[Beginners Challenge] Routine satellite launch platform

[DonLorenzo]

After reading through the development forum and Nova\'s thread with his ideas for the future I thought up Challenge or Mission that might fit in developing an actual space program. This stems mainly from the posts saying a lot of launches would have to be cheap and routine. Cheap means efficient, so not a lot of overkill or room for error.

So here goes, for this challenge. Use the attached rocket (or rebuild it while using the same or less parts) and put a \'sattelite\' (1 full fuel tank + 1 RCS fuel tank) in as high a circular orbit you can.

Interpret this as a \'mission briefing\' you might get which boils down to \'we need x sattelite in orbit and we have this heap of parts, good luck\'. Bonus points for using less parts than I did (I would start by trying to eliminate the ASAS and winglets), and for getting it as high as possible obviously

Rules:

-stock parts only, and only as much as I used in my rocket (list follows below)

-only circular orbits count

-the \'satellite\' has to be 1 full fuel tank + 1 RCS fuel tank. You are allowed to drain the RCS tank prior to release though.

-kerbonauts must return safely

My best so far is deploying the satellite in a 153,3km x 153,0km orbit and returning

I don\'t require screenshots or anything, include them if you like but there\'s nothing quite extraordinary about this that needs proving.

the rocket

1x command pod + parachute

1x stack decoupler

1x SRB

1x stack decoupler

1x LFT

1x RCS tank

4x RCS thruster

1x stack decoupler

2x LFT

1x gimballing LFE

1x stack decoupler

1xASAS

1x stack tricoupler

9x LFT

3x ungimballed LFT

3x radial decoupler

3x uncontrollable winglet

3x SRB

3x struts

So total list of parts

1x parachute

1x command module

4x stack decoupler

4x SRB

12x LFT

3x ungimballed LFE

1x gimballed LFE

1x ASAS

1x RCS fuel tank

4x RCS thruster

3x winglet

3x struts

3x radial decoupler

1x stack tri coupler