Kerbolitto

Welcome everyone ! In this thread I'll review my (second) take on the famous STS Challenge. My first participation was more than a year ago, and I'm starting a new one, which shall include many things I've learned about building rockets since then. I'm focusing on modules integration, packaging solutions and good-looking contraptions more than trying to be as realistic as possible. There is no mods in this sandbox but Chatterer. This might be pic heavy because I want to describe every part of the first flight to show how the craft handle. Album list on imgur : STS 1 : Deploying 40t. payload STS 2 : 6 Geostationnary relays STS 2b : Recovering the 40t. payload STS 3 : Téléscopâté on solar orbit ! STS 4 : High altitude crew rescue STS 5 : Minmus Space-Station : Propulsion Module STS 6 : Hab Module STS 7 : Science Module STS 8 : Second Science Module, Station Complete ! STS Minmus 1 : First steps STS Moho-Duna because why not STS Duna Bis : 2 Shuttles + Outpost The spacecraft is named Sh(uttle)Or(biter)Pa(ck), it is a combination of many improvements I had to make to my previous shuttles. ShOrPa (Standard) main features are : _1.5 Mk3 bay & Mk3 ramp, front bay is facing ground to use drills or dump stuff on surface. _SSTO capacity. _Low TWR with only 4 Nukes (140+t. empty), +5000dV. _Fuel tanks and engines are modulable if missions requires higher thrust (Tylo?). Orbiter main features : _Total mass is 1065t. (without cargo). _2x6 Kickback SRB clusters (1000dV). _6+1 Vectors (2500dV) + 4 Rapiers to assist lift-off. Here is a post which shows a few details of the design : STS 1 / 1b : Launch Launchpad : Ignition & lift-off ! SRB Sep : Burning to raise Ap : External tank separation : Final orbit 150x150 : Payload separation (40t. dummy tanks) : Re-entry burn, quite hot ! Coming down on KSC, just at the horizon : Heavy flare to kill orbital velocity (max G during mission was only 4.8): Turn around to line up on runway : Final flare : Parachutes : Landing :

Yeah I've learned a ton since STS1

I think I'll restart this challenge from scratch, I've made a larger / better / faster / morebooster shuttle some weeks ago and I may have the time to fly a few missions here and there..

I see.. Well, hope you'll have more fun during august

So what's up ? :p

That's a lot of interresting ideas! In my mind this challenge was purely to create infrastructures around a launchpad without having any sort of requirement for the stuff you'd have to launch, just to see what people would create and use their imagination. It would be possible to make a far bigger challenge with intricate and long-term goals but this one for me, is just about buildings, cranes, rovers and stuff on the ground. I can think on some new stuff to add, like constructing an airport service, a floating base or that type of stuff for a change! btw: cool SSTO : :p

Do you autostrut them once they're at the correct angle ?

Woaw that is a fantastic idea xD Never heard of this one before !!! For me it was obviously the great :

Great idea! I'd say : a fuel system with tanks and "pumps", some beautifull lights for the touchdown zone, a helicopter LZ, maybe a bus service of some sort.. I think it's easier to play with planes and load them via the Mk3 ramp or a hydraulic equipment, than it is to lift a rocket, fuel it and put a payload above with the extreme wobbliness of those operations..! Would you like to participate on a challenge of this kind ?

Launchpad is finished, I've also created 2 loaders to dock a rocket on it. The rocket itself a 3.75m vehicle but it is possible to go much larger. Those new grip pads are really handy for stabilisation ! The 2 loaders are docked together : 1 loader in front, one at the back, the rocket requires extensions to hold the large docks : Lifting is realively easy with an empty rocket : With all the robotic parts around the assembly, it is possible to counter the wobbliness of the craft and point it precisely at zenith :

It is a DKP, Delayed Kinetic Propulsion

This is not a SSTO!

@gchristopher Very nice ! Never heard of this challenge

Nice ! He can still fall so that's okay Would be cool to put satellite dish or some type of antennas on the ridge of that mountain :p !

They are definitely solid objects! Don't roll into that baobab !

I don't want to see features from planets on which I've not landed since breaking ground updates :p !

Oh yeah that would be cool, I could launch more stuff from Woomerang.. Maybe fly the fuel from the desert to the ice caps .. Very inefficient, so I'll probably do that

Yeah it's very flat, but I wanted to install all the stuff far from the airfield so my framerate doesn't drop too low if I land a large plane.. I think I should create a new sandbox and throw everything around this area..!

