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Catapult a Kerbal to the Island Airfield

ManEatingApe
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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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Using the new robotics hinges, rotors and pistons released with Breaking Ground DLC, build a catapult, trebuchet, onager, ballista, mangonel or just an overly enthusiastic Ferris wheel to fling a Kerbal to the Island Airfield.

Since I'm still tinkering with the parts and not 100% this is possible (UPDATE: @neistridlar has categorically proved that it is!) there will be 2 leaderboards:

  1. Distance - Furthest distance from the launch site reached by your intrepid Kerbal
  2. Time - If anyone actually managed to reach the Island Airfield, then the entries will be ranked by fastest time

Rules:

  • Stock KSP, Making History and Breaking Ground (or any subset of these :wink:)
  • Other informational, visual and audio mods that don't modify gameplay, including KER and MechJeb allowed
  • No reaction engines - spin, flip or twist your way to victory instead! Decouplers are OK, but any thrust gained should be incidental.
  • No physics exploits e.g. ladder drives or phantom collider force powered shenanigans
  • However reaction wheels and/or stock bearings are fine, if you're crazy enough!
  • Start from the KSC launchpad or runway
  • Craft should be unpowered after it leaves the...erm...device. Gliding or personal parachutes to eke out extra range is fine.
  • There will be a Rogues' Gallery category for folks who want to go their own way

 

Check this out thread for inspiration:

Spoiler

 

 

Distance:

  1. 33.6 km @neistridlar
  2. 32.1 km @neistridlar
  3. 16.3.km @neistridlar
  4. 6.9 km @neistridlar
  5. 1.0 km @Vanamonde
  6. 375m @SkunkTwerks

 

Time to Airfield:

  1. 9:54 @neistridlar Applying an ingenious combination of pistons and leverage, was the first to catapult a glider all the way to the Island Airfield.

 

~~~Rogue's Gallery~~~ :cool:
Folks who took the challenge in a different direction...

  •  @Tyr Anasazi Applying the time honored MOAR LEGS approach, kicked a capsule on a ballistic trajectory all the way to the Island Airfield in a speedy time of 2:17. Nice shuttlecock air brake design on the capsule ensured a smooth stable ride on the way over.

 

Edited by ManEatingApe
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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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10 hours ago, neistridlar said:

Didn't make the airfield, but fun anyways. Distance 6.9km. Top speed 126m/s, and 28G launch.

Great use of pistons and an extremely respectable distance. :)
Go straight to the top of the leaderboard!

I particularly like this photo from your album...
IQ6defF.png

Edited by ManEatingApe
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neistridlar

neistridlar 745

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New attempt. 16.3km 

The video is not of the best attempt. It seems there is a lot of variability in the timing with this stuff.

rHcyyZ6.png

Video in the spoiler of different attempt with the same contraption:

Spoiler

 

 

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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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6 hours ago, Vanamonde said:

My first attempt fell somewhat short of the Island.

Over a kilometre distance is not too shabby at all for a first attempt! :cool:

Ive been struggling to build an effective gravity powered trebuchet...the pistons look like a much more effective alternative!

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Vanamonde

Vanamonde 13,571

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15 hours ago, ManEatingApe said:

...the pistons look like a much more effective alternative!

Well, they're not. Even at highest extension speed, the response is pretty lackadaisical. 

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neistridlar

neistridlar 745

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33.6 km. Passed the threshold of the airstrip at 9:54.

 

6 hours ago, Vanamonde said:

Even at highest extension speed, the response is pretty lackadaisical.

My catapult disagrees :cool:. Also @klond made this:

Spoiler

3hA4NbD.gif

Nothing lackadaisical about that.

 

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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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8 hours ago, neistridlar said:

33.6 km. Passed the threshold of the airstrip at 9:54

Congratulations concerning your considerable Kerbal catapulting capabilities!
Added you to the Airfield leaderboard in 1st place.

 

6 hours ago, Raptor kerman said:

Do we HAVE to use the DLC?

Nope! Pure stock entries or stock entries & MH if you're crazy enough are allowed. Updated the rules to make this clearer.

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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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12 hours ago, Tyr Anasazi said:


Excellent! lander leg cannon under construction!

Pure stock is fine, physics exploits are not. Updated rules to make this explicit.

However since you may have already have started and a Kerbal cannon sounds fun, I'm happy to create a Rogues' Gallery for entries like this.

Edited by ManEatingApe
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Tyr Anasazi

Tyr Anasazi 215

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2 hours ago, ManEatingApe said:

Pure stock is fine, physics exploits are not. Updated rules to make this explicit.

However since you may have already have started and a Kerbal cannon sounds fun, I'm happy to create a Rogues Gallery for entries like this.


Phantom collider force shenanigan or not, I submit this short video (2:32) as my humble entry to this challenge.

100% stock with no cheats or mods used.  Touchdown on the Island occurred at 2:17 into the flight.


 

Edited by Tyr Anasazi
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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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9 hours ago, Tyr Anasazi said:

100% stock with no cheats or mods used.  Touchdown on the Island occurred at 2:17 into the flight.

Welcome to the Rogues' Gallery!

Great video and the soundtrack is perfect. There's some "kick" from those lander legs...I wonder could you get to orbit ;)

 

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Tyr Anasazi

Tyr Anasazi 215

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8 hours ago, ManEatingApe said:

There's some "kick" from those lander legs...I wonder could you get to orbit ;)

 

I built one in the past that could fling 2 tons to escape velocity

Also, I had another play with the island cannon and it has proven to be surprisingly consistent in its accuracy.

Jeb insisted to have a go as well :)

70GHQss.png

 

Edited by Tyr Anasazi
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neistridlar

neistridlar 745

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Decided to try out a trebuchet today. After a couple hours of tweaking and fine tuning, I'm starting to get close to the island:

As you can see I reach 176m/s. I need to get to ~200m/s to reach the island, and I seem to have hit a bit of a brick wall at this point. Just small changes causes things to break.

Edited by neistridlar
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ManEatingApe

ManEatingApe 822

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13 hours ago, neistridlar said:

Decided to try out a trebuchet today...

As you can see I reach 176m/s. I need to get to ~200m/s to reach the island...

That's really nice. I like the way you get the throwing arm to do a full 360 loop for extra speed.

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kerbiloid

kerbiloid 11,244

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On 5/31/2019 at 12:35 AM, ManEatingApe said:

Craft should be unpowered after it leaves the...erm...device. Gliding or personal parachutes to eke out extra range is fine.

Zero thrust or zero electric power, too?

If only the former, what about throwing back heavy parts during the flight to keep being pushed forward with recoil?

A multistage flying catapult thrown by a stationary catapult.

Edited by kerbiloid
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