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

[catman1776]

Looks interesting. What better way to improve my Spaceplane skills than partaking in a challenge? Will begin working on this as soon as KSP starts up.

Edited February 5, 2014 by catman1776

[Naluski]

I made this light science/crew transport SSTO plane, Supafly-1. It weights littlebit over 7.5t with fuel and 4.53t empty. After months test flights, first mission with Supafly-1 is to get orbit and rendezvous with Kerbal-Station 1 at 215km orbit. Second part is to change Kerbals between Kerbal-Station 1 and Supafly-1. Third part is to land KSP Space Center. Bonus mission is to run science tests.

Result:

Supafly-1 made to 80km orbit with plenty of fuel left.

rendezvous with Kerbal-Station 1 was success.

Donlie Kerman took the place of with Bob Kerman.

Deorbiting and landing to KSP space center. Success!

Science test results: Failed, Bob Kerman went to cafeteria and science samples where stolen.

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[boolybooly]

Hi catman 1776, looking forward to seeing your mission report, good luck.

Welcome back Rhomphaia, thanks for your mission report and congratulations on earning the coveted Astrokerbal Distinction by landing the carefully balanced and aesthetically pleasing Phoenixhammer MK1-N nuclear space plane on Minmus and returning to Kerbin safely.

Hi Naluski welcome to the K-Prize and thanks for your mission which straight off the bat earns you the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award 1stClass for docking in orbit and landing on KSC runway and knocking on mission control's door with the single rapier powered research craft Supafly-1.

[Overfloater]

Heya Booly, thanks for putting me on the guest list I do appreciate it and I'm glad U liked my craft ;P

Now, my entry here was rather lame. Anyone here can do a round trip to Minmus on a single stage, nothing special.

So I was wondering, is it OK to re-participate in your challenge??? (I'm feeling extra confident about my new plane...)

Also, does using Kerbal Alarm Clock count as cheating?

Edited February 7, 2014 by Overfloater

[wasmic]

So, I once made an SSTO that was really not very useful. Now, I've made one that's a bit more useful, so I think I might upload some pictures to this thread soon. I just have to work on one tiny detail, also known as "and land intact ready for 'refuelling'."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a plane that I'm gonna strap some chutes onto.

[boolybooly]

Overfloater, participate as many times as you want. Glad you are enjoying the challenge. The way I see it its cool to have something to shoot for and people to share it with. Kerbal Alarm Clock is OK as long as it does not alter the stock flight physics, as per rule 3.

Good luck with the landing wasmic, let us know how it goes!

[Overfloater]

Alright then.

Here's a little mission to replace crew members on mobile research facilities on Laythe & Duna, 2 guys at each place.

Astroliner IV Comet:

Has 2 Atomics, 7 Jets, 72 intakes and looks cool.

Does not destroy worlds.

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Knock urself out

Edited February 8, 2014 by Overfloater

[boolybooly]

Wow that is quite a big craft there Overfloater, thanks for your mission reports (plus craft file). I am reading those as two parts of one mission, is that right? I see what you did with the tanks to keep the center of gravity in the same place, ingenious. Congratulations on making it to Laythe and Duna in one mission and earning the sought after Astrokerbal Distinction, as well as the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award for a safe landing at KSC runway.

[Spartwo]

Changing mine again.

[Rodyle]

Hello hello!

I had a question I'd like answered before I post some of the horrendous designs I've made. Firstly: what's the general consensus on part clipping in this challenge?

[wasmic]

Hello hello!

I had a question I'd like answered before I post some of the horrendous designs I've made. Firstly: what's the general consensus on part clipping in this challenge?

You're allowed to use clipped parts, but if the Kraken eats you, even if it's just before you touchdown and claim your prize, it still counts as "challenge not completed".

[Rodyle]

You're allowed to use clipped parts, but if the Kraken eats you, even if it's just before you touchdown and claim your prize, it still counts as "challenge not completed".

Oky-doky. When I get home I'll make some pictures my functional spaceplanes and/or works in progress.

[Fellow314]

Hey, can I enter this?

