The "Douglas Adams" Challenge

[dnbattley]

Everyone knows that 42 is a nice number: the sort that you can take home and introduce to your family.

What is less well known is that it can represent a perfect level of "simplistic complexity" in a Kerbal craft. It has been hypothesised that a 42-piece craft is a "get anywhere, do anything"-sort of thing.

To test and/or prove this point, a series of challenges have been created: (updated following feedback)

The "Douglas Adams" Bronze:
Showcase a 42-piece craft reaching any of Laythe (land), Moho, Dres, Eeloo, or Vall surface and returning at least one kerbal safely to Kerbin

The "Douglas Adams" Silver:
Showcase a 42-piece craft reaching Eve (3000m+), Tylo or Laythe (non-land) surface and returning at least one kerbal safely to Kerbin

The "Douglas Adams" Gold:
Showcase a 42-piece craft either reaching Eve or Laythe (to 300m 3000m above sea level or lower) or an ISRU Jool5 capable craft, in each case returning at least one kerbal safely to Kerbin

The "Douglas Adams" Platinum:
Showcase a 42-piece craft either reaching Eve (to lower than 300m above sea level) or a non-ISRU Jool5 capable craft, in each case returning at least one kerbal safely to Kerbin, or a 42-piece craft that otherwise impresses the judges.

 

Rules:

• Stock craft only. Wolfhound (for DLC-users) is not permitted due to ludicrous OP now permitted since dev nerfing
• Min KSP version 1.2 (because I can't recall how much changed before that)
• The craft must consist of a single launch, made up of 42 pieces exactly (excluding launch clamps) on the landing pad or runway, and at least one kerbal to pilot it. It must include a capsule for the kerbal (i.e. no launching from EVA) to reach LKO at least - we like to pretend to the rest of Kerbin that they will travel in comfort
• No assistance from other pre-existing craft is permitted (refuelling etc.)
• The craft is required to reach only one of the named locations, though more are permitted
• Only the kerbal is required to land safely back on Kerbin to complete the challenge
• No outright exploits (ladder/kraken drives etc.). Minimum of "standard" difficulty settings (100% heat etc.), though more difficult settings are permitted. No cheat codes/mods (Alt-F12, Hyperedit etc.)
• Comms network may be disabled
• There are no restrictions requiring keeping the kerbal in a pod/capsule after LKO, nor on tech used (ion, nuclear etc.), nor even (if the mood so takes you) having all 42 pieces actually take off from the landing pad (subject to meeting all other rule requirements)
• Design- and Flight-assist mods permitted within reason (KES, Mechjeb, Trajectory etc.)
• Part offset (overlap or wide separation) permitted within reason provided that the end result looks realistic (i.e. no "neutron density" fuel tanks, or "magic levitating" wings please)
• ISRU is permitted, but not required, and must be declared
• Submission craft files are requested to be made available to "take home and introduce to the family"

 

Leaderboard:

Vessel name	KSP version	Launch mass	Launch cost	Award category	Mission description	Craft file link
Mohawk by mystifeid	1.4.5 MH	976T	311k	Bronze	Moho, Non-ISRU	here
The Dougie by dnbattley Tylenol by mystifeid 42 - Tylo by 5thHorseman	1.4.5 1.4.5 MH n/k	139T 933T 576T	53k 376k 220k	Gold Silver Silver Silver	Laythe sea level feasibility mission, Non-ISRU Tylo, ISRU (via Pol x2) Tylo, Non-ISRU (** INC. FANTASTIC TRANSFER TUTORIAL VIDEO **)	here here n/a
E42 by Laie	1.4.4(?)	349T	141k	Platinum	Eve, ISRU (with capsule)	here
The Impossible42 by dnbattley	1.4.5	215T	154k	Platinum	Eve, IRSU (without capsule)	here
Life, The Universe, And Eve-Returning by ManEatingApe	1.4.5	313T	143k	Platinum	Eve, Non-ISRU (with capsule/EVA circularisation)	here
Eventually by mystifeid	1.4.5	290T	186k	Platinum	Eve, ISRU (with capsule)	here
Amalthea by IncongruousGoat	TBC	154T	162k	Platinum	Jool5, Non-ISRU (chemical+ion)	here
Ark B by ManEatingApe	1.4.5	547T	209k	Platinum	Jool5, Non-ISRU (chemical)	here
Up goer 42-III by QF9E ***NEW ENTRY***	1.8.1	341T	n/k	Platinum	EVE, Non-ISRU (with capsule and sea-level landing)	here

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by dnbattley
Update to table (*grumble hard to add new rows grumble*)

[Val]

Looks very exciting. Can't wait to see what happens 

Remember to submit your own attempt, to prove that the challenge rules are feasible.

