jinnantonix

@JacobJHC Very impressive video. Did you use any visual enhancement mods? What is your secret to using the camera to get those smooth shots of warping? I don't recognise some of the parts. Are they from Making History, or are you using any part mods? Also, where did you get the music from?

Das Duna Projekt (DDP) Mission Completed: DDP craft: 100% stock parts, no mods used (zero, zip, zilch nada) Cost in LKO: 325,602 funds Mass in LKO: 102.166 tonnes Dry mass: 57.734 tonnes Propellant fraction: 0.435 Mass per crew 102.166 / 6 = 17.03 Science points: 20,578 !!! https://imgur.com/a/vuxRO8b Note: The mission attempted to capture all science points available within mission constraints. This meant including materials bay, comms, batteries for transmissions etc The mission also included adjusting for polar Duna orbit and added decouplers and chutes to the EEM to recover the 3 separate command pods with flyby, suborbital and orbital data separated. This meant the mission needed more parts, fuel and tanks and so was more expensive.

I would argue that anything can be done if you add mods, so then it really isn't a challenge. On the other hand it would be just too boring to expect anyone to drive a rover to visit 15 biomes on Eve. What I think may work as a challenge is to limit the number of biomes to 3 x land and 3 x water, collecting data for surface and flying low. Anyone who can do that will likely be able to do all 15 biomes and all situations, and so meets the proposed challenge . Automated piloting like MechJeb is OK, this is about mission and craft design, it isn't about piloting or driving skills. I know some just love to play with mod parts, so the challenge should have two leaderboards, one for stock (the real challenge) and one for mods (for fun). So in short, anything that uses stock parts and automated driving would be OK for the stock leaderboard. I am not familiar with Bon Voyage, but I think an amphibious hopping rover with BV parts would certainly satisfy the requirements for the mod leaderboard, as would mod electric props and dirigibles. Edit: From what I can see, BV can be used as an automated driver for stock rovers. In that case, BV would be OK for a stock submission. The challenge is to make the rover hop.

This is a brilliant challenge. Creating a stock craft that matches the original von Braun concept has been great fun. Currently doing final testing of the EEM hitting the Kerbin atmosphere at up to 18 km/s - plenty of explosions and dead test pilots. I have also added a few cool features that were not specified by von Braun e.g. creating a 6 berth habitat ring in the PMM ( with artificial gravity) to provide a healthy and comfortable habitat for the Kerbonauts while in transit. I expect to have completed the mission in a few days, 100% stock with with zero mods, and expect to document it on YouTube.

Here is my design for a Von Braun style MEM *-----

Hi Death Engineering, Glad this is still running, I love the concept. Here is my design so far, 100% stock parts. The craft is a tad expensive, but I have not spared a cent when it comes to the science instruments - collecting science points is my focus. The components (MEM, EEM and probes) test well, but still need to actually do the mission to determine I have done the dV calcs correctly.

The above rover designs don't actually meet with my requirements for a "hopper" which can collect all the science data for a number of biomes as per this check list http://ttdpatch.net/~jdrexler/ksp/science/KSP Science Checklist.pdf . I am thinking of issuing a mission idea "Eve Science Challenge" would specify a minimum number of biomes, with a mandatory requirement for collecting all available science including: Gravity data at > 400km altitude EVA Report and gravity data at > 90km altitude Atmospheric data for >22km altitude and flying low Temperature, crew report and EVA report for flying low Materials bay, mystery goo, gravity temperature, pressure, seismic, surface sample, EVA report on surface A mission design that can achieve the above can probably also collect all science from all biomes on Eve, but I would not expect too many folk have the patience for the many hours of game time required to hop to all 15 x biomes. So I think 3 x land biomes and 3 x water biomes is a good minimum requirement.

