Historical Space Race Challenge

[jinnantonix]

On 2/9/2022 at 12:11 AM, Scarecrow71 said:

@jinnantonix

You need shots from the rocket in orbit, as well as its flight path, in order for it to count.  Simply sitting it on the launchpad doesn't show that the launch succeeded. 

I know, I'll start a mission report and put together a video for each  achievement.

Edit:  I have decided to make a few minor changes,

I cannot decide which engine to use for the verniers.  Twitch, Spider or Cub?  I tested with the Cub -looks correct in terms of size against the Kodiak (RL-107/108).  But too much thrust?

                                                      

Also will reduce the payload size to match the IRL sizing of the warhead.

Edited February 12, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

One mission for today.

 

[jinnantonix]

R-7 Semyorka ICBM, Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2.
 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

Just one mission today.

 

[jinnantonix]

Vanguard 1
 

 

 

 

[Maria Sirona]

On 1/24/2022 at 10:23 PM, Scarecrow71 said:

launching of the Mir space station in 1991

The core module was launched in 86, and the launches of Spektr and another module (i don't remember what was its name, Pridoda or something) were launched well into the 90s...

[Scarecrow71]

1 hour ago, Maria Sirona said:

The core module was launched in 86, and the launches of Spektr and another module (i don't remember what was its name, Pridoda or something) were launched well into the 90s...

You will notice that a lot of these firsts were launched well before the first actually happened.  Voyager II is a great example having been launched in 1977, years before it did either fly-by.  There are going to be plenty of discrepancies in the flights; my focus is simply on playing through the space race.  Remember that not every challenge is for every player.

[Scarecrow71]

And another mission!

 

[jinnantonix]

Luna -1 
 

 

 

[jinnantonix]

@Scarecrow71 my research indicates that Discoverer 1 was not the first satellite in polar orbit, as it is widely held that the craft never reached orbit and crashed "somewhere near the south pole".  The first confirmed polar orbit appears to be Discoverer 2, and that mission was more interesting because it included a test of returning a film capsule to Earth.  Do you have any objections to me replacing D1 with D2 in the series?

[Scarecrow71]

4 minutes ago, jinnantonix said:

@Scarecrow71 my research indicates that Discoverer 1 was not the first satellite in polar orbit, as it is widely held that the craft never reached orbit and crashed "somewhere near the south pole".  The first confirmed polar orbit appears to be Discoverer 2, and that mission was more interesting because it included a test of returning a film capsule to Earth.  Do you have any objections to me replacing D1 with D2 in the series?

FrI'm the Wikipedia entry on Discoverer 1:

Quote

In 1959, it was believed to have obtained orbit with speculation that the protective nose cone over the antennas was ejected just before the Agena fired and that the Agena then rammed into the nose cone, damaging the antennas.

I'm going to hold you to D1 unless you can show me where you saw it didn't achieve orbit?

[jinnantonix]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discoverer_1

Discoverer 1 ... was the first satellite launched toward the South Pole in an attempt to achieved a polar orbit, but was unsuccessful. A CIA report, later declassified, concluded that "Today, most people believe the Discoverer 1 landed somewhere near the South Pole".^[5]

Edit:  There is conjecture in various linked citations as to whether the craft went completely silent (i.e. crashed), or whether it gained orbit there was later some intermittent contact.  Since there was a tendency in the day to report optimistically for political reasons I am sceptical of the latter

However if you want me to do D1, I am happy to.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

The two of us that are that far have done D1.  So please do the same.

[jinnantonix]

Discoverer 1
 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

And I finally, for the first time ever, dropped something on Eve's surface.

This was the hardest thing I've ever done in KSP.  Ever.  I did a quick-save once I achieved Eve orbit, and I must have tried every known strategy for getting to the surface known to Kerbals.  Direct descent, multiple aero-braking passes, using fuel, not using fuel, using the engine as a heat shield, decoupling the engine early...everything.  In the end, it simply ended up being sheer dumb luck that got me through.  And those heat shields I encased the probe in?  Yeah, they were nearly useless.  On 99% of the descents they exploded in the atmosphere leaving the probe all innocent and exposed.  Which then caused it to explode.  To be honest, I wish I would have taken video of this so I could watch it and remember how I did this so I can do it again at some point.

[Scarecrow71]

And another heh heh heh-heh-heh.  This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands during the day.

 

[jinnantonix]

Explorer VI
 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

A small mission today.

I will state up front that I will have to relaunch the Agena Target Vehicle.  I was able to garner enough science on Luna X mission to unlock Clamp-O-Tron Jr., and that is far easier to work with than the Ocans that I originally put up in orbit.  And the ATV will be used in at least 1 more launch, so I need to have it up there.  There isn't anything wrong with the ATV; I simply want parts that I'm used to using. 

[jinnantonix]

Luna 2:
 

 

[jinnantonix]

Luna 3
 

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by jinnantonix

[jinnantonix]

@Scarecrow71 just looking at Discoverer 13 and 14.  Looks like the same mission, except 13 is a water splashdown, and 14 lands near the dessert airfield - acknowledging that aircraft retrieval of the film canister is indeed impossible to model in KSP.  Do I have that right? 

[Scarecrow71]

@jinnantonix

As I indicated in the rules, you may eject the film canister and retrieve it after it lands.  Regardless of where it lands.  Keep in mind that some things may be impossible to recreate accurately in KSP, so use your best judgement.

[jinnantonix]

Discoverer 13 and 14
 

 

 

[Scarecrow71]

You know what I like most about KSP?  The nearly endless way you can put pieces and parts together to create rockets and stuff.  @jinnantonix, you just gave me a whole bunch of ideas thanks to your use of the separatrons.  Well done!

And the next mission for me!

 

[Scarecrow71]

Another mission!