'The Pit' Heavy Lander Challenge

[ssTALONps]

\'The Pit\' Heavy Lander Challenge

Background

So, after numerous unmanned missions, all Munoliths on the Mun were located...

The Kerbal Space Agency decided that it is time to begin manned expedition, and sent out 3 Munar Excursion Modules into each Munoliths.

All went good until CAPCOM lost contact with expedition team at \'The Pit\' right after landing.

The other 2 teams don\'t have enough fuel and supplies to begin SAR mission.

After hours of debate, it was decided to send out a manned lander to \'The Pit\' to investigate situation.

The KSA burned through all of its budget preparing MEMs, and won\'t get support for another year after this mission...

This means that you, the chief engineer of KSA, must build heavy lander fully packed with fuel and supplies for survival!!!

Mission

1. Locate \'The Pit\' which is near the South Pole.

2. Launch your lander and land it at \'The Pit\'!!!

(you think this is kinda simple? read below...)

Rules

1. The lander MUST have ZO2 system. The ZO2 plugin can be found here:

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=9763.0 (USE v0.6!!!)

2. The lander MUST be capable of surviving without sunlight, which means you must have at least 2 EPS Laser Drill (included in ZO2 plugin) intact after landing.

3. Using mods and part pack is allowed and recommended however there\'re restrictions, see below section.

4. No .cfg edits allowed except for minor changes (like enabling thrust vectoring for NP NERVA), just don\'t change MASS, BURN RATE, THRUST and CAPACITY!!!

5. No save edits or glitches.

6. The entire mission MUST be done within 12hrs, you can exceed this time limit but there\'ll be penalties to your score...

7. Ranking is divided into three; Total Score, Maximum Mass, Minimum Time.

Banned Mods and Part Packs

All FTL and FTL-ish part packs

Instant Orbit

Mobile Spaceport

Space Dock

\'OP\' part packs like chemical engines with specific impulse even higher than nuclear engines!!!

Scoring

Scoring uses value rounded off to the nearest whole number from formula below...

Total Score=(Vehicle Mass/Time Co.)+Achievement

where Vehicle Mass is in Kerbal tons, displayed in MechJeb Ascent Autopilot -> Stat -> Mass to Orbit or Current Mass, measured right after landing,

Time Coefficient is based on MET, 0hrs~6hrs gets 0.3, 6hrs~9hrs gets 0.7, 9hrs~12hrs gets 1, 12hrs~15hrs gets 1.5, 15hrs~ gets 2,

Achievement is total score acquired from Achievements.

It\'s important to strategically design your lander as score from 600-ton mega-heavy-nuclear powered-slow lander can be same as 20-ton lightweight-speedy lander!!! ;P

Achievements

Environment-Friendly - +25pts - do not generate debris!!! (debris on sub-orbital trajectory allowed, include screenshot after each stage separation for this)

Mass Matters - +50pts - land with mass more than 100 ton!!!

No, Speed Matters - +50pts - attain maximum speed over 4km/s!!! (include map view with cursor over lander for this)

Home-on-Muon - +75pts - land right above Munolith!!! (only fuselage coverage accepted i.e. excluding landing gear)

Pack-a-Pouch - +75pts - carry at least 2 independent, pilot-able rover!!! (only wheeled rovers allowed)

Sometimes You Have to Leave Things Behind - +75pts - your lander must have separate ascent stage, including ZO2 system, and you have to perform return trip!!! (include video or screenshot of returning for this)

My Precious Parts - +100pts - build SSTM (Single Stage To Mun) lander!!! (no boosters)

Straightforward - +100pts - do not use parking orbit for transfer to Mun!!! (include video from launch to right before SOI switching for this)

Burn Baby Burn - +100pts - your entire lander must have enough fuel for free return trajectory!!! (include video or screenshot for this)

Perma-Base - +125pts - land with mass more than 200 ton having at least 4 laser drills!!!

