When you're accidently brilliant.

[Drunkrobot]

So I was testing my Saturn-1B/CSM analogue for my Apollo Applications Program missions:

<Placeholder screenshot>

My plan for the launch procedure is to get to a 100km apoapsis (My most used orbit being the 100 by 100) and a periapsis of 20-23km before dropping the second stage (any higher, and the "debris" won't burn up, any lower, and I'm using more CSM fuel then I need to, to get a stable orbit.).

It is ideal to bring with you only the fuel you need, any more just leads to a bulkier, more difficult to fly rocket. If the second stage does it's job with half it's fuel left, get a smaller tank.

So, how much fuel did I have left in my second stage after my burn at apoapsis, after getting a 100 by 20 orbit? 0 litres. It was a perfect launch!

My first thought as it happened was, "Wait, I'm good at this game know!?". It was the first test flight. I was fully expecting something catastrophic to happen (That's why it was an unmanned test.). It was an anti-fail, something going completely right by pure chance.

I know this probably doesn't sound impressive, but for a perfectionist, I always mess something up before launch, like getting the stages wrong, or not putting space tape on a key structural weakness.

Surely you have had a moment when the universe worked in your favour? If you remember it, tell it! It's nice when the game isn't trolling you.

EDIT: In case your wondering "Maybe he just built some monstrosity and flew it poorly.", here it is:

EDIT: Have a more in-depth of the craft here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/46148-Manned-orbiter-megathread?p=594673#post594673

Edited August 15, 2013 by Drunkrobot

[Diche Bach]

I've got quite good at not blowing up. Consistently getting the same performance out of one my standard models is a different story, but I don't blow up much at all

[OrbitusII]

In building Kerbin Base Station 5, I've only used one launcher. There was one launch (13.57 ton payload) that was a little harrowing because of the lower TWR, but apparently I designed the launcher so well that it should be able to get 20 tons into a 100-km orbit!

Edited August 14, 2013 by OrbitusII

[Joshington]

From my experience, if you don't have extra fuel, you aren't ready for accidents.

[Boris_T_Roach]

For me the perfect launch is one of my nuclear drive sections for the interplanetary ships

When the last stage of the heavy lifter ship I use runs out of fuel leaving the drive unit ) in a 130*-20 orbit, i call that perfection.

It so that when all the launch stabilty stuff is ejected and the heavy lifter stage dumped it all safely re-enters instead of cluttering up the 130*130 orbits with lots of debris.

The service module then raises the PE to 130 as well but that takes far less Dv than getting 75 tons of drive unit into a 130*-20 orbit.

Then its off to dock with whatever manned/unmanned probe is being built in orbit.

Boris

[annallia]

Closest thing I had in recent memory to being accidentally brilliant was when I was designing the extra large sky crane for my fleet of kethane rovers.

After a few tests (mainsails mounted underneath rovers to lift them then drop when they run out of fuel at about 15k) I came to realize I was doing things backwards.

I was designing a skycrane that would be launched into orbit separate from the rover, dock with the rover, put on a tug and pushed out to Duna where it would hopefully be able to land. What I had realized was with minimal alterations to the design I could get my launches down to 5 (one for each rover+ refuel) and skip the docking and tugs entirely. Instead of building a small skycrane that could safely land the 40-90 ton rovers, I should build big ones that could launch the rovers!

I built large sky cranes, stuck mainsail engines on them with a few nuclear engines and launched them into low orbit. Built my refueler using KAS to transfer the fuel. Disabled the mainsails and used nukes to fly them to Duna. And this is where the brilliant part comes in. I only launched a single fuel tank for the refuel, it was enough to get the 4 to Duna with the fumes they had left from reaching orbit but mostly because the tank on my converter rover (which was a normal fuel tank) had sucked up most of the fuel in the refueler, and was still full. I connected all of the rovers as they were intended to be on the ground and siphoned the fuel out of the converter. From there it was just setting them on a trajectory in the general area of where I wanted to land, jettisoning the nuclear engines and landing with mainsails, once on the ground undock them from the skycrane and using the probe core inside each crane fly it away and crash it somewhere...

Before I had this idea I was planning on 3 launches per rover making it 12 launches and 8 dockings total. Instead I managed with just 5 launches and 0 docks.

