Evel Kerbievel's Minmus Rover Jump-Off Challenge--NOW WITH "UNLIMITED" CLASS!

[Foxster]

This is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to find out by sponsoring this challenge, though I don't think it's possible to get to orbital velocity from level ground--you have an impressive record and it's still over 200 m/s short.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Foxster

[Starwhip]

*Maniacal cackling*

I DID IT!!!

One-Point-Three Kilometers, baby!

[Tarantulae]

As far as the "jumping" portion of this goes. Seems if you have enough SAS you could use an arm of some kind to basically slingshot yourself off the ramp via SAS and your level arm. Is everyone just driving their rover straight off the ramp or is sas control involved during the jumpoff portion?

[Starwhip]

As far as the "jumping" portion of this goes. Seems if you have enough SAS you could use an arm of some kind to basically slingshot yourself off the ramp via SAS and your level arm. Is everyone just driving their rover straight off the ramp or is sas control involved during the jumpoff portion?

I know what you're thinking, it was what I tried first. However, there is a large problem unless your design compensates. If you are only using onboard SAS and your wheels, rotating on the ramp will push you in the opposite direction of the ramp surface. For every action, an equal and opposite reaction. And you don't want to do this, because you will slow down.

If your "arm" went around the ramp and pushed on the very top edge or the bottom, you might have a shot. But that also might be against the rules.

[Tarantulae]

If your "arm" went around the ramp and pushed on the very top edge or the bottom, you might have a shot. But that also might be against the rules.

It doesn't directly say, but I was thinking pole-vault style. Have a large arm. Get good velocity, up the ramp and hit the back/top edge of the ramp with the arm via SAS for extra force. There is no criteria to how the rover jumps off the ramp.

Last thought, how strong are clamp magnetics? Could we build a tug that pulls the rover on small gear bays via mag force (not docked) while the tug is powered via ion/other? Is that possible?

[Starwhip]

No sources of propulsion other than electrically driven rover wheels.

I believe that magnetic pulling is pushing it. (Huh, huh? ) And anyway, I doubt the pull is strong enough.

[noorm]

Unless I can think of some drastic way of doing this differently then we are getting close to the barrier and its becoming a matter of who can hit their ramp from the longest run-up.

And if "everyone" hit the ramp at the max speed of 23m/s (or whatever max speed the best wheel provide), then only the ramp will matter. How close can you get your ramp to "the ideal" ramp for the most optimized balistic trajectory!

You could always spice things up in the next challenge... allow anything but engines. I would try to use explosive decoupling!

[Starwhip]

I hit the ramp at approximately 27.5 m/s. It was exciting.... I passed Foxster's record while still about 100 meters in the air!

EDIT:

Max height was 331 meters, for anyone interested.

[Mister Dilsby]

Fantastic, @Starwhip! I will update the board a bit later.

I love the other ideas! Pole vaulting or other maneuvers involving electrically powered SAS devices are OK. Magnetics are OK by themselves, but you still can't use any kind of engine to help the rover.

The spirit of the rules is that all the energy is 'free': nothing is consumed, not parts, fuel or xenon.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Mister Dilsby

[Starwhip]

If SAS devices are OK, I see a potential problem: numbers become inaccurate. My screenshot is evidence: 1.3 km is all that it shows.

I believe that with MechJeb or Kerbal Engineer, you can display the total distance.

Meanwhile, I'll be making a video of the run. Hopefully, I'll be able to go even faster.

[Tarantulae]

Here's my first attempt. 589.8m(ish). I might play around with some of my other ideas to see what I can manage.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[gigaboom2]

I built a 50 m tall ramp. But Then I messed up, and when I reloaded, it said i had died by crashing into Minmus at 0.3 m/s

[Mister Dilsby]

If SAS devices are OK, I see a potential problem: numbers become inaccurate. My screenshot is evidence: 1.3 km is all that it shows.

I believe that with MechJeb or Kerbal Engineer, you can display the total distance.

Meanwhile, I'll be making a video of the run. Hopefully, I'll be able to go even faster.

You're right--the display only has precision to one decimal point, whether it's measuring in m or km! Hm. We may have to do some sort of velocity/altitude based calc after all.

ETA: What if for runs at the same indicated distance over 1200m, we break ties with max altitude?

Edited March 12, 2015 by Mister Dilsby

[Starwhip]

You're right--the display only has precision to one decimal point, whether it's measuring in m or km! Hm. We may have to do some sort of velocity/altitude based calc after all.

ETA: What if for runs at the same indicated distance over 1200m, we break ties with max altitude?

