Deep space exploration (stock(mecheb optional))

[m5o5]

Basically, get out of kerbols orbit in a stock craft.

You can use mechjeb if you want.

1st place:

time:

craft:

2nd place:

time:

craft:

3rd place:

time:

craft:

honerable mentions:

[Jatizso]

I\'ve once managed to escape the solar system and get so far away from it (I had to leave KSP open 4 days on max. time warp) that it was almost as small as one of the many stars seen in the skybox, and that was accomplished with mods. But stock... it\'s gonna be hard.

[Bluejayek]

I will suggest my attached craft as a starting point. I believe it is capable of leaving kerbol orbit, but havent managed to do it myself. My record is 150 billion m apoapsis as per the attached screenshot. Maybe somebody can mechjeb it out.

[Cepheus]

Something doesn\'t quite seem right there.

[UmbralRaptor]

Something doesn\'t quite seem right there.

The use of FL-T250 tanks when FL-T500 are more efficient? His craft\'s performance is otherwise reasonable.

I expect that this will hit Kerbol escape when flown with MechJeb. (I tried it manually, and was perhaps 200-250 m/s short in the end.)

edit: if going for the smallest possible craft is too boring, how about boosters only, or single stage only?

[Bluejayek]

Something doesn\'t quite seem right there.

Try the craft file out. Its completely stock, and has an absurd delta v of OVER 9000!!!!

But seriously, it is a bit rediculous. The inner stage (lander engine, Large fuel tank, small fuel tank, capsule) is capable of achieving a 70km orbit by itself (which I have done without mechjeb) http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=10172.0. In fact, it is perfectly possible to orbit it, deorbit, and land it, if you conserve the fuel perfectly. You have about a teaspoon of fuel to make the landing, but done right it is enough. I have not been successful on this. My closest attempt, I jumped the gun and burned to 10m/s upwards at 100m above the ground, and my kerbals freefell to their deaths over that last 100m.

The lander engines are incredibly overpowered for a lot of things. The reason is that after you get off the planet, your total thrust doesn\'t really matter very much. Rather, what matters is the total momentum you can gain for a given amount of fuel. Hence, the lander engines tiny weight (0.5 compared to 2.0 for its big brothers) really shines.

[Bluejayek]

The use of FL-T250 tanks when FL-T500 are more efficient? His craft\'s performance is otherwise reasonable.

Ok, I concede that FL-T500 is more efficient after running rough calculations myself, and I will swap them. However, I get a delta V difference of something like 30m/s between the designs, which is really rather tiny.

[UmbralRaptor]

Huh. I was expecting a few hundred m/s difference, actually. Objection withdrawn.

edit: Apparently with MechJeb, Kerbol escape with my ship is easy enough.

edit 2: I wonder if this is the smallest stock (aside from mechjeb) single stage to kerbol escape?

[m5o5]

don\'t go for smallest size, Its the first one out of kerbol orbit that wins, please write down your times aswell as a picture of your craft.

[UmbralRaptor]

don\'t go for smallest size, Its the first one out of kerbol orbit that wins, please write down your times aswell as a picture of your craft.

I think that effectively makes it an 84,000 km drag race. A rocket accelerating the whole way would be impractically large, so it might end up effectively being max ?V.