FloppyRocket

Usually I throw on three of the tiny solar panels for the orbital missions. I don't know if you are under the parts limit, but they are very light. Thanks. It was quite a lot of fun!

I did a re-run and completed the TALC challenge. Here is some documentation: Summary: I accepted no contracts. I farmed no science around KSC except for Launch Pad and Crawlerway. Science on Kerbin came from several sub-orbital flights of increasing range. That covered Launch Pad, Shores, Grasslands, Mountains, Desert, probably a few others, and both Poles. Those sub-orbital flights included the Science Jr. once it was available. Scientist Bob covered all of the sub-orbital missions, so he could do the science dance after landing. But since Bob can't fly worth a drat, Jeb and Val alternated pilot duties for the orbital flights to low and high space. Then there were two Mun fly-by missions, to its low and high space. The orbital and Mun flights took two Goo, a barometer, and a temperature sensor attached to the top of the Onion pod, but left the Science Jr at home. For the Mun launches, to get under the 18t launch limit I had to partially drain one of the fuel tanks. The second Mun fly-by to low space was only because I was a few units short of buying the last tech package. And that's about it. Images: Here are a few images with a pseudo-informative captions, more are available, these are just some highlights to show progress. https://imgur.com/a/Neu3Dro

Interesting idea, I have not tried that.

The Soyuz pod seems to work OK. It has 20 units of ablator. It has a built-in decoupler, which detaches and leaves the lower round surface of the pod exposed. I would not trust it for a high-speed reentry, but from LKO it worked fine. Do not forget to attach an inline stabilizer and parachute (via first hand experience with both issues). I'm not sure if it's a better choice than the 1-seater default command pod.

Update: I completed all four tech tree layers, almost without realizing it. I got focused on trying to tweak the margins for doing a rendezvous-a-lander-in-LKO with a transfer stage (to get a boost for a Mun landing), that I didn't notice I already had enough science to buy all four layers minus about 1 unit, so I farmed some science from the Crawlerway and completed it. But I don't feel like I did a very good job documenting things, so I might start over and do a clean run, now that I know the pitfalls. One other interesting thing I observed along the way (but ultimately didn't use) - although fuel transfer isn't allowed, crossfeed still works. I found this out by accident when I had the lander and transfer stage docked, with one engine disabled, but the other was drawing fuel from both sets of tanks.

Some good news. With Jeb still at level 1, even though I don't have SAS target mode, I still get the Target markers on the nav ball. So it wasn't too difficult to manually dock a lander with a transfer stage that has plenty of fuel for the heavy lifting. I just had to play around with the Ap and Pe in low Kerbin orbit until I got close enough to move in for docking. It was slow work, but Jeb had plenty of snacks. The unknown tech on this mission for me is that I haven't used the Soyuz style command pods before, and I don't know if they'll make it through re-entry with the goo containers attached after I get back from the Mun. I used the smaller round pod because it saved a bit of mass.

I am curious - which KSP feature enables allowing fuel transfer? I didn't find it mentioned in the KSP facility updates. Found it, via the Wiki page on Resources: Note: When in career mode, resource transfer is not possible until the R&D facility is at level 2. It's also on the KSC page, if you remember that "Fuel transfer" is also referred to as "Resource transfer".

Really? Oops. Time for a new strategy. I guess I can still launch two pieces into orbit, if there is some value in that.

Update: I've completed five of the 10 tech on level 4. Am currently figuring out if I can get Jeb enough XP to unlock SAS Target mode on the navball, so I can rendezvous in orbit. That would support my strategy of beating the launch pad limitations by assembling a craft with a lander in orbit, for Mun / Minmus landings.. Did not farm for science around KSP, because I find that really boring and slow. I've flown sub-orbital around Kerbin to several easy biomes (both poles, the desert, and various flatlands). Those had a Science Jr below the command pod, because going sub-orbital the heating is low enough that it doesn't get damaged on re-entry. Got a lot of science from fly-bys and orbital missions around the Mun. Did not take Science Jr on those missions, as I wasn't sure I could re-enter with it. Two goo, thermometer, and barometer are stuck to the sides of the command pod, since I have to bring the science home on the ship and can't EVA to retrieve it. Am not playing with any contracts, as I don't really enjoy the parts contracts for trying to hit specific altitude and speed requirements. After finishing the first three levels, I set up the "25% funds to science" admin strategy, but I don't know if it's doing anything useful. So, I'm making progress and enjoying the challenge.

Sorry, did not mean to offend with my comments about kludges, but it seems to me that installing multiple copies of a program is a rather extreme work-around for a simple missing feature (disabling mods). But I took the advice of moving all the mod folders out of the GameData area. So, a progress report. I got going, flew missions around Kerbin for a while, and unlocked the first three layers of the tech tree. Then I realized that without the ability to launch a scientist to do EVAs and reset the experiments in different Mun and Minmus biomes. it's going to be a real grind getting the fourth layer completed. I have only played in career mode once, and that was a very long time ago. I have not read any of the previous posts from folks who have completed this challenge, mostly because I wanted to discover what the limitations are from playing in this caveman mode. I really don't want to just grind science on Kerbin or around KSP, but that's an option too.

That is also a kludge that wouldn't be necessary if the UI supported it within the game.

I'm fairly surprised that there isn't a UI for disabling mods within the game - because having to modify your installation seems like a big kluge. It also makes it difficult to run more than one different activity setup at a time. It's weird that this hasn't ever been developed, given the age of KSP. Maybe the architecture of the game doesn't allow for it.

Thanks for the tips.

Thanks much. I have some mods installed that I understand are not allowed for challenge (mechjeb, for science, x science). Is there an easy way to disable these mods, so I don't have to uninstall them?

I think the key issue is that maneuver nodes assume you're going to make an impulse burn of the required delta-v, and it doesn't expect the maneuver to be spread out over time.

Thanks. I'm curious what images are required? Images of each ship you launch, and the science earned on each mission, or just the initial game settings and the tech tree at the end?

Is there some more information about how to submit documentation for this achievement?

Your side boosters were deleted as sub-orbital debris. Only craft that you're flying are persistent.

Is it normal that I cannot restore a previous save during the Munar 1 mission? This image is from right after I crashed again, but even before crashing, I could not go back to a previous save. I keep crashing on launching from the Mun, and can't restore from my in-orbit quick save. I can save the game as much as I like, but there is no load button. I"m pretty sure I was able to save and restore during some of the other Making History missions. But not this one. I am puzzled. Thanks for any clues.

Specifically, place a fuel duct between the side of the tank and the inside floor of the SM25. That will connect the fuel flow to the engine.

Is there any conflict between having ForScience and [x] Science! both installed and active at the same time?

Thanks for the suggestion.

In my limited experience, automatic fuel flow for asparagus staging can be a real beast to set up, because it only works if you DON'T use symmetry when you originally added the tanks and engines. The fuel duct parts are a reliable means around this problem.

@GRS, no updates from me, the remainder of this challenge is beyond the combination of my skills and how much time / effort I'm willing to invest in it.

Completing survey missions using rockets is very challenging.