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The Ultimate Jool 5 Challenge Continued


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@JacobJHC, here's my entry for the Jool-5 challenge. I did it in a Sandbox save because I hated waiting for my other missions to get done.

  • I'm bad at Imgur albums, so here are the pictures in individual sections.

 

To describe my entry:

  • Three-person SSTO
    • Fun fact: comes with emergency abort system
  • ISRU and docking-capable
    • Won't need the docking for this case.
  • Science-capable. Specifically
    • Goo
    • Temperature
    • Crew report
    • Pressure
    • Atmospheric GCMS
    • Gravioli scans
    • Seismic scans
  • Mods used for this challenge:
    • MechJeb
    • Kerbal Alarm Clock

 

Getting to Jool from Kerbin

Spoiler

AMBso4V.png

  • Anubis II, ready for takeoff
    • Not official for my career save. I just loaded this into a Sandbox because I don't want to wait.

 

8r8FG62.png

  • Flying with the Skipper engines and eight rapiers

 

OMb0jpX.png

  • Refueling on Minmus.
    • I only filled the oxidizer tanks with enough to get off Minmus. Other than that, I had WAY over 5 km/s of delta-V on NERVs alone after achieving Minmus orbit.
  • Next stop: Jool

 

GrSPcmW.png

  • Parked in high-Kerbin orbit, awaiting my interplanetary transfer burn.

 

RYNxkcs.png

  • Straight shot to Jool.

 

 

STOP 1: Laythe

Spoiler

wuDGfSp.png

  • After getting ~16 Mm periapsis orbit around Jool, I fine-tuned my approach to Laythe so that I could aerobrake and still have an orbital apoapsis of over 50 km. That way, I can have enough time and fuel to land where it's sunny.

 

YAmNkW9.png

  • Flying through Laythe on rapiers alone.
  • If this was a career save, I'd have gotten diminished science returns since I've been to Laythe before.

 

Sxtt9zl.png

  • Planting a flag on Laythe before refueling.

 

 

STOP 2: Bop

Spoiler

t0u7jhc.png

  • After taking off from Laythe, I barely had enough fuel for Bop. The good news is that I made it.

 

169tyRM.png

  • Collecting a surface sample from Bop while planting a flag.

 

n4NBE7t.png

  • (Sandbox version of) collecting science on the surface.

 

 

STOP 3: Tylo (a real doozy)

Spoiler

I5dG5HI.png

  • After getting off Bop's surface, I used the NERVs to make my burn to Tylo. I then switched to the Lf+Ox engines after my Lf tank fell below the necessary quantity to maintain a balanced mixture with the Ox.

 

OOZUQYb.png

  • I had to pick an equatorial landing site near the craft's orbital path. This one's a real nail-biter.

 

YoCXENs.png

  • Perfect landing - by the skin of my teeth.

 

bnWmhLc.png

  • Surface sample and Flag 3.

 

RcCARef.png

  • All fueled up and ready for takeoff

 

 

STOP 4: Pol

Spoiler

Taking off from Tylo

Spoiler

GtIfEsW.png?1

The secret is:

  • Use up ALL engines, no matter what type or thrust
    • In fact, the NERVs can get rid of the excess Lf that the Ox wouldn't use up.
  • Get over 45-degree pitch as soon as you're airborne
    • Watch your vertical speed meter. If it stays negative for too long, you're in trouble.
  • GRADUALLY pitch downward while your vertical speed remains positive.

 

Vvh2TrC.png?1

  • Ready to make my circularization burn over Tylo with an apoapsis of 172 km

 

 

bo4ipqV.png?1

  • Waiting for my interplanetary transfer to Pol from Tylo

 

elRy7nX.png?1

  • Planting flag and collecting a surface sample in Pol's lowlands
  • I took a risky move and straight-up hit "landed somewhere" on the MJ landing autopilot while approaching Pol in a hyperbolic orbit.
    • That explains why I landed where it's dark.

 

I didn't bother to show the science collection on Pol, since this is a sandbox save and you should know by now that science points don't count for jack-s***. If this was a career save, you would definitely see it.

 

 

STOP 5: Vall

Spoiler

foA8a74.png?1

  • In orbit of Pol, about to make my burn to Vall
    • I left the ore tanks full, but then converted it to Lf+Ox after takeoff.
    • Due to the nature of the slopes, I had to take off in a slightly-inclined retrograde orbit.
  • I think I can make it on rapiers AND skippers alone.

