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This is a continuation/expansion of a Challenge posted a while back by @jasonden reacting to Elon Musk’s scheme to launch 100 passengers to Mars and return to Earth in a reusable spacecraft. The original is here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/148926-the-elons-problem-challenge/&page=1 The goal is simple: Take 100 Kerbals (or more) to Duna and return them safely to Kerbin in a reusable (or mostly reusable) spacecraft. The Rules Are: No Cheating (Debug menu, Hyper-edit, Hacking the save file, any “cheaty” mods, etc.) Informational and control mods are OK. Purely visual mods are OK. Entries using modded parts will be scored separately. (Unless the difference is really small) Kerbals must be in pressurized containers, at least during atmospheric flight and interplanetary travel. Scoring is based on cost per Kerbal, which is: Fuel Cost + Cost of any parts launched but not recovered on land* One Craft To Duna. Multiple Launches are OK, Multiple Landings are OK, but the sections must constitute a single craft for the trip to Duna and the trip Home. Fuel Recovered doesn’t count against cost. ISRU is OK except on Kerbin. (i.e. no launching the ship empty, drilling for fuel, then claiming you have no fuel costs) *As discussed in the original, rockets recovered from the water aren’t really reusable, so to count, it has to land on land. Exceptions include: Landing on a floating platform, some other landing scheme where the rockets are protected and you can tell a good story about why they would be OK For my first attempt I copied Musk’s Plan as closely as I could, but there were other good solutions too! Be creative! I’m getting the scoreboard started by pulling in the entries from the original, but hopefully we can add to it! I also want to open it up to other planets/moons as well, so If anyone wants to have a go, I’ll put up some separate categories: Easy Mode: Mun, Minmus Laythe Mode: Laythe Little Moons: Ike, Gilly, Pol, Bop, Vall Big Rocks: Moho, Dres, Eeloo Bigger Rock: Tylo Expert Mode: Eve** **Before I get too many replies saying “You Maniac!” Yes, I realize it is quite impossible (or at least wildly impractical) to have a reusable ship to Eve and back. But therein lies the challenge! Sure, you’ll need some monstrous beast that sheds most of its stages to get to orbit, but how cheap can you make those parts you leave behind? I don’t know, let’s see if anyone can do it at all first. Score Board: Duna - Stock: 462: NoobTool --- 150 Kerbals. Single Launch in a fully reusable Spaceplane 532: Clancy --- Followed Musk’s Plan, No wheels, No Parachutes. Landed Booster on floating platform, refueled with 2nd Launch. Lots of careful aerobraking 1640: Thomas H. --- One launch, SSTO booster, Minmus refuel, careful atmospheric entries to avoid needing heat shields 2240: burner_nn --- Many distributed launches, modular design, link up in LKO for Duna transfer, modules separate again for Duna/Kerbin EDL --- I’ll add and update the score boards as more entries come in. Happy travels!