The K Prize - 100% reusable spaceplane to orbit and back

[something]

Hmm 1.2 has a new party guest list? Seems I have to re-do the 1.1.3 mission I did back in the day...

[Bdyer]

"Unmodded"  I would totally win the award for largest plane with my 2,100 ton monstrosity however I use the mark iv mod and procedural wings mod

[something]

Gave it another shot in version 1.2 - vessel is "Heimdal" and basically a derivative of "Mjölnir" which I used in the 1.1.3 version attempt. Has a higher crew capacity (six Kerbals), though. Used that vessel to fly 4 scientists to the Kerbin Space Station and get one scientist back home again...

Pre-flight checks

https://postimg.org/image/8momfuiy3/

 

Heimdal is said to reside where "the burning rainbow bridge meets heaven". Gotta be somewhere in the proximity

https://postimg.org/image/z0kdcukxx/

 

Achieved elliptical orbit to rendez vous with the space station

https://postimg.org/image/alc5bsm11/

 

There we go

https://postimg.org/image/nqrnhwfwl/

 

The Kerbin Space Station is big, the vessel is big as well - until you put them in relation to Kerbin

https://postimg.org/image/6rnagdu2t/

 

Closing in

https://postimg.org/image/l0mwyg8lh/

 

Almost there

https://postimg.org/image/u9p38khhh/

 

*Click*

https://postimg.org/image/s6eo0whol/

 

Planning deorbiting maneuver

https://postimg.org/image/wtkq2o51h/

 

Coming in over the desert

https://postimg.org/image/3sgdt9klh/

 

A bit tail-heavy she is...guess somebody forgot to pump fuel to the front...but the Kerbals seem to love the high-atmospheric-looping-breaking-maneuver (HALB-man)

https://postimg.org/image/mytkwg139/

 

Pumping fuel to the front makes 'er stable like an arrow

https://postimg.org/image/c0ibe9chx/

 

Approaching KSP

https://postimg.org/image/dgttwefet/

 

Final Approach

https://postimg.org/image/nr1asrblx/

 

Touchdown - way ahead of the touchdown zone...

https://postimg.org/image/d5hfgr5ad/

 

Nothing fell off, guess that's a valid flight then..

https://postimg.org/image/hfw3ccadh/

[mythic_fci]

Would it be possible to have a modular spacecraft or sorts? For instance, for a spaceplane intending to do a Mun landing, could I, say, have a detachable engine module (or a landing module stowed in a cargo bay) that could be moved from the rear to the bottom of the spacecraft as needed?

Edited November 2, 2016 by FCISuperGuy

[boolybooly]

Yes FCISuperGuy, the K-Prize accomplishments apply as long as the lift off craft is entire.

If it reorganises its structure that is within the rules np.

If it detaches a lander etc that too is fine if it either obeys payload rules or reattaches to the craft for return to Kerbin, but lander alone accomplishments dont count, only accomplishments for the entire vehicle.

Hope that is clear.

Will take this opportunity to drop an image of my first successful spaceplane in the career game I started for 1.2 beta and release.

Mission report, the Whiplash prototype piloted by Jebediah himself made an orbit with PE over 70km and fired retrograde to drop a little short of KSC but using the last drops of fuel and a very long glide made it all the way to the runway, landing on the very edge with about 9L fuel to spare.

Whiplash PT

Edited November 2, 2016 by boolybooly

[Jebediah Klerman]

So, I know, I'm a littble bit late, but how's that? 

Edit : I'm a very unexperienced player, so please forgive me

 

 

[Kergarin]

 Is there any award for pushing something into Duna intercept?

The Kergarin Aerospace Crossbow SSTO launch system:

 

 

[RAINCRAFTER]

Remember when I submitted the "Ty Fighter" back in 0.90? I do, and the craft I am showcasing in this post is a tribute to that old craft, specifically in this new spaceplane's christening. This new entrant for receiving the K-Prize is the product of inspiration, innovation, and over a year of time. I present to you, the Billy-Bobdock I! 

