Is getting to orbit possible in career mode Tier 1?

[Venusgate]

Given that getting to orbit is one of your first contracts and that i THOUGHT it was possible in .90, I'd like to ask: Is there a short/light enough rocked design with low tech parts that will actually get you to a circularized orbit?

One of the things that is trange to me is that i thought fuel tanks mounted radially could be drawn on without needing the fuel hose, but not so in 1.0.

That, and not getting the 909 until yoiu have 70+ science makes an early small vehicle stage all but impossible.

Design ideas?

Proofs?

Edited April 29, 2015 by Venusgate

[SRV Ron]

Orbit in tier one is now impossible as there is no liquid fueled engines.

Two well planned missions can get you enough Science Points and funds to unlock the tech need for orbiting.

First flight with the tweaked flea with goo canisters earned 30 science and kicked up funds to 123,300.

Second flight, which was suborbital using two tweaked RT-10, gave me 45 more Science and 378,966 funds. That will unlock enough tech to build this design on the right minus the solar panels and struts.

Edited April 29, 2015 by SRV Ron

[Taki117]

Possible? Very likely. Return? Not so much. The issue is you only have 18 parts to work with, 2 are command pod and parachute, this leaves a max of 16 solid fuel engines, but then you run into weight.

[Superfluous J]

This sounds like a challenge.

I'll be right back...

[EDIT]

Okay I'm back. Yeah I don't think those flea boosters can do it, not with the ton limit, and surely not with wasting their precious thrust to explosively decouple.

Edited April 29, 2015 by 5thHorseman

[cybersol]

Here is what I had using just the 3 tip tech nodes. I rebuilt it from memory, but took pictures of it in a test flight here:

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Edit: In normal, you can get enough science for this on the launchpad using just a command pod for crew & EVA reports and two goo containers. Also for your comment about fuel tanks mounted radially without fuel lines, one thing you can do is make symmetric stacks (same engine & tanks in 3 stacks for example). To me SRBs seem heavily nerfed compared to 0.90, so I have found that useful for getting early flybys.

Cheers,

CyberSoul

Edited April 29, 2015 by cybersol

[Venusgate]

Here is what I had using just the 3 tip tech nodes. I rebuilt it from memory, but took pictures of it in a test flight here:

Thanks, Cyber! I can understand why Squad leaved 2.5m tanks for later tech, but i never understood why all the 1.25m tanks aren't available from the beginning. It just looks.... hokey. I also agree with the "airbrake" chutes. Getting used to popping the .625 chute at 24km is difficult, but on the bright side, I'm getting a lot of chores done while KPP (Kerbal Parachute Program) takes ~10 minutes to touchdown from initial chute deploykment.

And to be clear to others, I didn't mean teir 1 of tech, i meant teir 1 pad and VAB. Height, tonnage and part limit. which was like... 30parts, 18t, and 18m i think.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Venusgate

[cybersol]

Yeah, that rocket I posted is just under those tier 1 limits, but proceeds from those first orbits immediately go towards mission control, launchpad, and VAB in short order. I still feel like giving me access to radial decouplers but not to fuel lines is the devs way of punking me. Career mode is great for making me appreciate what once seemed like little things. I swear I get more dV increases from fuel lines opening up that even from getting 2.5m parts.

[Superfluous J]

Oh Tier 1 pad? Yeah I have one of those in my current save. I called it "orbiter 1" I think. I *think* it only used parts from the 2nd tier (first 3 nodes). No SRBs (which seem too nerfed now. They barely save money even). No science either it was just to complete the orbit contract.

[Murdabenne]

I tried this with 1.0, it was simply uncontrollable. Is there a secret to controlling sich a huge rocket? Basically it starts tilting over at about 4000m and/or 22m/s and nothing I do corrects it. I tried putting fins on it. I dont yet have the stabilizers researched in career mode. Tier 1 limits to the pad 30 parts 18 tonne, etc. 200 tank and the -30 and -45 enginers are all I have, with the -18 decoupler, mk1 cap and chute. I can get to a 700km apo, but I run out of fuel trying to get orbital wiht a 3 stage design, and 2 or 1 stage seem to be uncontrollable at points.

[Garius]

Just tested last night, orbit on second flight with no building upgrades is possible, with only the 5pt nodes unlocked.

First flight just a flea, pod, chute and goo to get science for the two 5pt nodes

Second flight is basically what's posted above, except no bay and with fins: pod, chute, 2 goo, 2 decoupled, 2 reliants, 6 fins (3 on each stage, upper stage could probably be dropped) and 16 100 unit fuel tanks. I think it was 5 on the top stage and 11 on the bottom. This made orbit successfully on three launches in a row, but remaining fuel varied as I tried to tweak ascent profile. One time I got 70/69 and had to get out and push a bit to get orbit.

[MechaLynx]

I managed to get there before any building upgrades using this:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=437063352

That's using the 5pt nodes and the 20pt node (iirc). It doesn't have a lot of room for failure and I still haven't figured out the proper angles and thrusts going up, but it did get me there, circularized and had enough to get back. If only I hadn't forgotten to do the science lol xD

Ironically, the weight and part count wasn't the limiting factor with this design - it was height, which prevented me from adding a decoupler between the science jr and the liquid stage, which was an issue with landing since the fuel tanks crash into the science jr and without radial chutes there's nothing to prevent it (although I did do a few test runs where I managed to preserve it).

Edited May 4, 2015 by MechaLynx

[B0T_Jude]

I managed to get this into stable orbit and back:

https://imgur.com/a/ivNA4ko

Uses Tier 2 parts but apart from that it is 30 parts and less than 18 tonnes

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by B0T_Jude
Forgot to upload image

[jimmymcgoochie]

2 hours ago, B0T_Jude said:

I managed to get this into stable orbit and back:

https://imgur.com/a/ivNA4ko

Uses Tier 2 parts but apart from that it is 30 parts and less than 18 tonnes

 

You’re about 5 years too late for this particular discussion, and I suspect the tech tree is considerably different than it was back then so the same rules don’t necessarily apply now compared to then. It’s always worth checking the dates on forum posts before you reply as older threads are very likely to be outdated or no longer relevant, and the original posters may not be active on the forums any more either.

[Vanamonde]

9 hours ago, B0T_Jude said:

I managed to get this into stable orbit and back:

https://imgur.com/a/ivNA4ko

Uses Tier 2 parts but apart from that it is 30 parts and less than 18 tonnes

 

Good job.

[king of nowhere]

are you guys aware this discussion is 5 years old?

[Vanamonde]

6 hours ago, king of nowhere said:

are you guys aware this discussion is 5 years old?

Yes. But there's no expiration date on being nice and trying to help fellow KSP players.