The Apollo Applications Program: 1.0 Edition

[loch.ness]

How did you get your Apollo to fragment like that?

Honestly? I sent an engine out there with a KIS tool and pulled everything out and let it drift and then eva'd back in the CSM but shhh.

If you ever want a craft file I can put it up on Kerbal stuff so you can download it and poke it apart (or flat out improve on it) for use as a set piece. The computers in Mission Control are too high (or actually the chairs are too low) so I'll need to adjust that eventually.

[B-STRK]

Honestly? I sent an engine out there with a KIS tool and pulled everything out and let it drift and then eva'd back in the CSM but shhh.

If you ever want a craft file I can put it up on Kerbal stuff so you can download it and poke it apart (or flat out improve on it) for use as a set piece. The computers in Mission Control are too high (or actually the chairs are too low) so I'll need to adjust that eventually.

It's alright. Set pieces are really more your thing, although I am interested in the construction techniques. (Also, as I'm on a laptop, I do have to mind the parts count.) I'm also in the market for MPL-based MOLAB skycrane designs, I have to start looking into that direction as I'm planning on making the post-Apollo 11 flights and AAP simultaneous (Skylab can go up as early as 12. I'm really suffering from Skylab envy here).

A little secret of my own: there'll be a sneak peek at the MOLABs in the chapter after IX.

[Norcalplanner]

A second, larger Mun base has been constructed by team KABOOM. This new space has room for 24 Kerbals long term, or 42 short term, and includes an associated refinery ship and fuel trucks. With refueling capability on my base, that adds 20 points to my score. I'm now at 177 points for my AAP missions. Here's a photo of the first module after landing - for full information, including more photos and the final base configuration, head over to my mission report thread.

[B-STRK]

SunShooter IX/Chapter 3 is up, and ooh boy, was it touch and go for the simulated munar ascent.

loch.ness: As the stinger at the end looks like one of your AAP craft that you showcased because you were kinda ketting envious about the other players launching their own versions of that craft, I really swear it was never intended. It was the original design I had for the craft so I could fit it to my SIVB or SII, then you showcased your version and I realized too many similarities. Though I know we're all chasing the same design specifications, I ended up changing my design so that we can avoid potential discussions of our designs looking too much like each other. But I got to recycle the old design as a workshop study model for a plot point.

[Death Engineering]

Eve Flyby

Docked to the same MORL that took three crew past Duna and back to Kerbin, a single Saturn V ELV launch carried another three crew and the Eve flyby mission payload to the MORL. The new configuration injected the Eve lander to an encounter. A separation burn adjusted to a distant Pe, with the altered the trajectory making a Kerbin encounter after passing very near Duna's orbit. Total mission time was 529 days.

Using a relatively short mission and lighter payload than the Duna mission, the Eve flyby focused on reuse of the Duna MORL, but for the last time. After deploying an Eve rover to the surface, the crew moved to the CM and the MORL was kicked into an ejection orbit. The Eve flyby crew landed safely.

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Second MOLAB deployment

Precision landing on the Munar surface is routine and safe, within a few kilometers. The second MOLAB landed just inside the 2.2 km physics limit. With Jeb at the helm, the drive to the TaxiPad was uneventful.

With its higher safety margin, re-landing the shuttle onto the pad was "routine" and the mining crew refueled the shuttle in less than two days. The MOLAB spent 20 days touring the surface and the entire surface team returned to Kerbin 26 days later.

The mining platform, piloted remotely, has been moved to a new location of particular interest.

- AAP extension 4: Eve Flyby +20

- Use fuel plant on Mun in some way for further missions +25

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Tier 1: Normal Apollo Program 136 points

- Saturn Five uses 5 engines on the first stage, 5 engines on the second stage, and one engine on the third

stage. +20

- Free-Return Trajectory until in Mun's SOI. +10

- Lander stored behind a fairing. +10

- Leave Descent Stage on Mun. +5

- Include ALSEP Science Package on Apollo 11-18 +5

- Include Lunar Rover on Apollo 11-18 +10

- Include Lunar Subsatellite on Apollo 11-18.+5

- Launch Escape System. +5

- Use fuel cells for power generation only +10

- Use a Life Support mod +26

- Fly a mission to Minmus using Apollo/Saturn hardware. +30

Tier 2: Apollo Applications Program 105 points

- AAP "base" mission MOLAB +0

- Duna Flyby +20

- Skylab +20

- Munar Base +20

- Eve Flyby +20

- Use fuel plant on Mun in some way for further missions +25

Edited June 1, 2015 by Death Engineering
edit: added scoring - should be close...