Imgur Album Link (Whai can't I imbed?)

See you later, Raincrafter.

Edited November 9, 2016 by RAINCRAFTER
stupid code tab

[NoobTool]

I have a new entry:

The Czar Galactica Mk4 (I'll stop soon I promise)

301.8 tons to orbit, landing back on the runway.

Spoiler

Full album: http://imgur.com/a/5fKEk

[boolybooly]

Congratulations to ...

NoobTool - maximalist record holder (1115.098t), Utilitarial Commendation (301.8t), Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Czar Galactica MK 4.

EliteGuy3 Utilitarial Commendation, Pilot Proficiency Medal with Jeremiah.

something Advanced Pilot Precision Award 1st Class with Heimdal.

boolybooly Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Whiplash PT.

Kergarin Utilitarial Commendation (Duna Train : video), Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Crossbow SSTO.

RAINCRAFTER with Billy-Bobdock.

 

... on completing the K-Prize challenge successfully. Thankyou for your mission reports and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

Also Kerbin gazette reports two mystery figures escorted from the premises by security personnel after clambering over the rear wall of the Dog and Booster were luizopiloto and Jebediah Klerman !

[W. Kerman]

I did it for realz this time! I flipped 4 times, but finally got it! 

 

WITH WINGS.

I still don't think SSTOs need wings, but you guys kinda expected them...

 

My mission report:

Album:

http://imgur.com/a/sUs2S

 

And I landed at the runway.

[boolybooly]

Here is another of my career spaceplanes "Hefty", I am trying the whiplash / vector combination for a medium lifter and it is working fairly well.

High altitude acceleration phase is much more of a thing now.

Mission report, took a mission satellite into orbit 91km x 116km and released it and returned to land at KSC runway. To be honest I had to replay the landing as I took too steep a reentry and dived straight into the lower atmosphere, when I tried to correct at 1000m/s and 4000m altitude it ripped the wings off, oops  ! The second attempt I corrected the angle in the upper atmosphere and was more patient about slowing down and also placed the reentry PE well before KSC but even so it took about 1/5th of an orbit to slow down and turn, having overshot the runway. I have since added air brakes which should help with low atmosphere deceleration in future.

 

[W. Kerman]

10 hours ago, boolybooly said:

 

-sniped-as not to clog board!

Could I be like, removed from the gate-crashers list? I did again, and the right way this time! Forgiveness for rule breaking?

[boolybooly]

Yes @W. Kerman you can be removed from the gatecrashers list as that is your right after completing the K-Prize mission successfully, as you have done. So all is forgiven, congratulations are in order, thanks for your mission report and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

W. Kerman Advanced Pilot Precision Award with \(*)/Bird, (cyclopean bird).

And your previous gatecrasher listing is hereby expunged in accord with your request though you are entitled to keep both if you want. I will keep a copy in the spoiler below for posterity and in case you change your mind.

Spoiler

W.Kerman felt lack of wings was iconoclastic minimalist design for a spaceplane, not a rocket at all, denied sophistry.

In your mission report btw I could not see a statement or direct proof of orbit but calculated the velocity / altitude / descent rate info in the penultimate screeny of your imgur mission report album and estimate it shows a bonafide orbit.

Also for your information, the wings thing in the gatecrasher listing was just a quip   the rules actually state the craft must make a horizontal movement for the first part of the take off and wings are not compulsory. The point is this allows lifting body only craft (and wheeled VTOLs with lateral thrusters!) and excludes rocket-like SSTOs. Not that the latter are not a worthwhile achievement in their own right, they are, but the point is K-Prize is intended to be a spaceplane challenge which is why rocket SSTOs are definitely regarded as gatecrashers, but all in good fun. 

Edited November 18, 2016 by boolybooly

[rkarmark]

I present to you my first ssto:

the My first (and only) SSTO (yes that was what i called it)

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="UMrpBuL"><a href="//imgur.com/UMrpBuL">B</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

(WHY ARE IMGUR ALBUMS BROKEN!!!!)

