ElwoodBlues

Hey everyone. Been away from the game for a bit.. But got back into it by introducing another friend of mine to the game. Watching him play & learn I saw him starting to do the same thing we all have done. BUILD IT BIGGER!!!!!!! I wanted to show him the fun of.. 'how low can you go..' so I issued him a challenge. Build the lightest craft possible to take 1 ( or more ) Kerbals from Kerbin to the Mun and return him/them/it safely back to Kerbin. Rules: Only stock parts. Craft must transport 1 Kerbin (alive) from Kerbal to the mum & back. Kerbal & landing stage must land safely somewhere in the area between the VAB & Launch Pad. Computer/navigational aids ( MechJeb etc ) are permitted. Clipping & other in game oddities are permitted. Cheat codes ( unlimited fuel, etc ) are NOT permitted. Lowest weight craft wins.. Weight includes EVERYTHING you take out to the launch pad with you.. If it launches or not. My rules were a little more restrictive. Since they included everything on the pad & a designated landing area. But otherwise pretty much the same. I'm not trying to hijack the thread.. More like trying to revive it.. I think I have a craft that will win the #1 spot.. If Andrew would like to dig this old thread up.. So.. Would anyone like to see what I came up with? What can you come up with? "Mach 2 travel feels no different." a passenger commented on an early Concorde flight. "Yes," Sir George replied. "That was the difficult bit." - Sir George Edwards, co-director of Concorde development

Hmm I just might have to take up this challenge.. I have a rocket I've been working on.. but not sure it's quite big enough.. It's got about 300 FL-T32 tanks, 50 or so LV-T30 Motors.. & about 100 RT-B20 SRB's & more bailing wire than the whole state of Texas.. Will that work for this challenge? Have been having a problem with it though.. Engines.. or Engines attached to 1 T32 fuel tank just falling off in mid flight.. Not during warp.. and the engines weren't even on an active stage at the time.. not a ton of stress on them either.. going at about 350m/s.. Any ideas of the cause..? What can be done.. any workaround?

I give no thought at all to Kerbal safety.. Like others.. my 'designs' can go though hundreds of development trials.. The vast majority ending in spectacular failure.. I never add parachutes.. I figure the wind resistance penalty is probably higher than the weight penalty.. So, once a design works I add the nose cone & gain a small amount of performance. & hey.. if the Kerbals strap in after they see the craft has no parachute... well.. it's not my lookout.. Lucky you.. My bus driver complains that he isn't allowed to warp under acceleration..