FacticiusVir

We have a Reservation states "a previously landed empty spacecraft" - the objective here is to launch the rescue mission in advance, then land the primary lander within a practical distance of the rescue lander. There are objectives that are exclusive - to get all the different rocket types requires at least four launches, for example, and landing two separate landers is nearly impossible while keeping both pilots with 10km of each other (without some mad, mad multitasking skills) but all the individual bonus objectives are doable.

An interplanetary SSTO taking off from Laythe: Probably my single largest project, the Duna III: And finally; let us never speak of this again...

Didn't use mod parts, but am using Build/Flight Engineer & Sub-assembly Loader. Mission comprised three launches: The rescue module, configured for Direct Ascent and launched on a three stage Saturn 3B; two landers, an Agena module & the Centaur kicker on a Saturn IB; and the manned Gemini module on a Titan III. I tried to fit the landers on the Titan, but after reworking my original lander design (~1.2 tonnes) to include a detachable probe/descent stage, they topped 4 tonnes each - way too much for the Titan, so they got balanced way up on the Saturn IB. The rescue launch went first, lifting into orbit with the first two stages and making Trans-Münar Injection (TMI) with the third. As there's no Münar Insertion stage on the Saturn 3B, I skipped Münar orbit and went straight for a suicide burn with the descent stage - Direct Descent, if you will. Actually worked really well, landing within 10km of the Neil Armstrong memorial. The kicker modules & command capsule rendezvoused in Kerbin Orbit, though based on the sketches I could find the Gemini capsule had to dock itself between the landers and the kickers. The Centaur made the TMI and was discarded a little short, so it impacted the Mün, then the Agena module made Münar injection. I wasn't sure there would be enough fuel in the Agena module to get back, as I'd tested the same configuration with a Münar orbital mission earlier, but hadn't counted on the size of the landers (or that there would be two - changed this when I noticed the extra points). I had to wait a day or so until the landing site was in sunlight, then the two Kerbalnauts made their descents one at a time, with a full orbit between each descent. The landings were accurate-ish, no more than 6.6km from the rescue module or each other. On the way down, the off-centre weight of the Kerbalnaut caused the new-style SAS to drift (really wish we could have the old-style SAS modules as a separate part), which meant the launching in a controlled fashion would be impossible - at least, not without burning up all the monopropellant. So instead, Bill (the second pilot) flew his ascent stage over to Jeb and hopped onto the spare seat (huh, redundancies are useful after all) - though as Bill's lander still had it's docking port attached, I probably should have done that the other way around. Managed to make orbit (just) and rendezvous with the Gemini Capsule, discarded the lander then made the Trans-Kerbin burn home. In an annoying twist, the Rockomax adapter I used as a "heatshield" has a really low impact tolerance, so if you land it at sea level it survives, but the reduced air resistance above 1km is enough to damage it, so I lost points there for stupid reasons. Should have gone with the landing legs... Alright, here's the mission record: And here's my score: Primary mission objective (+20) Bonus points: Mission Earth Orbit Rendezvous (+5): Using two launches to low Kerbin orbit, dock two spacecraft. Once docked, send the docked spacecraft to Munar orbit. Landing prestige: One Kerbal on the Mun (+7). Second Kerbal on the Mun (+4). Capsule Just in case (+3): Launch Escape System present Lifter Is that a Titan II? (+2): At least one of the rockets uses a two-engine cluster first stage and a single engine cluster second stage. Wow, A Titan III!(+3): At least one of the rockets earns 'Is that a Titan II?' and has two strap on SRB's on the first stage. That looks like Saturn 1B! (+4): At least one of the rockets uses a first stage cluster with 8 engines Saturn S-3? That's your full-size (+5): At least one rocket uses a 3 engine first stage and a 4 engine second stage. That's no bull (+2): Trans Munar injection booster is a two-engine cluster, like the Centaur kicker stage. Lander On your space bike (+4): At least one open cockpit lander Dropping some weight (+3): At least one of the primary or backup Munar surface return vessels leaves behind its Munar descent stage. Making it count (+2): Earn 'Dropping some weight' and have a powered probe core on the discarded descent stage. Must remain powered at least until the crew lands on Kerbin. Since we're there (+2): If used, the backup Munar surface return vehicle earns 'Dropping some weight' and 'Making it count'. Recovery Welcome home (+10): Both crew return to Kerbin Crazy 60's details Easy Rider (+3): Using open cockpit landers ('On your space bike'), land both Kerbal crew members on the Mun independently. Got your back (+6): Another two-crew capable empty Gemini return vehicle can be launched and landed within 10km of the primary mission as an emergency return vehicle. Must completely perform Munar ascent to Kerbin landing, or dock with a return-capable vessel in Mun orbit. We have a reservation (+7): Land a crew on the Mun within 10km of a previously landed empty spacecraft. Must completely perform Munar ascent to Kerbin landing, or dock with a return-capable vessel in Mun orbit. Total: 92 points I have to say, this has been an amazingly fun challenge. Researching the proposals for Gemini and replicating the different rocket & booster configurations was awesome, and the mission objectives are really well written. Will probably make a second attempt to complete some of the capsule & recovery objectives now...

I'm really enjoying this challenge, got my Gemini module designed and tested, but I'm a bit confused by the Münar Orbit Rendevous goal - surely that only needs one launch, since LOR is "Apollo-style"?

The "Moho" Direct Ascent: Round trip time: 7hrs 48mins Plant Flag time: 3hrs 32mins No mods, just a clean 0.20 install. Managed a max of 41.2G :-S