You chose the easy path......! :p Personnaly I had a hard time to find a -large- flat spot in the desert to set the launchpad, I think I'll just use some kind of ramp pointing to the east.

@Alienwall Very cool location You edited the stuff there ? I like the look of radiators, and the double grip on the launchpad

I've deployed the habitation module, it's probably bigger than needed but at least it looks good :p This building has too much room, a 2 lab hospital, a chess game on the lower terrace, a barbecue and a radio on the middle terrace (with seats for sunbathing), a cool place on the higher terrace which includes a tea table ! The Habitations also features a very large solar field, an elevator and many dishes to watch Ketfliks!

Here are the Lf/Monoprop and Oxi rovers, I'll show them around the base later! These are the same chassis with few cosmetic changes between them, the arm has 2 type of docks and is comically wobbly! The rovers are powered by 16 wheels with large electric capacity, and a small tank with fuel cells in case of emergency or solar eclipse maybe!

Would be great to see that! I thought about adding stage recovery / landing -> transport the orbiter back to the launchpad but the rocket itself has no constraint except getting into orbit. Could be a 3t. rocket with jet engines or a 10 stage monster, it's up to you :p

Here is the first part of my entry : Fuel systems : This outpost consists of 1 ISRU, 2 drills, 2 giant fuel tanks (one for Ox the other for Lf and Monoprop on the side), solarpannels with radiators, a control tower and docks everywhere ! Each outpost will be spaced by 4-5km so I can overload the part counts !

What if launching a rocket would be the last thing on your checklist ? This challenge is a bit special, I propose you to build an infrastructure around the rocket, with vehicles, buildings and stuff to prepare launches! Facilities : Fuel services : Mine your own fuel (you can combine multiple fuel tanks to one ISRU using home-made pipelines) +100 Use 3 types of storage for each propellant (each tank is specialized, liquid fuel and oxidizer must be transported separately for safety reasons) +50 Transfer and load fuel in the rocket, once it is ready to launch (payload installed and sitting in vertical position). +150 Build (a) dedicated rover(s) to refuel the launch vehicle (directly or through the launchpad assembly). +50 Launchpad : Bring a launch tower, or a clamp system (similar to Soyouz). +150 Sound suppression system (could be fuel tanks and jet engines aimed at the launchpad to produce smoke during launch). +50 Kerbal's buildings : All Kerbals on site are living in a dedicated building, must have 2 seats per Kerbal and a place to chill after work. +150 Bring an emergency building for Kerbonauts only, must have a lab 2 scientists and 3 seats per Kerbonauts. +50 Drive Kerbonauts to the hospital with a specialized vehicle. +50 Allow tourists to come by and watch launches, must have seats for 5, could be a bus with seats on top, some kind of stands or something else. +50 Launch Vehicle : Rocket : Must be transported empty from KSC, by a fake train, a plane, some kind of trailer, what ever suits you! +200 Provide a screen that it has reached orbit and deployed its payload +100 Launch vehicle is piloted by Kerbonaut(s) +150 Payload : Build a dedicated area to store the payload +50 Mate the payload on / in / below the launch vehicle +200 Bonus Points ! Each building has ladders if needed, com and radiators. +50 Each type of facilities share the same power source through pipelines or connections (could be a solarplant, fuel cells or RTG). +100 Each module / building is launched separately and assembled on site (ISRU, then fuel tanks and so on). +100 Launch vehicle is loaded separately from its transport system. +100 Each vehicle is Kerballed by a well trained driver, crane operator or whatever. +150 Kerbonauts are installed in the rocket using a Kerbonaut vehicle and some kind of ladders / elevator +100 Launch vehicle can be deorbited on the base and refit to be launched again. (optionnal because it's mostly limited to SSTO-type, or you'd have to assemble each stage separately) No rocket engine is used on site to power vehicles or put the launch vehicle vertically. +50 Put a few pics visible to everyone to present your creations and the rest in spoilers. (or imgur whatever!) +50 Modded game has a separate leaderboard. Brown : ISRU, Blue : Fuel tanks, Red arrow : Fuel transport, Green : Clamps and launch vehicle installation, Yellow : Launch vehicle, Orange : Fairing / payload and its installation-system, Purple : Emergency module and Workers office. Not pictured : Fuel rover, ambulance, Kerbonauts vehicle, tourists bus. Launchsite could be shores around KSC, grasslands, desert, what ever suits you! Top score would be 2250. The way you bring modules on site is not very important as long as it is practical enough and doesn't deter you to build beautifull modules! This is my first challenge proposal, all ideas / critics are welcome