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The Elcano Challenge : Ground-based circumnavigation

Fengist
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Fengist

Fengist

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Good luck to both of you! :D

Fengist,

Any chance of also listing me in the Laythe category? Or will I need to do it again?

Thanks,

-Claw

Done, that never occurred to me.

- - - Updated - - -

The final leg of my Kerbin Elcano is up, completing my circumnavigation of the home planet!

I'm already making preparations for Duna, and Eve to follow. Duna will be a pretty nice base and a whole new rover design, and Eve is going to be something special I have cooked up.

Fengist,

Kerbin completed, just getting your attention. ;)

Bold!... Linky?

- - - Updated - - -

Edit: Is it okay if it's a somewhat radical redesign? I'm going to try and get pontoons on there though, and some other changes perhaps.

Wait, are you saying your last attempt WASN'T radical??? *boggle*

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smjjames

smjjames

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Wait, are you saying your last attempt WASN'T radical??? *boggle*

I meant a radical design change :P It's still a boat and still has the same stuff (though now it's organized a bit neater) and a bunch less karbonite kontainers as I don't actually need that many. Trying to find an alternate means of doing wheels that won't rip off at high speeds in water though atm.

Maybe I'll just go the water route the whole way......

Edit: I'm seeing the same list with a new craft that I hyperedited to laythe. as I go at high speeds, looks like maybe a design flaw, not sure......

Edited by smjjames
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smjjames

smjjames

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I've found out that the save I was using became corrupted somehow. I noticed when MechJeb was doing wierd behavior on Laythe with the smartASS function, but it was fine elsewhere. The fact that the Kerbals somehow forgot how to climb should have clued me in.

I'll try a thing or two, and if that doesn't work, the save will have to be scrapped and I need to start anew.

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damerell

damerell

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Or maybe Minmus is just a pushover and I've underestimated the depth of an Elcano challenge.

I've only done Minmus and Mun, but I think that's about the level of it. Not only is Minmus small, but a lot of it is dead flat, and none of it is locally rough. The problems I had were of my own making, mostly my desire to drive down hills at silly speeds. I suspect with the Mk II rover, MechJeb's rover autopilot could drive it round just fine (being less impetuous with the accelerator).

Also, your polar route does seem to be doing it the hard way. Most impressed.

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smjjames

smjjames

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I just realized that I totally forgot to put a BTDT onto my current craft. I can just document using screenshots with SCANsat showing and I'm planning on placing flags along the way.

Edit: Freaking great, MJ is acting strange with offkilter smartASS and kerbals have forgotten how to climb again, right after I went back to KSC to undo a screwup (because I was still technically in flight), also, KAS is screaming some sort of error.

Edit2: *FACEDESKS* The ship got eaten by the kraken after I removed KAS in an attempt to fix the spam, but forgot there was a KAS winch on there..........

Edited by smjjames
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KN_Namida

KN_Namida

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Wow.. That looks amazing smjjames.. what a ship :cool:

Little update regarding my Minmus attempt: I've decided to transport the rover(s) to the satellite before my exams, that shouln't take too long. I've already designed a lifter (will need to test it a bit more before launching for real though) and I'll make a thread in mission reports where I'll start documenting the journey.

I'll get the rover to the starting point (the monolith) and then leave it there till the 15th. Then I'll resume the mission and start the tour of the moon.

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nigelvn

nigelvn

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Great ship smjjames, I hope you will make it this time!

before I continue I will grab the attention of Fengist:

Fengist

that should do. What I wanted to share is that I have finished my circumnavigation on Laythe, here I have the link to my post: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/133624-Laythe-Circumnavigation?p=2182008#post2182008 (don't know how to shorten it by using a word or picture yet though, hehe)

to be sure i'll add a picture as well, it also makes this post more colorful :P

30BdlOE.jpg

Edited by nigelvn
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smjjames

smjjames

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Great ship smjjames, I hope you will make it this time!

Wow.. That looks amazing smjjames.. what a ship :cool:

Thanks.

If you're following the mission report thread that I have, you'll see that I had a bit of a setback, been running right back towards that point, almost there actually.

Also, the image title and description comment text decided not to show up for the latest imgur album that I put up on there, not sure why.

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Claw

Claw

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Fengist (since this is apparently the new convention :P )

Minmus complete! (Actually it's been complete for a little while, but didn't have time to get the pictures together.)

EDIT: I've also done a slightly more in-depth mission report here for your front page links. :)

PK9zGEv.jpg

The trip was relatively uneventful. I used a redesign of my old Kerbin Jeep. I expected to have more problems with the low gravity, but it seemed to do okay. The only difficulty was getting the initial start of the rover. It required tipping forward with reaction wheels to put enough weight on the front tires so they could grip.

Had a couple "close calls," the most significant being a surprise cresting the first cliff face. Fortunately the jeep survived, given the low gravity and the stout construction.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Perhaps I should add these to my existing Elcano thread. :D

Cheers,

~Claw

Edited by Claw
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smjjames

smjjames

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Fengist

Laythe circumnavigation challenge is complete! :D

FvPzKIU.png

LrrVnwz.png

JINJ4pQ.png

Mission report thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/133084-The-Elcano-Challenge-Laythe-Circumpolar

Edit: The link name is slightly misleading vs the threads title, it WAS circumpolar at first, but then I changed my mind.