 

hica9nN.png?1

  • About to circularize my orbit over Vall
  • Looks like I won't need the NERVs after all

 

uGCzVfc.png?1

  • Landing on Vall with A LOT of delta-V to spare on rapiers and skippers alone

 

MdnVuWx.png?1

  • (Left to right) Tancan Kerman, Fermal Kerman, and Kenby Kerman standing behind the last flag
  • Taken right before the Anubis II refueled for the flight home
    • Started with the Lf tanks all the way, then the Oxidizer with enough just for the orbital ascent on rapiers and skippers.

 

edOMUGu.png?1

  • A bit of sliding and mid-air (rather, airborne spaceborne) spinning later, I got the plane to manage a 79-km apoapsis with whatever Lf+Ox I had.
    • Circularized with the NERVs

 

8GTU11d.png?1

  • I just need to execute these next two maneuvers before plotting my node back home to Kerbin
  • The resulting Jool orbit is designed that way so that I won't get caught in any of the moon's sphere of influences and get my wait messed up.

of6AR7E.png?1

  • So long, Vall - and Kerbin, here we come.

 

 

 

Going back home

Spoiler

sL6BjDo.png?1

  • It's going to be a long-ass flight back home.
  • Fine-tuning my approach so that I'll have a 210-km periapsis.

 

EtpvhGt.png?1

  • I still will have delta-V to spare when I'm done circularizing my orbit (on NERVs alone), but I'm kind of cutting it close here.

 

Vx5kfck.png?1

  • Not very circular, huh. In fact, had I continued, I would have needed to use up ~700 m/s of delta-V.
    • To make matters worse, the chances of me hitting the KSC at my current inclination are slim.
  • Time to change that, by first changing my orbital inclination.

 

X2jauDx.png?1

  • I'm about to do what's called a pro-gamer move.

 

TBtvvfA.png?1

  • You guessed it, it was an aerobrake
    • And look how well that paid off so far

 

5SWxUt7.png?1

  • I need to go around again to lower my apoapsis some more.

 

Zft8H6D.png?1

  • Second aerobrake down, and I now have a 1.08 Mm apoapsis
  • Still want to lower that while saving some fuel. However, at the same time, I don't want to enter a suborbital trajectory too early.
    • ANSWER: raise periapsis to 60 km

 

VYjt1Qd.png?1

  • After the FIFTH AEROBRAKE, I decided I had enough delta-V to make my own very low Kerbin orbit and get ready to land at the KSC.

 

7uZ8R3M.png?1

  • Getting ready for my final burn to the KSC.
    • I plan to burn a little bit longer than usual so I don't overshoot it and have to turn around.

 

Of course, I could just hit "abort" and parachute the capsule down while I dump the rest of the plane. However, I'm going for the landing.

 

QTEc0iS.png?1

  • Nothing says "coming in hot" like a plane on fire during re-entry.

 

jNFGMAb.png?1

  • Approaching the KSC runway.

 

KZpCkH3.png?1

  • As soon as I touched down, I re-deployed the airbrakes and applied the wheel brakes.
  • I also deployed the rear chute and stopped quickly.

 

TCQtBrQ.png?1

OUR THREE JOOLIAN HEROES BACK HOME

 

 

What do you think?

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On 4/7/2020 at 1:47 AM, Mars-Bound Hokie said:

@JacobJHC, here's my entry for the Jool-5 challenge. I did it in a Sandbox save because I hated waiting for my other missions to get done.

  • I'm bad at Imgur albums, so here are the pictures in individual sections.

 

To describe my entry:

  • Three-person SSTO
    • Fun fact: comes with emergency abort system
  • ISRU and docking-capable
    • Won't need the docking for this case.
  • Science-capable. Specifically
    • Goo
    • Temperature
    • Crew report
    • Pressure
    • Atmospheric GCMS
    • Gravioli scans
    • Seismic scans
  • Mods used for this challenge:
    • MechJeb
    • Kerbal Alarm Clock

 

Getting to Jool from Kerbin

  Hide contents

AMBso4V.png

  • Anubis II, ready for takeoff
    • Not official for my career save. I just loaded this into a Sandbox because I don't want to wait.

 

8r8FG62.png

  • Flying with the Skipper engines and eight rapiers

 

OMb0jpX.png

  • Refueling on Minmus.
    • I only filled the oxidizer tanks with enough to get off Minmus. Other than that, I had WAY over 5 km/s of delta-V on NERVs alone after achieving Minmus orbit.
  • Next stop: Jool

 

GrSPcmW.png

  • Parked in high-Kerbin orbit, awaiting my interplanetary transfer burn.

 

RYNxkcs.png

  • Straight shot to Jool.

