Death Engineering

Hehe indeed! Worst case scenario is evac to orbit where there are plenty of supplies. There are two of these types of outposts roughly 180 degrees apart on the equator. Not attempting to land anywhere but low altitude equator sites.

Nah and in fact it wasn't intentional.. it kinda got in the way, really. As a result, one of the sats had its dV compromised, but still made it out to Dres. I'll defer to your judgement.

..ouch. Similar fate befell my attempt. Was able to uninstall the offending mod (which is not on your list) and went back 2 1/2 years in saves to get back underway. But great to hear you're back in it! Still haven't "caught up" to where I was on the befouled save file, but did manage to put 2100 km under the science rover. Have captured 9 biome samples and took some interesting pics along the way. Seen below is the "Fortress of Solitude"-like peak on Duna's North Pole. The rover is the tiny spec on top of the right side of the canyon. The rover team only has 326 days of life support left, so they're still looking ahead about another 400km drive to the nearest supply pod, which is already supporting 10 kerbals. With two more SLV launches before the next Duna window, there is still some time to optimize life-support and increase mission value. Much of the success will depend on the in-situ life support harvesting which I honestly haven't tested..

Duna InSight Thanks to @sturmhauke for putting this fun challenge together! This is a 'Rank 3' attempt and earned some additional mission value by doing flybys of Ike, Jool/Tylo and Dres and even a high altitude flyby of the Mun on the way out for one of the cubesats. Other than graphics, no other part mods used (although USI-LS is installed). CommNet is enabled and was able to transmit data on the Dres flyby but the Tylo flyby was in 'cruise mode', but made for good pics at less than 10km altitude. The InSight and cubesat launch was first in order to time their arrivals at Duna after the Recon Orbiter was in place. Both cubesats left Kerbin on their own power, using ion propulsion followed shortly by the InSight lander. I think the best part of the challenge (maybe second, after the powered landing which is always fun) was lining up the arrival times for the two cubesats and the lander itself. While entering Duna's atmosphere, the lander's communication is going to the DRO > Sat 1 > Sat 2 > Kerbin for that triple redundancy goodness (image above). Powered landing had loads of extra dV on board and excellent controllability thanks to the four gimballing 'Spider' engines. Was able to do suborbital 'hop' about 40km from the original landing site but still not much of a view from Duna's Highlands. +10 points for Primary Objective +20 points for Secondary Objective +30 points for DRO objective +1 point for Ike +9 points for Dres +14 points for Jool +5 points per each Joolian moon (Tylo) 89 Points Full pics here, or click images for original size. Both probes are pretty much out of fuel so they're mission is at an end, but it might be fun to fly Jeb out to Duna to pick up the lander and bring it home ..to be continued..? Dres Tylo DRO Scan Leaving Jool

Clarified and cleaned up the wording on a few points (in red). Not rule changes: Habitation Any crewed mission exceeding 10 days will require extra habitation space for the crew to work and maintain their senses. This means short trips like launches to LKO, trips between Duna's orbit and surface and brief excursions on Duna's surface do not require any extra space. However, trips between Kerbin and Duna and long-term stays on Duna's surface will require extra habitation space for each crew member. Crewed mining, rescue/contingency missions in Kerbin/Duna/Sol orbit also need habitation space if their missions exceed 10 days. Other rules: The continuously Kerballed outpost requires a minimum of two Kerbals on Duna at all times after the initial landing of four Kerbals. If a Kerbal is left at the outpost alone (for any reason) for more than 10 days, they suffer 'Over-stressed crew' penalty. A Kerbal may be left alone at the Outpost without suffering from "Over-stressed crew" penalty, as long as there is another Kerbal within driving distance. This rule can be ignored once "Contingency Plans" is achieved, permitting the outpost to be remain 'crewed' by one Kerbal. Thanks to @dire for mentioning Kerbal-pops as a way to move crew around. This is a new rule affecting mods that render Kerbals inert during transit: Habitation Mods that render Kerbals inert (i.e. "DeepFreeze") as an alternative way to move crew around effectively turn Kerbals into cargo: Crew in this state do not accumulate "Mission Value" points. Crew in this state do not count towards requirements for the "Interplanetary expertise" achievement. Freezer pods (parts that store the Kerbals) do not count towards any Achievement or as Habitation space. Everything looks fine with those mods @Yoochem. That graph definitely says a lot thanks for posting!

