whistlehead

I've been busy with my tiny SSTO... I agree, a close date would be nice. This whole thing is kinda empty otherwise.

I present a video of the same craft I posted earlier. And I place my vote for RogueMason's equally tiny SSTO.

I'd like to present my SS2a. Not practical as anything but a crew shuttle, but she's tiny, she'll walk up to an 80x80 orbit with fuel to spare - and I think she's rather pretty. I'd also like to contend that my Space Shuttle functional replica (the last two images) is as least mildly easy on the eye. (That's functional replica as in she looks nothing like the original but works in the same way)

Speed? Safety? Efficiency? Who needs any of them? My challenge to you is to build a 100% stock helicopter - i.e. a craft which only uses rotating wing components for lift (no angled-down engines please) - and fly from the launchpad to the top of the VAB. Whether it's a proper helicopter is down to your own judgement - be sensible about it though. There is to be no scoring (it's challenge enough as it is!). Extra kudos for fast times, innovative designs and good looks, though. To prove it can be done, here's my (occasionally) successful chopper: http://youtu.be/6Zd0p2zWCOs This chopper is a bit of a Rube Goldberg design and flies like a pig, but I rather like it. It's the result of two days of messing around with various configurations of wheel, tanks and engines. Onedrive .craft link: http://1drv.ms/1rqU9SV The best of luck to you, brave pilots!

I feel like highest survived crash speed might make more a more interesting lithobraking challenge

Floor 763: The satellite has come back for another pass. THEY'RE ON TO YOU.

I like to think I am capable of a rocket without SRBs, but in reality... The user below me likes trains.

GOING DOWN! (Vague link, I know )

I kind of hope not. A lot of people (including me) have exams right now, though, so that could be the cause of the lack of activity.

May I make a suggestion for how the races themselves are arranged? In order to keep things interesting, and to emphasise the fact that these are meant to be trucks we're using here, would it not be an interesting idea to perform, along with standard Formula-K style races, a set of "Long Haul" races? The aim of these would be to reach a certain set destination with a fully laden truck. If I may make an example, here's how a racing 'season' might be set up: Within season: Maybe three or four races around KSC only, no load, points scored for positions. Season finale: One long haul challenge to a set destination. All trucks must be fully laden. Higher race score - maybe double points? Points lost for damage to truck or cargo. This could really shake up the scoring, would differentiate us from Formula K just a little bit better and would also test out our trucks as trucks. It also opens the possibility to do a Christmas finale to deliver to the North Pole... Regards, Chris

May I present the final iteration of the KRF, the V2.23 I'm pretty certain this satisfies all of the rules. After a severe diet, the truck has lost 5 tonnes - bringing it down to 24.05 tonnes in racing condition (full RCS, no load). I haven't made any big changes - but I have made a lot of little changes. Rather than trying to alter the whole, I've improved each component by a tiny little bit. Action groups: - 1: Activate lights. - 2: Indicate left. - 3: Indicate right. - 4: Reverse lights (user must supply beep beep beep sound). - 5: Toggle ladders. Press twice to close ladders initially. - 9: (Or possibly 10) Activate front wheel motors. You MUST turn these off before hard braking. Using these actually makes a much bigger difference to acceleration and top speed than using the RCS. Other features/points of note: Top speed (Unloaded): About 24m/s Top speed (Loaded): About 23m/s When she's unloaded, brake all you like - she'll never break anything. Unless you forgot to turn the front motors off. Then you're Kraken bait. Use the docking port under the cab for a more stable place to control from if you're using chase cam. There's a camera in the cab for a 1st-person view. The airbrake at rear does actually seem to help. It's also the most common thing to break off - I've raised it as much as I can and it seems to be OK now (when unloaded). It is still on a non-structural component (A cubic octagonal) Control using staging, rather than docking, controls to take advantage of the airbrake. DOWNLOAD Regards, Chris

I might be able to post mine at the end of the day (GMT)

After a crash diet, I've just about hit 24 tonnes... The centre of mass is also slightly lower and the brakes can now be stamped on without spontaneous unplanned disassembly! The main weight reductions came from taking out all the double I-beams and replacing them with single panels, which weigh in at slightly under half the mass. I've also slightly redesigned the loadbed walls. I'm really enjoying building a vehicle for an entirely different purpose and then optimising, optimising, optimising instead of trying to purpose-build from scratch. My vehicle is very much a working lorry, and it drives like one too, as I can confirm from many hours of ETS2 and OMSI2. Top speed 56mph! Spot-on. I'm very tempted to set up my DFGT wheel and drive it from that...