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[boolybooly]

Spartwo, thanks for your mission video. The lift off was within the rules due to a slight backwards horizontal movement. Since the craft is clearly capable of horizontal liftoff this is allowed. The munitions testing does not count as the objects dont reach orbit nor do they add thrust to the vehicle prior to decoupling. The orbit was good and the water landing unusual. Congratulations on completing another K-Prize qualifying mission.

Fellow314, of course you can, thanks for your mission report, welcome to the K-Prize. Congratulations on winning the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award for landing at the KSC strip and a commendable Utilitarial Commendation for dropping a full 32t fuel can in orbit around the Mun with the purposeful looking Cargo Twelve i. Your mission is hereby included on the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour and as long as they recognise you the bouncers will be sure to be polite and let you go backstage at the Dog and Booster. It helps to smile.

[Rodyle]

Phew. That was quite a lot of flying up and down while doing other stuff... Fun to finally show what I'm doing to people though.

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Next up for me: let's go bigger. I'd like something capable of at least bringing a 1 meter large fuel tank into an orbit around Duna.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Rodyle

[boolybooly]

Rodyle, re your mission post try using BBC [] tags with IMGUR inside and only the code number, no url.

Thanks for your mission reports, I make that two successful missions with mission 1 including a docking and runway landing for an advanced pilot precision award 1st class, or is there more you are not telling us? Congratulations and welcome to the K-Prize party.

Edited February 13, 2014 by boolybooly

[Camaron]

Wow. I've already built a craft that can SSTO to a moon landing and return. I'll see what I can do about getting proof.

Realized as I was writing that though my Terranova Series is up to IX, the one I have in mind is III. III is a true OG.

I'll have to retrofit for runway takeoff though.

[Rodyle]

Rodyle, re your mission post try using BBC [] tags with IMGUR inside and only the code number, no url.

Rodyle's mission report.

http://imgur.com/a/Xag9K

Thanks for your mission reports, I make that two successful missions with mission 1 including a docking and runway landing for an advanced pilot precision award 1st class, or is there more you are not telling us? Congratulations and welcome to the K-Prize party.

Ah, right. I edited my post. Thanks for the hint.

As for the mission reports: yeah. It's two successful missions, with the first indeed docking and landing on the runway. The second mission was a disaster from the start, with the plane pulling it's nose down until I got to 1.2Km/s at 25K height. I did do a docking with it and landed back at KSC with it, but it lost its atmospheric engine. As for the last one: I intended to do [orbit, dock, land] x2, but then I noticed I had nothing with a small docking port in orbit. I may do the full run some other day just to prove it can do it.

[Fellow314]

Fellow314, of course you can, thanks for your mission report, welcome to the K-Prize. Congratulations on winning the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award for landing at the KSC strip and a commendable Utilitarial Commendation for dropping a full 32t fuel can in orbit around the Mun with the purposeful looking Cargo Twelve i. Your mission is hereby included on the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour and as long as they recognise you the bouncers will be sure to be polite and let you go backstage at the Dog and Booster. It helps to smile.

Huzzah! Thanks! :D:D

[Rune]

It's been a long time since I last did this! This would get me inside, I presume? Actually, is there something for doing six cargo missions in a row with the same ship? And by same ship, I mean I didn't launch anything other than support crawlers to fill her up with new payloads to build that nice station (though there aren't pics of all the launches and refueling shenanigans... that would be a lot of pics):

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Rune. At the very least it is a lot of precision and utilitarian awards in a row.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Rune

[boolybooly]

Hi Rune, thanks for your mission reports. Congratulations on completing 6 K-Prize missions in a row with the same launch of ... Broadsword is it? Most of these, as shown, earn an Advanced Pilot Precision Award 1stClass for docking in orbit and landing at the runway as well as a Utilitarial Commendation as you say. Rather than make a list of 6 I have added a note to the effect that there were 6 runs with refuels at KSC in between which count as 6 individual runs. A unique achievement worthy of note in keeping with the spirit of the K-Prize. Welcome to the guest list for the K-Prize party. Assuming that's five extra guests you will be bringing, the landlord of the Dog and Booster said he will lay on a marquee as it may get a bit crowded backstage.