Welcome to the challenge and to the forum BTW. If you can, try to post some pics of your work so far.. it's always cool to have a look at where others are taking the challenge. Other than TAC, what other mods are you thinking of running? I see that most of the top kolonization type mods are already on 1.5.x and I'm still using 1.4.2 on my DOMA attempt. :\

Mun Direct - Part I Taking a run at the first parts of the Mun Direct missions. The Falkon 9/Falkon 9 Heavy lifters use single engines on the first stage instead of the 9 on each booster, but it still looks and sounds good lifting off. The first stage (or side booster stages) of the lifter perform RTLS use a combined chutes and powered landing. The sustainer stage of the Falkon 9 Heavy makes a short burn after stage separation and lands on the neighbouring continent using chutes with powered assistance. FPM/SLP Launch Booster RTLS Landed Sustainer Lands on next continent Mun Base Crew boarding LEV LEV landed Kruisin' the Mun's south pole The crew have produced fuel for the next mission and are now completing their 60 day surface stay. The LEV will then take the crew back to LKO where two new crew will board the LEV and return to the Mun for a munar sortie near the equator. Challenge notes: The Munar sortie stage of Phase III has been altered slightly as without doing the maths, I don't think there is a way (without mods) to determine 300km distance. Requirement has been updated to say "approximately 1/4 of the Mun's circumference". "Badges" have been created for each of the challenge levels.

What's a "screwdriver"? From the OP: "no fuel or any other supplies may be transferred on crew launches."

Definitely.

Good video and creative solutions. Question..that was a lot of kerbals on Duna. Is there enough habitation space for them?

That is from the Crew safety (add all that apply) achievement and meant to apply only to crewed flights. Follows the same requirement as having the outpost crewed with two or more. I have not been, but if others have been playing with the requirement that every flight from Kerbin has to have two crew, please LMK. I've been playing with having uncrewed tugs going back to Kerbin for cargo and an uncrewed space taxi returning to Kerbin from Duna to get more crew. So again, if others are playing with the notion that Crew safety means no robotic probes, LMK and I'll adjust the wording in the challenge accordingly. Otherwise, Crew safety is updated as: Interplanetary expertise: All crewed interplanetary missions have at least two crew on board. (+1)

