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Newbie Central - Micro-challenges for new comers! - Closed


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Hey there :)

 

Here is my attempt to this 7th challenge !

It's only the 2nd time I'm going to Gilly so it was a good surprise :)

Also Eve's return is quite savage xD

 

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Spoiler

Departure time !

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Payload :

hleib4.jpg

Depart to Eve :

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Hard aerocapture :

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Gilly trajectories, I planned to aerocapture on the inclinaison of Gilly :

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Usual flag party !

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1st planned Return Maneuver, I actually modified it to burn only 420+ at Eve and 60m/s later :

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Re-entry on Kerbin was harder than I thought, also the MEM has very bad heat resistance .. After multiple attemps I decided to retroburn everything that was left instead of decoupling engines, also you may notice a variation on fuel lines next to the engines, because I had fuel left on the MEM which was not crossfeed via decoupler :

7yl15i.jpg

Final landing, everybody's safe which is quite a surprise after the re-entry experienced !

k5f417.jpg

 

Edited by Kerbolitto
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14 hours ago, greenbird2026 said:

How do you get rep points?

PS I’m new to the forums so don’t judge.

By people liking and quoting you and I think also whne you like others, there needs to be some kind of balance

Edited by hoioh
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Training Challenge IIX: Instruments Only

As you may know, the Kerbal Space Programme has a super-advanced chase plane/rocket which it uses to provide external camera views to all missions and vehicles. Unfortunately, this year's take-your-daughter-to-work day failed to account for the destructiveness of children, and, as a result, the chase rocket is now in the shop, meaning that we will have to fly a mission without being able to see the spacecraft in the third person.

screenshot9.png

So the challenge, as you may have guessed, is to do an IVA-only (and map view) space mission. It's not exactly instruments-only, given the presence of windows, but your field of view is usually limited enough that it may as well be. What kind of space mission? Well, that's mostly up to you!

 

The Rules

Rule no.1: While you can do whatever space mission you want, the minimum requirement is to enter low Kerbin orbit. This is because a suborbital flight only requires "rocket goes up"-level thinking.

Rule no.2: The spacecraft external view is forbidden, confining you to the map and IVA views, but there are exceptions to this rule. The first is that you can use the external camera if you need to right click on something, like, say, solar panels, but try to zoom in really close to the spacecraft so you don't get a good look around.

Rule no.3: For cinematic purposes, you may use the external camera when pretending that it is a ground-mounted camera, for example a view of the launching rocket from the perspective of the ground near the launchpad. I did this a couple of times.

Rule no.4: You are also allowed to go on EVA, and to use the Kerbal's EVA-external-view as much as you want.

Rule no.5: So that we have somebody to bring back the photographs, at least one of the crew must survive and return home.

Rule no.6: Pretty much all mods are allowed - in fact, the JSI/rasterprop monitor mod comes heavily recommended, as it adds a bunch of computer screens and cameras that can really improve IVA-view situational awareness. My example mission doesn't use this, though, to prove that "IVA only" missions can be done without that mod. As usual, I ask that you don't use hyperedit for this mission.

 

Tips for Noobs

While it appears at first glance that the spacecraft internal view doesn't give you much of any ways to figure out what's going on, there's actually some pretty handy instruments in there. We all know and love the navball and speed indicator, of course, and the glowy panel with buttons that light up if you activate SAS, RCS, the landing gear, and, uh, other stuff. Just in case you haven't seen it yet, there's the RADAR altimeter, which, unlike your external-view sea-level-altitude-counter, actually tells you how close the ground is. We've also got this clock-type apparatus to the right of the navball in the picture, which is the IVA-view "sea level" altimeter. It has a "second hand" for counting hundreds of meters, a "minute hand" which goes by thousands of meters, and the hour hand, where every number is 10,000 metres. Oh yes, and the "C" button allows you to switch between IVA and external view easily, with the "V" button switching between crew members. I also recommend looking up the KSP delta-v map, and using the flightengineer to know how much delta-v you have (plus thrust-to-weight ratio and altitude).

