These are not the absolute minimum requirements - The above section is) (NOTE: These are for the stations, not your flyback boosters, unless you do want to attach the thing to the station)
-Each heatshield parts, -5.
-Each control surface, except the Delta Wing, FAT series, the Big-S series: -5
-Each Delta Wing, Big-S series, and FAT series: -10
-Part count score: 200-x, where x is your End part counts. KER will help with part counts. If you get negative, you have negative points.

-Kerbal capacity: for each non-lab crew space, +1, Up to 16 points
-Fuel Capacity Score: (total LF capacity / 1000) + (total O2 capacity / 1000) + (total mono capacity / 100). (Hey, It's a refuel station too)
-Ore capacity Score: (capacity/100), up to 30 points
-Refinery: Small = 5, Large = 10
-Have a Tug with KLAW: 10
-Each Science Experiment (excluding the atmospheric and surface only sensors): +2 per type. (Aka: 2 Sci Jr = 1 Sci Jr = 2 points)

-No rearrangement: 10 points
-Have it on KerbalX, or an easy to find website or thread: Instant 100 points.

Leaderboard (stock):
Scarecrow (second entry) 639.6
Physics Student:474.6
Wanderfound: 346.5
sdj64: 282
Jestersage: 280
Scarecrow (1st entry): 183.4

Leaderboard (Mod)
Nothing for now

Other Notes:
Mods are welcome, but will be a seperate category

Example: Mine: Orbiter Derived Station-C

2 control surface (at the Mk3 engine mount): -10 points
In orbit part count: 144, thus 200-144 = 56 points

Capacity: Total of 19 = 16 points
Fuel capacity: (20185/1000) + (16515/1000) + (2630/100)  = 63 points
Ore Capacity: 1500/100 = 15 points
Refinery, Large: 10 points
Tug with KLAW: 10 points
Science experiment: All 4 basic sensor and Science Jr + Narrow band scanner: 10 points

Rearrangement Not required = 10 points
On KerbalX: 100 points: https://kerbalx.com/Jestersage/Orbiter-Derived-Station-C

Final Score for me: 280

P.S. Should I put my Orbiter Derived Station C on Spacecraft exchange too, I wonder?

Edited April 27, 2017 by Jestersage

[Scarecrow]

Had fun doing this challenge.  I won't submit a score, as I found it too difficult to work it all out.  I can confirm that the station is enclosed in the fairing, and includes a science lab as well as space for 5 Kerbals.  It has a docking port for crew exchange, comms and solar panels to keep the energy levels up.  All launch stages were either jettisoned before orbit was achieved (stage 1) or de-orbited once the station was in orbit (stage 2).  The final orbit I placed the station in was 250km by 250km, give or take, though the second stage had plenty of fuel to take it higher if required.

 

 

Complete vehicle on the pad

 

1st stage jettisoned

 

Fairing shroud jettisoned

 

Station in orbit

 

[Jestersage]

I will calculate it for you, using the second picture (the final picture have no LF/O fueltank):

Scoring:
-Part count score: Since not submit, Quick glance estimation seems to be 50; So 200-50= 150point
-Kerbal capacity (excluding lab): 5
-Fuel capacity: (4860 / 1000) + (5940/ 1000) + (760 / 100) = 18.4 (how did I got 71 in first calculation...)
-Ore capacity: 0
-Refinery: 0
-Have a Tug with KLAW: 0
-Each Science Experiment (excluding the atmospheric and surface only sensors): Can't tell, 0 point
-Rearrangement NOT required: 10 points

Total: 150 + 5 + 18.4 + 10 = 183.4

Thanks by the way. It's probably easier to fly then my shuttle-based solution!

Edited April 17, 2017 by Jestersage

[Scarecrow]

Just noticed some of the additional requirements in the scoring, like tug with klaw and orange fuel tanks.  Not sure about the fuel tanks, but I probably could have fitted some sort of tug in there.  Could also have added a science bay with some experiments, and a surface scanner, but ultimately I'd never tried a single launch station before and just wanted to give it a quick go.

Thanks for the challenge.

[Triop]

I have this little thing in orbit, doesn't comply to all the requirements though...

Part count in orbit: 35

Edited April 18, 2017 by Triop

[Scarecrow]

I think your part count for my effort might be a little bit generous, but I have redone the challenge so that my station now includes a service bay with all the scientific experiments stowed inside, as well as a small tug with a Klaw.  The part count on this new station is probably closer to what you estimated.