That's actually a great idea: Who can go the farthest, and the highest?

And according to common sense, the guy who went highest went farthest, assuming they had the same ramp. (If they didn't have the same ramp, props to the guy who went either much lower or much higher than average!)

EDIT:

This is interesting: The farther you go, the farther you go, because of Minmus' curvature. So every 0.1 m/s of speed on that ramp really matters!

EDIT2:

How is everyone else getting their rovers/ramps to Minmus?

Though I'll start HyperEditing the next time I update the rover. (or ramp)

Edited March 12, 2015 by Starwhip

[noorm]

How is everyone else getting their rovers/ramps to Minmus?

I do use Hyperedit... or I wouldn't be doing that minmus jump thing so many times so many different ways!

I just made a new ramp. I assumed 45Ëš angle was the most efficient for launch, so I start building from the top down instead of from the bottom up. That way I'm absolutely positively sure my last structural panel is at 45Ëš. I also used only 1m panels offset 5Ëšeach, instead of 2m panels. That way, my launch happen more quickly and I hope I don't lose as much speed while climbing the ramp.

I also recalled Jeb from the space station so he can be my driver!!! I'm sure this is the most important factor.

Finally, I changed my wheels for the faster TR-2L instead of the M1. I do prefer the M1 personally, it's more forgiving when you drift a little bit... but I need to do like everyone else if I want to beat the 1km magic mark!

So... a little over 5km acceleration with the TR-2L gives me 1067.9m or 1068.5m... (video frames before touchdown and after touchdown) Top speed was 23.1m/s about 50m before the ramp (I removed the UI to take a screenshot after that!!!)

I will assume since I didn't win the championship a simple screenshot will be enough. I have the video if required:

The M1 in the same conditions gives me 925.3m or 925.6m. Top speed 21.1m/s, about 50m before the ramp.

I don't see how I could do 1.3km without some special jumping or wiggling method. I give up!

Edit: I give up... unless a new height jump challenge emerge!

Edited March 12, 2015 by noorm

[Starwhip]

I don't see how I could do 1.3km without some special jumping or wiggling method. I give up!

Don't do that!

*knocks water out of ear*

What's that sonny? 1.3 kilometers?

(1.6 km, if you can't see the image. 412 meters maximum height.)

I recorded this one.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Starwhip

[Mister Dilsby]

I built a 50 m tall ramp. But Then I messed up, and when I reloaded, it said i had died by crashing into Minmus at 0.3 m/s

Reloads do strange things--I hope you try it again, a 50m ramp could be very interesting.

- - - Updated - - -

Edit: I give up... unless a new height jump challenge emerge!

Noooooo! But I have to say, the huge distances all of you guys are putting up are giving me pause to making a serious try. I do have a replica '69 Dodge Charger almost built for the Dukes of Duna challenge, though. So @noorm, maybe you and I can go for height/style points if you don't want to do distance anymore...

[noorm]

So @noorm, maybe you and I can go for height/style points if you don't want to do distance anymore...

Noooo... I'm happy reaching over 1km... Grats to the new winners!

Beside, there are other challenges to try! Or invent! I just did a "Gravity-assisted-rover-Gilly-suborbital-jump" test... gotta look at the challenges rules and formulate the thing...

For science... and stuff... you know?

[Tarantulae]

I just want to confirm, we can also start from a ramp as well as having a ramp for the jump correct? As long as both ramps connect together in the sph/vab as one unit initially?

[Mister Dilsby]

I just want to confirm, we can also start from a ramp as well as having a ramp for the jump correct? As long as both ramps connect together in the sph/vab as one unit initially?

Yes, you can start from a ramp. And the two (or more) ramps don't even have to connect in the SPH/VAB, just as long as all the ramps together could plausibly fit inside.

[Starwhip]

Here's the video of the 1.6 km jump.

[Mister Dilsby]

Here's the video of the 1.6 km jump.

Brilliant! Love that flipping technique. I think you're going to be the one to escape Gilly

[Starwhip]

New, gentler curve (5-degree snap restriction), and the last bit is straight for three segments.

I'll also redo the rover, make it lighter (and nicer-looking)

I shall hit 2 kilometers!

EDIT:

The only conceivable problem here is the landing, as demonstrated in the video above... I may need to do something radical.

[Mister Dilsby]

+1 for the red/green lights! (not really 'cause I need to 'spread it around', but it's the thought that counts)

[Starwhip]

I DIDS IT!

Hard to see in the second image... whoops.

I don't think I can get the rover going any faster (30 m/s)... ramp time!

Max height: 561 meters.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Starwhip