Delta-V: If you don't know what it means, delta-v is kind of a way of measuring how much fuel/range your rocket has. It stands for "change in velocity", and basically means how much your rocket could change how fast its going if it used all of its fuel in space. Planning out how much you'll need beforehand is a good alternative to several trial-and-error missions.

 

Example Mission: The Shooting Star

It was back in way back in Kerbal history, before the omnipotent chase rocket had been invented, sometime in their equivalent of the early '60s. Not a lot of space missions had actually happened yet, and the Kerbals didn't have the technology or experience to do anything as crazy as a Mun landing yet, but they didn't let that deter them (That means fuel cells instead of solar panels, and RCS only). Fed up with waiting around, they just decided to put something together and take a shot at the Mun. Flying this mission, surprise-surprise, are Jeb and Bill, assisted by the making history DLC, the astronomer's visual pack (without the enhanced terrain kopernicus allows, since the kopernicus mod is currently broken), and a great deal of other mods, though, as mentioned, rasterpropmonitor is not included. Images below!

Spoiler

screenshot0.png

Jeb's rocket car! Yeah, I know, it's an external view, but, ehhhhhh, I'm claiming pre-launch diplomatic immunity. If it has a pod, it has to be retro!

 

screenshot2.png

Bill and Jebediah Kerman climb the launch tower to the Shooting Star rocket, as seen through the launchpad grill. Blurriness brought to you by the KS3P post-processing mod (Did I mention that I have all of the mods installed?)

 

screenshot1.png

Here they are, boarding the rocket. My rockets don't have enough thought put into them to really have an aesthetic, but this one is kind of loosely based around the idea of a Gemini-style moon mission, and by that I mean it has the Gemini capsule. And fuel cells, because those reflective solar panels just make you an easier target for the space aliens.

 

screenshot3.png

The engines fire up and the launch clamps release, as semi-realistically seen by a ground camera seconds before being shattered by the concussive din of three rocket engines. I forgot to add struts, so a half-second later those side tanks were leaning in all sorts of crazy directions, but since we didn't crash, it's nothing to worry about.

 

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There's nothing to really see until the gravity turn, so here it is, complete with a gloriously blinding sunrise! On our right is Jeb, who, thanks to texturereplacer, really does look like a Jebediah.

 

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Ground control to Shooting Star, ground control to Shooting Star. Orbital insertion succesful, roughly 100 KM circular. Advise Bill Kerman EVA to perform exterior inspection of vehicle before Munar injection burn, over.

 

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Bill, who, inexplicably, has a French moustache, looks back at Kerbin as they soar towards their destination. At the north and south pole, you can see a bit of those tasty 8k auroras (aurorae?). 

 

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...And there's our Mun encounter! Now, we are using the TAC life support mod, which means that this spacecraft has a very limited amount of food, water, and oxygen supplies onboard - enough for slightly over 2 days. What this means is that we had to go for the fastest and most direct Munar injection burn. That means no time-consuming free return trajectories, and greater fuel cost, but fuel is the one thing we have in abundance (For the fuel cells, which need to power the volt-munching heater the crew demanded we install).

 

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Munar orbit, slightly before beginning the de-orbiting burn. The grey halo is caused by the (don't laugh) Mun's atmosphere. While it does exist as a concept, the atmosphere is actually just thin clouds of loose dust floating around, which serves two purposes: Looking cool and making astronauts sneeze when they get their spacesuits off.

 

screenshot9.png

The more astute among you may have realized that, based on the way the engine is pointing, the windows are supposed to be looking up, not sideways. ...yes, ok, we fell over. Well, any landing you can walk away from, right? Taking off is going to be fun, though...

 

screenshot10.png

Jeb was going to be the one standing on the Munar soil in the shot, to show that he was the first to walk on the Mun, not Bill. But Bill is carrying so much safety gear that he was actually too heavy to jetpack onto the top of the capsule, so he's the one in the bottom-right. Also, look at those horrific surface textures. Terrain enhancements need kopernicus to work, kopernicus doesn't work, so we're left with this hideous stock stuff.