[Rodyle]

Phew. It took me all day, but I've finally designed a one which is able to go to duna (4.5Km/s left after attaining an 110 km orbit) while carrying an FL-t800 fuel tank. Full weigh at the runway: 65 tonnes (empty something like 25 to 30). I'll do some further testing on it landing it (I don't know if 8 landing gears is enough to land it safely) and seeing if maybe adding some emergency rocket engines is a good idea (non-atmospheric engines currently limited to a single nuclear engine). I'll take some pictures of me doing the mission tonight or tomorrow and post them here.

EDIT:

****... Forgot the substract the cargo tank... It's only 2984 Km/s...

Edited February 14, 2014 by Rodyle

[Overfloater]

It's been a long time since I last did this! This would get me inside, I presume? Actually, is there something for doing six cargo missions in a row with the same ship? And by same ship, I mean I didn't launch anything other than support crawlers to fill her up with new payloads to build that nice station (though there aren't pics of all the launches and refueling shenanigans... that would be a lot of pics):

[Pictures of an amazing plane]

Rune. At the very least it is a lot of precision and utilitarian awards in a row.

Oh now this is sweet! I just love plane shaped planes ;D

Wow that is quite a big craft there Overfloater, thanks for your mission reports (plus craft file). I am reading those as two parts of one mission, is that right? I see what you did with the tanks to keep the center of gravity in the same place, ingenious. Congratulations on making it to Laythe and Duna in one mission and earning the sought after Astrokerbal Distinction, as well as the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award for a safe landing at KSC runway.

Yeah for some reason I thought it woult be cool to divide it into three parts... go figure me :-/ and yes bigger is most certainly better AND efficient!

And once again, spank you very much xD

U mind if I do a little conquest of the Mun? Haven't put a plane there until now...

Spaceplane Mk-II:

Using the most recent thechnology and all the dirtiest methods of concealing 16 intakes and a bunch of control surfaces inside the plane's body, this was made.

2 Atomics give it enough thrust to handle the moon, and lots of wing make it an excellent glider (not on the moon).

Takes off without any effort, orbiting is a cinch, and no funky loss of control.

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Edit: Knock yourselves out ;P

Edited February 14, 2014 by Overfloater
Lots of reasons...

[RogueMason]

I have returned, and with what I consider to be my most interesting spaceplane yet. Introducing... the Adder MK1:

One-man, wedge-shaped glory. I think one of the techies was playing a space sim that had ships like these in it... Cobras, or something...

Twin R.A.P.I.E.R. engines push the ship into orbit.

Nice circular orbit at 145km. There was still a fair amount of fuel left at this point which would be used for a station rendezvous, but for the sake of the K-Prize, the ship went straight back down again.

"Hmm, looks like I could put some pulse lasers somewhere on this crate..."

Totally not stolen from another game universe...*

It's actually a pretty good glider, but I'd have come up a little short had I not spared some fuel for use at this point.

The pilot can taxi back to the SPH on his own at the end of the flight.

It's definitely the most unique SSTO that I've developed, and quite the looker as well. I can see it getting a fair bit of use on other missions, but for now, that's all.

*I may be anticipating Elite: Dangerous a little too much (Star Citizen too, but that isn't applicable to this post). Obviously based on the Cobra MK3, but renamed to Adder, just to keep with the snake-theme...

[boolybooly]

Thanks Overfloater for your mission report on the Spacelane MkII's journey to Mün landing and back to KSC runway. It is an amusing looking steampunk biplane design with girder extended tail plane and ingenious part arrangement to bring twin nuclear engines close to the center of mass. Congratulations on surviving the mission and landing intact to claim the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award and the much admired Astrokerbal Distinction as part of your K-Prize success!

Welcome back RogueMason and thankyou for your mission report on the flight of the stylish looking twin rapier powered not-a-cobra Adder Mk1 which successfully returned to party with the elite once again earning the highly regarded Advanced Pilot Precision Award for taking the trouble to land at the KSC runway. Right On Commander!! See you in the 'verse!

Edited February 15, 2014 by boolybooly