Crocket

The RATS-M is causing so many headaches right now. In its current state, I had to add an intermediate stage because the launch stage couldn't make it past about a 50km apoapsis. The intermediate stage can crawl to a 100km apoapsis but can't complete the burn. I may either redesign it or skip it entirely and head to the RATS-L.

Thank you! The RATS-M is almost ready for the store, except that it's a limp noodle with the fairing and payload attached.

Thanks! Have some rep! In other news, I'm hoping to get the RATS-M onto the store today! It might take some final tweaks, however...

Jool 5 is quite far away on my list of things to do: I'm thinking about a Duna mission right now.

Awesome! Though I can't fly SSTOs for my life (VSSTOs are fine) your craft looks like something I would use if I could!

Along with testing other new tech, Crocket's Discount Rockets has created the Instinct Comms Sattelite with the aim of helping customers create communications networks on the cheap. It has the capability to deorbit itself using a Terrier engine and two radially-mounted chutes to guarantee a soft landing. It weighs 2.150 tons, has 10 parts, and is 2.1x1.8x2.3. It is requested that the Instinct be put into a 100x100km orbit, put through it's paces (open the solar panels with Action 1, open the antenna), then deorbited with its onboard engine and landed safely. A fair warning: the Instinct does not have a heat shield, so it must aerobrake carefully. (i'll pm you the dropbox link once it uploads correctly)

I was thinking I might scale the challenge up to 1000/2000/4000 if people seemed to be doing it too easily.

Hoo boy, what a great submission! 1. Good observation! I'll add that! 2. Mono, SRB, Xenon, etc. are not allowed, basically anything that can power an engine that doesn't come from the Government tank is prohibited. ElectricCharge and Ore are the only two other usable resources. Also, on the "any number of launches", if you have a reusable craft somewhere you can launch that as many times as your heart desires. After modifying the tank and making your one ship, no new ships may be made. However, since you passed (and with such flying colors, too), I might permit you to modify the tank again and make another craft just to see how insane this can get.

Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

I think Wcmille is right here, but OP does indeed need to specify.

All my yes to OP. Jeb sneaks into my only seat most of the time. Usually I just let him stay, but sometimes I want to do something with a specific Kerbal and he can sneak on while I'm modifying the craft.

Right now this post is fairly empty. More will be added soon, I promise! ROCKETS RATS-S Trefoil The smallest rocket in the RATS line! An acronym for Rocket Assisted Transport System - Small size, it features a Mainsail core stage powered by two Jumbo-64s and three onion-staged x200-32s powering three Skippers. The drop tanks are fitted with parachutes and are theorhetically recoverable, but this has not been tested. The ship itself weighs 167.145 tons and has 79 parts. If gravity turn is done correctly, you should have just enough fuel to circularize before having to dump the core stage. Contains an Intrepid Orbiter as test cargo. Dropbox LANDERS Anubis Introducing the go-anywhere*, do-anything** lander for the ages: the ANUBIS! *except for tylo and eve **except for go to tylo and eve The Anubis is an 18-part lander weighing in at just under 8.9 tons (8.897!!!) named for the C7 Type-B nosecones on top of its tanks. It's featuring two LT-45 Swivel engines as the main engines and an LV-909 Terrier engine for (small) emergency maneuvers or for things like taking off from Gilly where using the mains would be a waste of fuel. And you wouldn't want to waste a single unit: fuel is tight for the Swivels, coming in at 135 units and a staggering 45 for the Terrier! Fortunately, it houses a docking port at the top of the lander can for- well, docking- but due to its namesake nosecones a longer 1.25m part is needed for the docking magic to happen. Action 1 toggles the Swivels, Action 2 toggles the Terrier. Dropbox ORBITERS Intrepid A hardy orbiter with two ports to boot! The Intrepid is a 39-part orbiter tipping the scales at just under 22.6 tons (22.590 to be exact). Its two LV-45 Swivel Engines along with giving it gimbaling for days also give the craft an unfortunately low TWR, but it can still lift off from Kerbin. (Getting into orbit is a different story.) The Intrepid houses two RCS blocks and 750 units of monoprop to juice 'em, compared to 720 units of LF for the engines. Despite the sideways-mounted engines, the Intrepid doesn't spin at all. These were implemented to make way for the shining star of this craft: the two shielded docking ports on either end. They're useful for tugging smaller craft to safety and linking together sections of larger ones. Dropbox SUBASSEMBLIES GLS-I Humphrey Since the Imgur embedder doesn't play nice with single images, here's a link. Five asparagus Jumbo-64s with Skippers. Works well with medium-weight missions. Dropbox Happy Crocketeering!