[roosterr]

My current mission is a close as possible Kerpollo redux (Saturn V model). And per your comments, I too want everything to burn and jettison at about the same time as the real deal for proper disposal of stages. My first go-round, although a nice rocket, dropped the first stage on top of the launch pad from about 8k. Initiating the gravity turn as to jettison downrange was not an option because the monster was flying too slowly and the craft and flight path became unstable. So now I am working on a balance of adding more fuel to the lower stage, which means reducing fuel to the upper stages to keep her light enough to git movin. It has been a challenge, but I know it is doable.

A lot of good info came from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_V including a schematic of the rocket: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saturn_v_schematic.jpg

I am including the retro seperators, ullage motors, escape system, and more.

I am in the final stages of a proper Saturn V with stock parts and am anxious to post it soon. Its great to see what other have come up with.

[RoboRay]

My current mission is a close as possible Kerpollo redux (Saturn V model).

I am including the retro seperators, ullage motors, escape system, and more.

I am in the final stages of a proper Saturn V with stock parts and am anxious to post it soon. Its great to see what other have come up with.

I've been working on the same kind of project...

Here's an earlier version: http://imgur.com/a/Ko014#0

I'm working with a slightly better Saturn V now, and a much more authentic two-stage LEM: http://imgur.com/a/7Z82J#0

All the kinks seem to be worked out, from last night's testing. I'll be filming the next few launches for a full Apollo-esque Mun-mission.

So, how much fuel did I have left in my second stage after my burn at apoapsis, after getting a 100 by 20 orbit? 0 litres. It was a perfect launch!

Awesome! I got pretty close on my first test, but had to do a little tweaking.

Edited August 14, 2013 by RoboRay

[Deejay2000]

I was trying to land on Duna with a skycrane and rover. I perfectly aerobroke(?). Then I was at full thrust desperately trying to kill my velocity with nukes and got to 0 velocity right above the ground without having to throttle down. I then had barely enough fuel to get my skycrane to fly away, and have my rover drop. I then, of course, drove around the surface at 50 m/s and went up hills and down craters, and I destroyed the entire thing. Worth it.

-Deejay

[Skorpychan]

I was trying to land on Duna with a skycrane and rover. I perfectly aerobroke(?). Then I was at full thrust desperately trying to kill my velocity with nukes and got to 0 velocity right above the ground without having to throttle down. I then had barely enough fuel to get my skycrane to fly away, and have my rover drop. I then, of course, drove around the surface at 50 m/s and went up hills and down craters, and I destroyed the entire thing. Worth it.

-Deejay

I think 'aerobraked'. 'Aerobroke' is the past tense of 'aerobreaking', which is when atmospheric friction rips things like solar panels and lights off the craft.

[Specialist290]

I think 'aerobraked'. 'Aerobroke' is the past tense of 'aerobreaking', which is when atmospheric friction rips things like solar panels and lights off the craft.

But maybe he aerobroke while he aerobraked?

[Skyrunner27]

I think 'aerobraked'. 'Aerobroke' is the past tense of 'aerobreaking', which is when atmospheric friction rips things like solar panels and lights off the craft.

True but aerobreaking has nothing to due with parts falling off the craft because of friction. Aerobraking is using the air to slow down the craft. As opposed to lithobraking by slowing down your craft with airbags or a crumple zone by hitting into the ground.

[CptNuts]

I had a moment of accidental brilliance on my very first manned interplanetary mission. While still being unable to correctly plan those mission, i managed to get the ship into Kerbin Orbit, out of Kerbin Orbit and intercepted Duna. After succesfully getting captured by Duna, my interplanetary Stage had not enough fuel to get the ship into stable, low Duna Orbit, i planned to use the fuel of the lander itself which would mean, Bill and Jeb had to land mostly with parachutes, using what little fuel they might have left from the retro burn, to brake theirs speed right before touch down.

Then, the ship had contact with Ike. The contact with ikes SOI eliminiated nearly two thirds of the ships velocity, which in turn allowed me to burn for orbit without having to use the landers fuel. Bill and Jeb landed savely on Duna.

I know that Ike tends to accidently gravity assist Vessels in Dunas Orbit, but in that moment, were everything went magicly right without any kind of planing what so ever, Ikes intervention felt like the last part of a perfectly crafted masterplan falling into place seamlessly. That was a great Day for my Space Program.

I have another Mission to Duna in planning, using a multipart ship so i dont have to build a ridiculisly huge launcher for the ship and launch everything in one piece, I still cannot believe I managed to bring that mission to a succesful end. I think this time, I have to be brilliant myself XD

[AmpsterMan]

I never have accidental brilliance.

I, however, do have brilliant accidents.

