Minmal X Prize! [Reboot] WIP

[KerbalKore]

Due to busy schedules, @TheEpicSquared has given me permission to reboot the Minmal X Prize! So, without further adieu, 

 

this is how I'll score the challenge:

Players would have to use Kerbal Construction Time, and the build+rollout time of their rocket and spacecraft would be added to the MET after all the mission requirements have been completed. Shortest total time wins.

Unfortunately, due to fact that the MET clock resets when undocking, I'll have to ban the use of docking ports.  Sorry guys.

completing the optional "prize purse" challenges would earn the player a set amount of time deducted from their total time - so for example, visiting a monolith (the Apollo Heritage bonus prize) would take off a certain amount of time from the total time

 

Mission requirements

Land safely on the surface of Minmus

Mobility
The real LXP states that the craft must move at least 500 meters from the landing site. Hard enough in real life, very easy in KSP. Therefore, a suitable mobility requirement would be to drive 25 kilometers from the landing site. However, you should use Bon voyage mod

Mooncasts
The real LXP states that two 8-minute pieces of video must be taken by the vehicle, one directly after landing and one after the mobility requirements have been completed. Instead of this, I think one video documenting the entire process of launching, landing on Minmus and completing the mission requirements would be good. In this video, the KCT build+rollout times would have to be shown, along with the MET after all the requirements have been completed.

Payload

use nanokube to make a tiny kubesat.

Private funding

50,000 kerbucks for the vehicle only (the rocket, supplied by me, would not be included in the cost)

Deadline
May 31.

heres the rocket: 

 

Prize purse

In the real LXP, the first team to complete all the mission requirements gets $20 million, and the second team gets $5 million. Since this is KSP, and there's no significance in money, completing these bonus objectives will result in a specific time being deducted from the total time (these times are of course subject to change based on feedback).

Apollo heritage bonus prize (1 kerbal day - 6 hours - deduction)
For this one, instead of visiting landers, the player could visit monoliths instead.

Range bonus prize (2 kerbal days - 12 hours - deduction)
Instead of having your vehicle move the required 25 kilometers, travel to the highest elevation on Minmus? Not sure where that is, though.  PS. Use Bon voyage mod.

Water detection bonus prize (3 hours deduction)
Instead of water, the vehicle would have to detect for ore instead. If concentrations above, 7% (subject to change) are found, this bonus objective had been accomplished.

 

Team/Player Requirements

The real competition required teams to acquire launch contracts by Dec 31 2016. Of course, in KSP there is no need for this; you can just build your own rocket in a few minutes. Therefore, I'm thinking (bear with me, this is complicated) that we have a limited number and design of rockets, just like in real life. I would provide these rockets, which would have different payload capacities to LKO (100x100km), different costs, different KCT build times, etc. It should be noted that when doing the mission, you are only allowed to use the rocket to get you into a 100x100km orbit around Kerbin. At this point, the rocket that got the submission into orbit should be discarded, and any further maneuvers should be completed under the submission vehicle's own power.

Spacecraft communication
Every submission vehicle should have an antenna with a range capable of talking to Kerbin from Minmus. Also, the vehicle has to be in contact with a Kerbin ground station at all times. I would set up a (half-decent ) relay network around Minmus, so it would be in contact with Kerbin even when direct line of sight is occluded by Minmus.

 

Other rules

1. Complete all of the mission requirements.

2. All the team/player requirements must be met.

3. Only stock parts and aerodynamics, apart from the KER and Mechjeb parts (I'll add a separate FAR category if people want that).

4. KER and Mechjeb are ok for informational use, but Mechjeb cannot be used for piloting.

5. No autopilot mods. In this challenge, you'll be flying by hand, the good old-fashioned way.

6. No Alt+F12 menu, hyperedit, or any other shenanigans.

7. Commnet must be on throughout the mission, with both occlusion sliders set to 100% (I know I'll be providing the save file, but the Commnet settings can be changed from within the save and I want to make sure nobody does that).

8. Multiple forum users can be in a "team" and work together on the same vessel (I don't know why people would do that, but I'm just putting the option out there).

9. All submission vehicles must be uploaded to KerbalX, Dropbox, etc. As per the forum rules Mediafire isn't allowed due to ads.

10. The rocket will only get the vehicle into LKO. The trans-Minmal injection burn and other maneuvers will have to be completed under the submission vehicle's own power.

11. All submissions must be ready by the deadline (haven't thought of one yet, but will be in the format of MM-DD HH:MM:SS (month-date, hour-minute-second), time zone GMT (probably).

12. All missions must be completed using the provided save file (not provided yet, I'll make one when I have time).

13 and onward. Any other rules that I might come up with (I probably definitely will). 

 

Edited April 27, 2017 by Bill the Kerbal

[KerbalKore]

Still thinking of a deadline. Will open soon!

Edited April 15, 2017 by Bill the Kerbal

[Guest]

Is it active yet?

[KerbalKore]

No, need a deadline.

[KerbalKore]

I'm thinking may 31. How's that sound?

[Guest]

That sounds perfect!

 

[KerbalKore]

Will be live by May 5th!

Edited May 4, 2017 by Bill the Kerbal

[KerbalKore]

So sorry for the delay, school has been interrupting a ton. i will try to get the rockets there by Wednesday. 

[KerbalKore]

It pains me to say this, It appears that I am not fit to maintain this challenge. If anyone else with more time is willing to take over please pm me.