From what I can see, Foxster has a really good design for the ascent vehicle, getting 3 x Mk1 crew cabins (3t + of payload) into Eve orbit is the big challenge here, he appears to have solved it. All that is required to satisfy rule #2 is to enclose the upper section in a fairing, and add a Mk1 lander can at the bottom of the craft which is decoupled prior to launch. The Kerbals enter the command pod, and transfer into the Mk1 crew cabins. I have a sea level ascent vehicle, all stock parts, similar to Foxsters (a bit bigger at 245t) which I can modify as above and satisfy all of the design requirements, a 6 man rover to pick up the Kerbals and transport them, and a NERV powered transfer vehicle (with 2x hitchhikers) to get to Eve, refuel at Gilly and return all Kerbals, landing at the KSP. However the whole issue of building the colony has me a bit confused, and all the mods like LS etc blows out the game time too much. This challenge is just way too complicated. If you set this up with a simpler scenario focussed solely on the craft design I might give it a shot.

I just discovered someone has already had a go at this challenge, though with multiple launches. Wow, this guy spent some game time on this, driving a rover around Eve at 25m/s with no warp. [yawn].

This looks like a good way of using an e- prop on Eve. How fast is this vehicle travelling? I think it took a lot of patience to complete the game time.

Thanks BlackHat, the mod is definitely still needed for Eve Craters and Akatsuki Lake biomes. (not sure if Tylo is fixed). I tried it out and it seems to work OK in v1.4.5.

Is this biome correction available in 1.4.5? How is it installed?

I tried this lightweight unmanned configuration. It only got to 30m/s on the runway, not even close to getting off the ground. I think electric props may not have the power to get any speed in the Eve atmosphere. Update: I am confident it is possible to develop a fast plane for Eve (see below), thinking 50-75 m/s is possible. Faster than that is hard in Eve's thick atmosphere, But e- props seem very fragile, can they last for 15 + landings on Eve? Though I haven't tested this I doubt they can land on Eve water biomes, and would need to enter the water at the shore same as the jet. Finally the big issue - e- props don't support warp! - this is a big issue because it means a lot of game time to cover the 2000km of Eve's surface. I am still experimenting, but with warp the jet can do a 60km hop in just a few minutes of game time, vs 20 minutes (at 50m/s, no warp).

I am upgrading now to v1.4.5, and will try your link. I think the engine needs to be very powerful to push through the Eve atmosphere. I think power would need to be from solar, as RTGs would be two heavy on Eve, and you wouldn't want to fly at night anyway. solar panels would probably add drag. It will be interesting to R&D this, not sure electric prop is the way to go yet.

Thanks PDS. I clicked on your craft but it gives a 404 not found error. All the craft in KerbalX seem to be incompatible with my version of KSP (v1.3.1).

I added some length and fuel, and two more wings and range increased to 55km. Flies and glides like a dream, almost floats on Eve's lower atmosphere. Also floats on Explodium like a boat, and I can get reasonable speeds using the jets I think this might be good enough.

OK I understand now. My first jet hopper actually used all 1.25m parts , but I had a lot of trouble placing components like drills, ore tanks, heat dissipators etc. without impacting on drag. The Mk2 components were only a little heavier, and added lift to compensate. The Mk2 cargo bays are very useful for enclosing the ISRU and science components, and I could also put a EAS-1 seat in there as well for my scientist - oh yes, and the cargo bays look cool.

Thanks KerboLitto. Can you please clarify what you mean by 1.25/2.5m wide? Do you mean same profile as the two wind nacelles? If no cockpit, then are you suggesting the scientist and engineer are sitting on EAS-1 seats?

Thanks for the comments, I really appreciate the feedback I am avoiding anything with wheels, (eg rovers, mobile launch pads etc) , though I am sure they work, it would be too slow and tedious in gameplay. I also discovered that rovers make very bad amphious craft due to friction on Eve's water biomes. Any rough surfaces, and the rover sticks like glue. Agree that the best solutions would be Electric prop powered ultra light sea plane (if only I could figure out how to make the prop work, can anyone share a .craft file with me, please?) Liq+Ox fuelled jet / glider with small ISRU and using aerospikes. Needs to be able to float like a boat and move reasonably fast over water using the jets. The seaplane idea is probably the most elegant, it certainly solves the water biome problem. But I think the machine would probably be very slow in Eve's atmosphere, so may be as tedious in gameplay as a rover. Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a working jet that has a range on Eve of 40km (see below). It flies and glides beautifully on Eve and Kerbin, still working on ways to increase the range - more lift and fuel, less drag.

