Xeldrak

It is time to start voting! As a registered voter you should have a email in by now, if you don't: You can still register, just PM me your email adress. The primary vote will run until Friday 21st, so you have about one week As a registered voter, you will receive a strange looking email in a foreign language if you don't speak german. Just click the big link and you should get to the english voting page. A special thanks to Cruzan for making the collage you can see above. Another special thanks for to Silverchain for compiling a save will all the entries.

Sorry, just a typo - It's corrected now.

Well, Voting will officially start on march 14th 2014, 14:42 central time. But please realize that voting will not start right away. I have a real life and I have to make that 40+ pictures collage

Well, usually thats not a problem because the BSC challengens run on a rather tight schedule. But since this is a thread-of-the-month special extra long editions, rampant updating has become some kind of a nuisance, I admit.

Well, this is something I would object. I don't think that statcking intakes is vital - extending the operational ceiling of you plane, simply but copying another six intake into the same place feels a little cheaty in my mind. Talking about clipping - as long F12 was not used, I'm usually fine with it. However, even when someone would be able to do stuff like stuffing several equally sized tanks into each other without F12 - I still think thats bad engineering.

I'm somehow amazed by the sheer number of entries - I had expected it to be a rather small BSC because Spaceplanes are more complicated than landers or rovers..... (And I hadn't produced a single working spaceplane before this competition)

Well, after lot of experimenting, I present you my best Space Plane I could come up with: The CR Atalanta I went with a simple, classic spaceplane - using a single jet engine and twin LV-909 rocket engines. It has a docking port with a dedicated docking light, a fully functional RCS system and probe core for unmanned missions. The patented inverted vertical stabilizers keep the dorsal side of the plane free for improved docking simplicity. At 11.39t and 44 parts is realative simple and light for a spaceplane with docking capability and some extra equipment like a ladder and docking lights. I toyed with solar panels but in the end I went with an RTG - flying a spaceplane is allready challenging enough and running dry because you forgot to deploy the solar pannels is annoying. The front break is disabled and there is no parachute or rescue system: it's either win or die. It handles allright in the lower atmosphere - it's not a fighter plane but it's also no flying brick. Parts: 44 Mass: 11.39 t (fully tanked) Fuel: 510 Units Liquid Fuel 440 Units Oxidizer 108 Units Monopropelant Engines: 1x TurboJet Engine 2x LV-909 rocket engines Crew capacity: 1 Energy source: PB-NUK Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Download the CR Atalanta

Just edit your original submission - this ways I don't have to change the link

My own entry? Well it's current iteration looks like this: I really like the inverted vertical stabilizers - they give a very compact look and the topside of the plane is basically an even surface with only the avacs-style docking port protruding. But I have the problem that I need cannards - otherwise it has the same turning radius as a freight train. But the cannards keep me from adding a ladder and the plane is so compact that I don't have any other place to put them However, should I take part in this BSC I don't expect to be a favourite - seven days ago I had never built a working non-rapier Spaceplane

Attention! Important announcement: Since this thread has been stickied I will prolong this competition in the following manner: The building phase will not be over tomorrow, but on Friday 14th. This means you basically got an extra week to build and tune your entry. Remember: as long as the building phase is open you can still chance your entry. Afterwards ther primary vote will run from Friday 14th until Friday 21st. So basically one week for you to test the crafts and rank them. Im not sure how many entries will enter the final vote, but it will rund for another three days, so the competition should be over at Monday 24th. This way the challenge will basically cover march and can live up to the thread of the month title.

Don't worry, Giggleplex - you are not the only one building planes just to discard them...

Well, I like to think that it is more than just a popularity contest. However, the rules are vague and they are on purpose. The basic idea is that you guys get to be creative, have fun an learn by taking part in the challenge. You can learn from the discussion in the thread or by testing other crafts. Also you have to admit it is allways a nice feeling if some fellow KSP player test your creation and comments on it in a critical way. This is the place where you can have this. However, the basic premise of the challenge is impossible to "solve". One examle in this challenge would be: Is it a better craft if you use a single jetengine, so a new player can see how to build a plane that does not suffer from asymetic flameout. Or do you build a plane that will start a flatspin once you get a flameout. This way the problem is pointed out - maybe a new player can even learn how to rescue a plane that is spinning out of control. Both are valid approaches. It allways rubs a bit the wrong way if some people just pick a craft they have allready built from their library and post is here because it fits best (wich does not mean it fits good by the way) or if people just post something they like without considering the design goals. The "hidden agenda" of this challenge is to get you thinking and be creative. The "craft for newbies" perspective is a valid one most of you probably did not consider before, I think this is also why this challenge has become so popular.