Imgur album

basic info

Parts: 56

Weight: 30.740  tons

Cost 66.110

I think it qualifyes for  Advanced pilot precision award. i dont know if i can get 1 class scince i landed on the runway after reentering in a test not the acual run. and i landed under 1 km from another craft on purpuce.

Edited November 30, 2016 by rkarmark
GOT DAMIT IMGUR!!

[DustInTheWind]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:12 PM, Kergarin said:

 Is there any award for pushing something into Duna intercept?

The Kergarin Aerospace Crossbow SSTO launch system:

 

 

Yet another excellent mission @Kergarin!!!

[Eidahlil]

The other day I was experimenting with low tech spaceplanes, and ended up with something that I hope qualifies. Barely.

It has no delta-V once in orbit, and reentry took a couple of tries because the intake is very melty. But it flies with only minimal tech and facilities (6578 funds, 7.869t, 23 parts).

 

[Cherubiel]

This challenge is nice, I like spaceplanes and there are some terrific entries here, also some ridiculously low-tech ones as well. I never knew the Juno could go supersonic, haha.

I recently started a Jool 5 project with planes, so I've got some SSTO spaceplanes and will have more and better ones eventually. So to get that nice-looking badge right away, I'll present the Spaceplane Alpha One (yeaaaaah, that's a nice name right there).

Stock parts only, of course. It can carry three kerbals into LKO with a sliver of delta-v left. Slight part-clipping with the NCS nosecones, but the middle one is empty and only structural.

The first (and better) documented flight is right here (nevermind the burning up thermometer, it's missing in later designs):

The second and third one with KSC runway touchdowns a few comments further down:

I can share the craft file as well, but I have to find out how that works and get back to my PC first. KSP version is 1.2.1 btw.

 

[Thor Wotansen]

This is my submission for the Minimalist title.  While I do have mods on this save, I did not use any modded parts on this craft, and none of my mods change the physics.

View post on imgur.com

The takeoff weight of the Wren SSTO is 11.561t and it carries 480 units of liquid fuel for it's flight.  It is, of course, piloted by the indomitable Jebediah Kerman.

[boolybooly]

So did it land and stop safely, without losing any parts, Thor?

 

Meanwhile congratulations to ...

rkarmark Advanced Pilot Precision Award with SSTO.

Eidahlil Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Reed.

Cherubiel Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Spaceplane Alpha One.

...  for completing the K-Prize successfully. Thanks for your mission reports and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

 

 

 

[EliteGuy3]

Hey, @boolybooly, has anyone actually achieved the Minimalist record?

Edited December 11, 2016 by EliteGuy3

[boolybooly]

4 hours ago, EliteGuy3 said:

Hey, @boolybooly, has anyone actually achieved the Minimalist record?

Yes @EliteGuy3 you did, with Jeremiah.

Technically its relative per KSP version number though I tend to wait for someone to specifically target it. In this case the deliberation stalled due to uncertainty regarding the fate of @Thor Wotansen's mission (which did target the minimalist record) at landing, in fact Thor's entry was not as minimal as your craft Jeremiah which completed the K-Prize mission. So the minimalist record is duly awarded to Jeremiah... for now !

Edited December 11, 2016 by boolybooly

[rkarmark]

Hi how do i insert the badge into my signature??

 

[boolybooly]

Link to image is on first page. Just copy image address and paste it like you would any link into your sig and the BB will use it as it is.

 

Not entirely sure how to embed an Imgur album at the moment, if anyone else knows then please share

 

Edited December 11, 2016 by boolybooly

[EliteGuy3]

7 hours ago, boolybooly said:

In this case the deliberation stalled due to uncertainty regarding the fate of @Thor Wotansen's mission (which did target the minimalist record) at landing, in fact Thor's entry was not as minimal as your craft Jeremiah which completed the K-Prize mission. So the minimalist record is duly awarded to Jeremiah... for now !

Thanks for notifying me. However, I received an alarming text from @luke5521 that he had created an SSTO with a weight of 5.655 tons... I think. Just be on the look out.