Jack wooster

Wow! that ion plane is small, I too have trouble with ion missions as the burns take so long, or you need multiple goes at them. Although I did use ion drive to return from Laythe as by then the payload only consisted of the pod and a parachute.

I chose the QBE because it's nice and boxy to store your samples in for return to Kerbin. Kerbal on a seat, ahh what times we live in!

Challenge is to land the QBE pod on Lathe take a sample using the Antena as a drill, and then return the pod to KSC with the smallest possible ship, using stock parts plus mechjeb. So far I have managed 62.37 tonnes. 3.4KM off Target!

I've been trying a Laythe sample return mission, with a launcher that co-incidentally has a three ton payload to orbit limit. I got a rover to Laythe in one shot, the sample return looks as if it will take three or four launches. Maybe when I've finished I could rerun the mission using the launchers here, I've done much of the development already.

Got a Rover onto Laythe, I used chemical rockets as I am too impatient to use Ion drives, I mean honestly it takes hours, I'd go down the pub get back and the engines would still be firing, and physics warp seems to mess up the fuel consumption. I would love to do a Laythe sample return, or Manned return, even if that takes two launches of the cut price system.

There are some really great efforts here, and the performance some of you get from the jet, looking at you Tavert, is brilliant. My Duna probe landed safely but Jeb is still on his way to Laythe.

Aye, it's a turbojet, as long as the jet engine and the Solid get you into space, then put what you like on top of it. Soranno maybe right about ion drives, once you are up there with a bit of Xenon in your tanks the potentional range is enormous. I've got a lander to Dunna, a sample return mission is on it's way to Ike, and Jeb is on his way to Laythe, don't know if he'll make it though!

My Kerbin SOI test was with a probe (with an engine) that only weighed half a tonne.. Th great thing about using just one jet engine is that you can tank it to over 1000m/s then when it flames out nothing is thrown off balance and you can lite up the solid.

Double post, trying to launch whilst posting!

Well the probe will have an engine, but as long as the second stage as an above atmosphere apogee, a third stage would be within the spirit of the challenge.

The aim of this challenge is to use a cheap launcher, to send a small probe into space and get as much exploration done as possible. The launcher, based on the Virgin jets then solid concept, is to be made of one jet engine first stage with one RT-10 Small solid booster second stage, it doesn't have to be a space plane though. Rules 1. First stage must be one jet engine only. 2. Second stage must be one RT-10 Solid. 3. Mechjeb allowed. 4. All other parts must be stock. 5. Probe must have an apogee out of the atmosphere when the RT-10 has finished firing, out of Kerbin SOI is possible. Submission Requirements (example below) 1. Screenshot on the launchpad. 2. Screenshot of any achievements you're claiming. Achievements Extra cudos for Landing Double extra for Sample return Triple for a manned mission, but not a one way one! The further you can explore the better. Eample of what I mean:

Now Jool, that really is a challenge!

Lovely pic, Foamyesque.

Excellent metaphor! I wondered about suborbital capture, when I was trying to build a ship that could make orbit and kept failing, that must have taken some real seat of the pants flying.

Sadly not, the frame rate on that initial Kerbin launch was dreadful.

Here is my attempt:- Eve lander lifts off from Kerbin, it shed a few orange stages and then reaches orbit half empty. Once in orbit it need a fair few visits from a refueling tug, the tug couldn't be too big because that lowered the frame rate so much, docking became impossible. Transfer to Eve used up nearly all the fuel again, and so this time interplnetary refueling tugs there needed. Fully fueled up we plunging into Eves atmosphere on a long shallow dive to use up as much speed as possible without burning the engines. Landed on Eve everybody streches their legs. The ship sheds it's rather explosive landing gear as it takes off Pod arrives back in orbit, with about 10 litres of fuel to spare. The recovery ship collects the pod. and returns it to Kerbin. bringing everyone home safe and sound.

I'll repost this in case someone was doing it when the boards went down. The challenge is to land a three man crew on Eve, in the Mk 1-2 Command Pod, take them on an EVA, and then return them in the pod to KSC. Stock parts only, except Mechjeb which is allowed. The easiest way I would think is to land on one of the high plateaus and use plenty of docking and refueling, I can't see a single ship being able to do this mission, but you never know.

Here's a simple one, does proper job and gets home to just in sight of the KSC. It also has a docking port incase there is some work to do when it's up there.

Did it with half a tank of fuel to spare .http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33361&d=1348396783 I'd practiced refueling in .16 but managed a Duna return in a single launch. http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33360&d=1348396691 http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33357&d=1348396598

A while ago I launched, orbited a satellite, landed and orbited again then landed on Kerbin. That used some Sunday punch and lots or radial parachutes.

Thanks, doesn\'t surprise me someone else was building an Eagle out there, flying it over the Mun with the 1999 theme playing is great fun.

Tried to fly there like it was 1999, or Space 1999. I built my own Eagle from C7 part and some others. Launch Slowing into Munar orbit Landing Safely on the Mun Lift off Going home Boys are home and safe but Eagle One has trouble landing in high gravity even with two VTOL engines. Probably only cool if you remember the show, but I had fun doing it thanks Havester et al.

I managed to get down safely onto the Munar surface last night, using only stock parts, and for once with what I assumed was enough propellant for the return trip but the game went and crashed when I was adjusting the Munar orbit I got into after take off.

Me too!, no confirmation email seen money coming out on statement.

Well here's the ship that launched it and the station in orbit, but can I repeat the rendezvous for the camera, doesn't seem to be happening. The little ship at the bottom is only ornamental and the station does not carry any fuel on take off.