Actually I put quite a lot of energy in building a Mir-copy quite some time ago. However due to stupidity on my part allt that remains are a few screenshots

Hm..I have to say I'm suprised that we allready have so many entries. I was worried a bit, because I allways hat serious trouple constructing a spaceplane, that we might have only very few entries. However spaceplanes seem to be in vogue.

Yes, you can edit your entry as long as the building phase is active. Once we start voting, you are stuck with what you posted

Well, that came unexpected

Haha, the front mounted engine is an awesome idea.....

Your .craft file should contain only stock parts - you can use Kerbal Engineer or something like that while building. I don't know what kind of "piloting assistance mods" you mean, but you should consider that people testing your plane will probably do so without any assistance mods.

Well, I would like a pm from each one of you who wants to vote. Simply because I won't overlook a pm as easy as a sentence in this thread. And if you allready send me a PM, you can sent me your adress aswell - looking up a email in old PMs once is okay. But when I have to do it twenty times it becomes work. And since each one of you probably knows his own adress by heart it's unneccessary work. To put it simple: Yes - I need a PM if you want to vote. And please include your email adress - reduces my workload.

And the winner is: 1st: Giggleplex777 - R-2 SSTO 2nd: oo0Filthy0oo - Wholphine Hybrid 3rd: Cruzan - BSC Bolt Giggleplex has won once again. Can nobody stop this better stock craft building maniac?! It was fun as allways - especially since this was the thread-of-the-month special edition. Once again thanks to all the participants and congratulations to the winner! The challenge would be nothing without you guys The primary vote has been closed! The results can be looked up here. The following craft will enter the final vote: Cruzan - BSC Bolt Giggleplex777 - R-2 SSTO Heagar - HOTOL II c 4 MiniMatt - Mallard O-Doc - Gecko oo0Filthy0oo - Wholphine Hybrid WaRi - Peregrino The final vote will close on march 28th. (Special thanks to Cruzan for the collage) Since so many of you are still testing, I'll close the primary vote on March 25th 2014 21:00 CET It is time to start voting! As a registered voter you should have a email in by now, if you don't: You can still register, just PM me your email adress. The primary vote will run until Friday 21st, so you have about one week As a registered voter, you will receive a strange looking email in a foreign language if you don't speak german. Just click the big link and you should get to the english voting page. A special thanks to Cruzan for making the collage you can see above. Another special thanks for to Silverchain for compiling a save will all the entries. Attention! Important announcement: Since this thread has been stickied I will prolong this competition in the following manner: The building phase will not be over tomorrow, but on Friday 14th. This means you basically got an extra week to build and tune your entry. Remember: as long as the building phase is open you can still chance your entry. Afterwards ther primary vote will run from Friday 14th until Friday 21st. So basically one week for you to test the crafts and rank them. Im not sure how many entries will enter the final vote, but it will rund for another three days, so the competition should be over at Monday 24th. This way the challenge will basically cover march and can live up to the thread of the month title. Yes, I'm a little late. Anyways: Here is another BSC challenge! Like last time you guys will have one week to build and one week to Vote. I will probably split the voting-procedure in a 5-days primary vote, using a condorcet vote like last time, followed by a two days final vote here in the forums. Other people will be able to see what you have voted for in the final vote. If you want to vote in the primaries - you have to pm me your