Still no refinery or orange tanks though.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Scarecrow

[Skylon]

WARNING: NITPICKING IMMINENT

I am not entirely sure about the rules. Some of the above entries don't have the required fuel capacity. Also I am confused as to why the part count bonus is there. Maybe have a penalty instead above 100 parts. Otherwise, you could do this: 

1. Lab
2. Hitchiker
3. Monoprop tank
4. Big solar panel
5. probe core
6. Big big fuel tank
7. EC storage

Put it in LKO and no extra communications devices are needed, so that is 7 parts, giving a total of 193 points

Also, I am not sure why the control surfaces rule is there, it doesn't really make the station worse, and isn't really relevant anyway. Also the crew capacity rule should have more leverage. 

And maybe give points for propulsion.

Sorry to be nitpicking, I like the rest of the rules and the challenge as a whole, and will have a go soon.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Skylon

[MaverickSawyer]

Does this have to be 100% stock, or can I use mods?

[Wanderfound]

As ordered: 16 kerbals, one lab, 750 monoprop, 13500 LF, 16500 O, capacity for 3000 ore, one lab, one klaw-tug.

Part count at launch is 77, for 123 points. Another 16 for passenger capacity, 37.5 for fuel, 30 for ore, 10 for the refinery, 10 for the tug, plus one each of Sci Jr, Goo Pod, Barometer, Thermometer and Gravioli Detector in the service bay for another 10. No rearrangement for 10, link below for 100.

Craft file at https://www.dropbox.com/s/tz4zvdyiuzrey82/Stationish.craft?dl=0

All up, 346.5 if I've figured it right.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by Wanderfound

[Jestersage]

Thank you for the new participants! In case anyone complain about Wanderfound's design, its launcher is very similar to NLS/Jupiter III. Plus it stay with in the rules

On 4/19/2017 at 9:51 AM, Skylon said:

WARNING: NITPICKING IMMINENT

I am not entirely sure about the rules. Some of the above entries don't have the required fuel capacity. Also I am confused as to why the part count bonus is there. Maybe have a penalty instead above 100 parts. Otherwise, you could do this: 

1. Lab
2. Hitchiker
3. Monoprop tank
4. Big solar panel
5. probe core
6. Big big fuel tank
7. EC storage

Put it in LKO and no extra communications devices are needed, so that is 7 parts, giving a total of 193 points

Also, I am not sure why the control surfaces rule is there, it doesn't really make the station worse, and isn't really relevant anyway. Also the crew capacity rule should have more leverage. 

And maybe give points for propulsion.

Sorry to be nitpicking, I like the rest of the rules and the challenge as a whole, and will have a go soon.

Ultimately, I blame it on the fact that it's my first challenge, so the points are over estimated for some and under estimated for others. I blame the lack of fuel capacity to my poorly worded rules, which caused people to keep missing the fuel requirement.

Many of the rules derived from my desire to have my own Freedom/ISS like all-in-one Mega space station. I started out playing with Matt Lowe and RasTech All-in-one solutions, and I want to see if it's possible to have similar performance and looks without additional assembly. So when I researched Freedom (since Matt Lowe's design resembled it and ISS), I found the Orbiter Derived Station patent, and many of this challenge's rules evolved from there. The no-assembly rules is one of them.

The part count bonus is to make sure that people keep the part count low. One of my pet peeve is people who gone authentic and looks too much that they have too much part counts, and in fact some of the local forum builders also starting to venture into it even though they used to be my go-to craft builders. Also, the count is related to the control surface rule.

The control surface rule comes about due to my entry, the Orbiter Derived Station. As I want to keep the realism, I decided that it needs to mimic that of RL proposal, in that the heatshield and control surface would be removed from Columbia. However, for the players that actually flew my design, they will realized that the Orbiter Derived Station would be difficult to fly, with a torque of around 200. However, one can make it easier to fly by adding wings -- and what stop them from saying "it is my radiator/solar panels" and cover them with said panels? Hence the part count scoring and control surface/heat shield anti scores. In a sense, it's an obvious rule patch to force a design similar to how a RL design would go.

I did forgot to add communications and propulsion in the rules, since I thought that was naturally need. I am not going to change this one this time, but in the future, if I decide to revisit this challenge, I will definitely add that in.

The crew capacity is to make things easier -- to stop people going completely overboard. the 16+2 would be equivalent to the Mk3 cabin and lab. It started from "What if I replace the Mk3 cockpit with a Crew cab".

As an aside, my very first station in KSP is based on raptor9's intepretation of Spacelab, with the refinery right underneath it

Edited April 21, 2017 by Jestersage

[Human Person]

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Physics_Student/SCHAISCHEN

Scoring:

-Part count score: 200-34 = 166

-Kerbal capacity: 16

-Fuel Capacity Score: (28170/ 1000) + (34430 / 1000) + (8000/ 100) = 142,6

-Ore capacity Score: (3000/100) = 30

-Refinery: Large = 10

-No rearrangement: 10 points

-Have it on KerbalX, or an easy to find website or thread: Instant 100 points.

 

Final Score: 474,6

 

I could raise the scoring even further by adding more empty MP Tanks. Will do if someone beats me.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Physics Student

[sdj64]

On 4/16/2017 at 9:21 PM, Jestersage said:

an ITS based solution

I was inspired.

It's probably too big for this challenge, and loses points as well for extra aesthetic constructions.  But it gains lots of points as well.

Part count 94 = +106

Kerbal capacity 48 = +16

Fuel 9720LF, 11880Ox, 1000mono = +30

Large refinery = +10

Science Jr, goo, thermometer, barometer, accelerometer, gravioli = +10

No rearrangement = +10

https://kerbalx.com/sdj64/Single-Launch-Station = +100

 

Total = 282 points

The ITS, unfortunately, was lost because it had no heat shields because there was a point reduction for having them... and no point reduction for burning it up in the atmosphere.  If the ITS stays attached I get 404 points though, because of all the extra fuel capacity.

[Jestersage]

On 4/22/2017 at 2:47 PM, sdj64 said:

I was inspired.

It's probably too big for this challenge, and loses points as well for extra aesthetic constructions.  But it gains lots of points as well.

Part count 94 = +106

Kerbal capacity 48 = +16

Fuel 9720LF, 11880Ox, 1000mono = +30

Large refinery = +10

Science Jr, goo, thermometer, barometer, accelerometer, gravioli = +10

No rearrangement = +10

https://kerbalx.com/sdj64/Single-Launch-Station = +100

 

Total = 282 points

The ITS, unfortunately, was lost because it had no heat shields because there was a point reduction for having them... and no point reduction for burning it up in the atmosphere.  If the ITS stays attached I get 404 points though, because of all the extra fuel capacity.

Oops. Forgot the ITS would fly back. Since this (as I stated in another post) is more to think in terms of the Orbiter Derived Station, the booster itself can have the heatshield and aero surface, etc. Sorry for costing your booster. (the station itself should still not have extra stuff -- I would expect Elon would remove the heatshields etc from an old HoG that stay in orbit, but not the ITS booster.

And dare I say it's the BEST design, balancing looks with part counts... though I am not exactly sure how I feel about the station is being suspended in the clamshell. That being said, it was so well done I will accept this entry. The scoring may not be that good, but functionality and looks wise I actually love it. Easy to fly and resembles a real space station... nothing more I can say.  But I still have more fuel count  

Edited April 26, 2017 by Jestersage

[Scarecrow]

I've had another go, having read the requirements a bit more thoroughly, and because I'm enjoying the challenge.

 

On the pad

 

Jettisoning boosters

 

Jettisoning first stage

 

Discarding payload shroud - uploaded version deploys as 4 pieces

 

Final station in orbit

 

Scoring:

Part count 66  =  134

Kerbal capacity  =  16

Ore capacity 6000  =  30

Large refinery  =  10

Tug with Klaw  =  10

Fuel capacity :

LF 11880  =  11.88

O2 14520  =  14.52

Monoprop 3000  =  300

Science experiments :

Surface scanning, Atmospheric Fluid, Thermometer, Mystery Goo, Double-C Seismic, Gravioli, Barometer  =  14

No rearrangement  =  10

Available from Dropbox  https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yacf4ce1xlr2yj/Single Large Launch Station.craft?dl=0

100

Total score  =  639.6

 

Additional information: the fuel and monoprop tanks are all full, and ready to be utilised.  The station also includes 3 docking ports to cater for visiting ships for crew changeovers etc., though one of those is occupied by the tug.

As presented, the only debris that remains in orbit is the fairing shroud, though this can be jettisoned while still sub-orbit.  The final orbital positioning stage is fitted with a probe so can be de-orbited once finished with.

 

One question regarding fuel and monoprop tanks scoring.  Is the scoring based on the fuel/mono carried to orbit on the station, or is it based solely on the capacity of the tanks irrespective of whether they are full or empty.  The only reason I ask is that it is way easier to lift a bunch of empty tanks to orbit, and I could easily boost my score by emptying all the fuel out and slapping another 8 monoprop tanks on the design, as suggested by Physics Student.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Scarecrow

[Jestersage]

Mental note to myself: Do not say "best design", because someone will always challenge it...