DEADBEEF

I apologise for the inaccuracies.... * Detaching the LEM from the S-IVB before docking the CSM. * Not having seperate ascent/descent stages of the LEM. These were limitations of the game engine / ORDA mod, although I'm working on it for version 2.... . Plugins used: * MechJeb. * ORDA. * Custom plugin I made which slows down time (used during launch so my computer didn't have a meltdown).

Slightly less.

The OP specifically states no autopilots. But yeah, pretty silly rule IMO, especially since the challenge (at least for a three man) requires you to pilot a 500+ ton craft into LKO.

How's this?

Erm, I got back home to Kerbin .

The craft file I posted to reddit really has a terribly designed Kerbin ascent stage which was just thrown together in order to reliably (if not efficiently) lift a decent sized craft. If I rejigged that to use an asparagus configuration it'd probably run with good enough framerate that it can be human piloted. Also, on returning to Kerbin I had 200L of fuel left, which is a massive amount. I'm pretty sure that the interplanetary stage and Eve lander/ascent stages are pretty optimal though. It took me a few iterations to finish up on that design. If I have time at the weekend I'll redo the mission without mechjeb. Mechjeb was only really used for the ascent and for attitude holding anyway. I set most of the landing up manually be entering Eve in a polar orbit and waiting for it to swing by below me. The mesa I landed on covers a huge area and it'd be pretty easy to land there without any assistance. The transfers were also pretty much done manually, mechjeb just provided accurate phase angles. EDIT: Oh yeah, I made an addon today which allows you to slow down the physics simulation. This gets rid of any framerate issues when piloting large ships, even on crummy haardware. The source is [here]. Would using this mod be allowable, at least for the kerbin ascent stage?

Do the landings have to be powered landings or are parachutes allowed? In any case, here's my entry (I did it for another challenge but it fulfills all the requirements of this one too). Not only does it take off from and orbit Kerbin twice, but it leaves Kerbin's orbit entirely and goes into a 10Gm orbit around Kerbol (the sun) after each takeoff, so I guess I did the High Jump & High Jump Plus parts as well. It also lands back at KSC each time (if that counts for anything). I'll probably have a go at a dedicated craft for this challenge tomorrow sometime as it sounds like fun. I'm guessing that 3-4 landings should be possible if parachutes are allowed as nearly half the fuel I needed for the one posted here was for the powered descents and landings.

'<' and '>' alter the time warp factor without needing the related UI elements.

On mine? Mainly just for aesthetics so it looks like a proper launch tower.

Can you make the fuel fix mod a requirement. It's ridiculously easy to make an efficient Mun rocket if you're able to abuse the throttle bug. Without this mod you can strap on a ton of engines and run them all at 5% throttle and you'll get there using barely any fuel.

Have you revised your own entry now you've realised you were using hacked fuel tanks with 1000L capacity?

Out of interest, how do you define 'aircraft' as technically all rockets are aircraft. Also, how do you define suborbital? Max altitude <70km?

At what point do you consider the 'landing process' started? What altitude or velocity? Would these vary depending on the body you're approaching?

You can definitely eyeball your transfer from Kerbol back to Kerbin. When you finish you circularization burn to put you in a higher or lower orbit around Kerbol, zoom right out, get a piece of paper and measure the distance between you and Kerbin. When you are this distance on the opposite side of Kerbin (after you've caught up with the planet or vice versa depending on whether you're in a higher or lower orbit) that is when you should initiate your transfer burn, then just keep burning until you get the SOI transfer indicator. No MechJeb or fancy calculations required.

Wow ssTALONps, 11 engines and you manage the entire flight on just over three tanks of fuel, I had a go and couldn't even come close to that. Are you using edited parts or exploiting a fuel bug or something? I don't know how you did it but well done. Did you manage to stick a landing yet? (edit: never mind, just saw page three) Also, are parachutes allowed to speed up the landing process?