Mun Direct - Doing it Zubrin Style "Astonishingly wasteful is KSC’s work on the Munar Orbital Platform-Gateway (formerly known as the Deep Space Gateway). The idea is silly. If you want to get to the Mun, you need to go to the Mun." - Robert Kubrin Mun Direct With the recent success of a reusable heavy lifter offering low-cost delivery of cargo to Low Kerbin Orbit, a leading space engineer has developed a plan to explore the Mun. Several new types of hardware will need to be designed and delivered to LKO: Munar Excursion Vehicle (MEV) Munar Habitation Module (MHM) Fuel Production Module (FPM) Surface Logistics Package (SLP) Cargo Lander Platform (CLP) MEV Crew: 2 Refueling capability: In orbit and on Munar surface. Mission profiles (without refueling): Munar landing: Fly from LKO to Munar surface. Kerbin return: Launch from Munar surface and return to LKO. Munar sortie: Launch from Munar surface, land on the surface up to 300km away and return to the MHM. Propulsive orbital insertion/no Kerbin aerobraking. MHM Crew: 4 Specifications: Life support, communications and science equipment Using CLP, flies from LKO to Munar surface Interfaces with solar power generation on SLP FPM Crew: 0 / Optional 1 for optimized ISRU Specifications: ISRU mining (drill) and fuel production Interfaces with MEV for refueling SLP Crew: 0 Specifications: Solar power generation, communications and science equipment Two x 2-crew rovers for short distance travel containing deployable landing beacon/science equipment CLP Crew: 0 Cargo delivery from LKO to Munar surface Common propulsion, landing and navigation platform used on MHM, FPM, SLP and initial LEV landing. Optional: basic surface mobility to facilitate resource sharing. Falkon 9 / Falkon 9 Heavy / Dragon 2 Crew command module Dragon 2 Crew: 3 crew command module capable of LKO operations including life support, propulsion, communications and Kerbin recovery systems Falkon 9: Liquid-fuel/oxidizer two stage to orbit for Dragon 2 Crew. 'Level III' includes Return to launch site (RTLS) of first stage. Falkon 9 Heavy: Same design as Falkon 9 with two Falkon 9 first stages as jettisoned strap on boosters. 'Level III' includes RTLS of at least one of these stages and soft-landing of the sustainer stage. Challenge Levels Level I Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 Use stock parts only Select any Munar landing site for the base Use any rocket to carry cargo and crew to LKO Level II Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 Stock or mod parts Select a Munar landing site above or below 66° latitude for the base Design Falcon 9/Falcon 9 Heavy lifter and Dragon 2 Crew analogs* Level III Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 Stock or mod parts Select a southern Munar landing site below 80° latitude for the base Design Falcon 9/Falcon 9 Heavy lifter and Dragon 2 Crew analogs, including RTLS Incorporate "Life Support" into the designs Realism Overhaul (RO) Level Complete Level III using a Realism Overhaul mod. Minimum parameter for this requires scaling the solar system to 6.4x stock KSP size. Mission Execution Phase 1 Launch: Deliver the FPM and SLP on a CLP to the selected site using one or two Falkon 9 Heavy. Deploy solar arrays and set up communication. Using rovers from the SLP deploy science equipment and landing beacons to assist with future landings. Launch: Deliver the MHM on a CLP to the selected site. Phase 2 Launch a fully fueled LEV on a CLP to LKO (Ap max 90km). Launch minimum two crew separately and dock to the LEV. This command module will remain in LKO. Using only the CLP for propulsion/landing, deliver the fully fueled LEV from LKO to the Mun base. Set up and initiate fuel production in the FPM. Drive at least one crew by rover 2km from base and plant a flag then return to the base. Spend at least 60 days on the Mun then using the LEV, return to LKO and dock with the waiting command module. Return the crew safely to Kerbin on the command module and leave the LEV in LKO. Phase 3 Launch a command module and fuel/resources pod to LKO. Dock with the LEV, transfer crew, fuel and resources. The command module will remain in LKO. Using only the LEV, fly to the Mun and land at the base. Refuel the LEV from the FPM and perform a Munar sortie. Must plant a flag approximately 1/4 of the way around the Mun's circumference then fly back. Refuel the LEV from the FPM and return to LKO and dock with the waiting command module. Return the crew safely to Kerbin on the command module and leave the LEV in LKO. Challenge Rules Level I is pure stock parts only (visual mods ok). No mod that provides any flight/design data not included in stock or adds any parts are permitted. Any stock KSP launch site may be used. Demonstrate RTLS ability with pics/video. This need only be done once to demonstrate capability, not for every launch. RTLS can be propulsive or parachute assist and should land within sight of the launch pad. Science equipment refers to any science part. A minimum of two science experiments are required for each module. "Life Support" can be implemented using any balanced LS mod "Interfacing" can be done using stock or mod parts. Surface module mobility may be optionally built into the CLP. Note, some mods include parts/functionality to make resource sharing easier. There are no 'points' for this challenge, only parameters for completion at Levels I/II/III/RO. Although the Zubrin Moon Direct called for a single launch for the SLP and FPM, this challenge will allow two launches. This is due to KSP's much heavier ISRU solution compared to the method for fuel extraction in the Moon Direct plan. About this challenge Based on the Mars Society founder Robert Zubrin's proposal for exploring the Moon. Full article from Robert Zubrin on The New Atlantis website. This challenge follows the long-standing naming scheme of 'Doing it [...] Style" started by @Xeldrak Edit: Changed "Phase 1" to allow two Falkon 9 Heavy launches for the FPM and SLP. Although both requirements can be done on one launch, the mass for KSP's ISRU don't exactly reflect the mass requirements for the method discussed in Zubrin's Moon Direct. Alternate launch sites permitted. Mun Direct Completed Entries Level I Level II Level III Death Engineering - Part 1 Part 2 Jumble of pics from the mission Realism Overhaul

Is that something that an engineer can repair? Or, if you have to add a new part to replace the broken part that would have to come up on a separate launch and be counted in that launch's payload. Alternately, provided no resources or parts were transferred from the afflicted ship and it wasn't used to boost any payload out of LKO, I guess you could skuttle the vessel and re-launch it. TBH, I did something like that with my DST when I got it into orbit on SLV 4 before realizing it had almost no batteries. IOW, the challenge does not ban save/revert. The DSS is very loosely defined, not intentionally mind you, I just neglected to add any real detail to its requirements. Crew does not ever need to occupy the DSS.

