Search the Community

There are lots of challenges about reaching the outskirts of the Solar system. This one is just about reaching halfway. You know: if you reach the Orbit... You task, should you accept it, is to build and fly a vehicle form the surface of Kerbin to Orbit using only rocket propulsion without jettisoning hardware carrying passenger. Entries will be ranked by cost per passenger with some bonus. Rules: No mods that add parts or change how the ship behave is allowed. Pure aesthetics and informational are allowed. Autopilot mods are allowed but see scoring below. Cheats and exploits are not allowed. This include clipping parts to improve performance. For the purpose of the challenge a passenger is not required at any point to control the vessel and requires a pressurized crew space (no command seats). Virtual passengers (aka empty crew spaces) can be used to fulfil the challenge. Only Liquid Fuel Engines and Solid Fuel Engines are allowed to propel the vehicle until orbit is reached. No Jets. No part can be jettisoned before the Craft reach an orbit with periapsis of 70.001m or higher. The craft cannot receive external help at any time. _____________________________ Scoring: [Base score]=-[Cost]/[Passengers]. Final Score=([Base Score]*[100-P] *[100-D])/100 000 The values of P and D start at 0, and are increased as follows: P +3 Hands on! For any entry that don't use an auto-pilot. P +3 Gentle curve. For a design that can reach orbit without a single touch in the keys [W] [A] [D] D +3 C ya! The craft is not designed to bring the passengers back. They are left with no propulsion and no means to slowdown to a safe landing even if ddeorbited somehow D +3 Now what?! Once it reach orbits that is it. no recovery at all, no reaching other celestial bodies The entries must have: A craft name (Untiltled Space Craft is not allowed) and a brief description. Images of all relevants phases of the flight If you craft is composed of multiple identical subassemblies that separate and land to recovery you can make a single land and recovery as demonstration and assume the same result for all similar subassemblies Calculated Score with mention of P and D bonus. Leaderboard: PassengerRocket1 by @swjr-swis carried 64 passenger to orbit and back in a Gentle curve! for a Hands on! - 19 score Rocket McRocketface by @Physics Student carried 112 passenger to orbit and back for a Hands on! -75 score Uppity by @qzgy carried 32 passenger to orbit and back for a Hands on! -79 score Titled Space Craft by @Sensi carried 16 passengers to orbit for a Hands on! C ya! Now what?! -375 score ... My Failed Entry Felix4T, a rocket that put planes in space Score -105 Hands On! gentle curve! Disqualified for deploying at 66km with orbit 72x -228km A relaunch to demonstrate that the premature deployment of the fairing is of little consequence and the vessel is capable of reaching orbit without ditching parts: