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Shuttle Challenge v4 - The STS thread [Stock and Mod Friendly] [THREAD CLOSED 06.08.17]


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2 minutes ago, Speeding Mullet said:

You are totally allowed to design your own for this mission now though if that's something you want to do.  The HST is currently 124 parts in its current format.

I'm definitely not able to launch that many parts as a shuttle payload (considering the amount of mods I am using and the amount of extra parts that a shuttle tends to have as opposed to a conventional launch vehicle). What's the mass of the current HST? I don't want to go below it with my own design, to make sure that my entry is comparable with the mass limits that other people have to work with.

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10 minutes ago, Speeding Mullet said:

Hello and welcome to the challenge @Martian Emigrant!  That's quite the shuttle there.  I like the orbiter design, and the booster configuration is, ahem, interesting!  Anyway you more than qualify with this entry and I am very happy to be able to award you the Commander badge for STS-1a.  Quick note for your thread - You get either the pilot or the commander badge, depending on what mission objective you complete, but not both.  The Commander badges are always more complex than the pilot badges and the badge given is a mark of which version of the mission you completed.   sE1QW9Q.jpg

Sorry, missed this bit.  Just make an identical copy, it should be 40t exactly.

SM

Too bad I wanted to string them. :rolleyes:

I guess I can't be a captain, a major, and a general at the same time.

A copy I have made. Can't tell what is below and behind but my version is close and weight 40.000t.

The solar panels on the original are fixed. If retrieved they will be broken. My version has the retractable ones.

 

ME

 

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Couple questions:

This thing has to fit the definition of a Space Shuttle but it doesn't actually have to look anything like the real one, right?

Can it have air-breathing engines for landing? (At least one of the ones in the OP appears to have them.)

For the asteroid return mission--does the asteroid have to land with the shuttle? I ask because, although cool, that makes less than no sense from an engineering point of view--why not just use the shuttle to deploy a dedicated deorbiter module, attach it to the asteroid, and then land on its own.

What mods count as modded?

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@Hotaru since Speeding Mullet appears to be offline at the moment, I'll try my best to provide you with answers where I can.

If you check out the old shuttle challenge thread, you'll see a huge variety of different shuttle designs, many of which bear no resemblance whatsoever to NASA's space shuttle. The definition is very versatile and has room for a lot of creativity.

I could be wrong here, but I think air-breathing engines are fine as long as it's launched shuttle-style at Kerbin.

I don't know much about the asteroid challenge, but I very much suspect that you're supposed to land it with the shuttle.

Regarding mods, the challenge seems to be fairly free of restrictions. I'd avoid any cheaty mods or warp drives and the like if I were you, but anything stock-balanced is probably a safe bet to use. For ones that are definitely fine, check out my mod list in my thread for this challenge. Speeding Mullet didn't disagree with any of those, so I can only assume they're all fine.

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What I meant about mods was what mods would classify an entry as "modded" and what ones can be used and have the entry still count as "stock."

Honestly I'm not sure whether I'd use a stock or modded install for this challenge anyway--some of the, ah, specific restrictions for certain missions pretty much rule out doing the challenge in my main career save, so if I did it I'd probably start a new sandbox save specifically for it--I'm mostly just curious. If I were in charge the rule would be "if the mission can be duplicated with the same craft in a completely mod-free install, it counts as stock," but in practice the definition of "modded" seems to vary from challenge to challenge.

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Hi there, my crew of Kolumbia, all of them shuttle veterans are reporting for duty!

The mission was to deploy a crewed laboratory on the surface of the Mun, so the shuttle had to be modified a bit, especially a landing system for airless bodies had to be developed. Nevertheless, Kolumbia proved to be a versatile machine in all the missions it has flown so far, so no too extensive adjustments had to be made.

MsLnE4m.png

All the important moments documented in an album:

http://imgur.com/a/hO6BE

The mission went well, apart from having to learn how to fly with 1.2.2 SAS, which is quite different from 1.1.3 for my shuttle.

I hope everything is documented properly,

It is so great to have this challenge back, man I missed it :)

Thanks,

Michal.don

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10 hours ago, eloquentJane said:

What's the mass of the current HST?

8.21t

 

8 hours ago, eloquentJane said:

I could be wrong here, but I think air-breathing engines are fine as long as it's launched shuttle-style at Kerbin.

@Hotaru this is correct.  I used a Buran shuttle for all my entries and it used air breathing engines.

8 hours ago, eloquentJane said:

I don't know much about the asteroid challenge, but I very much suspect that you're supposed to land it with the shuttle.

Yes, absolutely.  I know it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever Hotaru, but:

qdfCyzm.png

 

9 hours ago, Hotaru said:

What mods count as modded?

Basically any part mods.  Anything quality of life, or anything that is visual you can be in the stock category.  Any modded parts on your shuttle whatsoever and you are in the modded category.  If in doubt feel free to ask!

 

2 hours ago, michal.don said:

Hi there, my crew of Kolumbia, all of them shuttle veterans are reporting for duty!

Awesome to see you back, and leading the charge again.  You were always the fastest to the plate on new missions!  How did you find the Mun mission by the way?  Have a badge, well earned as always!   UOxFfeM.jpg

 

SM

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Alright. My first entry in V4 so I named the shuttle "Primus".

http://imgur.com/a/jyLDp

RUUEKpi.jpg

Primus is a Buran style beast that easily got into a sub-orbital trajectory with half fuel remaining in the big booster. Although it is powerful, it is hell to fly like most shuttles and rolls from side to side during ascent. A solution to this is to hold prograde but you first got to get it going up in the right AoA. Then the flight is a breeze. Anyway I think I'm going to modify it for the Mun challenge. But a few questions concerning that. What I plan to do is, send up one shuttle carrying the Payload. and one shuttle carrying a tug to take it to the Moon. Would the tug be aloud and may I use multiple shuttles? Thanks.

Fire

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3 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

Awesome to see you back, and leading the charge again.  You were always the fastest to the plate on new missions!  How did you find the Mun mission by the way?  Have a badge, well earned as always

To be honest, I found the mission to be quite easy, compared to the Duna and Jool ones, which I guess is to be expected. A Munar mission is a good idea, it is somewhere between the LKO and interplanetary ones on the difficulty scale. But I enjoyed it like all the others, it was nice to fly my shuttle after a long break :)

And I forgot to mention, I'm using several mods, especially KJR and SpaceY (for the boosters) which place me in the "modded" category, so I should get the "modded" badge.

Also, congratulations on how popular the challenge is getting again :)

Michal.don

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Well,  having got the STS 2a badge,  I'm assuming that as 2b is a "bonus" mission, the next compulsory mission is an STS 3.

Which is a pity as I'd been working on a derivative of my Baby Shuttle for Duna STS 1.

Here is the test flight, I was just wanting to check that horizontal takeoff is ok given that we have no jet engines and are relying on SRBs and even have some external tanks :-).

https://kerbalx.com/AeroGav/Baby-Shuttle-Block-2

this one is pure stock - thanks to the nerv, i am using the lf capacity of the wings.

launch cost of 16,000 funds.

Now, for STS3,  I need CRG-100 worth of space for the telescope.     I don't want to stretch the airframe to that extent, so i need to swap all of my shuttle's fuselage tanks over to cargo space to make it fit.     I guess we can try making the external tanks bigger to compensate, but it'd be quite some stretch job.  The payload is 8 tons, which is worth remembering !

Alternatively, I'm interested to make a Block 3 with jet boosters.    I'm thinking two nukes , which stay on the orbiter,  two whiplashes, which get discarded at flameout, and two terriers, and some external LFO tanks.   Horizontal takeoff and jet engines might disqualify the vehicle, but i'd like to build anyway to see what it's like. 