Eve is difficult. The biggest challenge in KSP. I am setting myself a mission to send a Kerbal scientist to collect all science from all biomes (including all water biomes) on Eve with a single launch craft, and return the science to Kerbin. I am thinking the mission would include an amphibious biome hopper that can collect all the science, a separate launch vehicle that can get the Kerbal scientist to Eve orbit, and a mothership to transfer from Kerbin to Eve and back to Kerbin - all from a single launch. The challenge is designing the amphibious hopper. Can it be done?

I have completed the Grand Tour / Ultimate Challenge with the KSS Russian Doll Mission summary Single launch. All stock parts, no mods. Crew: 1 x pilot, 1 x scientist, 1 x engineer. Planted a flag on all planets and moons (except Kerbol and Jool) Tour: Gilly, Eve, Moho, Gilly, Ike, Duna, Ike, Pol, Tylo, Bop, Laythe, Vall, Pol, Dres, Mun, Minmus, Eeloo, Kerbin Mission Time 27 years 190 days. Common craft is a Mk1 Lander Can with 2 x Clamp-O-Tron Docking Ports Expendable Eve Lander, launch to orbit from 1750m Re-usable hybrid craft, the Russian Doll, comprising SSTO Lander ship for Duna, Tylo and Laythe, with 1x Vector engine and Convert-O-Tron 125 ISRU Interplanetary Mother ship with 12 x Nerv engines and Convert-O-Tron 250 ISRU Capable of collecting all available science from all biomes in the Kerbol system, except Eve’s surface. Russian Doll landed at the Kerbin Space Centre, all Kerbals alive. Craft file: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/slcodev8d7nxipi/AAD-AnIcomd91dRk5K8efv6Va?dl=0 Youtube videos: “The Voyage of the Russian Doll”

Jetski, you forgot to add +30 points just for reaching the Moho SOI. So your score is 305, which is the maximum. Well done.

Challenge Completed: Single launch, stock only, v1.3, no mods. Album is here: https://imgur.com/a/NGIpg1P Craft file is here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bc3ozrc8lfg6pbw/Moho Mission.craft?dl=0 +30 points just for reaching the Moho SOI. = Yes +10 points: Reach Moho SOI with a manned craft = Yes +40 points: Land your craft of the surface of Moho= Yes +10 points (x3): For each landed Kerbal (capped at 30 points) = Yes, 3 kerbals +40 points: Return (i.e. land or spash down. If a few parts rip of, it's fine. But not just crashing) at least a part of your vessel to the surface of Kerbin = Yes, main craft in Kerbin orbit re-usable +10 points (x3): For each Kerbal returned to Kerbin from the surface of Moho (capped at 30 points) = Yes, 3 kerbals +10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Moho SOI (not cummulative)= Yes +10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Surface of Moho (not cummulative)= Yes +10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho SOI to Kerbin and retrieve it. (not cummulative)= Yes +10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho surface to Kerbin and retrieve it (not cummulative)= Yes +20 points: Return a surface sample from Moho and retrieve it.= Yes +30 points: Collect science from two different biomes= Yes, craft was capable of hopping to, and collecting science from, every biome on Moho +20 points: Explore the Mohole (use your own discretion on what accounts for "explore")= Yes, dropped probe in (it crashed about 2km down) +5 points: Plant a Flag at Moho = Yes. +10 points: Leave behind a science station (need probe core, energy, sciency thing and antenna). = Yes TOTAL = 305

Thanks Jacob, I am kicking myself now because I could easily have completed the mission at level 3 /Jebediah level by adding a lander can below the Hitchhiker and adding 2 x scientists. https://www.dropbox.com/s/oczxilzoqwqtokh/Jool-5 Mk-2.craft?dl=0

Yes, every landing included two kerbals. A scientist (to collect the science) and an engineer (to run the ISRU rig).