 

 

STOP 1: Laythe

  Hide contents

wuDGfSp.png

  • After getting ~16 Mm periapsis orbit around Jool, I fine-tuned my approach to Laythe so that I could aerobrake and still have an orbital apoapsis of over 50 km. That way, I can have enough time and fuel to land where it's sunny.

 

YAmNkW9.png

  • Flying through Laythe on rapiers alone.
  • If this was a career save, I'd have gotten diminished science returns since I've been to Laythe before.

 

Sxtt9zl.png

  • Planting a flag on Laythe before refueling.

 

 

STOP 2: Bop

  Hide contents

t0u7jhc.png

  • After taking off from Laythe, I barely had enough fuel for Bop. The good news is that I made it.

 

169tyRM.png

  • Collecting a surface sample from Bop while planting a flag.

 

n4NBE7t.png

  • (Sandbox version of) collecting science on the surface.

 

 

STOP 3: Tylo (a real doozy)

  Hide contents

I5dG5HI.png

  • After getting off Bop's surface, I used the NERVs to make my burn to Tylo. I then switched to the Lf+Ox engines after my Lf tank fell below the necessary quantity to maintain a balanced mixture with the Ox.

 

OOZUQYb.png

  • I had to pick an equatorial landing site near the craft's orbital path. This one's a real nail-biter.

 

YoCXENs.png

  • Perfect landing - by the skin of my teeth.

 

bnWmhLc.png

  • Surface sample and Flag 3.

 

RcCARef.png

  • All fueled up and ready for takeoff

 

 

STOP 4: Pol

  Hide contents

Taking off from Tylo

  Hide contents

GtIfEsW.png?1

The secret is:

  • Use up ALL engines, no matter what type or thrust
    • In fact, the NERVs can get rid of the excess Lf that the Ox wouldn't use up.
  • Get over 45-degree pitch as soon as you're airborne
    • Watch your vertical speed meter. If it stays negative for too long, you're in trouble.
  • GRADUALLY pitch downward while your vertical speed remains positive.

 

Vvh2TrC.png?1

  • Ready to make my circularization burn over Tylo with an apoapsis of 172 km

 

 

bo4ipqV.png?1

  • Waiting for my interplanetary transfer to Pol from Tylo

 

elRy7nX.png?1

  • Planting flag and collecting a surface sample in Pol's lowlands
  • I took a risky move and straight-up hit "landed somewhere" on the MJ landing autopilot while approaching Pol in a hyperbolic orbit.
    • That explains why I landed where it's dark.

 

I didn't bother to show the science collection on Pol, since this is a sandbox save and you should know by now that science points don't count for jack-s***. If this was a career save, you would definitely see it.

 

 

STOP 5: Vall

  Hide contents

foA8a74.png?1

  • In orbit of Pol, about to make my burn to Vall
    • I left the ore tanks full, but then converted it to Lf+Ox after takeoff.
    • Due to the nature of the slopes, I had to take off in a slightly-inclined retrograde orbit.
  • I think I can make it on rapiers AND skippers alone.

 

hica9nN.png?1

  • About to circularize my orbit over Vall
  • Looks like I won't need the NERVs after all

 

uGCzVfc.png?1

  • Landing on Vall with A LOT of delta-V to spare on rapiers and skippers alone

 

MdnVuWx.png?1

  • (Left to right) Tancan Kerman, Fermal Kerman, and Kenby Kerman standing behind the last flag
  • Taken right before the Anubis II refueled for the flight home
    • Started with the Lf tanks all the way, then the Oxidizer with enough just for the orbital ascent on rapiers and skippers.

 

edOMUGu.png?1

  • A bit of sliding and mid-air (rather, airborne spaceborne) spinning later, I got the plane to manage a 79-km apoapsis with whatever Lf+Ox I had.
    • Circularized with the NERVs

 

8GTU11d.png?1

  • I just need to execute these next two maneuvers before plotting my node back home to Kerbin
  • The resulting Jool orbit is designed that way so that I won't get caught in any of the moon's sphere of influences and get my wait messed up.

 

of6AR7E.png?1

  • So long, Vall - and Kerbin, here we come.

 

 

 

Going back home

  Hide contents

sL6BjDo.png?1

  • It's going to be a long-ass flight back home.
  • Fine-tuning my approach so that I'll have a 210-km periapsis.

 

EtpvhGt.png?1

  • I still will have delta-V to spare when I'm done circularizing my orbit (on NERVs alone), but I'm kind of cutting it close here.

 

Vx5kfck.png?1

  • Not very circular, huh. In fact, had I continued, I would have needed to use up ~700 m/s of delta-V.
    • To make matters worse, the chances of me hitting the KSC at my current inclination are slim.
  • Time to change that, by first changing my orbital inclination.

