STS Space Shuttle Challenges: PROVE YOUR PILOTING METTLE Earn a Badge!

[inigma]

http://imgur.com/gallery/WTXjf/new

Sorry about the pictures! I'm new to the forums so, I hope you like it though

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This is probably a stupid question, but when do I know I'm added to the Astronaut Corps as well as the flair thing I get?

Sorry, I'm new to this stuff.

Here is your Astronaut badge:

you have also earned all Qualification badges. Congratulations Commander!

Death Engineering here are your badges too:

[kookoo_gr]

a couple of question.

1. for the fuel pod retrieval challenge, the abort to orbit, after i shut down the main engines do i need to get to orbit or head back immediately for KSC?

2. for the STS ComSat Deployment & Servicing can i use a stock part solution to retrieve the defunct satellite for the commander badge?

[inigma]

a couple of question.

1. for the fuel pod retrieval challenge, the abort to orbit, after i shut down the main engines do i need to get to orbit or head back immediately for KSC?

2. for the STS ComSat Deployment & Servicing can i use a stock part solution to retrieve the defunct satellite for the commander badge?

1. For ATO, get to orbit, and then land at KSC (so you'll be going around Kerbin at least once). You are also welcome to leave it up there and go for a docking with any fuel pod in orbit to complete the other goals in the mission concurrently. But ATO means abort to orbit... so you have to at least make it to orbit as part of misssion. What you do after that is up to you, either continue the mission and then land on the africa land mass or ksc (if going for pilot or commander), or make preparations to land back at the africa land mass or KSC when you come around again.

2. if you can use a stock solution, go for it! No restrictions there. Be as creative as you wish. The sat does have to be in the bay and survive landing at KSC or KSC Island though if you're intending to capture it and return it for the Commander rating. Good luck! I look forward to what you can come up with!

[kookoo_gr]

thanks i goggled ATO and i did it, also completed the refuel pod recovery at commander level, expect pics tomorrow

[willshmo258]

It's me again, I just got the badges, there awesome. Anyway, I've been working on the "Tier 1" (one star badges) and I have every single one except for Commander. I was gonna just publish them all in one imgur post, but I cannot, for the life of me, do an RTLS abort. I just can't get it right! I've gotten sooooooo close, but the bug got me, and I was destroyed. I was so mad haha. Also, I haven't done the 300km orbit for the orange tank (I've done 200km, you can see that here as well as the mission specialist I and pilot I being completed http://imgur.com/gallery/q93Wp/new) but I'm working on that now! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, thanks again for the badges!

[TeeJaye85]

Wow, I love this shuttle. And I love the idea of these Challenges. Thanks for putting all this work in inigma.

I started playing around with Intrepid over on the Reddit Challenge thread while trying to build my own (thanks so much for all your help over there, by the way inigma). I got so obsessed with playing around with this one, though, that I never even finished mine! (maybe that was your evil plan all along )

Below is an album from the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Fortunate.

I believe this qualifies me for Pilot I and the Hall of Fame, but I'm not great with instructions so I'll need a judge's ruling. Final fuel pod orbit 303,640/303,600.

A couple of notes on the mission:

(1) I'm thoroughly embarrassed to have brought home a whopping 499 units of monoprop. I was not sure how much I would need for the return burn, and my head was still in no-mods-Reddit-Challenge mode, so it didn't occur to me to check my dV with KER (which was only a button-click away!). Anybody know how much more altitude I would have gotten had I used that monoprop? Wait, maybe I don't want to know....

(2) I didn't encounter the random-wing-explosion bug that seems to be going around, but take a look at the shot towards the end as I taxi off the runway. Not sure what's going on there....

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[EDIT - Add RTLS Abort]

Here's the almost-immediate, and slightly-less-successful, follow-up mission to the Fortunate, the Space Shuttle Hubris.

Hopefully it's not KSP blasphemy to create a story in which Jeb makes a piloting mistake. I didn't actually realize until I launched the Hubris that it hadn't been Jeb piloting the Fortunate. Good thing in the end...not sure anyone else could have brought this thing home in one piece.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[RE-EDIT] Re-adding my question about how to post an album so Deutherius doesn't look like a crazy person inventing quotes: "How is everybody embedding imgur albums right into their posts?"

Edited March 13, 2015 by TeeJaye85

[Deutherius]

...How is everybody embedding imgur albums right into their posts?

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[TeeJaye85]

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You're the best. Thank you.

[inigma]

Wow, I love this shuttle. And I love the idea of these Challenges. Thanks for putting all this work in inigma.