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

I'm going to give a shot at the Saturn-Shuttle config, for the "Impress me" slot:

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

What is the "LLES" in this:

-Apollo 11-18: Do I really need to explain? Just make sure you use LOR. (No, you DON'T have to do ALL the missions. And yes, I know Apollo stopped at 17, but I need a viable reason for a LLES to be a goal.

[Whirligig Girl]

What is the "LLES" in this:

Lunar Landing Escape System.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

Lunar Landing Escape System.

Thanks!

[benjee10]

I'm going to give a shot at the Saturn-Shuttle config, for the "Impress me" slot:

http://www.friends-partners.org/mwade/graphics/s/shusat1c.gif

Damn, I was hoping I would be able to surprise everyone with mine :') I've been working on one of those too in secret (not had enough time to devote to Duna stuff - the intention is this would be developed while the Duna mission was away in my chronology) - got a fully working design just waiting to be wheeled out! It's actually the easiest time I've ever had building a shuttle despite the sheer insanity of it :')

I'm not entering it yet because it's not fully finished, I still need to add launch clamps etc and sort out a few kinks here and there. She lands pretty well but I haven't deorbited this one yet. Also not checked payload capacity but given I'm jettisonning the ET with just over half fuel left it should be pretty substantial.

It even has a fully working abort system. Two under-wing SRBs push it away from the stack and small ones on the nose push it back out of harm's way. The abort gear gets decoupled at booster sep.

I'm thinking in order to justify the use of a Saturn V to launch a shuttle that I'll make the F1 engines detach and come down on parachute to be recovered.

[billbobjebkirk]

Damn, I was hoping I would be able to surprise everyone with mine :') I've been working on one of those too in secret (not had enough time to devote to Duna stuff - the intention is this would be developed while the Duna mission was away in my chronology) - got a fully working design just waiting to be wheeled out! It's actually the easiest time I've ever had building a shuttle despite the sheer insanity of it :')

I'm not entering it yet because it's not fully finished, I still need to add launch clamps etc and sort out a few kinks here and there. She lands pretty well but I haven't deorbited this one yet. Also not checked payload capacity but given I'm jettisonning the ET with just over half fuel left it should be pretty substantial.

http://i.imgur.com/66GFgWX.png

http://i.imgur.com/nLpIpAK.png

http://i.imgur.com/N9JccCg.png

http://i.imgur.com/NA5rhWE.png

It even has a fully working abort system. Two under-wing SRBs push it away from the stack and small ones on the nose push it back out of harm's way. The abort gear gets decoupled at booster sep.

I'm thinking in order to justify the use of a Saturn V to launch a shuttle that I'll make the F1 engines detach and come down on parachute to be recovered.

Or you could do this:

[Guest]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/123221-Challenge-My-attempt-at-The-Apollo-Applications-Program-1-0-Edition?p=1989454&viewfull=1#post1989454

I just wanted to announce Project Pegasus was a resounding success. The reports of me having to make three launches are just a rumor, and the explosion on the LaunchPad never happened. You imagined it

Project Explorer will now conduct a minimum of five Surveyor missions, to lay the groundwork for future efforts.

So far, my score for this challenge seems to be exactly zero, but I'm having a lot of fun!

[Whirligig Girl]

Or you could do this: http://www.up-ship.com/eAPR/images/v1n2ad7.gif

I don't see a Saturn in that rocket. Non-Saturn rockets will be disqualified.

[billbobjebkirk]

I don't see a Saturn in that rocket. Non-Saturn rockets will be disqualified.

It's an S-IC with wings and jet engines.

[B-STRK]

It really wouldn't be the classic Apollo LEM without leaving the Descent Stage behind, wouldn't it?

It is done. Write-up for SunShooter X and XI to follow (would anyone know of a good, noob-friendly online photoshop utility? I need to smoosh pictures together to reduce the picspam).

Also, now that XI is footprints on the Mun, I must ask: Greg? Is it ok to launch AAP simultaneous with Apollo 12-onwards, e.g., send Skylab up about the same time as (launch before/launch after) Apollo 12? Or should it wait until all the intended/desired Apollo launches are done before the first AAP is launched (otherwise, Lunar accomplishments not yet accomplished are forfeited, e.g., ALSEP, subsat, rover, and LLES on LEM)?

[trevize1138]

Just now found out about this forum challenge (I frequent /r/kerbalspaceprogram more) but I did this a couple weeks ago:

Apollo 11

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Apollo 15

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Kerpollo 11 to Duna and back (serves also as a tutorial for people who have yet to venture outside the Kerbin system)

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Edited June 2, 2015 by trevize1138

[Solarapple]

How modded does this have to be? Just an engine and lifesupport modded, or full on KW rocketry modded?