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7 hours ago, 53miner53 said:

STS-2a is complete! https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0eMT8zRijNmNWE2d3A5NlhEMnM(Pics)

 

I stalled it during the re entry. And during the glide to the continent so I could actually land it. I used all remaining fuel trying to regain control using thrust vectoring.

Haha, um, right - So your landing wasn't that hot!  I'm going to go off of precedent over the previous 3 versions of the challenge here, and believe me it pains me to say it - I can't award you the badge.  unfortunately your shuttle resembled a parts bin in the final picture, and in order to qualify you have to land in once piece!  Better luck with the next run!

6 hours ago, Firemetal said:

Alright. My first entry in V4 so I named the shuttle "Primus".

 Woot, welcome back!!  Have a badge first up   sE1QW9Q.jpg .  To answer your questions - You are only allowed 1 Shuttle to complete this mission and no support launches.  Obviously the shuttle has a cargo bay so you can get clever with what you put inside it (apart from the required payload).  Hope that helps :)

 

5 hours ago, michal.don said:

And I forgot to mention, I'm using several mods, especially KJR and SpaceY (for the boosters) which place me in the "modded" category, so I should get the "modded" badge.

Also, congratulations on how popular the challenge is getting again :)

Whoops, give back that badge sir!  Here's your new one.  I was a few drinks down last night when reviewing so didn't click that the boosters were colossal compared to usual!   DqZcJcY.jpg

 

4 hours ago, 53miner53 said:

I would like to contribute a telescope for STS-3. 

Very kind of you, and if people want to use it they can, but I opened up the mission on this one so you don't have to use a designated payload.  People can now design their own space telescope and MMU's to attach the solar panels, which is way more fun and challenging than using other peoples!

 

35 minutes ago, AeroGav said:

Well,  having got the STS 2a badge,  I'm assuming that as 2b is a "bonus" mission, the next compulsory mission is an STS 3.

Which is a pity as I'd been working on a derivative of my Baby Shuttle for Duna STS 1.

Here is the test flight, I was just wanting to check that horizontal takeoff is ok given that we have no jet engines and are relying on SRBs and even have some external tanks :-).

Correct - 2b is a bonus mission, and not required if you don't want to complete it.  Horizontal take off precedent was set in STS v3 so you are good to go as long as it's not an SSTO and follows the definition of a shuttle :)

 

SM

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Ok then. The mission had other problems too. The design had trouble getting to 350km, (I think it would work better if I went to LKO first, instead of going directly to 350km), I accidentally took a whole orange tank of oxidizer with me, so I should change that to use the LV-N I added for this mission more effectively, actually fit 3 comm satellites in the payload bay, and not fail the landing. 

Edited by 53miner53
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Okay. A quick question. Does the orbiter need to be piloted? I ask, because I'm creating a Buran style shuttle that includes an auto-pilot option. Obviously, I plan on sending kerbals into orbit on this thing. But my first mission, 1K1, was an un-kerbbed flight to make sure the dang thing was safe.

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31 minutes ago, Daelkyr said:

Okay. A quick question. Does the orbiter need to be piloted? I ask, because I'm creating a Buran style shuttle that includes an auto-pilot option. Obviously, I plan on sending kerbals into orbit on this thing. But my first mission, 1K1, was an un-kerbbed flight to make sure the dang thing was safe.

The orbiter as it stands needs to be manned.  What that rule really means though is that it needs to have a part capable of carrying crew, aka a cockpit.  The Buran was flown unmanned as we all know, so I'm comfortable with your initial mission being unmanned.  All the others to follow should have crew :)

1 hour ago, FCISuperGuy said:

Excellent to see this challenge back! I might give this a shot some time...

Thanks @FCISuperGuy good to see you around!

SM

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I have a small full stock Space Shuttle Sytem inspirated by the American one and called X-26A Eos :

YPQWD7Y.png

The craft is only made of stock parts but MechJeb was used (Ascent Guidance).