Wayyy back before there was a Valentina, I did a role-play-challenge-mission-report thing. My Jeb, Bill and Bob reflect some of the attributes listed, so here are a few others who got more than a name.. Hudsey and Macly were two recruits trained by Bob. In spite of Bob's attempts to build some camaraderie with them, or maybe because of it, Hudsey and Macly shut Bob out. They were almost like identical twins in how they acted together. They seemed to share their own language and in-jokes and even had a secret handshake for when they pulled something off without "ol'Bob" catching wind of it. Ludlong was, shall we say, very enthusiastic. No matter what he was doing, he was doing with 100% intensity and vigor. It mattered not that he didn't know why he was doing something, it was good enough that he was doing it and doing it right! With the biggest perma-grin Kerbals get pinned with, Ludlong's hard-driving nature was eventually channeled by Bob into becoming just about the best pilot KSC ever saw. Danlong and Bartdorf were fresh out of the Academy and as shiny and clean as new recruits can be. They marched everywhere in unison, even when not required to, and spent hours rehearsing drills and procedures that they themselves had made up. In addition to their "enhancements" to the KSC Space Korps Manual, they developed their own insanely complicated, hierarchical salute that was different for each rank being saluted and the rank doing the saluting. Their quarters were pristine and often raised concerns about when they might finally crack. Gregry joined the Space Korps to get away from it all so he could focus on writing his screenplay about the "Misadventures at KSC". His best adventure was to Duna where, while making observations of Ike from Duna's surface, he had a brainstorm for the plot of his screenplay. He later recalled that when hearing from Ludlong about the 'anomaly' that was found, and Ludlong telling him: "There's something down there", the words hung in the cupola as if spoken from a prophet. "Those words have to be in my movie!" he immediately thought to himself as he wrote them down. He read the words over again in his mind, is of spoken from one of those blockbuster actors like Tom Kruise, "There's something... down there!". Kerson Kerman was brought in as an efficiency expert after all the kerb-ups that were going on. His communication methods were often to the point, as in pointing fingers at the inefficiencies and often delivered with a shrill exclamation. He was cold, yes, but that was efficient! He was efficient. Later on in the mission, it is revealed that Kerson Kerman is a religious zealot and lied to get on the KSC Space Korps. He was one of those "Tylotologists" who held the most absurd beliefs about all of Kermanity coming from the deep craters of Tylo. Kessler Kerman was a ground-based number cruncher specializing in lifter design. During one of Kerson's lectures on the inefficiency of their latest rocket, Kessler observed all the fairing and coupler debris being strewn about every launch and spoke out of turn. He stood up and pointed towards the slide image on the screen. "Look at that debris! All those little fairing parts, the decoupler, they're all still up there in orbit above us right now! Even though the booster stage is de-orbited and crashed into the sea, all those small parts are up there in our standard orbital path travelling at almost 2.5 km per second.. if they were to hit something we're launching or is already in orbit, a collision could be katastrophic!" Silence fell in the conference room. Kerson appeared to turn a slightly lighter shade of green, then spoke, "That would not be efficient. Kessler, was it? Come with me!" ...Finally some bonus trivia about the Three Amigos: Jeb is a go-anytime-anywhere, check-your-staging-later kind of guy. His skills are second only to his bravado and fear of nothing. He has a tattoo on his arm that reads "MOAR BOOSTERS!". When not given proper stimulus, like doing routine flights to the Space Station, he becomes almost hypnotically lethargic. Bill is a brilliant engineer with the ability to sense problems before they occur and a track record of repairing things in at least half as long as he said it would take. Bob is a pilot specializing in orbital maneuvering and plotting complex gravity-assist burns.

Definitely. You can even get them back to Kerbin on an uncrewed return flight.

Right.

For example, if the outpost has a science lab to earn "Deep space laboratory", the science lab is part of the outpost and not part of a Duna ascent vehicle (ie Backup Plan). This may seem rigid, but it is to prevent the ultimate exploit: one craft that is a science lab, space station, DAV, rover, deep space transit, etc. all-in-one. I think there is still room for modular designs as the achievements can be earned any time up to Year 10 Day 1. As long as all the parts are in place to meet every earned achievement by that cut-off, you're good to go. The Pressurized Rover achievements describe level of pressurized cabin mobility (ie some or all). The single-point Basic Rover accommodates entries that don't incorporate any mobility in the pressurized modules but still want to earn something for bringing along rovers.