Mr. Fahrenheit - +125pts - attain maximum speed over 6km/s!!! (include map view with cursor over lander for this)

Return to Sender - +150pts - your entire lander must have enough fuel to establish 200x200 or lower orbit around Kerbin with eccentricity lower than 0.1!!! (include video or screenshot for this)

Death by Exile - +150pts - have 2 simultaneously EVAing Kerbals while landing and survive!!! (EVAing starting altitude must be higher than 10km, include screenshot or videos for this)

Next-Generation Jeb - +150pts - do not use MechJeb for landing!!! (you can still use it for launching and TMI burn, include video for this)

Dooms Day Machine - +150pts - use only Nova Punch NERVA Mark.I engines for the entire vessel!!! (you might edit .cfg to enable thrust vectoring)

Stock Master - +175pts - use only stock parts for your vessel!!! (of course, you must have ZO2 systems and can have MechJeb optionally)

Hyper Reactive - +200pts - use only RCS for landing!!! (not final decent, entire landing procedure!!! include video for this)

I\'m Kerbin\'s Reckoning - +200pts - attain reentry speed over 5km/s!!! (only achievable after completing \'Burn Baby Burn\' achievement)

Biological Jeb - +300pts - do not use MechJeb for the entire mission!!! (Vehicle Mass is counted as remaining fuel/100)

RISE - +350pts - attain reentry speed over 8km/s!!! (only achievable after completing \'Burn Baby Burn\' achievement)

They See Me Rollin\', They Hatin\' - +400pts - land on top of the hill, roll down and survive!!! (and no, a stage only with CP+ZO2 main sys or using Cart is not allowed, include video for this)

Note that you can\'t get scores from \'low-tier\' achievements if you already achieved \'high-tier\' achievements!!!

(i.e. you can\'t get scores from \'Mass Matters\' achievement if you already achieved \'Perma-Base\' achievement)

Tiers

Mass Matters -> Perma-Base

No, Speed Matters -> Mr. Fahrenheit

Next Generation Jeb -> Biological Jeb

Sometimes You Have to Leave Things Behind -> Burn Baby Burn -> Return to Sender

I\'m Kerbin\'s Reckoning -> RISE

\'->\' indicates higher tier!!!

Application Form

#Screen Shot at VAB with KICOIT Engineer Advanced Stats activated# - those using Kerbylon Tower must detach it before using the Engineer, get the Engineer here:

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=9917.msg147398#msg147398

#Screen Shot just after landing# - must include MET, Mass to Orbit and Munolith; for \'security\' purposes, do not reveal \'The Pit\'s location via lat. or lon. !!!

#Screen Shots / Videos for Achievements (optional)#

.cfg Edited Parts (optional):

Vehicle Name:

See example below for more information!!!

Example Application Form and Score Calculation

#forgot to take screenys for Environment-Friendly and Return to Sender achievements #

.cfg Edited Parts: NP NERVA Mk.I, vectored thrust enabled; Probodobodyne Omnidirectional Antenna, edited as relay antenna for Satellite Relay Network

Vehicle Name: Titan Mobile/Permanent Base

Based on that screen shots, let\'s calculate score!!!

That screenshot is taken after setting time warp at x10000 for structural testing; I think actual MET right after landing was around 11hrs...

The final score of Titan MPB is (307.9/1)+25(Environment-Friendly)+125(Perma-Base)+150(Return to Sender)=607.9 -> 608!!!

Pro Tips

*Be aware of approach angle; \'The Pit\' is surrounded by 1000m-cliffs... Vehicles with thrust-to-weight ratio lower than 2 might crash during braking burn, but how to deal with it???

*Specific impulse is not everything... What about ion engines or air-breathing engines???

*You have to take polar orbit for this mission, but why perform plane-changing maneuver at low altitude???

*They say \'the more, the better\' but why waste your precious fuel on propelling excessive capacity ZO2 system???

My Moon Base

2x \'Frontier-1\' Unmanned Surface Exploration Vehicles

\'Hauler\' Heavy Lift Cargo Vehicle

\'Eagle\' Kebin Return Vehicle

Bigtrak Muon Detectors (yes the radar fell off )

\'Monster\' Surface Heavy Transportation Vehicle

\'Hermes\' Surface Heavy Exploration Vehicle (that\'s right, Bigtrak Puddle Jumper with custom ZO2 systems!!!)

\'Paladin\' Electro-Magnetic Launcher Vehicle (recently deployed for rumored attacks of Deep Space Krakens)

Mobile Habitat / Command Center (substituted Titan with this to prevent lag)

Mobile Crane System

and a cozy hanger for rovers

Hall of Fame

Total Score

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

My Record: Titan MPB, 608pts, Environment-Friendly/Perma-Base/Return to Sender achieved!!!

Maximum Mass

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

My Record: Titan MPB, 307.9 ton

Minimum Time

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

My Record: N/A

[kHurtiZ]

Yeah I\'ll bite -- I reckon I can get > 2500 points.

