jinnantonix

Mission 2, (Duna Transit Vehicle 2) is complete at Year 4 Day 250. New habitation ring and resources, with 16 new Kerbal colonists (total 28 on the surface of Duna). Also docked is the Duna Space Bus, the SSTO Duna ascent vehicle with 9 seats, shown drilling for ore, and converting to LOx ready for the first ascent test flight, to Ike and return to the Duna Space Station. The DSS includes Emergency Ascent Vehicle, and with the DSB docked includes 28 pressurised seats. Positive uplink includes 4 relay satellites, one in Ike polar orbit, one in very high Duna ecliptic orbit, and two in highly elliptical polar orbits over Duna's poles. The large space tug is docked at the DSS with enough fuel for return to Kerbin. Two Kerbals (Jeb and Bill) returned safely to Kerbin's surface on the previous transfer window, and the small NERVA tug which delivered them is on Minmus, fully fueled ready for Mission 3.

I am already well under way with a 100% stock DOMA entry, with no part mods other than standard TAC-LS, so cannot / will not use the deepfreeze option. Puts me at a slight disadvantage I think.

This is similar to the Sputnik Challenge, so I should have a craft that just needs a few tweaks.

Mission 2 is proceeding well. Completed launch 7 (year 3 day 304), assembled the Transit Vehicle 2, fueled it up (took a few trips of the tug with fuel tanks to Minmus and back to Kerbin), boarded 16 Kerbals, and now burning for Minmus for more refueling before transfer to Duna on the next transfer window. (year 3 day 314).

Yes, the standard habitation ring (on the DOMA 2 craft, 2nd launch) has 25 seats, 12 x Mk1 crew cabins plus a lander can which is used as an airlock and command/control for the descent from orbit. The design allows for 2 seats per Kerbal, so room for 12 Kerbals long term.

First installment: Mission 1 (of 4) Craft files: DOMA 1, DOMA 2

OK, I knew it when I was designing the mission, but maneuvering 62 tons of craft to Duna on a single NERVA is painfully slow. Refuelling on Ike is a real challenge, the engine barely has enough thrust to land,. Lucky the plan is to upgrade the tug to 3 engines later in the mission. On the plus side, I am really enjoying the Spectra cinematic effects.

I am also assuming that uncrewed robotic missions are allowed. So happy with your clarification, and rewording.

All interplanetary transits require a minimum of 2 Kerbals aboard?

Here is my mission architecture design https://imgur.com/a/AjdNjto , completed. Now for the gameplay.

This requirement does not mandate the use of a specific craft. I therefore assume that I can use my DAV (Duna Space Bus) as a "science hopper", with a scientist to collect the 5 samples, and deliver the samples to the labs. OK?

Edit: Here is my design https://imgur.com/a/AjdNjto , completed. The mission delivers 100 Kerbals to the Duna surface, over 10 years, all achievement points scored, and all Kerbins returned to Kerbin unstressed. The mission architecture is based on NPM = 31 tons, with 66% recoverable SLV. Now to execute the gameplay, and make the video.

@Death Engineering, it appears that getting maximum points for putting Kerbals on Duna, means taking risks. It seems there is a lot of scope for defining those risks. Personally I see no point in having an EAV capability if the Kerbals need to be returned immediately to the outpost or die in orbit, so I think it is mandatory for the backup plan to include having sufficient pressurised seats on the DSS and at least a means to provide resources in orbit without needing to return to the Kerbals to the outpost. I guess others may see it differently, and they will achieve more points.

@Death Engineering, thanks for your advice. I have another question. When implementing the backup plan, I propose to have a DAV with 8 pressurised seats and an EAV with 32 command chairs parked in orbit. Both capable of multiple landing/launching, sufficient to evac all Kerbals. As I understand the requirement I need both vehicles, in case one of them become unavailable. Now the big question is this: Do I need resources in orbit to supply the evacuated Kerbals until the next transfer window? I mean, seems like a bad backup plan if I can get the Kerbals off the Duna surface, only to have them die in orbit, right? Would it be OK if I can demonstrate that I can ferry sufficient supplies up from the Duna outpost using the DAV? Below is a mock up of the proposed docking design, with the DAV on the left ready to transfer resources from the outpost habitation rings. The DAV is able to lift the 27 tons of resources and dock with the Duna Space Station.