[Whirligig Girl]

Also, now that XI is footprints on the Mun, I must ask: Greg? Is it ok to launch AAP simultaneous with Apollo 12-onwards, e.g., send Skylab up about the same time as (launch before/launch after) Apollo 12? Or should it wait until all the intended/desired Apollo launches are done before the first AAP is launched (otherwise, Lunar accomplishments not yet accomplished are forfeited, e.g., ALSEP, subsat, rover, and LLES on LEM)?

I guess it doesn't matter as long as Apollo 11 is complete.

[billbobjebkirk]

How modded does this have to be? Just an engine and lifesupport modded, or full on KW rocketry modded?

No mods required at all!

[Whirligig Girl]

How modded does this have to be? Just an engine and lifesupport modded, or full on KW rocketry modded?

No mods required, the goals are just bonuses. You don't have to do them.

[Solarapple]

Ah okay. Looks like the KW rocketry approach is good to go!

[loch.ness]

Looking forward to seeing it solarapple.

Apollo XII is up on my mission report - getting ready to pen part 1 of Apollo XIII - here are some of the teasers:

Apollo XIII back-up crew in CSM docking simulator:

Apollo XIII final crew getting ready to be strapped in:

We've had a problem (Not a test this time)

[B-STRK]

loch.ness: 13. This should be fun. (how much of the actual Apollo 13 events did you put into your recreation (e.g., correction burns, the MacGuyver'd scrubber, etc?) Also, my own Apollo 11 had a 13 moment during launch that made me test the abort function (works!)--then I found out it was caused by the launch support bug. "Launch struts magically (re)appearing right next to your Saturn V, ripping off the -1C" isn't exactly a mission fault that could happen in real life, so... reload.

On a more general note: The write up for 10/11 is taking a bit due to work. Will be up soon .

On a related note: TIR (realized) that the Apollo 9 challenge here was just supposed to be a LKO manned SV-CSM-MEM test, not the TMI-LMO SV-CSM-MEM test which I ended up doing for SunShooter [EDIT: 9]. Whoops? Although, arguably, a whoops in the right direction. (Did manage to prove that the SpV can take the Cel-Lun to LMO, with gas to spare, making it easier for SunShooter XI.)

Realization because of this article in Wired, which had to remind me that 9 was LEO--I'll bet though that the article appeared in this forum before (maybe in the previous Apollo Program challenge(s)?). Particularly for newcomers interested in additional inspiration for their Apollo beyond 17, it could be useful (nothing on "beyond Earth SOI" missions, e.g., the fly-bys, but more than 40 lunar Apollos, and Skylab missions where ATM came later, and cargo deliveries expanded Skylab space (just like they do on ISS, at least until it's time to toss out the trash and clear the way for a new shipment). At the very least, it's an interesting read on what could have been.

http://www.wired.com/2014/10/dreamingadifferentapollo/

Edited June 3, 2015 by B-STRK

[loch.ness]

loch.ness: 13. This should be fun. (how much of the actual Apollo 13 events did you put into your recreation (e.g., correction burns, the MacGuyver'd scrubber, etc?)

Bill: I want this line all the way back to Kerbin with time to spare people.

Got the air filter fix!

- Yes, I know that none of those parts are connected to Life support or air filters... but it was the best I could make work with air-looking tanks + rover parts (what they had up there).

Jeb: If we can keep Kerbin in the window...

Edit: I need one more game session (photo shoots) before I've got everything I planned on - the LEM power-up sequence practice and Jeb's press conference with the Saturn V mid-assembly (I sometimes do the photos out of order >.>)

Edited June 3, 2015 by loch.ness

[Death Engineering]

....http://www.wired.com/2014/10/dreamingadifferentapollo/

That was a neat link, B-STRK.. don't think I've come across it before.

GregroxMun.. how close do you want to see "Das Marsprojekt" implemented to earn this?:

Land and return from Duna, using Apollo-Saturn hardware. +65 (which references

this

)

Rules for my challenge "Das Dunaprojekt" or Duna von Braun Style" left a few details to the imagination, but most of the von Braun concepts are part of the challenge. I'd like to try it from another approach.

Since Duna is the next obvious step (have already done Ike landing with Apollo for this challenge), thinking of cooking up something with similar planning to Das Marsprojekt but more of a convoy of ships instead of a monolithic mission assembled in LKO.