[AncientAstronaut]

With the real Saturn-IB, the S-IVB, which was the second stage on the launch vehicle, inserted the spacecraft into orbit. They didn't fire the SPS until a bit later. So you should be inserting into your parking orbit with the second stage rather than the SPS engine.

[fetusthebard]

I wanted to do a trip to Kerbin's pole in a spaceplane that could go there, land liftoff and then power all the way back home by using jet engines and gliding. Specifically I was landing near the alien ship to do some investigating for my agency. My agency required more research on interplanetary flight before they could build nuclear engines (a prerequisite I placed on myself). Anyway I am exceptionally bad at creating spaceplanes that work. After spending a half an hour in the SPH building I went to the runway and...

It worked perfectly. I took off no problem, recovered from a stall while above the ocean headed north, planted a flag and flew back. I ran out of fuel as I was approaching for landing (after screwing up a few approaches XD) and touched down with everything intact and my Kerbals alive first try.

I then crashed them into the sea.

Yes I'm a terrible person. Don't judge me.

[Drunkrobot]

With the real Saturn-IB, the S-IVB, which was the second stage on the launch vehicle, inserted the spacecraft into orbit. They didn't fire the SPS until a bit later. So you should be inserting into your parking orbit with the second stage rather than the SPS engine.

Ok, I wasn't going for 100% realism. I wanted to leave no junk in space. Besides, the SPS was designed for multiple firings, just turn a few valves, and you have it lit.

[DisarmingBaton5]

~snip~

In building Kerbin Base Station 5, I've only used one launcher. There was one launch (13.57 ton payload) that was a little harrowing because of the lower TWR, but apparently I designed the launcher so well that it should be able to get 20 tons into a 100-km orbit!

At first I thought you meant you launched that whole thing at once

[Rocket Farmer]

Actually I had one of these this weekend.

Jebadiah had some issues in a space plane just as it was leaving orbit. Long story short he was stranded in a 70x70 orbit with no way down.

So I designed a rescue space ane that he could Eva over to. I decided to test my rescue craft before actually lining up to get him. As I was hiring orbit I noticed something ark close to me. To my absolute delight I had come up less than 10km from Jeb. A mere 10 minutes later the Planes were insight and Jeb made the trip over. All planes now come with parachutes.

[RoboRay]

....................

Edited August 15, 2013 by RoboRay

[Brapness]

Possibly my greatest accidental moment of brilliance. On my first manned interplanetary mission I had Jeb and two others whose names I can't remember (not Bill and Bob) orbiting Eve to test my ability to do planetary transfers. I burned back for Kerbin; the node I had created resulted in skipping through Kerbin's SOI so I expected to have to do course corrections as anyone would. The result of the burn was, purely by luck, a direct intercept. Over millions of miles of space, Jeb managed to hit Kerbin dead on; I didn't have to do any corrections at all on my return. I landed on land near the equator and was unbelievably proud of my Kerbals.

[Crown]

True but aerobreaking has nothing to due with parts falling off the craft because of friction. Aerobraking is using the air to slow down the craft. As opposed to lithobraking by slowing down your craft with airbags or a crumple zone by hitting into the ground.

to break: to fracture or crack. Simple past: broke

to brake: decrease velocity. Simple past: braked

[CoriW]

So my most recent moment of accidental brilliance was while I was designing and testing my recent "Titan" series of lifters, my first iteration of this series was the "Titan Heavy" which is capable of lifting 58 tons to LKO.

While designing this lifter I had worked out the TWR and DeltaV and figured it could get exactly 58 tons to LKO, but the moment of accidental brilliance came when I actually got to testing the lifter... It did indeed manage to get the 58 tons up there into a parking orbit, but afterwards I realized that the primary stage of the lifter still actually had a decent amount of fuel left in it. Now due to TWR it wouldn't have been able to get more than 58 tons to LKO with that extra fuel so instead I revised the lifter with a set of landing legs and found that it actually has just enough fuel to land back at KSC completely under it's own power without parachutes!

So now that I've made that discovery I'm working on some more revisions and designing a new lifter that will be a SSTO (Yes a SSTO rocket, not spaceplane), and the new lifter will have a modular cargo system that can be reloaded using docking ports and probably a makeshift crane with KAS. Completely reusable launch vehicle here I come!

[magnemoe]

Made an Eve return craft, with parachute landings it land at 8m/s making it break all the landing legs and land safely on the engines. Thought about droping the landing leg decouplers

[kylem195]

Well, on my first moho landing, my ship ran out of fuel 5m above the ground. It then fell and landed without taking any damage.