Alas, I just realized its inaugural flight since and, to take no risks, made it without any crew members onboard. It consisted of a traditional climb to a circular 140 km parking orbit before meeting with a space station at 200 km, docking and de-orbiting from the 200 km. Due to an overshot I landed on the Island Airfield.

LNn30Fb.png

B4kTNpS.png

The full flight album is available here : http://imgur.com/a/X2Mtn

And the craft file here (it's the only way to proove it's fully made of stock parts) : https://kerbalx.com/XB-70A/Sleg-X-26A-Eos

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

If it can't be elected I also have the Kronos-Demeter system totally inspirated by the Saturn-Shuttle project :

7qBVbIT.png

This also was the inaugural flight of that version, but with some crew onboard here as I was just testing the new External Tank.

A bit the same flight as for the first craft presented : circularization at 150 km, some studies made with the laboratory then we met with a space station at 300 km, docked to it then reduce the orbit to a circular 100 km and de-orbit to land at the KSC.

LizysuL.png

w4HakSn.png

Album : http://imgur.com/a/LRS2G

Craft file : https://kerbalx.com/XB-70A/Kronos-Demeter-Saturn-Shuttle

Edited by XB-70A
Forgot to declare the use of M.J.
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Hi.

I have a question.

About this:

Quote

You must adhere to the tolerances (Maximum difference between periapsis and apoapsis below). Can you do it?

Tolerances:

70-1999km - 100m

2000-4999km - 500m

4000-5999km - 1km

6000-8000km - 10km

8000km+ - 50km

 

My first reading was that I had to have a ELLIPTIC orbit with an apo of 1999 and per of 70 with +- 100m from those numbers.

Now my reading is a any CIRCULAR orbit with the per and apo within the specified limits.

I have been trying (Hard) for the first one but now I am going with the second.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

ME

 

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On 11.2.2017 at 2:01 PM, Speeding Mullet said:

Basically any part mods.  Anything quality of life, or anything that is visual you can be in the stock category.  Any modded parts on your shuttle whatsoever and you are in the modded category.  If in doubt feel free to ask!

Oh, I have a question! I want to try those challenges aswell and created a new game-folder (to keep part mods out of my *fun* install). So far I have installed following mods via CKAN:

  • Action Groups Extended
  • BetterBurn Time
  • Docking Port Alignment Indicator
  • Editor Extensions Redux
  • Engine Lighting
  • Gangar Grid
  • Kerbal Alarm Clock
  • Kerbal Engineer Redux
  • Module Manager
  • Portrait Stats
  • Precise Maneuver
  • RasterPropMonitor inkl. Core
  • RCS Build Aid
  • The Janitor's Closet (though I probably won't need it)
  • Toolbar
  • TriggerAu Flags

This does still count as "Stock", right? Now, does KerbalJointReinforcement also count as mod? I don't expect huge issues, but it might save me somewhere, where stock would kill my craft, so I'm not sure if it's ok to use.

Also, just to be safe, do I have to stick with the same shuttle for all missions or may I create another one / edit it. You said "use your cargo space" to other pilots, so should I assume this is all the editing I'm allowed on my craft down the road?

Edited by Shadow dream
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Hi again.

I have completed STS-1b.

Imgur album: http://imgur.com/a/qKrgX

The mission report was appended accordingly.

 

I claim the et2p8E4.jpg Badge.

I will just re-post a few pics here.

My homebuilt 1.2.0 Mullet 40.0t Fuel tank

haAf7ty.png

jecamkI.png

4yKZdjT.png

hHj4oOc.png

BvxAu6Y.png

cvGQsIK.png

zRhz2hZ.png

oIBZPCb.png

 

The landing at the KSC was a bit dificult. Luck was involved.....Me think.

 

Anyway thank you. Onward,

 

ME

 

Edited by Martian Emigrant
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