 

[dnbattley]

On 9/19/2018 at 12:56 PM, Val said:

Looks very exciting. Can't wait to see what happens 

Remember to submit your own attempt, to prove that the challenge rules are feasible.

Annnnnnnd: feasibility mission is done: Mission report here: https://imgur.com/a/uEgjx9Q

Vessel name: The "Dougie"

Mission description: a simple 42-part mission to Laythe sea-level (Sagen Sea biome) using a super-lightweight (2,482kg) 26-part functional Laythe lander I had made previously, with a somewhat roundabout return trip due to my singular lack of willingness to wait for efficient transfer windows...

Mods: KER, Trajectories

Cost: 53,342

Mass at launch: 139,148kg

KSP version: 1.4.5(.2243 linux)

Award category: Silver (per updated rules) Gold (but whether Laythe should qualify as such is distinctly suspect), Non-ISRU.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/dnbattley/The-Dougie

Edited September 21, 2018 by dnbattley
Replacing placeholder with mission report/updating award per rule change

[JacobJHC]

This challenge looks fun. I'll give it a shot.

Edited September 19, 2018 by JacobJHC

[MaverickSawyer]

Challenge accepted. Going to aim for Bronze myself, with my first Eeloo landing.

[dnbattley]

Fair warning to all contestants: this challenge is rather harder than it looks, but that's the fun of it, right?

I'm also open to rebalancing some of the award locations if there is a consensus that some locations are off kilter with others... and possibly splitting Eve into 3, with sea level as "platinum"...

[MaverickSawyer]

19 minutes ago, dnbattley said:

Fair warning to all contestants: this challenge is rather harder than it looks, but that's the fun of it, right?

Hmmm... I think you underestimate the power of the DLC parts when placed in capable hands...

[dnbattley]

5 minutes ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Hmmm... I think you underestimate the power of the DLC parts when placed in capable hands...

Really? I knew about the WH stats (hence the ban-hammer), but am running base game myself so wasn't aware of any other supercharged parts... Maybe I will have to add extra kudos points to those who eschew such benefits!

[MaverickSawyer]

19 minutes ago, dnbattley said:

Really? I knew about the WH stats (hence the ban-hammer), but am running base game myself so wasn't aware of any other supercharged parts... Maybe I will have to add extra kudos points to those who eschew such benefits!

Well, the ability to make a rather massive lifter from the Saturn V equivalent does somewhat simplify things and reduces the parts count you need... slightly. I'd advocate a "wait and see" approach, and if they're OP in the challenge, make a separate board for those missions.

[MaverickSawyer]

Okay, succeeded in making it to Eeloo, but the lander tipped over due to a lack of landing gear and crashed during the attempted takeoff. However, with just over 4 km/s of dV in the tanks, I have no doubt I would have made it home, so the challenge is doable. I just need to stick the landing better next time! 

[vyznev]

I figured Laythe seemed like the most reasonable destination to aim for, so I made a spaceplane.

It doesn't actually qualify for the challenge yet, since a) this version only has 38 parts and b) I haven't actually flown it beyond LKO. But it's got enough delta-v to make it to the Jool system (even without stopping at Minmus) and it can refuel itself using ISRU.

Now I just need to decide what to do with the remaining four parts.

[linuxgurugamer]

Autopilot mod allowed?

[dnbattley]

15 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Autopilot mod allowed?

I'm not familiar with the exact capabilities of the autopilot mod, but provided it is "assisting" and not "flying the whole mission for you", then yeah, sure.

[dnbattley]

26 minutes ago, vyznev said:

I figured Laythe seemed like the most reasonable destination to aim for, so I made a spaceplane.

Laythe is indeed a distinctly more reasonable destination than Eve: I may even need to downgrade it to Silver (unless it's an actual sea-landing, perhaps?). Good luck on the landing though: 4 extra parts could offer extra-sturdy landing legs perhaps?

[vyznev]

1 hour ago, dnbattley said:

Laythe is indeed a distinctly more reasonable destination than Eve: I may even need to downgrade it to Silver (unless it's an actual sea-landing, perhaps?). Good luck on the landing though: 4 extra parts could offer extra-sturdy landing legs perhaps?

I tend to agree: Laythe and Eve should not really be in the same league. If anything, Tylo is harder to land on than Laythe (but still much easier than Eve).

Anyway, I did a test landing to check, and it turns out my plane lands just fine as it is.

Well, except for the fact that I had a minor tail strike and lost the nuke engine. Oops.  I suppose I could spend one part on an extra tail wheel to make sure it won't happen again. Or just move the main wheels back a little and fly more carefully next time.  