 

screenshot11.png

Can't have a Mun landing without a flag raising, can we? Oh yeah, and I love this KS3P mod. If you basically turn the brightness up to 100, you can see a thin little dust cloud over the top of the leftmost ridge. They're a lot more substantial when bunched together by distance, like how tiny puffs of clouds group together into a sea of clouds, as they get further away from you. 

 

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As previously mentioned, our limited supplies means that we can't stay here very long, but thanks to our jetpacks, Jeb can at least head over to the nearest crater. 

 

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Well, here's the nearest crater, folks. Jeb named it Endurance crater, since I've read a ton of stuff about Shackleton lately, plus getting here took a lot of work or something. Oh yeah, and those blurry surface textures... COVER YOUR EYES, KIDS!

 

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With Jeb back in and the science stuff set up, we'd better hurry and get home in time for supper. All in all, we were only on the Munar surface for about 30 minutes total, but it is still a little better than just flags and footprints. We left some instruments (and this camera) behind to transmit, even found an earthquake! So, here's the spacecraft taking off. Scraping along the ground went better than we thought, only lost a landing light.

 

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The thing about the Mun is that you don't really go up at all before starting the gravity turn, since there's no atmosphere to speak of. This makes for some great groundskimming fun, though Bill didn't seem to appreciate it much.

 

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I neglected to mention it earlier, but during that fun on the Mun we were actually on the far side, the dark side never visible from Kerbin. So that's another win for science! (Though I suppose not knowing whether the landing worked might have freaked mission control out to know end) Anyway, since Kerbin wasn't visible from the Mun, here it is from Munar orbit, just before we plummet down towards Kerbin at record speed. I was trying out a new skybox, but, honestly, it's a bit blurry, so it isn't much worth looking away from any bright reflective celestial bodies to see the stars. But at least one star is visible as a dot in this picture, unless it's Jool.

 

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Space is great and all, but this tiny capsule is cramped, and Bill is overjoyed to be getting back home, to enjoy some real food. The grin will vanish in a second, though, when the mission controller, looking at the Shooting Star's speed and altitude, screams "BRACE YOURSEEEEEEELVES!"

 

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See those pretty flashes in your window, Bill? That's the service module we decoupled exploding! Also, I'm not sure how many g's this is, but I doubt it's very good for your health. We're coming in steeper than any roller coaster would dare go.

 

screenshot19.png

Yep, I was right, that many g's IS NOT healthy! Oh, and no, the plasma isn't getting inside the capsule. That's just Jeb hallucinating as a result of extreme g-forces. Fortunately, we slow down just in time to avoid people passing out, which, contrary to what the Tintin comics suggest, is actually very bad for your health.

 

screenshot20.png

Phew, our chute deployed, we're going to live! Wait... Jeb, what's with that face?
"Ima go skydiving!"
Jeb, please, don't. Texturereplacer sometimes forgets the parachute - I mean - our EVA chutes are super unreliable.
"I'm bored, you can't stop my fun - *THUMP* what was that?"

 

screenshot21.png

Jeb shrugs and struggles out of the hatch, only to find the cause of the big thump - the capsule splashing down safely in the ocean. No skydiving today, but he got to be the first Kerbal on the Mun, so it wasn't altogether a bad day.

Have fun, and, as always, let me know if you have any questions!

EDIT: A grammatically incorrect "too" was replaced with "to".

Edited by VelocityPolaris
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14 hours ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

CHALLENGE REPOST:

 

Kerbal States Military-Mission File 10046

OPERATION RED DAWN

TOP SECRET, GS-13 CLEARANCE ONLY!

Your mission is to launch a military probe into the orbit of Duna which we will use to scope out possible landing sites and mining bases for future expeditions. The best company to launch this mission will be rewarded with a badge and the United Kerbal States Military's respect. 