I started playing around with Intrepid over on the Reddit Challenge thread while trying to build my own (thanks so much for all your help over there, by the way inigma). I got so obsessed with playing around with this one, though, that I never even finished mine! (maybe that was your evil plan all along )

Below is an album from the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Fortunate.

I believe this qualifies me for Pilot I and the Hall of Fame, but I'm not great with instructions so I'll need a judge's ruling. Final fuel pod orbit 303,640/303,600.

A couple of notes on the mission:

(1) I'm thoroughly embarrassed to have brought home a whopping 499 units of monoprop. I was not sure how much I would need for the return burn, and my head was still in no-mods-Reddit-Challenge mode, so it didn't occur to me to check my dV with KER (which was only a button-click away!). Anybody know how much more altitude I would have gotten had I used that monoprop? Wait, maybe I don't want to know....

(2) I didn't encounter the random-wing-explosion bug that seems to be going around, but take a look at the shot towards the end as I taxi off the runway. Not sure what's going on there....

http://imgur.com/a/xffLD

[EDIT - Add RTLS Abort]

Here's the almost-immediate, and slightly-less-successful, follow-up mission to the Fortunate, the Space Shuttle Hubris.

Hopefully it's not KSP blasphemy to create a story in which Jeb makes a piloting mistake. I didn't actually realize until I launched the Hubris that it hadn't been Jeb piloting the Fortunate. Good thing in the end...not sure anyone else could have brought this thing home in one piece.

http://imgur.com/a/DIi2L

[RE-EDIT] Re-adding my question about how to post an album so Deutherius doesn't look like a crazy person inventing quotes: "How is everybody embedding imgur albums right into their posts?"

Actually this shuttle is designed from various shuttles I studied by others, and represents, I believe, a convergence of optimal design. If anyone can design a more optimal space shuttle, let me know. I intended to create a good looking space shuttle for use on a private gaming multiplayer server with friends, and didn't expect it to fly so well. But in short, I figured out the design principles early and committed to them, and wow. Simple rule of shuttle design? Don't design it empty. Build it, test it, and balance it with a fully loaded cargo bay and whistles. Your maximum rating for launch, and maximum rating for landing. Since if you can make it fly heavy, then flying empty is already built in.

And yes in addition to joining the STS Astronaut Corps, and earning all badges all the way up to a Commander I rating, you have secured a 2nd place finish to the Hall of Fame! Congrats Commander! These are yours:

Awesome pics, awesome missions!

For RTLS with STS Fuel Pod, I ditch the ET early and then fly the shuttle in using the fuel pod's fuel to fuel the SSMEs. The STS-4 flies very well as a space plane in her own right. Just give her some fuel and watch her go. Go easy on the throttle though or shutdown the top SSME.

Epic pictures!

- - - Updated - - -

It's me again, I just got the badges, there awesome. Anyway, I've been working on the "Tier 1" (one star badges) and I have every single one except for Commander. I was gonna just publish them all in one imgur post, but I cannot, for the life of me, do an RTLS abort. I just can't get it right! I've gotten sooooooo close, but the bug got me, and I was destroyed. I was so mad haha. Also, I haven't done the 300km orbit for the orange tank (I've done 200km, you can see that here as well as the mission specialist I and pilot I being completed http://imgur.com/gallery/q93Wp/new) but I'm working on that now! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, thanks again for the badges!

Awesome pics will!

Check out this vid to see how I did an RTLS abort with STS-1 (same performance):

This method of RTLS is only possible (and necessary) with the STS Fuel Pod. I'm actually in shock that TeeJay managed to pull off a traditional RTLS in spite of the STS Fuel Pod's massively forward CoM.

[Aphobius]

The leaderboard shows only the first 3 places? I think you should put everyone that completed the challenge on it.

[inigma]

The leaderboard shows only the first 3 places? I think you should put everyone that completed the challenge on it.

Maybe the first 5 else as people level up, I wind up duplicating most of the STS Astronaut Cops. I need a top limit to keep the list managable. I'll re-add you! You are facing stiff competition though! Can you get higher?

[kookoo_gr]

Here is the Fuel Pod retrieval mission and an ATO

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Can we redo a challenge if we want to?

[TeeJaye85]

Can we redo a challenge if we want to?

I vote yes. I Price-is-Right-ed you for second place. Only fair that you should get a chance to do the same!