Added @dire's Mission Report to the OP and made a few clarifications. These are not rules changes: Defined the four safety margin achievements as "Contingency Plans": Complete achievements "Backup plan", "Duna Space Station", "Duna Space Bus", and "Positive uplink". Note that the spacecraft for each achievement must be unique, or for modular designs must remain viable, at all times. Defined "outpost" as: Kerbal habitation comprised of one or more modules and may be located anywhere on Duna's surface. Not all modules need to be occupied, but there must always be at least one kerbal on Duna after the initial landing. Clarified mission end rule for kerbals on Duna Year 10 Day 1: All Kerbals on the surface of Duna on Year 10, Day 1 must be returned to Kerbin (or be returnable) safely in order to earn their Mission Value points. ('Over-stressed crew' 4 year rule applies) You may "play it out" so that all kerbals are safely recovered, or demonstrate that they can be returned safely, but either way no kerbal may be stranded.

Won't career more just make things harder? What other kinds of missions and to where? The concern is what potential benefits could come from the other missions (like upgrading orbital infrastructure, communication network, etc). I'd say to preserve overall fairness and consistency all rules regarding SLV delivery dates and crew taxi (only delivers crew no supplies, does not leave LKO) applies. That probably makes career mode unlikely

Exploration on Duna continues with the achievements of planting a flag on Duna's highest and lowest elevations. While the rover team scaled the steep terrain to bring this image back with them, the eleventh SLV was launched comprising of a Duna habitation/greenhouse module for 3 kerbals and a surface supply module. The craft was launched dry and was refueled by the Minmus mining operation and once refueled was parked in LKO awaiting the next transfer window. Although capable of supporting 3 kerbals, only one will travel to Duna with the greenhouse as there are currently two kerbals in Duna orbit looking for something to do. How about farming?

That's what second entries are for..

Agreed. For the cost of the fully stocked and functional DSS I could have landed two more surface habs and 10 more kerbs. Precisely. By the end of my challenge attempt there will be at least three independently operating landing zones. Refueling DST in LKO Somehow, I never tire of the amazing utility that nested docking ports provide.. edit: Here's a look at the mission completion badge that @hoioh designed for us!

Well, that is a great question (because it comes under the category of "Things I didn't think of" ) This is similar to the missing detail on the definition of Duna Space Station. Survivability is the key; a challenge requirement includes the ability to recover all crew members (no one may be stranded - see this post). With that parameter met, the method of achieving it is up to mission control. In my attempt, I accidentally left the water splitter running for about 200 days drawing down the water supply on the outpost. We kept crew on the outpost until zero hour then evacuated most of the crew to the space station. I was thankful that the space station was fully stocked and capable of supporting everyone until supplies arrived. So.. to the rule, there doesn't need to be an orbital habitation for crew, and evacuating the crew to orbit isn't required either but there are achievement points for both and spacecraft functionality may become their own reward in the event they are actually implemented. If my space station wouldn't have supported more crew than I'd planned on having in orbit at that time, four crew would have lost their mission value points (and died). And, you're totally fine bringing supplies from the outpost.

Sounds like an ambitious design. Looking forward to the video! * The "reusable" parameter only requires that the take-off mass of the recovered stages is at least 50% of the total mass of the rocket on the pad. For example, my SLV-40t is just over 300t on the pad with payload. It recovers two SRB's and the first LfO stage which have a wet-mass of 187t (62% of the total take off mass). As a reminder, the NPM (and by definition the SLV) is unchanged throughout the challenge. Effectively, the NPM is the LKO mass of the largest payload. * To score the achievements, the vessels must always be ready to go. Your modular design is fine but the parts to build DSB/DSS/DST simultaneously need to be in place before Year 10 Day 1 (or before scoring the achievement to earn the crew safety margins). SSPX yes and Snacks yes but never together. Maybe crew skill level is a factor?

Welcome to the challenge and if I missed a question or have more questions LMK. Thanks to @hoioh for helping out. Sometimes my ideas don't leak out of my fingers right. * Any part that goes achieves Ap >180km Kerbin orbit is part of the payload mass and must be counted as such. * The only important part is getting the payload to orbit. Provided the SLV can prove that it meets the 'reusable' rule, it can be assumed done for each launch and other than the proving-mission does not even really need to be done. The challenge isn't about the SLV. * As hoioh said, that is a 'no'. Effectively, consider the NPM/payload as being an inert module delivered to orbit by FedEX. Where you take it is up to you. * All those mods are fine. Ehm, no. As noted above, as long as you can prove it can be successfully landed once, don't stress doing it perfectly for every launch. Another option is to use a mod like Stage Recovery which simulates both propulsive and aerodynamic recovery. Works great for SRB's as well. Welcome! Nope none whatsoever, other than it cannot leave LKO and any payload it deploys (including consumables) is counted in your stated NPM. ____________________ Year 6 Day 297: "Hey Jeb, it looks like you!"