Edit2: Whoops, I'm used to photobuckets auto-copy.

Edited by smjjames
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Fengist

Fengist

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Gotcha guys. I'll be doing an update this week and all the new circumnavigators will be added. I'll post my usual snide comments then as well. Right now, my brain is well done (learning C# + the KSP API + the Unity API all at once is not easy.)

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Hagen von Tronje

Hagen von Tronje

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Duna is started - and completed! Includes a prelude detailing base construction for your enjoyment.

Turns out Duna has some of the freakiest terrain I've ever seen and looks like it's about to burst at the seams. Read to find out what the kraken dragged in!

Fengist,

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/130281-Elcano-Challenge-As-Long-as-it-Takes

Both Kerbin and Duna now complete! And I'm going to your favorite place next for an equatorial, amphibious circumnavigation of Eve, so that's gonna be good times. ;)

BTW if you ever make a flat, low profile version of your spotlight for use as a landing or survey light for planes, I will...have very kind things to say about you, and will praise your name with high praise. I love that light so much I want it on every vehicle! :)

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ghostbuzzer7

ghostbuzzer7

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Well my internet was out for a long time so that gave me enough time to do a circumnavigation on gilly. I kept the design simple and light with loads of delta V for downforce allowing me to travel safely at 30 meters per second. Basically Ion engines work effectively for this type of condition and thats what I did. Craft parts was only 25 parts. :)

I didn't realize that the brakes dont work so slowing down required SAS... I think its a bug with 1.0.4 but oh well :) Heres my submission:

Ooh and randomly my kerbal got hotter and hotter as everyday passed..... is this like some form of solar radiation?

Next stop minmus!

Javascript is disabled. View full album
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xendelaar

xendelaar

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Hagen van Tronje convinced me to try this challenge. Since I'm a rover newbe I started with circumnavigating Minmus with STOCK Parts only.

I didn't check any other designs because I wanted to engineer my own Rover without any knowledge. When I got to the drawing board I thought, "what's important for a rover on minmus"? My first thoughts were:

  • Enough delvta V
  • vertical stabilizers to stay on the surface
  • enough reaction wheels
  • front bumpers for bumps in the road
  • back bumpers to protect the engine

So after toying a bit around I build this monstrosity:

21191697010_9ea2c8afc6_z.jpg

  • delta V budget: 1500 m/s
  • drill and ore converter
  • 3 ion engines for vertical stabilization (TWR 0,05)
  • 1 nuke engine for propulsion (TWR 0,1)

After building my Rover I build a transfer vessel and went to Minmus. You can check the complete mission album on Flickr:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskkc5Pms

The mission was a success! It was very interesting to circumnavigate Minmus. The scenery is quite nice and driving 180 km isn't as tedious as one might think. My top speed was 50 m/s. And I only used 700 delta V. I never even had to use the drill haha. I'm such a n00b. It took me about two hours to complete the challenge.

I've learned a lot during the mission. For my next rover I'll have to include some rocket powered brakes. Also I need more downward thrust and perhaps some upward thrusters to aid steep drops.

Edited by xendelaar
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Fengist

Fengist

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Congratulations Circumnavigators.

To Hagen, for taking on two planets and doing something that hasn't been done in years, a circumnavigation of Duna! I suppose now, between you and Claw, I'm going to have to start thinking about the ultimate badge.

To Claw, for yet another stock circumnavigation, this time of Minmus. Though it may be one of the smallest bodies, it's also one of the more challenging. Congratulations.

To nigelvn for circumnavigating Layte in true style, by yacht. Congratulations on your second navigation proving you can do both low gravity AND water.

To ghostbuzzer7 for circumnavigating Gilly, how you kept those solar panels from snapping off will remain a mystery. Welcome circumnavigator to our elite group.

To xendelaar for his most ummm... colorful circumnavigation of Minmus. Well done circumnavigator, and done in style.

And to smjjames, who after much, much trial and tribulation, and for following the circumnavigator's solemn rule: 'moar boosters', circumnavigated Laythe. Welcome brother sailor and fellow circumnavigator.

Well done to all of you. When I started this thread, with only 3 of us known to exist, I never imagined that so many would come into the fold. Keep the shiny side up gents.

And sorry Hagen, no plans atm for a squatty light ;)

Oh, and THANKS for the bold. It really works!

Edited by Fengist
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Teilnehmer

Teilnehmer

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To xendelaar for his most ummm... colorful circumnavigation of Gilly.

xendelaar - Mods - While Gilly's terrain may lack color, Xendelaar lit it up like a Xmas tree.

Minmus. No?

  • Teilnehmer - Stock - Teilnehmer discovered that one of the biggest challenges to driving around Gilly was staying ON the ground.
  • Teilnehmer - Stock - A video of a circumnavigation that proves Gilly is infested with insects.

Why am I twice in the list?

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