[EDIT] Since I suspect that things are about to get competitive (in the most fun way!), and scores might start getting close, I should point out in the spirit of good sportsmanship, inigma, that you gave me credit for my apoapsis in the leaderboard, when the rules state periapsis. Those 40 meters might end up counting one day

Edited March 13, 2015 by TeeJaye85
playing fair

[inigma]

Here is the Fuel Pod retrieval mission and an ATO

http://imgur.com/a/wiAve

Can we redo a challenge if we want to?

Awesome mission pics kookoo! I love it all! Beautiful! And I like the runway flag to measure distance. Great idea!

Congrats! Your awesome skills have earned you these:

Normally I don't hand out badges after your first qualification post (people can award themselves), but since you are the first officially certified Commander II, this is special.

Congrats!

and yes, since all mission awards can be self-awarded, you may do any mission any number of times and in any order. but to qualify for the award, you have to complete all required goals. quicksave are allowed and encouraged to learn to fly and enjoy the craft!

Edited March 13, 2015 by inigma

[Aphobius]

Maybe the first 5 else as people level up, I wind up duplicating most of the STS Astronaut Cops. I need a top limit to keep the list managable. I'll re-add you! You are facing stiff competition though! Can you get higher?

Re-add me? I'm on the first place, but yes, I can get higher, just waiting for competition.

You are not duplicating anything, because the scores of other people will not be shown anywhere if you leave only the top 3 or 5. You could combine that 2 lists or something, in any case I really think you should have a list with the scores of all the people that completed the challenge (unlike the ones that were unable to land).

[inigma]

I updated Pilot III and Commander III and Commander IV requiring landings at KSC Island or alternate marked landing sites if marked ahead of time. I forgot to add this skill challenge to the goal stack for those.

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Re-add me? I'm on the first place, but yes, I can get higher, just waiting for competition.

You are not duplicating anything, because the scores of other people will not be shown anywhere if you leave only the top 3 or 5. You could combine that 2 lists or something, in any case I really think you should have a list with the scores of all the people that completed the challenge (unlike the ones that were unable to land).

sorry was thinking of another. yes you are in first!

[TeeJaye85]

Re-add me? I'm on the first place, but yes, I can get higher, just waiting for competition

Oh no! I thought I could take a day or two of rest. But with a challenge like that on the table....I'm coming for you Aphobius

[inigma]

Also added 55 degree inclination for space station for Commander IV rating. Mimics ISS inclination.

[willshmo258]

I'm new to the forums so I have no idea how to add badges, how do you do that? Like I wanna earn them honestly, but I'm just curious so I know in advance? Thanks! (Oh and I'm almost done with my RTLS, your video helped a lot!!)

[inigma]

I'm new to the forums so I have no idea how to add badges, how do you do that? Like I wanna earn them honestly, but I'm just curious so I know in advance? Thanks! (Oh and I'm almost done with my RTLS, your video helped a lot!!)

Go to settings, go edit your signature. Add the image there just like you add image links to the forum using the (img) (/img) tags except use [ and ] for ( and ).

[boostedM]

Discovery I - Maiden Flight

Thanks inigma for developing this craft and challenge.. your STS is a pleasure to fly!

I've chosen to name my challenge submissions after the shuttle Discovery, as I was able to see it launch May 31, 2008 on mission STS-124. All 'maiden flight' mission goals achieved.

Hey! I was at that launch, too! Only one I ever got to see live

[TeeJaye85]

Oh no! I thought I could take a day or two of rest. But with a challenge like that on the table....I'm coming for you Aphobius

Yikes! I am back to say: Well done, Aphobius. You're a magician with that 400km fuel pod mission. I tried to beat you with a bit of margin at 415 and didn't even come close to making it home afterwards. Looks like I have some ascent profile tweaking to do. Well played

[inigma]

Yikes! I am back to say: Well done, Aphobius. You're a magician with that 400km fuel pod mission. I tried to beat you with a bit of margin at 415 and didn't even come close to making it home afterwards. Looks like I have some ascent profile tweaking to do. Well played

Im envious too. He beat my own unlisted attempt by 50km. Impressed.

[Aphobius]

Yikes! I am back to say: Well done, Aphobius. You're a magician with that 400km fuel pod mission. I tried to beat you with a bit of margin at 415 and didn't even come close to making it home afterwards. Looks like I have some ascent profile tweaking to do. Well played

Thank you, but that was literally my second try, I can easily get 450km without calculating anything. I don't know how high is the limit if I start calculating stuff, still waiting for competition.

[inigma]

Thank you, but that was literally my second try, I can easily get 450km without calculating anything. I don't know how high is the limit if I start calculating stuff, still waiting for competition.

Maybe the Architect should compete. Unlisted of course . Roll program and all.