Jump to content

The K Prize - 100% reusable spaceplane to orbit and back


Recommended Posts

5 hours ago, boolybooly said:

Thanks also to SpaceplaneAddict for dobbing in Gojira1000 ;) and Gojira1000 if you want that mission linked as a gate crasher say so, it can be arranged but you are exempt from automatic gatecrasher listing due to having completed another mission (or two) successfully in this version.

Oh sure - that's true, the mini-tour with ISRU could easily be a Gatecrasher entry :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

Changed course. @boolybooly, you once said that payload not delivered to a station is considered part of the craft. Well, what if I'm sending a fuel tank to minmus as the first module of a surface base?

!? Sorry but that doesn't make any sense and I think you may be quoting rules which are not part of the K-Prize, possibly another challenge? A satellite delivered to orbit is payload, no problem.

Parts which detach but are not delivered into orbit (includes but not limited to adding parts to a station) or a planet surface and return with the craft are part of the craft but the K-Prize awards only apply to the accomplishments of the whole craft, not to separated parts like landers.

You can send your fuel tank to Minmus and the award is at the point of separation. Anything the fuel tank does after that is its own business!

Does that help?

Edited by boolybooly
spellig
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, boolybooly said:

!? Sorry but that doesn't make any sense and I think you may be quoting rules which are not part of the K-Prize, possibly another challenge? A satellite delivered to orbit is payload, no problem.

Parts which detach but are not delivered into orbit (includes but not limited to adding parts to a station) or a planet surface and return with the craft are part of the craft but the K-Prize awards only apply to the accomplishments of the whole craft, not to seperated parts like landers.

You can send your fuel tank to Minmus and the award is at the point of separation. Anything the fuel tank does after that is its own business!

Does that help?

Very, thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

Very, thanks!

Check with Boolybooly but the rules used to be

You said you are delivering a fuel tank, so......

In general It should arrive at its destination in the same state it launched with i.e. If it left full of fuel, it must arrive full of fuel. 

one exception is, you could launch with the cargo fuel pod empty (to save weight), Dock in space with a station, fill the cargo fuel pod but NOT your SSTO and then deliver the fully fueled pod to its destination, As long as no fuel is transferred into your SSTO it's ok  (you can transfer fuel out of your SSTO)

The moment you add fuel to your SSTO that ends the distance it has travelled and the awards are calculated from that

If you use fuel out of the pod then drop it off somewhere, it is classed as a staged drop and disqualifies your spaceplane as 100% reusable

TLDR: Adding fuel to your SSTO ends its calculations for awards (except Gatecrasher)

Edited by Gravaar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Gravaar said:

Check with Boolybooly but the rules used to be

You said you are delivering a fuel tank, so......

In general It should arrive at its destination in the same state it launched with i.e. If it left full of fuel, it must arrive full of fuel. 

one exception is, you could launch with the cargo fuel pod empty (to save weight), Dock in space with a station, fill the cargo fuel pod but NOT your SSTO and then deliver the fully fueled pod to its destination, As long as no fuel is transferred into your SSTO it's ok  (you can transfer fuel out of your SSTO)

The moment you add fuel to your SSTO that ends the distance it has travelled and the awards are calculated from that

If you use fuel out of the pod then drop it off somewhere, it is classed as a staged drop and disqualifies your spaceplane as 100% reusable

TLDR: Adding fuel to your SSTO ends its calculations for awards (except Gatecrasher)

Now now, it's called a "cargo" drop for a reason. Plus, I'm not one to exploit rules :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

And no, I would never even consider launching w/ a empty fuel tank to exploit advantages 

 

Its not exploiting .........Just think of it as a Non-linear reinterpretation of a rule that's more of a guideline.

At least until you get called out for it :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, BloodStayn said:

I tried guys, I really did... It handles great but I really need to work on my landing.

That's a really lovely looking plane. My eyeball-sense also suggests its well balanced - even on the way down. I think you should take a leap of faith, ditch those parachutes, and just glide down. If you make a quicksave on a few hundred meters altitude, you'll figure it out in a few tries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎2016‎-‎02‎-‎20 at 8:22 PM, BloodStayn said:

Okay, I got it this time. No parachutes, and I got it to KSC :D

Awesome job on your SSTO. Quite unique aesthetics and a really good starting point for more advanced designs. It's really great that you were able to get it flying as well as you did without the parachutes. I myself am not the best when it comes to re-entry with spaceplanes, so I can say that your piloting skills are on par. Best of luck with the future :D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Russian Doll SSTOs

Hey guys, I was tooling around building a tiny Laythe SSTO as an add on for a Jool mission and I realized I could probably fit it inside my bigger SSTO, so, here it is.

I hope this entry is good enough to get me the K prize badge, it's been on my to get list for a while.

 

Thanks for checking out my entry.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Amianoob said:

Russian Doll SSTOs

Hey guys, I was tooling around building a tiny Laythe SSTO as an add on for a Jool mission and I realized I could probably fit it inside my bigger SSTO, so, here it is.

I hope this entry is good enough to get me the K prize badge, it's been on my to get list for a while.

 

Thanks for checking out my entry.

 

OMG I love your bigger SSTO reminds me of a space whale :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my entry into the K-Prize challenge, and indeed my first SSTO ever!

The vessel is called the KaX-97 Mk IV, as it is the fourth iteration in the KaX-97 line. It has no name yet because it was an experiment, but once some small tweaks are made (I plan to add RCS capability and perhaps even a bit more fuel, along with an aerospike), then it'll have a fitting designation. This is my first SSTO ever, made in Science mode, and I followed the action (somewhat imprecisely) on my mission report here.

Edited by Maximus97
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all! Here is my submission to the K-prize, and my first (and possibly last) SSTO:

Meet the ugly duckling, so named because it's a badly designed SSTO made by someone who does not understand how to SSTO. Basically the mission went like this: Takeoff, ascent to 7 km, flattening, flight up to 20, attempted switch to closed cycle, flat spin, reassertion of control, orbital insertion. Deceleration, aerobraking, FLAT SPIN, PANIC, FLAT SPIN, PANIC, FLAT SPIN, control asserted by throttling up, plowing into the ground, throttle down, FLAT SPIN, PANIC, landing. It was bad. Feel free to laugh at it. Can't even deliver properly due to hatch obstruction. Anyways... here is the entry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations to ...

Gravaar Astrokerbal Distinction (Minmus) with Mun-n-bak.

drewscriver Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Grace Mk1b.

BloodStayn Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Butterfly SSTO.

Alooohaaa Advanced Pilot Precision Award with SSTO.

Amianoob Advanced Pilot Precision Award with medium lift SSTO.

- Advanced Pilot Precision Award with SSTO2.

Maximus97 Pilot Proficiency Medal with KaX-97 Mk IV.

IncongruousGoat with The Ugly Duckling.

Draradech Advanced Pilot Precision Award 1st Class with my entry.

 

... for completing the K-Prize challenge mission successfully. Thankyou all for your mission reports, hope you enjoyed yourselves and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

Gojira1000, your notoriety is secured with a gatecrasher entry for Duna Express.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...