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Feel the need for speed, but don't know what to do with it? Ever wanted to just explore Kerbin, but just didn't have the time? NOW, YOU CAN The objective is simple: fly around Kerbin's equator in less than 80 minutes. Rules: You must start and finish at 0-9 KSC That's the runway you take off from (and land on). Your plane must be made using Stock parts ONLY - NO MODS Navigational/autopilot mods such as MJ and KER okay. MJ recommended, since you would get bored piloting a plane manually for about an hour. Just be sure you know what you're doing with the aircraft autopilot function. Just don't use any mods that come with additional craft parts. Must be able to carry at least one kerbal at a time Actually filling the seat is optional Additional seats is a plus. Must be equipped with some kind of probe core for remote control. Have at least 1,000 units worth of electric charge on board. Crew must have a means of getting in and out of the plane. Stay below 35 km ASL (above sea level) at all times So that means SSTOs not accepted. Detachable staging not allowed. If you start with it, you finish with it. Parachutes acceptable, since you can repack them. Of course, you'll need to be landed at the KSC for that to happen. Plane must start and finish in one piece, which means ABSOLUTELY NO: Detaching Exploding Crashing Or crash-landing. Rapid Unplanned Disassemblies Rocket engines okay, but advised against. If you want to use them in your plane, that's fine by me. Just don't forget to stay within the atmosphere. You cannot run out of fuel (and/or oxidizer) mid-flight. Multiple entries allowed, but only one can be counted for the leaderboard (for each mass division). Unless you say otherwise, I'm going to pick the one with the best time. If you have planes in different mass divisions, that's fine. I'll just take the best one for each division. As the name implies, you have 80 minutes to fly around Kerbin in your plane. To earn credit, this means... PICTURES! PICTURES!!! PICTURES!!!!!! Show your plane in action, along with your start and finish time. Everybody wants solid proof that you're the fastest Kerbin circumnavigatior ever. Within the atmosphere, of course. Cost-effectiveness is also a bonus, so show the plane in the SPH with its price. I am aware that some people want to build small and large planes, and some may argue that size would grant an unfair advantage. To account for this, I will assign divisions based on your plane's mass, so be sure to show it in your entries. When I get around to making the leaderboard, I will split it based on your plane's division. Lightning Division 0 to 40 metric tons Thunder Division 40 to 80 tons Heavy Rain Division 80 tons or more Here's my entry. Have fun with yours. LET'S SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT (CHALLENGE EXPIRED: 02/20/2020 at 2359 E.S.T.)

For those who feel the need for speed, but are preoccupied with interplanetary missions. For the curious and the courageous, who want to prove their worth. For all you spaceplane buffs out there, who want a real challenge. LOOK NO FURTHER, MY FRIENDS! (Challenge badge, made by me) If you've already seen and/or participated in my "Around the World in 80 Minutes" challenge, then you should get the basic gist of this one. And kudos to whoever nominated that for TOTM January 2020. If you haven't yet, then the objective is simple: fly around Laythe in less than 80 minutes. RULES (will be amended if necessary): If you want the TL;DR version, here it is: No cheating. Prove you can get to Laythe Get ready along an equatorial island Record start time. Fly within Laythe's atmosphere around the equator. Land within 3 km of your starting point in less than 80 minutes. Record end time. Spaceplanes Mun Hopper Division 0 - 45 tons Hamacker Division 45 - 90 tons Poseidon Division 90 tons or more Dropships Johnfrid Division Plane mass 0 - 40 tons This means that the plane you're using qualifies if its mass is between 0 and 40 tons. The rest of the dropship is irrelevant. Laie Division 40 - 80 tons Named after @Laie, the current leader in the Thunder Division (flew around Kerbin's equator in 24 minutes, 32 seconds) for the "Kerbin in 80 Minutes" challenge Neptune Division 80 tons or more Some of you might be wondering "How exactly do I time my speedrun?" No, you can't just display your computer's stopwatch; it doesn't account for the game's lag and/or warp. Some solutions include, but not limited to: Use the MET clock and subtract the finish time from the start time. WARNING: it does not show seconds after your MET passes 10 years. Be sure to show your math and make sure it's correct. Use the Kerbin Time (UT) clock and subtract the finish time from the start time Same case if you use Kerbal Alarm Clock. Be sure to show your math and make sure it's correct. Program Kerbal Alarm Clock to go off when you want to start. As soon as it does, take off immediately. When you come to a complete stop at the finish line, check your "T-plus" time after that alarm went off to see how long you took. Have a reliable stopwatch mod. Whatever idea you use, you have to make it easily visible. If you want a straight-up stopwatch that works for KSP, you could download @linuxgurugamer's Big Ben. It's a mod that acts as a stopwatch and a timer (you probably want the stopwatch). If you have any questions about how to download or work it, contact him. P.S. He just got awarded Thread of the Month for February 2020. Before anyone asks, I calculated the average speed you need to beat 80 minutes. Now, that does not mean that you're okay if you cruise at 655 m/s; it just means that your average speed for 80 minutes has to be above that if you want to beat the time. If I had to make a suggestion, I'd say go at about ~775 m/s if you want to meet minimum standards - but your strategy is up to you. If you succeed this speed challenge, your prize will be: A challenge badge Mentioned in the List of Triumph All-expenses paid trip to the outpost on Coldbeard Island Not to be confused with Poseidon's Palace on Neptune Island, which is currently located in Laythe's Fallout Zone. Here's my entry for the Mun Hopper division: Below is the pic-heavy journey to Laythe from Kerbin. Now that the preliminaries are over, on to the main event. START YOUR ENGINES