@Death Engineering Thanks for running this fascinatng challenge. I have decided to add visual effect mods (improve the video submission quality) and MechJeb to automate the SLV launching, plus TACLS for life support but otherwise no other part mods. I like the challenge of using only stock parts and crafting them into unique designs. My plan is to create about a dozen modular craft and habitation components purely from stock, from which I build transit vehicles, Duna outpost and space station, all can be docked in numerous configurations. Resource modules using TACLS containers of various sizes will be added in accordance with the mission profile, but I will use just balanced resource containers (food, oxygen and water) to keep it simple. I intend to complete the full design and document in Imgur prior to launching anything, then will create a video of the actual mission for submission. Just verifying I have understood the challenge: “In order to qualify as "reusable", recovered launch stages must have comprised of at least 50% of the vehicles original lift-off mass (including payload). Recovery of spent stages can be passive or active but must be demonstrated successfully at least once.” So I have a 30 ton payload and a 50 ton recoverable SLV. I can add two expendable boosters of <10 ton each? “Duna space bus: Deliver a fully reusable shuttle service to Duna that can ferry at least four crew between Duna's surface and Ike's surface (refueling permitted). (+2) *Provided missions do not exceed 10 days, 'Habitation space' rule does not apply. Deep space transit: Implement a fully reusable crew transfer vehicle that can complete a Kerbin <-> Duna round trip without refueling (either direction). Must be capable of carrying a minimum of 4 crew. (+3)” After the second transit window, I will have a Duna Ascent Vehicle (DAV) and a large NERVA tug (LNT) in orbit around Duna. Each can dock to a CC8 - crew cabin craft with 8 seats - but only one CC8 module is available in the space station. I can create either a Duna Space Bus (dock DAV + CC8) or Deep Space Transit Vehicle (dock LNT + CC8) at any time, but not both at the same time. Do I need a second crew cabin to allow me to have both simultaneously? I assume I only need to add another crew cabin module with 2 seats to create an advanced deep space transit vehicle (LNT + CC8 + CC2)?

I am trying to find TACLS for KSP v 1.4.5 Can't seem to find it anywhere. Please help!

Thanks @Death Engineering, and @hoioh which parts mods would you recommend/approve?

I have been wanting to do a challenge involving life support, and have been playing around with TAC-LS. This challenge looks like a great vehicle for this. However I am not a big fan of part mods or config editing. I am wondering, would it be feasible to do this challenge stock only parts , just adding life support?

This subject is discussed at length here: I ended up finding the best solution was a LOX jet with ISRU, it had a range of about 80km. I was able to visit all Eve surface biomes, and collect nearly all of the science available in the Eve/Gilly system, but it took a lot of game time to make the 90 hops for the half circumnavigation of Eve. Here is the mission log:

Here is my mini R7. For the engines, I have a pair of Thuds clipped into an empty FL-T200 tank for the main twin nozzles, and a pair of Spiders for the verniers. The fins are fixed only, not really required as the craft is very stable. Plan is to carry the R7 to KSC2 on a jet equipped with ISRU. All tests passing so far. Mission is ready to begin. Update: Discovered there is no ore at the KSC2, so transported the R7 fully fuelled and ready to launch - fortunately the transport jet had enough fuel to reach the KSC2 in a single hop, with plenty to spare. Mission Completed.

I am assuming the the R-7 replica needs to follows these specifications in terms of height, weight etc. The R-7 was 30m tall and weighed 140 tons fully fuelled, quite a challenge to get to Baikerbanur . Or would a mini R-7 in similar configuration (capable of launching the Sputnik, 500kg payload) be OK? Also which engines best match the RD-107 engine? A twin nozzle engine that was 1 ton in weight, and had 800kN ASL thrust. A single Vector has the right thrust, but is 4 tons. Or 2 x Terriers = 1 ton, but nowhere near enough thrust. I am thinking 2 x Swivels seems about right and performs appropriately when tested. Thoughts? Here is my R-7 with Swivels. Matches the specs fairly closely.

Let's call it a draw. I think you could have shaved a few shekels by using a small ISRU unit and drill, as the challenge did not mandate any time limits. Interesting idea using Poodles, excellent efficiency in a vacuum for interplanetary transits, and a lot more thrust than my puny "reverse" Terrier. I didn't bother with trying to get to Eve in one go, and just went straight to Gilly to refuel. Quicker for me in game time, not so good for Val and Bill waiting for the refuel. Also, 3 way symmetry? You deserve extra points for thinking like a Raman. Nice work landing at the KSC. I think I could have done it with a bit more patience, but I certainly didn't have the elegance in my design to include a gliding descent at Kerbin.

Craft cost = $347,772 (see image above). Craft file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2j6gji3hgpz9vq0/Eve 3000 Mk 2.craft?dl=0

Thanks, I had forgotten about the struts, I have now fully "autostrutted" the craft, and that saved a few pennies. I tried using the standard docking port, but it increased drag for the Eve ascent, and generally caused issues. So I sucked it in and went with the expensive docking port junior. It also looks neater on the top of the pod. Mission is now under way! Update 1: Just arrived at Eve. No way I have enough dV to decelerate on Eve atmospheric entry, so currently maneuvering to refuel at Gilly. Update 2: After some aero-braking, now in low Eve orbit, with plenty of fuel , ready to land Update 3: Needed to slow to 1350 m/s = only just enough fuel to land. Refuel and ascent successful. Ore delivered, Kerbals safely home Mission Completed. Most difficult part of the mission was getting to Minmus as a single stage, using the Terrier in reverse for efficient fuel usage during the transit and insertion. Patience required. Also was very surprised that at Eve, the powered descent needed so much fuel. Even with a refuel at Gilly, the craft needed about a dozen aero-brake orbits. Apparently this was because the craft was so aerodynamic for the Eve ascent, it also had very little friction for the aero-braking. The return craft was slightly over-designed, with no aero-braking required at return to Kerbin, and still some fuel in the tank on landing.