[ssTALONps]

Yeah I\'ll bite -- I reckon I can get > 2500 points.

lol ok show us your skillz!!!

[Madmak]

Still doing my recon on the south pole.. Tough spot to find.

[ssTALONps]

Still doing my recon on the south pole.. Tough spot to find.

well, try to locate 3 big craters and land rovers equipped with Muon detectors... that\'s how I did to find \'The Pit\'

[kHurtiZ]

OK, so I had a bash at this last night. Seems I was waaay overoptimistic on the number of points I could score. Many of those achievements are totally achievable, but trying to do them all together on the same mission is really difficult, if not impossible.

The ship I build specifically for this mission turned out to be uncontrollable ... will post a pic of it tonight anyway, because it just looks so cool!

Anyway, decided to try to do this with my heavy \'tanker\' lifter. I failed twice because it\'s such a slow lumbering beast (~350T landed mass) it\'s pretty hard to control. The first time I tried it, I simply didn\'t start decelerating soon enough, and crashed into the crater at about 150 m/sec

I\'ll give it another crack later.

[ssTALONps]

OK, so I had a bash at this last night. Seems I was waaay overoptimistic on the number of points I could score. Many of those achievements are totally achievable, but trying to do them all together on the same mission is really difficult, if not impossible.

The ship I build specifically for this mission turned out to be uncontrollable ... will post a pic of it tonight anyway, because it just looks so cool!

Anyway, decided to try to do this with my heavy \'tanker\' lifter. I failed twice because it\'s such a slow lumbering beast (~350T landed mass) it\'s pretty hard to control. The first time I tried it, I simply didn\'t start decelerating soon enough, and crashed into the crater at about 150 m/sec

I\'ll give it another crack later.

I\'m really looking forward to your lander

I made achievements almost impossible if you try to do \'em all at the same time...

imagine landing SSTM, rover-carrying, 300 ton lander up on the hill without using MechJeb and rolling down the hill without crashing

and a word of advice; heavier lander require higher orbit establishment as to increase approach angle...if you know what I mean!!!

[kHurtiZ]

Here\'s the uncontrollable machine that I was going to use:

I was hoping this would get me:

-Environment-friendly

-Mass Matters

-No, Speed Matters

-Home-on-Muon

-Pack-a-Puch

-My Precious Parts

-Straightforward

-Perma-Base

-Mr. Fahrenheit

-Next-Generation Jeb

-Dooms Day Machine

-Biological Jeb

... but sadly, this isn\'t going to happen!

I\'ll let you know once I\'ve given it my best crack.

[ssTALONps]

Here\'s the uncontrollable machine that I was going to use:

I was hoping this would get me:

-Environment-friendly

-Mass Matters

-No, Speed Matters

-Home-on-Muon

-Pack-a-Puch

-My Precious Parts

-Straightforward

-Perma-Base

-Mr. Fahrenheit

-Next-Generation Jeb

-Dooms Day Machine

-Biological Jeb

... but sadly, this isn\'t going to happen!

I\'ll let you know once I\'ve given it my best crack.

that beast is just incredible!!!

I wonder how Kerbals reach the control module from the Mun surface

oh and I forgot to say, you can\'t get score from \'low-tier\' achievements if you already achieved \'high-tier\' achievements! (i.e. you can\'t get bonus score from Mass Matters if you achieved Perma-Base)

check the updated \'Achievements\' section!!!

[kHurtiZ]

Hey,

I see you made quite a few changes to the Achievements ... bah.

Anyway so I went back to working on my uncontrollable monster, and I managed to get it at least semi-stable. Still spins quite a bit, but I think she\'ll hold. I\'ve done a lot of test launches and a lot of tweaking today; but now I need to get some sleep, so the actual deed will have to be tomorrow!

Changed all of the engines to thrust-vectoring NERVAs (wasn\'t using enough of them); redesigned the rover deployment mechanism (old one caused massive spin). Removed redundant solar panels. Introduced a return stage. Moved struts around. Basically, rebuilt this thing from scratch. Here she is, the Outrageous IIId :

[kHurtiZ]

One question: I can\'t get my laser drills to work at the pad, even after I have pressed the space bar. They slide all the way down after I press \'V\', but there\'s no sign of laser beams. Do the drills need to be in contact with the ground in order to work? Do they need an extra power source? (I already have a battery).

[ssTALONps]

One question: I can\'t get my laser drills to work at the pad, even after I have pressed the space bar. They slide all the way down after I press \'V\', but there\'s no sign of laser beams. Do the drills need to be in contact with the ground in order to work? Do they need an extra power source? (I already have a battery).