email-adress. I repeat: I need a pm with you email-adress if you want to vote in the primaries Please check the BSC: Challenge Guidelines Mk.II - even if you just want to vote! This is where I've outsourced all the rules, legal stuff and design-goals. How is this going to work? You will have 168 hours (7 days) to build you craft and post your entry here with at least one screenshot and its .craft file (only one .craft file is allowed). Also be so kind to drop us a few lines about your craft. What are your thoughts on the design? Why is it a good stock craft? Once submissions are closed, everyone who sent me their mail adresses via pm will receive a email with a personal link to the vote. Depending on the number on entries, we will probably first hold primary election, followed a final one. Anyways, I would like to encourage you to write a few lines why you voted you that craft, it keeps the thread fresh and we all have something to read while we wait for the votes. What are we doing this time? As you allready know, we are doing the Aeris 4a - the spaceplane. The Aeris 4a is not exactly the best spaceplane there is. The CoL is in front of the CoM, the rocket engine is a tailstrike hazard, the RCS is unbalanced and the fuel is fed strangely through the tanks. The two jet-engine, one rocket engine setup has it's drawbacks too. If you have a flame-out, you will have to deal with a potentially deadly flat spin. Of course the new RAPIER engine is something that has to be considered. I am basically asking you guys for a simple, noob-friedly space plane. You don't have to go rapier, the classic solution might be interesting aswell. Once again there is not much choice for inspirational picture. You habe probably all heard of the Skylon by now, another concept was the Rockwell X-30. Contenders 1Revenger1 - SSTO Reacher aarno - UFB ABalazs - X-901-AR Andrew Hansen - Starlon astecarmyman - Aeris-Jumbo-Blitz barrenwaste - Aeris 4A-1 Batz_10K - Mako II Blaster - KermaJet KR100 Kodachi BlazeFallow - Y Wing blspblackdeath - Dubble-V11 Shuttle breakthrough - Project A4C briansun1 - TSSTO XV-5V capi3101 - Auk-Ia Cruzan - BSC Bolt DerpenWolf - Kerbos 2A Exothermos - Speedy Box FallingIntoBlack - X-1 Gremlin Giggleplex777 - R-2 SSTO Heagar - HOTOL II c 4 JABUSCUS - SSTO 1 Kasuha - Kaeris I kenbob5588 - Firebee SSTO Alpha-Omega 1 KissSh0t - SSTO Type Rapid Mk1 LordFjord - Spacegull 1 Mareczex333 - Shade Mesklin - Spike mhoram - Airial MiniMatt - Mallard mrmcp1 - Aeris 4B NeatCrown - Wingspan SSTO O-Doc - Gecko oo0Filthy0oo - Wholphine Hybrid Pauly - Lynx Pds314 - Aereon 4B Prophecy - Icarus I Ravenchant - Strela IV regex - CSS-4A Cormorant Rhomphaia - Phoenixhammer Mk1-R Rune - White Dart SaplingPick - Aeris 4A RedoNE Silverchain - Ceremonial Lite Fb Sirine - Leisure Spartwo - Spearhead sploden - Aeris 4a Improved 08 ssTALONps - ARX-6E Volley Tarmenius - Rasvelg ThePsuedoMonkey - Dionysus Tigik - space plane UpsilonAerospace - Plover WaRi - Peregrino Woopert -SSTO Xeno/Circumnavigator Xeldrak - CR Atalanta xoknight - Buffalo Registered voters: regex; rhomphaia; m1sz; capi3101; Andrew Hansen; DisarmingBaton5; briansun1; Mesklin; Pauly; Silverchain; 1Revenger1; Woopert; xoknight; MiniMatt; Cruzan; Rune; ssTALONps; LordFjord; ethan829; breakthrough; SaplingPick; Spartwo; kenbob5588; Mareczex333; astecarmyman; blspblackdeath; ABalazs; mrmcp1; mhoram; ThePsuedoMonkey

I've got a small engineering challenge for you - build a Pegasus-style launch vehicle: I.e.: A rocket is stapped under a plane; the plane lifts off; carries the rocket as far up as it can and then the rocket launches midair. Use this launch verhicle to put a science-satellite into orbit. It's not impossible - I've done this.

Probably wednesday...

Sounds like a cool idea, this will be quite a lot of work however.

You have been added, panzerknoef. Thanks for the very nice entry, a really neat rocket.

hm....interesting, I might have a look at this.... still...I think its spelled "amphibious"....