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Apollo Alternate Architectures Challenge


DAL59

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You cannot have a mechjeb part on your craft during flight.  However, you can put it on during construction to check the stats, and then remove it before launch.  Are you doing KOR or MOR?  

33 minutes ago, 53miner53 said:

I think you put me in the wrong category.

You docked your shuttle to the lander in LKO, so its KOR.  Although you later docked in Munar orbit, that is not what the challenge is about.

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Coincidentally I'd been planning on doing something like the second approach for my new mission architecture, because for missions to the Mun I'll mostly be using launch vehicles designed specifically for sending payloads to Munar orbit rather than Kerbin orbit. So I'll be trying this out as an excuse to show off some of my prototypes.

 

On 9/4/2017 at 9:45 PM, DAL59 said:

Used Mechjeb during flight(OK in VAB): Divide by 2

Just to clarify, does this refer to all of MechJeb's functionality (information displays, Smart A.S.S, and autopilots) or is simply using the information displays (which have no actual effect on piloting) allowed during flight? I mostly like to have them out of habit and I can fly okay without them, but additionally having the delta-v information as well as orbital and surface information visible on-screen makes it easier to confirm the validity of a challenge entry.

EDIT: I just saw the reply you posted right before this message; I'd missed the second page of this thread before adding this reply.

Edited by eloquentJane
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All the information screens.  You can use KOS if you want though.  Remember, if you do any other 2X bonus, that will cancel out the Mechjeb.  I think doing a minishuttle would be interesting.

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1 hour ago, DAL59 said:

There was also another EOR plan that involved docking a Gemini capsule to a small lander.

Oh, nice! I didn't know about that.

Anyway, here's a direct-ascent EOR. May be close to the minimum possible part count for a direct-ascent EOR...and it even has a rover(ish)!

Jeb to orbit:

Spoiler

screenshot0.png

Didn't want to asparagus stage but I wanted to save on the mass of an upper-stage engine, so I mounted two Thuds on the sides of the second stage and did some interesting crossfeed action.

screenshot1.png

Lifting off.

screenshot4.png

Rolling over.

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About to drop my first tank.

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Dropping tanks like beats/If this was steak, we'd have eats...okay, Jeb, no rapping please.

screenshot16.png

Blowing the fairing.

screenshot17.png

Good ascent.

screenshot22.png

Finishing the orbital insertion.

screenshot31.png

Maybe enough for circularization; I don't know.

screenshot34.png

Wasn't quite enough, so I jettisoned the upper stage and I'm circularizing on RCS.

Earth Orbit Rendezvous and TMI:

Spoiler

screenshot35.png

And here's the lander.

screenshot36.png

Up, up, and away!

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Used an action group to kill the Thuds to squeeze out some extra isp.

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Dropping the first stage.

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Just now realizing I forgot to time for an intercept. Oops.


screenshot56.png

Blowing the fairing.

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Don't wanna accidentally lose power.

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Since I neglected to wait for a good launch window, I have to warp around to get an intercept.

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This should do it.

screenshot69.png

Velocity matching.

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Switched over to the capsule since it's the only one with actual RCS thrusters. Why do I always end up with night-side rendezvouses?

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Docked!

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Transferring monoprop.

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TMI burn set up.

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Halfway through and I used explosive decoupling to jettison the orbital insertion stage.

screenshot82.png

Got a good periapsis.

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Making adjustments on RCS to save bipropellant.

Capture, landing, and return:

Spoiler

screenshot87.png

Doing the capture on RCS as well.

screenshot88.png

Slowly...

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Hah, got a nice little double Mun intercept.

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Made it!

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Lowering my apoapsis.

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Did a retrograde orbit just for fun. I wonder if I can make it around to my JLOR rover!

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Transferring fuel down to the lander stage just in case I run low.

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Going to slow down as much as possible with RCS; the more I burn, the more efficient my landing will be.

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Hotter than I'd like.

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Firing up the landing engine.

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Separate control of engine and RCS is nice.

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Coming in gently.

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I have about 0.85 local gees of thrust on RCS.

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Steady...

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Down!

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I made it!

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Jeb has a sense of humor.

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EVA flight time!

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Getting back in.

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Remember how I promised a rover?

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Sure enough, I can rove! Despite the height, the reaction wheel on the base keeps me upright as long as I use it in docking mode.

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Taking a nice little jaunt across the landscape.

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Turned off the lower engine. Going to use explosive decoupling to blow my docking ports.

screenshot142.png

Here we go!

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Kapowee!

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Burning off all my RCS will give me a bit of a kick toward orbit and will lower mass significantly, making better use of every drop of biprop.

screenshot148.png

Slow going.

