von Ziegendorf

There is one certain method - using math. But not for everybody this is an easier way If you're interested read Cheat Sheet and maybe Advanced Rocket Design. You don't have to calculate everything by hand, just get MechJeb or Kerbal Engineer and use them to show craft stats in VAB

Wait a second, so you're doing it by guessing? Nevermind Ares mission needed 3 rockets, I've conducted standard (no NERVAs) single launch Duna mission using almost the same rocket. Just for comparision

Here's my entry : Ares Voyage. Game is stock except Alarm Clock and Joint Reinforcement because I'm annoyed by the wobbly rockets It'd be hard to make simple trip to Duna more complex than this, might do a regular architecture mission to compare

This mission performs propulsive Mars orbit capture. By making Venus gravity assist they needed to use a lot more delta-v because they were coming from more eccentric orbit than regular Hohmann transfer. But the challenge itself looks fine

Actually it's KSP drag model that increases delta-v, FAR gives you the real one - smaller Tall, slim rockets are then favoured

I had a RSS launch rocket (~3000t at liftoff) with 55t payload capability and 240 parts, but with FAR. If you say 12km/s it drops to about 20t without FAR

So, how much? I'm scared by the part count of this monster, do you use Ferram Joint Reinforcement? If not, I'm out. I never managed to build (and fly!) succesfully such a big ship in stock KSP

Have you measured how much delta-v does it take to achieve orbit?

So hardcore mode Well, good luck

How much this rocket weights at liftoff? Are you using stock aerodynamics model or FAR?

Can't see on pictures, is this rocket asparagus? I was considering parallel staging useless in RSS

Hmmm... Maybe I'm wrong but you seem to enjoy the fun of designing the 'right' ship. If not, you would have read tutorial on wiki I don't want to sound like a 'KSP oracle' but I think those craft's are oversized. My first and only Eve ascent (in 0.18.1) lifted 0.95t (Mk1+SAS+Jr. port) from 555m above sea level in 150 tons. I didn't know about 'drogue' chutes at this time so went without. Lander had 6 Mk16-XL and 6 regular Mk16. A small burn prior to first chutes opened and opening next in pairs one by one took me safely to the ground.

Moho cycler was the general concept for that mission - inspired by the Messenger probe. But it turned out not to be as simple. You can see that correcting orbit after a Pe=228km costed 114m/s. Unfortunately had to skip 4th Moho flyby in order to be able to return home If not I would have been ~2 days late for date with Eve. The original Kerbin-Eve-Moho orbit was found using TOT, then I was flying around to catch up with Eve in the same position when I made the first encounter. And during that I saw opportunity for ending the mission with another triple flyby rather than simply fly directly to Kerbin.

Please don't faint, I couldn't resist The penalty for mission duration should have been non-linear function of time (propably exponential or so) to discourage such flights that are against the spirit of the challenge: Flyby Frenzy 1st Eve - 11142, 1st Moho - 40362, 2nd Moho - 26421, 3rd Moho - 22893, 2nd Eve - 8155, 3rd Eve - 1107, 4th Eve - 10441, Duna - 20397, 5th Eve - 7716 dV = 1461m/s, D = 560d, U = 563units, M = 185t Score = 146205 Mission launched at 87789000s ~2y 286d //edit What I found out is that the Triple Flyby launch window should repeat every ~860 days starting from day 164

Launchers and Mun landing I'm playing stock parts career mode with RSS, FAR and DR After unlocking Mainsails it's time for exploration of the Solar System Here is my first heavy launcher ~1700t and payload of 32t (used as a Mun launcher) And the bigger one ~3000t, payload ~55t (only test flights were flown)

I came across this: Triple flyby info, there is a drawing of ship's orbit around the Sun. I assumed (hoped ) that Kerbol system is well scaled model of the real one. Then I took all the angles from the drawing and calculated phase angles at launch (Eve +18, Duna -139). Also I roughly calculated KSP trajectories that fit those angles. At the beginning of the game all planets (except for Jool) are almost at their Ap. Knowing orbital elements (LPe) it's easy to tell where any planet is at any date. So using my assumption I moved phase angle values directly to Kerbol system and found the nearest launch window at 172d. During a test flight with a probe I couldn't catch Eve for the second time (only went for a double flyby). It seemed I was about a week late, that's why 164d So corrected phase angles are now Eve +2, Duna -124. The inclination was set to allow only prograde burning and performing ejection burn and a (Kerbol orbit) plane change at the same time. So no need for deep space manouvers to make this first encounter with Eve. But today I was flying using my results that are year old. Maybe it was inclination for that 172d launch? I don't remember About quad coupler? I was suprised it fits there when I built that stage for the first time But apparently it can be placed there

Thanks With a little more care it could be less RCS Launch was at 164d:2h:50m (14179800s) but the calculated parking orbit inclination is a bit off, you will need to burn some m/s also in the normal direction, not only prograde

Hi, this challenge motivated me to fly a mission that I planned almost a year ago Triple Flyby 1st Eve Pe= 1630km - 8939 points Duna Pe= 42km - 33768 points 2nd Eve Pe= 3235km - 7451 points dV= 1323m/s + 7m/s D= 256d U= 74 M= 102t Total score = 47884 points

After unsuccesful trials with using Eve gravity assits to reach Moho I decided to go direct, in the node The album with descriptions and delta-v numbers is here: http://imgur.com/a/odjUl#0 The ship I used is modded Saturn V I build from edited parts of previous NovaPunch and generated tanks What can I say after that flight, the most critical part is to get fine capture, even in my flightplan, with almost tangential orbits I used 500m/s more than expected from theoretical equations. Here is the short-story: Launch Departing Kerbin It's my second trip to Moho ever Very special thanks to KAS for saving my mission Coming home My favourite mod - Deadly reentry Only 5g deceleration! Combining a mothership from even only two big stages may allow to bring 3 Kerbals to the surface I'll see in future

Hey, I just found that thread Actually I was building rockets for AAP since April I made just a few mission but another ships are being prepared What I made is Eve flyby http://imgur.com/a/huvX1#0 And Duna flyby http://imgur.com/a/Mwdty#0 Ship is modded of course I edited some parts from previous versions of NovaPunch, and generated maaaany special tanks The rocket is as perfect copy of Saturn V as I could design it Here is the test flight to the Mun http://imgur.com/a/TCDBT#0 Now I replaced lander with storage container and let's fly PS: There is possibility of Triple Flyby