MISSION REQUIREMENTS: 

  • Probe must have the telescope recently released
  • Must be able to generate power through Solar Panels. (NO RTGS)
  • Launch vehicle should be launched at night and MUST BE UNTRACEABLE (Eg. Put fuel reserves in one the boosters to deorbit them.)
  • Probe must be able to relay information back to Kerbin without any relay satellites. 
  • Probe must be placed in a stable orbit around Duna. 

Dismissed!

 

I know the telescope can't be used outside of solar orbit. It's for fun.

Lachlan... did you get permission from alpha?

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13 minutes ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

CHALLENGE REPOST:

 

Kerbal States Military-Mission File 10046

OPERATION RED DAWN

TOP SECRET, GS-13 CLEARANCE ONLY!

 

Again...? Didn't we talk about randomly highjacking other challenges a couple weeks ago? Just post this as a new topic if you really want people to do it.

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4 hours ago, doggonemess said:

Again...? Didn't we talk about randomly highjacking other challenges a couple weeks ago? Just post this as a new topic if you really want people to do it.

Alpha said when I first posted it that I could post it again. Sheesh. 

Edited by Lo Var Lachland
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I'm not the thread originator, but as one of the contributors, I'm saying "no", I'm not going to lay off - I think that your challenge belongs in a new thread. I think you misunderstood whatever Alpha told you. This thread was created for a specific purpose, with a common theme, award plan, and a roadmap for where it was going. If you want to post your challenge, START A NEW TOPIC and post it there. I don't get why you would want to post yours inside another challenge thread anyway. I personally like your idea, and would totally do the mission, but it is its own thing. It's definitely more advanced than a challenge a typical "newbie" could complete.

If I'm in error here, I'd like to hear from Alpha or one of the other originators.

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On 5/26/2018 at 4:22 AM, Alpha 360 said:

@Lo Var Lachland, only the co-authors, namely myself, @kerbalstar, @VelocityPolaris, @obney kerman, and our new addition to the crew, @Lucast0909 can post challenges. If you want, you can apply for joining the co-authors and then post your challenge but @VelocityPolaris  is the next one posting a challenge. After him then @Lucast0909 will post his challenge. If you join by then, then after @Lucast0909 you can post your challenge. Sorry for the miscommunication. 

EDIT:

Well, seeing as you swore for my sake (my real name's pete), I've given you a way to re-post that challenge.

Happy Explosions!

@Lo Var Lachland - he didn't actually say you could post later. He said "if you join by then", meaning talk to the three of them via personal message and then get permission. The only reason I posted a challenge was because they told me to, due to their unavailability to post one that week.

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@Lo Var Lachland, sorry for the miscommunication. I meant that I had given you the option to post your challenge by joining the team. If you want to join the sub-author team, you'll probably be accepted, but IN ORDER TO POST A CHALLENGE....one HAS to be ON  the TEAM. 

This goes out to all of the guys who would like to post a challenge. 

Happy Explosions!

Edited by Alpha 360
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13 hours ago, Alpha 360 said:

@Lo Var Lachland, sorry for the miscommunication. I meant that I had given you the option to post your challenge by joining the team. If you want to join the sub-author team, you'll probably be accepted, but IN ORDER TO POST A CHALLENGE....one HAS to be ON  the TEAM. 

This goes out to all of the guys who would like to post a challenge. 

Happy Explosions!

hmm only 5 more rep 'til you can't post here anymore. Guess we gotta shut you down...

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10 hours ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

hmm only 5 more rep 'til you can't post here anymore. Guess we gotta shut you down...

I feel as if that's not quite the best way to solve this issue. Don't want to get to deep into it, but silencing a perceived opponent isn't really quite helpful. Especially when you come from a somewhat hypocritical position in my view, since you yourself by the rules aren't allowed to technically be part of the team and/or post challenges if I remember correctly. 

I'll go out now. 

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11 hours ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

hmm only 5 more rep 'til you can't post here anymore. Guess we gotta shut you down...