I see many improvements over older designs!!!

and yes, laser drills MUST have contact when activated in order to produce energy(=ZO2)...

take a look at my Titan; I placed 6 drills in center since NERVA engine is quite tall... this means the mega-er and taller your lander is, the fewer places to attach laser drills (generally)!!!

the drills are darn fragile, so you have to place \'em near the center of gravity as to lower probability of striking surface at landing sequence...

[1nsane89]

This sounds fun. Im gonna try shooting for Stock Master and Biological Jeb, if that wont work, I\'ll figure something else out.

[ssTALONps]

This sounds fun. Im gonna try shooting for Stock Master and Biological Jeb, if that wont work, I\'ll figure something else out.

a good strategy for earning scores...

but you have to keep your eye on that mass!!!

[1nsane89]

Just a quick question before I start. Where precisely is 'the pit'? At the exact center of the south pole or one of the craters near it?

I already have a ship in orbit that is fully capable of making it to the mun I just dont know where exatly I got to land.

Edit: DEEEERRRRPP

'you must build a heavy lander'

*looks at ship*

Yeaaahhh.. thats an ultralightweight lander for basic mun and back missions....

To the drawingboard!

Edit 2:

Does it mean that if Im getting Sometimes You Have to Leave Things Behind that I cant get Return to sender even if the lander that is left behind has enough power and fuel for it if was still pilotable?

[ssTALONps]

Just a quick question before I start. Where precisely is 'the pit'? At the exact center of the south pole or one of the craters near it?

I already have a ship in orbit that is fully capable of making it to the mun I just dont know where exatly I got to land.

well, you have to locate it

it\'s near the 3 great craters of south pole...

you have to send some rover equipped with Muon detectors to find \'The Pit\'!!!

check Easter Egg topic for more, not complete, info!!!

tip: think about creating a imaginary rhombus with 3 craters... you just have to find \'missing\' point!!!

[Czman007]

Just found the pit, about to attempt this challenge now

[ssTALONps]

Just found the pit, about to attempt this challenge now

ok just keep in mind that \'The Pit\' is literally pit, and you gotta watch out those cliffs when landing!!!

[kHurtiZ]

Does it mean that if Im getting Sometimes You Have to Leave Things Behind that I cant get Return to sender even if the lander that is left behind has enough power and fuel for it if was still pilotable?

Correct.

[1nsane89]

Ok, I just did alittle calculating and a see with Mech Jeb.

My current lander(wich I wont be using) is 28.8 tons according to Mech Jeb, but if I use your way of calculating my mass for the Biological Jeb achivement, I will get a mass of 2 tons assuming I dont use a single drop of fuel of the lander itself, this seems alittle off to me.

[ssTALONps]

Ok, I just did alittle calculating and a see with Mech Jeb.

My current lander(wich I wont be using) is 28.8 tons according to Mech Jeb, but if I use your way of calculating my mass for the Biological Jeb achivement, I will get a mass of 2 tons assuming I dont use a single drop of fuel of the lander itself, this seems alittle off to me.

hmm, ok... I gotta change the calculation for Biological Jeb vehicle mass from /1000 to /100...

[1nsane89]

Talon, I sent you a PM, of my save file. Im pretty sure my game is glitched out somehow and the munoliths dont appear at all. In that save Im at a pit near the southpole and the Muon detector is going as crazy as it can go but there is nothing there. So how am I going to locate the right pit if I dont see the munoliths?

[ssTALONps]

Talon, I sent you a PM, of my save file. Im pretty sure my game is glitched out somehow and the munoliths dont appear at all. In that save Im at a pit near the southpole and the Muon detector is going as crazy as it can go but there is nothing there. So how am I going to locate the right pit if I dont see the munoliths?

hmm... let me check out now...

EDIT: well I have clear look at Munolith... check the screenshot!!!

[1nsane89]

Derp? After reloading all the mods I had installed Im now able to see it aswell, but the werder part is that the pit was alot shallower when I first arrived in it...

I dont know whats happening anymore. Oh well, atleast now I have a target to shoot for.

[ssTALONps]

Derp? After reloading all the mods I had installed Im now able to see it aswell, but the werder part is that the pit was alot shallower when I first arrived in it...

I dont know whats happening anymore. Oh well, atleast now I have a target to shoot for.

lol I dunno what the heck happened too!!! well, now you know where to land, show off your landerz!!!