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Almost out of monopropellant so I kicked the Spark back on.

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Shouldn't take long to make orbit now.

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Got it! And, as luck would have it, I'm all lined up for the return burn.

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Almost to escape.

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Lowering periapsis.

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Almost there!

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Warped home...

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Now if I can come through without burning up...

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Hot!

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This was the closest the Spark got to overheating.

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Making another loop around.

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Coming in lower this time.

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Should come down within sight of KSC!

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Through re-entry heat.

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The trick here will be to wait until I hit terminal velocity, then burn the rest of the fuel in the Spark, then jump out and hope for the best.

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Burning away!

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Weeeeeeeeeeee!

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Boom goes the spaceship.

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RCS might be able to slow us down to survivable speeds.

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Bounce!

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Home sweet home!

Score is 200 - 16 parts - 20 parts = 164, +10 for the two-stage lander, x2 for the rover, comes to 348. Also note that I am very, very low on the tech tree, for what it's worth.

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7 minutes ago, DAL59 said:

All the information screens.  You can use KOS if you want though.  Remember, if you do any other 2X bonus, that will cancel out the Mechjeb.  I think doing a minishuttle would be interesting.

Well, I play in a 4x rescale so that'd cancel out the MechJeb loss if i don't remove the MechJeb cores from the vehicles, but I won't be doing a shuttle-styled vehicle because I already have a mostly-working prototype for my Munar spacecraft. That said, I know the first post specifies a Mk1 command pod, but it wouldn't lose any points to use a different command pod (which holds more kerbals) would it? I'd assume the answer is no because the Apollo missions included more than one crew member (including for proposed alternative mission profiles), but I'd rather clarify that to be sure.

Edited by eloquentJane
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Since there is no analogue for the gemini capsule, the MK1 will half to suffice.  Remember, larger capsules are higher up on the tree, and increase your weight(or mass).  

Good job sevenperforceyou are now the leader in both categories.  I gave you the bonus for your low tech and unique "rover", bringing your score to 1044.  

 

Explains JT LOR.

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21 minutes ago, DAL59 said:

You docked your shuttle to the lander in LKO, so its KOR.  Although you later docked in Munar orbit, that is not what the challenge is about.

The lander was already on its way to LMO by the time the shuttle was launched. They weren't in load range until LMO.

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OK

So you sent the lander to TMI, then sent a shuttle to TMI, then switched back to the lander for MOI, then rendezvoused with the shuttle?  An interesting approach.  I'll move you.

You can use the mechjeb info screens, I guess.  

I did my minimus mission this way: First launch, probecore, solar panels, docking port jr. f-400 tank, terrier engine into LKO.  30 part rocket.  Second launch: Same rocket, but with capsule, heatshield, and landing gear.  The booster gave enough dv for TmI, a mid course course correction, and half of insertion fuel.  The lander then continued a direct ascent mission.  The gees were so intense that even level 5 jeb blacked out.  

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here's my entry for Type 2: Joint Munar Obit Rendezvous

will correct the links if i figure out how to embed them as proper albums :)

the vessels i used:

https://imgur.com/a/JJO7A

launch and transfer of the Lander & Rover to Mun parking Orbit

https://imgur.com/a/SDTK5

launch & transfer of the Shuttle

https://imgur.com/a/aVfo6

Rendezvous in Mun Orbit

https://imgur.com/a/qyckh

Mun Landing

https://imgur.com/a/YoYZ8

return to orbit & rendezvous no. 2

https://imgur.com/a/4zveu

return to Kerbin & landing

https://imgur.com/a/ZOo5K

 

rocket 1 (unmanned) 27 parts, rocket 2 (shuttle) 20 parts

 

base score: 200 - 47 parts = 153

+10 for 2 stage lander

*2 for rover

*2 for shuttle

*2 for no fuel transfer (not needed, had plenty of deltaV )

possibly *3 for low tech - up to you (highest tech used were probably the rover wheels, the retractable solar panels and maybe the docking ports and the small delta wings of the shuttle.  none of the parts was higher up the tech tree then the 160 nodes. )

don't know how the multiplication rules should be applied (additive/multiplicative)

Edited by mk1980
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Your score is 1304!  You're in the lead.  

While your shuttle broke up, I kept the bonus because you earned the  "impress me bonus".

Edited by DAL59
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On 04.09.2017 at 11:45 PM, DAL59 said:

Use KOS: X2

Challenge accepted!

To clarify:

1. Do this have to be dedicated kOS parts and -1 point for each or adding kOSProcessor module to capsules via MM patch is OK?

2. Does LK-style landing (block D makes most of the braking, lander engines kill the last 100-200 m/s, lander then uses the same engine for the ascent) count as 2-stage?

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