Well, Alpha has said that if he gets to 750 rep, he will, in fact, put us in charge of the thread. But what qzgy says rings true - we're the Kerbal Space Programme fandom, goshdarnit. We're polite, we're kind, and we come together as a team, while so many other fandoms are full of cancerous content - we're a beacon of hope in a world of great games ruined by their fanbases, and we have to act like said beacon. Pretty much everyone here wants to further one of the world's most noble goals - to have a good look at the other worlds - and I'd like to think that KSP and its community is a huge inspiration towards that, so we can't afford to stay mad at each other. Take hazard-ish, for example. When that tilt-wing SSTO video was debunked as fake, he admitted to it and apologised to everyone, and even the youtube comment section was full of people saying that they forgave him, or that they were glad he made this statement - that level of understanding is something unique to the KSP community, and we'd best continue the example. 

And Lo Var, that challenge idea you posted was a good one, something do-able and fun, it just was posted under the context of somebody taking over someone else's thread without permission - it might have even been a legitimate misunderstanding on what you had permission to do, but that doesn't really matter. The point is, if you really want to join the team and help out, then ask. We've got a sacred duty to the snack gods to be buddies.

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@VelocityPolaris The hardest part of the mission is to document it in a interesting way :D 'Hey look, its the cockpit from the inside....yep, still inside...oh we are done'

I've done a testflight already and actually didn't noticed when I landed on Minmus because I misunderstood the digital radar altimeter of RPM and thought I'm still 3km above the ground....instead it was just 3m which is the hight of my lander xD

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13 hours ago, qzgy said:

I feel as if that's not quite the best way to solve this issue. Don't want to get to deep into it, but silencing a perceived opponent isn't really quite helpful. Especially when you come from a somewhat hypocritical position in my view, since you yourself by the rules aren't allowed to technically be part of the team and/or post challenges if I remember correctly. 

I'll go out now. 

It was a joke boi. 

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Here is my entry for challenge #8 :)

Actually this was way more fun than expected but unfortunately it is hard to capture the fun, so I'll try to keep it short...a detailed version is available at imgur anyway ;)

Spoiler

IVA shot of my rocket:
Q4YXOqj.png

The cockpit:
LNTFV2U.png

Since the command module is placed in a fairing, there is literally nothing to see during the launch...let's jump ahead a bit and look at the (unused) launch escape system falling back to Kerbin:
CZgiuw3.png

Did you know that you can reach Minmus with the same 'trick' which can be used for the Mun?
tARBbJM.png

just wait for Minmus to appear above Kerbins horizon, point your rocket prograde and burn until you get an encounter :) In this case, I'll burn until my Ap reaches the orbital altitude of Minmus (46.4Mm).
ieUj05u.png

Ofc, this method can fail since Minmus orbit is inclined but it works fine this time :)
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9 days non-stop starring contest with Bill to kill the time until we arrive at Minmus....
JdPWEgL.png

There it is:

O3kApGa.png

Looking for a landing site:
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Landing sucessful :)
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Just to be sure, lets get outside:
VeFVFmk.png

Nothing else to do here, lets get back:
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slightly inclined orbit at 10km (counterclockwise) around Minmus...to return to Kerbin, point the rocket 'radial in' and wait for Kerbin to appear in the window at the top.
dsKMooz.png

Burn prograde to accelerate to 340 - 350m/s, leave the SOI of Minmus and after some corrections, the landing course is already set:
attaxbM.png

Wait for additional 11 days and ditch the final stage and prepare for reentry...
tdg4zsc.png

Enjoy the glide back:
fKISNU0.png

And call the recovery team :)
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Full album: https://imgur.com/a/p6ecQHh

Obviously, I have installed RPM, also a really pretty IVA interior for the MK1-2 Command Module and VesselViewer.

During the whole mission, neither the map view nor the regular UI or any other mods were used. The RPM panels already provide any relevant information and maneuvernodes are not required ;)

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