It might be a good idea to unlock rigid lorries to 8 wheels, two steerable (plus partially steerable rear) - that would even out the rigid vs artic field.

Ooh, the mysterious world of tweakable wheels... I'll rig up a trailer this evening. I might also shorten the loadbed slightly.

Looking at the rules, I thought that things seemed fairly biased in favour of an articulated, cab-rearwards American style vehicle - better weight distribution, better wheel positions, lower weight due to not having to carry those load-high sides around - so of course, I went straight into the SPH and came out with a non-articulated, cab-forward Europe-style beauty! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you what is undoubtedly going to be the slowest vehicle here, the unimaginatively titled... KRF V2! No expense has been spared in the construction of this luxury lorry. This vehicle comes as standard with: - Wheels! - Lights! - Indicators! - Brakes! - An airbrake! - Active roll control systems! Sort of!* - A steering wheel! On the correct side of the lorry! - An RCS-boost system with 600 units of Monopropellant! - Space to put things in! - Three seats! - A high-tech infotainment system!** - Wingmirrors!*** *The little winglets at the front do actually help keep it upright, surprisingly. **I stuck the Kerbal Engineer system on the dashboard. It looks kind of cool. ***Solar panels. It was close, but I think it just about qualifies for the 12T category. Operator's guide - Lights: Key 1 activates the head-and tail lights. The brake lights are activated with the brake. Keys 2 and 3 operate the left and right indicators. Key 4 activates the reversing lights. Beep, beep beep, sound not included (user must supply). - Setting up: 1) APPLY THE HANDBRAKE. 2) Hit G twice to deploy gear on pod. 3) Space to fire, space to deploy parachutes. 4) Get out of pod, get in truck. - Driving: It's best to drive in standard mode rather than docking mode - driving in normal mode means the airbrake flares up when you slow down, and keeps the thing stable. Use Q and E to stabilise the roll very slightly, if it makes you feel better. DO NOT apply the brakes fully and expect not to, for example, explode dramatically. There's a camera in the cab for a 1st person view. Gallery: OLD VERSIONS: .craft for the truck alone Savefile, truck and early version of truck NEW VERSION: KRF V2.23 I look forward to racing with you, gentlemen. Regards, Chris

Well, I'm about to begin development

Typing "Hi" with my forehead. yt6h7u8i (Well, H and I both show up somewhere..)

Not an entry. I actually did this accidentally in 0.21 (while building for the Albatross BSC) - the cockpit blew off before I launched - and she flew for more than an hour and a half before she finally ran out of fuel. One and a half million metres. Landed nearly flawlessly, too! (Note: Reaction wheels are off. I was building a plane which would take off on its own anyway). I might dig her out and see if I can make her go in 0.23. EDIT: For illustrative purposes, here's an earlier version (bad fuel lines, balance is off) with cockpit still attached (after a slightly shorter trip): FUTHER EDIT: Just read the rules fully (d'oh). One toroidal tank? That's a little harsh. I'll leave this here anyway.

Banned for poor comma control! Keep those things in check!

That ought to be able to pull it out*: *May not be able to pull it out

Granted - after the credits roll, you see three hours of this: I wish my car had moar boosters.

So today I performed a totally deliberate and scientific experiment to discover what happens when one of the tanks falls off your space station launch vehicle and you decide to go ahead anyway.

Now that I've made a full album, I enter the SoothSayer for the K prize: I hope in the near future to be carrying payloads, docking and landing at KSC. Regards, Chris

100% reusable...yup... To be fair, if I'd held the throttle on for a few more seconds I'd have made it - it had tons of fuel left. I came down just before the runway and rode up it. Having performed my first descent I'm confident I'll get it right next time, though.