 

X2jauDx.png?1

  • I'm about to do what's called a pro-gamer move.

 

TBtvvfA.png?1

  • You guessed it, it was an aerobrake
    • And look how well that paid off so far

 

5SWxUt7.png?1

  • I need to go around again to lower my apoapsis some more.

 

Zft8H6D.png?1

  • Second aerobrake down, and I now have a 1.08 Mm apoapsis
  • Still want to lower that while saving some fuel. However, at the same time, I don't want to enter a suborbital trajectory too early.
    • ANSWER: raise periapsis to 60 km

 

VYjt1Qd.png?1

  • After the FIFTH AEROBRAKE, I decided I had enough delta-V to make my own very low Kerbin orbit and get ready to land at the KSC.

 

7uZ8R3M.png?1

  • Getting ready for my final burn to the KSC.
    • I plan to burn a little bit longer than usual so I don't overshoot it and have to turn around.

 

Of course, I could just hit "abort" and parachute the capsule down while I dump the rest of the plane. However, I'm going for the landing.

 

QTEc0iS.png?1

  • Nothing says "coming in hot" like a plane on fire during re-entry.

 

jNFGMAb.png?1

  • Approaching the KSC runway.

 

KZpCkH3.png?1

  • As soon as I touched down, I re-deployed the airbrakes and applied the wheel brakes.
  • I also deployed the rear chute and stopped quickly.

 

TCQtBrQ.png?1

OUR THREE JOOLIAN HEROES BACK HOME

 

 

What do you think?

I'll tell you what I think, I think congratulations on completing the Jool 5 challenge on level 2! As far as ISRU SSTOs go, this is definitely one of the cooler, more Kerbal looking designs I've seen. I'll add you to the leaderboard now!

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On 4/9/2020 at 5:51 PM, JacobJHC said:

I'll tell you what I think, I think congratulations on completing the Jool 5 challenge on level 2! As far as ISRU SSTOs go, this is definitely one of the cooler, more Kerbal looking designs I've seen. I'll add you to the leaderboard now!

Thanks for that, @JacobJHC. I am honored.

 

Since I have already proven I can do the Jool-5, I decided to post my craft file on KerbalX.

  • Yes, I know the model is called the T-6 Cannonball. I called it the Anubis II for this run.
  • The KerbalX page comes with detailed instructions on how to use it, including the capsule ejection sequence.
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Here is my entry for a single stage 3rd level Jool 5.  Here is a screenshot of the craft:

Ykkgt3P.jpg

7 kilotons, 8 ISRUs, 17 Saturn-V tanks, 17 kerbals, and 1 stage.  There is technically room for 19 kerbals, but stuffing kerbals into airlocks is 'uncool'.

Full mission report can be found here:

 

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Congratulations @RoninFrog on completing the Jool 5 Challenge on level 3! The Sauron is quite the mammoth, and your commentary in the thread was most amusing. This was my favorite image from the mission.iTx7OQg.jpg

I'll add you to the leaderboard now, and thank you for being so patient while my semester ended. :) 

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*builds Tylo lander*
"Ah this shouldn't be too difficult."
*realizes I've burned 3000 delta-V in the test landing, notices I only have 1550 left...*

We're gonna need a bigger boat... or may throw some of the science stuff like the Science Jr overboard. Maybe independent RCS maneuvering ability can go as well...

I guess maybe trying to make things recoverable is hard. Tylo landers shouldn't need to be 10 tonnes.

Edited by Pds314
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8 hours ago, Pds314 said:

I guess maybe trying to make things recoverable is hard. Tylo landers shouldn't need to be 10 tonnes.

My staged Tylo microlander was almost 12 tonnes.

Spoiler

h2e7A39.pngall my Jool-5 landing craft (Tyletto is in the lower right)

 

O3UZ7Fz.pngdropping tanks about halfway down the descent

 

ixLaOIf.png Jeb posing with the flag

 

ZC3bFPR.pngascending on the final stage

Edited by sturmhauke
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12 hours ago, Pds314 said:

*builds Tylo lander*
"Ah this shouldn't be too difficult."
*realizes I've burned 3000 delta-V in the test landing, notices I only have 1550 left...*

We're gonna need a bigger boat... or may throw some of the science stuff like the Science Jr overboard. Maybe independent RCS maneuvering ability can go as well...

I guess maybe trying to make things recoverable is hard. Tylo landers shouldn't need to be 10 tonnes.

