Superluminaut

OMG... insert stuff you don't say with kids around. Congratulations on your most expert flight! I calculated your payload mass at 0.155 (probe body, 2xpanels, dish). I'm not 100% on if that is accurate, please let me know if not. It can be done! Do you have any tips to pass on? Amazing

Yo peeps, cool stuff, but please measure out the distance you landed from the launch pad to receive your fame and glory. Thanks.

Kape Kanaveral

If you can land on the pad, then rockets will be ranked by payload mass. The first goal of the challenge is the reusable element. After that I think the only measure for any launch system is payload mass. If the payload is a 1,000 stage interstellar space penis or a sputnik, payload functionality is irrelevant to this challenge, we just have to get it into space, and then get the rocket back to refuel.

A single stage that breaks up in orbit sounds good to me. As long as only the payload stays up.

The game calculates drag including (mass * drag coefficient). When using engine clusters it adds up and you need to add more mass and drag to the other end. I tried the cone because it has a drag coefficient of .3, and it works better than anything else I tried.

The spirit of the challenge is meant more along the lines of "rapid reusability". But what did you have in mind.

Remaping screen capture worked! This is the SpaceFrog, my falcon look alike. The 9 engine cluster actually works very well, although it does cause vibrations that I have yet to fix. Orbit and dropping payload. Powered descent. And I missed, again. 755 meters This rocket actually has the equivalent of 4 orange tanks, but I clipped to make it pretty. It also has a nose cone clipped into the top for extra drag, or it can only nosedive.

Nice. I ran into a bug a while back you may be able to exploit. My rockets were out of fuel but oxidizer kept draining. I think I was using the aerospike... Anyway, shameless plug people may be interested in. my VTVL challenge

To get closer here is what works for me. Always use the same deorbiting burn. I use a 100m/s burn. Remember the geographic location at which point your projected orbit meets the surface. If you fall short of the space center, next time make the orbit meet the surface a bit past that geographic location. Eventually you will find a sweet spot you can use as a target. Zero your inclination with the mun. Then adjust not according to the ascending/descending degree value, its not accurately enough, but according to the change in velocity required. For example in my last attempt a 6m/s ascending burn lined me up perfect. Until maneuver nodes can calculate atmospheric affects, these "simulations" is how I have been doing it. Maybe its time to try calculating it.

Pics are now optional because in my game I've been having trouble getting them. Once f1 stops working, prtscn, the snipping tool, nothing wants to take my pictures. I assume others must also experience the problem at some point. Heres my only descent pic to date (and its dark...). Tons of pre launch and orbit, but nothing when you need evidence the most...

The Challenge Build a single stage to orbit rocket that can reenter and land on the launch pad via powered descent. Leadership Boards Space Xpert = Landed on the pad ecat (4.68 payload mass) M Superluminaut (4.4 payload mass) Climberfx (3.2 payload mass) M Hooligan Labs (0.2 payload mass) M Climberfx (0.0 payload mass) M bsalis (0.0 payload mass) Contract Awarded ≤ 500 meters Uncle Mort (105 meters) M Dieselpower (151 meters) M Climberfx (416 meters) M Reusable Rocket ≤ 1500 meters Superluminaut (755 meters) Superluminaut (1076 meters) Climberfx (1366 meters) M Young Grasshopper ≤ 2500 meters Panichio (1900 meters) M Giggleplex777 (2200 meters) ___ (x meters) Footnote in History ≤ 5000 meters GusTurbo (3700 meters) ___ (x meters) ___ (x meters) M = Mech Jeb assisted The Inspiration The Rules Stock (with the exception of mech jeb) Flight entries with mech jeb must note the use of mech jeb No parachute/drogue chute use The rocket may only shed its payload, if it has one (and not before orbit) The payload does not need to reenter Orbit = (periapsis ≥ 70 km) If your strategy involves multiple vehicles, each vehicle must be able to meet the challenge (No stranding lift stages) Quick load all you like No clip construction is ok The rocket may not touch down before it lands on the pad. With exception only to those entries posted before this rule was implemented. Optional - Please share pictures of your flight showing how you did it Some notes The Challenge is deliberately open for interpretation. Note that a payload is not required for completion. I have reworked the scoring system from its first incarnation. Hopefully this method will make it less of a all or nothing challenge. Because mech jeb is so popular it will be the only mod allowed. However mech jeb flights will be marked as such for better score comparison with pure stock rockets. Any ideas for improving the challenge are welcome. If you are having trouble taking screenshots, try remapping the key.