(I also tried a water takeoff, and found that it's just barely possible if I deploy the elevons and pump all fuel into the rear tanks. Trying to take off from the sea with a full fuel load probably won't work, but at least I should be able to get someplace where I can refuel.)

Anyway, I might spend some of my remaining part allowance on a couple of Vernor engines just to make landing on airless planets/moons easier. A reaction wheel might also be useful, although not really necessary since the cockpit already provides enough torque. And, uh... I dunno. Airbrakes, maybe? Random science experiments? Antenna? Passenger module?

[Laie]

2 hours ago, dnbattley said:

Laythe is indeed a distinctly more reasonable destination than Eve: I may even need to downgrade it to Silver (unless it's an actual sea-landing, perhaps?)

Laythe should even be Bronze, IMO. Spaceplanes going to Laythe are a dime a dozen, even without ISRU. Vall is more demanding in that you need at least 1km/s more to get there, and while it's gravity isn't all that high, @vyznev's single-nuke vessel might not have enough thrust to make a safe landing, much less a take-off.

Moho is harder still, higher gravity than Vall and, more important, it's quite remote. Getting to Moho's surface from LKO typically takes 4500m/s (compare that to <2200 for Laythe with aerobraking, and >3200 for Vall).

That said, here's my WIP:

Not sure if you've been expecting ISRU spaceplanes when you posted the challenge, but that's what your getting
This one struggles with take-off on Kerbin, it could definitely do with bigger wings. On the plus side, it's supposed to be VTOL capable (untested) and can easily visit everything but Eve and Tylo.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Laie

[linuxgurugamer]

3 hours ago, dnbattley said:

I'm not familiar with the exact capabilities of the autopilot mod, but provided it is "assisting" and not "flying the whole mission for you", then yeah, sure.

MechJeb can plan and execute specific maneuvers, as well as doing launches.  GravityTurn does the launch.

 

[dnbattley]

58 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

MechJeb can plan and execute specific maneuvers, as well as doing launches.  GravityTurn does the launch.

Hmmm... I would definitely consider it borderline to design a craft that can only be flown using computer control, and so would be against using flight assist to launch, plan and execute all manoeuvres in a mission, but I won't bar use of the mod as it doesn't ultimately change the physics, and am happy for an honour system to apply.

[sturmhauke]

4 hours ago, Laie said:

Laythe should even be Bronze, IMO. Spaceplanes going to Laythe are a dime a dozen, even without ISRU. Vall is more demanding in that you need at least 1km/s more to get there, and while it's gravity isn't all that high, @vyznev's single-nuke vessel might not have enough thrust to make a safe landing, much less a take-off.

I agree with all of that. If you can get a spaceplane to LKO at all, Laythe is only a little harder. Any spaceplane that works on Kerbin will usually work fine on Laythe, you just need enough dV to get there. And Vall is definitely harder, although it's still way easier than Tylo.

[linuxgurugamer]

4 hours ago, dnbattley said:

Hmmm... I would definitely consider it borderline to design a craft that can only be flown using computer control, and so would be against using flight assist to launch, plan and execute all manoeuvres in a mission, but I won't bar use of the mod as it doesn't ultimately change the physics, and am happy for an honour system to apply.

Ok, how about this:

I will commit to being able to fly the basic maneuvers by hand, to demonstrate that it is flyable using nothing other than a joystick.

But I'd prefer to have the actual maneuvers controlled by Mechjeb, for accuracy's sake.

 

[Guest]

@dnbattley, nice start for a newbie!

[dnbattley]

2 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Ok, how about this:

I will commit to being able to fly the basic maneuvers by hand, to demonstrate that it is flyable using nothing other than a joystick.

But I'd prefer to have the actual maneuvers controlled by Mechjeb, for accuracy's sake.

 

I will trust in your honour, good sir.

32 minutes ago, dundun93 said:

@dnbattley, nice start for a newbie!

Haha... thank you very much! I may be new posting in this particular forum, but believe me when I say that underneath this youthful "visage" lie some pretty gnarly KSP wrinkles...

[Gargamel]

Welcome!  Great challenge, love the idea.  

One comment, in the score list, you should include the user's name too. 

[Superfluous J]

I too like the idea of this challenge and I too think lumping Eve with ... well pretty much anything is not going to work. Getting to the surface of Eve and back to Kerbin is the hardest thing in the game that you can accurately describe in simple yet precise terms.

In terms of raw dV, it takes about as much to simply get into low Eve Orbit from the surface as it does to come in from interplanetary transfer, intercept, land, return to space, and eject back to interplanetary on Laythe.

[MaverickSawyer]

Yeah, Eve should be the Platinum award, tbh. If you can pull a return to Kerbin from the surface of Eve with 42 parts or less, that's some serious KSP-fu.