It all depends on what engine you use. If you have the Making History DLC I might suggest the cub engine (I think that's what its called) or the spark or some twitches.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Oh...i forgot some early concept...lets go with it...

0wVggnn.png

Small Mothership.

354qAQo.png

Mothesheep (Pun intended).

fq8GPGC.png

Bullet Tylo Lander.

IIr12XZ.png

RTG Megawatt with Twin Ion engine, it can act as the center of an attachment.

tgF48dG.png

Prototype of the Godspeed Badurra lander, made because why not do it when i can ?

npdJN6M.png

Sheep v4 Grand Tour set.

DfvkDJj.png

Status update : 62nd Landing, the only one that has to be done in the Midnight.

The only serious part clipping is the Cage shape, which's main purpose is to look cool...

Edited by GRS
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  • 3 weeks later...

As the title implies, this is the mission architecture for Daedalus - my next Jool V attempt.
Right now, the mission is still being planned- the current mission layout is for Amalthea to aerobrake, either at Jool or Laythe, into orbit using a heat shield structure. If aerobraking at Jool, corrections will be made in Jool orbit to encounter Laythe and enter orbit., and if aerobraking at Laythe, Amalthea will retroburn into a Laythe parking orbit. Amalthea will remain in Laythe orbit for the duration of the landings in the Jool system. Earhart will be piloted to the surface of Laythe and land before returning to orbit and rendezvousing with Amalthea. Earhart will be drained of fuel and left to orbit Laythe until further infrastructure arrives and deorbits the spacecraft. A nuclear tug will dock with Tennyson and transfer it into orbit around Tylo, where it will land, return to orbit and dock with the tug. The tug will return to Laythe orbit and rendezvous with Amalthea, refuelling both itself and Tennyson before venturing outward to Vall. Tennyson's upper stage will land on Vall, Bop and Pol with possible refuelling trips and land on all three bodies before returning to Amalthea. With the mission objective completed, crew will transfer to the habitation modules for the trip home - the tug will switch to autonomous mode and return any remaining fuel to the mothership before deorbiting itself and Tennyson's upper stage. Amalthea will return to the Kerbin system, where it will enter orbit around one of the Kerbin system moons - most likely Minmus - and wait for a standard spacecraft to retrieve the crew and return to Kerbin. Amalthea will remain in orbit and be refuelled either with fuel launched from Kerbin or mined by a possibly established ISRU economy on Minmus, ready for its next journey.

Of course the program is working on a much reduced budget after after the failed original Jool 5 mission, where Valentina Kerman was tragically killed on Vall after a lander malfunction. An estimated 200 million kredits worth of space program budget was lost in the cancellation of the Tylo, Bop and Pol landings due to the only pilot's death, loss of mission infrastructure and immediate retirement of survivors Bilman and Alfry Kerman, who both suffered PTSD and passed the kerbonaut recommended radiation limit over their seven year journey.
The Daedalus mission may be a long shot, but it is our last shot. We're functioning on one-tenth the budget and one-sixth the manpower: if this fails, the program will be disbanded. Kerbals will forever look up at the night sky in ignorance and confusion, heedless of the knowledge lost. We owe it to our species to succeed in this endeavour, and write the name of Kerbals into the stars.

- END OF PRESS RELEASE, KERBAL SPACE CENTER-

jool_v_ships.png

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Hey @JacobJHC

I'm putting together another Jool-5 run as the finale of my Kerpollo challenge. I'm putting the photos on this thread:

Here's a description of my entry:

- Making History 1.9.1

- Normal difficulty science mode

- 10-kerbal crew; 2 for each moon

- Aiming for a Jeb's level since Kerpollo is all about gathering science.

- Ship: Joolollo Victory; It will separate into three distinct parts at Jool to tackle Tylo, Laythe, and Val+Pol+Bop.

- Kerpollo rules: single launch; all landers must redock with a kerbed orbiter after landing

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 7/3/2020 at 1:54 PM, SiriusRocketry said:

Is it possible to grab a Class-C/D asteroid and use it as both a Jool/Laythe entry heatshield and a massive fuel reserve? Has it been done before, and does it work? Thanks in advance.

I know I'm late, and I don't have anything to link to, but I've definitely seen 'roids used as shielding in Jool aerobrakes. As for fuel, in my experience, asteroids don't usually provide enough ore to be worthwhile.

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I'm not sure what the thermal tolerance of a space potato is, but it's probably not worth the effort trying to use one as a Laythe heat shield. Usually I enter the Jool system with a Tylo gravity brake and then go from there. Once you've slowed down, Laythe's atmosphere is about as survivable as Kerbin's, although it has somewhat different properties.

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