The Government has been keeping an eye on the Space Program's ludicrous spending lately and has decided to cut their funding! They now give them these limitations (ie. the challenge rules): If reusable craft are present, no new craft may be manufactured. If not, one new craft void of fuel may be manufactured. All craft will use fuel from one (1) Government provided Kerbodyne S3-14400 tank. Said tank may be modified once in a facility. At least 200(normal mode)/400(hard mode)/800(Jebediah mode) Science must be brought back to KSC for the Government to analyze. The Science must be received in whole. (no transmitting) ISRU is allowed, provided the craft used Government fuel originally and it is not within 10 kilometers of KSC. There will be no manufacture of new parts allowed. (no parts mods) Any number of launches may be made, however all Science must be delivered on one craft. The crew at KSC are squirming under these inane new regulations, but Gene thinks it might (might) be possible. Can you step up to the plate and get their funding back? Start: Normal Science save (to actually get and track Science), all parts unlocked, 0 science remaining. Badge: Your score is the amount of Science you bring back, it's simple. Top Government Scientists: Jetski with 2,140.2 Science (This could be you!) with (number) Science (This could be you!) with (number) Science (This could be you!) with (number) Science (This could be you!) with (number) Science Feel free to voice any comments, concerns, or criticism; I'm not the best challenge maker.

Lellian's rocket didn't cut it, but oh well. At least she had fun! Also, about the NCS Adapters: they were in the 0.625m category, so I considered them fair game. Sorry if I cheated a little on accident.

Once I showed Lellian Kerman of the Itty Bitty Rocket Committee this challenge, she knew it was the Committee's time to shine! They're brainstorming right now! (Challenge accepted, will post results sometime soon.)

I've also noticed this problem on some of my smaller upper stages (it's especially bad in my Science save for some reason) and I would want it to be fixed at some point.

The image isn't showing up for me.

Sure!

The booster is meant to be used as a launch stage, but if you can find some way to use it as the only source of propulsion, more power to you.

Okay. Just so long as it's not a parts mod or a cheaty mod, it's good.

You don't have to circularize or anything with the booster. You can stage it, so long as it ends up unharmed on the Kerbin surface.

KSC is running low on appropriate parts for launch stages, so they gave you the last Kickback booster they had to do a mission! The thing is, with the whole running-low-on-parts thing, they want that booster back. Rules: 1. No parts mods or "cheaty" mods allowed (eg. Hyperedit). Other mods are fair game. Brownie points for using mods that make the challenge harder, like FAR. 2. Pics or it didn't happen. Craft file is always nice too. Post a video if you can. 3. No Noclip allowed. Ever. 4. Rockets only, no spaceplanes. The Challenge! Normal: Launch a manned mission using a single Kickback booster, making sure it (and all other parts) return safely to Kerbin. Make it to a circularized 100km orbit, then deorbit and land safely. Completed by Reactordrone, Drake1050 Hard: Launch a manned mission using a single Kickback booster, making sure it (and all other parts) return safely to Kerbin. Make it to a circularized 100km orbit, create a parking orbit around and land on Minmus, fly back to Kerbin, make another 100km orbit, then deorbit and land safely. Completed by Reactordrone Crazy: Launch a manned mission using a single Kickback booster, making sure it (and all other parts) return safely to Kerbin. Make it to a circularized 100km orbit, create a parking orbit around and land on Minmus, create a parking orbit around and land on the Mun from Minmus, fly back to Kerbin, make another 100km orbit, then deorbit and land safely. Completed by Typrax, funk (Poorly made) Badge: Good luck and happy landings, my friends.

I really like those ideas! I might develop them into full-fledged ideas (with a name) later, cuz now I lazy.

Hello, and welcome to my part (suggestion) emporium, which is almost explosion-free! Almost. The first idea I have is basically a big, bulky engine: the LV-B450 "Warthog". It's basically a 1.25m superengine to rival the likes of the Rhino and the Mainsail made by the people at Jeb's Junkyard. It does, however, have a few problems: 1) it's 1.25m, 2) it doesn't function under 1/6 thrust, and 3) it's a fuel guzzler. However, if you're not a fan of/haven't unlocked Rockomax parts it's pretty darned useful. Besides, the (whatever the part of the engine is attached to the fuel tank) is a nice shade of mahogany. It might look a little ugly on a 2.5m or larger fuel tank, but there are such things as adapters. That's really the only idea I have right now: my brain ran out of fuel while circularizing orbit.

Thanks! The only setting I really change is the full-screen setting, though.