Space Station Extension Construction Challenge (S.S.E.C.C.)

Moesly_Armlis · June 14, 2015

The challenge to construct an extension off a space station in a circular 142 km Kerbin orbit.

Hone your docking skills, be very patient and don't panic.

The shortest kerbal time taken to accomplish the S.S.E.C.C. is the goal.

Start Time

Launch -

Take a screen shot and record the kerbal time just before launch of the hardware.

Rendezvous -

Target the station and deliver the extension hardware, builders and supplies.

Construct -

Assemble and anchor the extension to the station.

Inspect -

Travel using the EVA jet pack the extension's limits. Travel from end to end and take a selfie at the extension's outer termination.

Completion Time

Post the weight division you attempted, your calculation of average mass and your screenshots.

Rules:

Space Station

Design your own station and get it to orbit.

Place Station into 142 km circular orbit around Kerbin and maintained.

How you get the station in orbit is not part of the competition but you will have kerbals dismayed if they don't see a launch.

Only limit on the station design is the mass must not exceed half of the weight division.

The cost of the station is not considered. The station is just somewhere to attach the extension to and adds nothing to the extension.

The station can be used to store materials such as mono-propellant but the supplies must be delivered after the station is completed.

If the station needs to be moved during construction than the fuel must be delivered before any maneuvers.

Once the station is in orbit and completed the challenge commences and the timer starts at the next launch.

Take screenshot and display station's orbit, the resources and the mass.

Construction Phase

Payload Vessel for construction supplies can be no taller/longer/wider than 90 metre when leaving the VAB or SPH.

Screeen shots of the vessel in VAB and on yhe launch pad.

Construct anywhere except the manicured lawn and pasture surrounding KSC.

(construct it on the ground and then attach it to the station that sounds suspiciously kerbal)

Only docking port to docking port connections.

Build whatever can get the job done, kerbal or remote controlled.

No auto pilot for docking (maybe for skynet level competition)

The participant should be active in piloting the launch vessel and should indicate if an auto pilot was used.

No need to cheat just kerbal-it^tm (see additional rules below)

The average mass of the entire extension structure is considered.

An extension that is made up from modules that are the same mass would be the simplest way to calculate average mass.

Post screen shots inside the VAB/SPH and show height/length/width and mass of the segment.

Weight Divisions

The five different weight divisions are based on the average mass of the extension attached.

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[TD=align: center]Weight Division

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[TD=align: center]Minimum[/TD]

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[TD=align: center]Elephant

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[TD=align: center]200 m[/TD]

[TD=align: center]5 t[/TD]

[TD=align: center]10 t[/TD]

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[TD=align: center]Atlas Mech[/TD]

[TD=align: center]400 m[/TD]

[TD=align: center]50 t[/TD]

[TD=align: center]100 t[/TD]

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[TD=align: center]Blue Whale[/TD]

[TD=align: center]600 m[/TD]

[TD=align: center]100 t[/TD]

[TD=align: center]200 t[/TD]

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[TD=align: center]Terex Unit Rig[/TD]

[TD=align: center]1000 m[/TD]

[TD=align: center]200 t[/TD]

[TD=align: center] 400 t[/TD]

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[TD=align: center]Class E[/TD]

[TD=align: center]2000 m[/TD]

[TD=align: center]425 t[/TD]

[TD=align: center]850 t[/TD]

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To be considered for any of the weight divisions you must attach the minimum length and at least the average mass.

Once you complete one division you are encouraged to go forward and you can make no penalty adjustments to the original station's mass.

Just add your previous attempt's time with the next and screenshots of the changes.

Be warned the last two division will surely tempt the Kraken into making an appearance and kodspeed.

Inspection

The station must be at a 142 km circular orbit after the extension is completed with a screenshot with the details.

A kerbal must travel the length using EVA only and take another screenshot at the outer limit.

This is the completion time.

Additional Rules

These additional rules were shamelessly taken from Stock Payload Fraction Challenge.

Elegantly outlined and defines kerbal-it^tm^;

No cfg editing, save editing, debug menu, or any other shenanigans

No physics exploits, the vessel must be lifted by thrust and aerodynamic lift alone. Decoupler force is permitted between propulsive stages, multiple stacked decouplers are not.

The base of the lifter must be close to the pad surface, preferably touching it. No kilometer-high launch clamps please.

Please keep part clipping to a minimum. In particular, do not clip engines at all.

Craft files are encouraged so we can learn from each other's techniques.

Helpful Notes:

Choose wisely how to assemble and attach the extension to the station.

Station, extension hardware, builders should be fully tested.

Using a mock up of the design on the runway can help.

Turning down display settings can help with framrate

Consider attaching the station to the extension.

Video or screenshots to verify.
Docking alignment mods can very helpful. If you complete it with a stock version (KAC is ok) than a Vanilla Cookie is yours.
Get the extension attached using only one launch and the reward is a Pack Mule.
During the construction you can try to never use time warp (physics warp is ok) to stabilize the soft noodle extension . The Persistent Rotation mod adds functionality and extra frustration. There is a bonus cookie available for Motion Sickness.
You can reload or revert but there is something special reserved for the one who completes this challenge without the need of the F5-Crutch and awarded with No Turning Back.
If you like try this with the station maintained below 70 km and have a cookie that has a Burnt Bottom.

Here are just a few that I found on the Community Mods and Plugin Library that could be of asset.
Just include what mods you used.
The StockBugFix has an RCS fix

+ PilotRSASFix (Plus) (1 Jul 15) - (STATUS: Minor Update + Updated for KSP v1.0.4) - Description: The new(ish) pilot abilities cause smaller vessels to jitter and rapidly deplete electrical charge or monopropellant.
RCS Build Aid
Kerbal Alarm Clock
Kerbal Engineer Redux
TweakScale
Speedy's Hex Truss
Kerbal Joint Reenforcement
HullcamVDS
Docking Port Alignment Indicator
NavHud

The bonus does not need to be considered and it is entirely up to the participant to include.
This means taking screen shots and showing your math in your post.
Alignment Bonus
If you can show that your pieces are all aligned than a bonus of 1 hour can be yours.
If you use girders than it is easy to see, if you place a part radial it could be an indicator for circular segements
Low Resource Bonus
There is a bonus for completing this task with the fewest resources.
The cost per average mass of attached extension hardware will adjust the time bonus.
The bonus time starts at nine hours.
One hour is deducted from the bonus time for every 10 /t
One minute is deducted for every 2 /t
The bonus time is deducted from the completion time.

Average Mass
Example extension is 100 t with 80 t of the extension's mass concentrated over a distance of 10 metres and 20 t of mass is over 190 metres.
Percent Mass 80t = 10/200 = 5%
Percent Mass 20t = 190/200 = 95%
Average Mass = (80t * 5% )+ (20t * 95%) = 4+19 = 23 t
Cost per Mass
The final attached average mass of the extension is 100 t and total operation cost is 750,000.
operation cost = cost of extension + construction supplies + freight charge
Weight divisions adjust the average mass for bonus time calculation.
weight class adjustment = weight division limit
cost per mass
= operational cost / average mass / weight class adjustment
= 750000 / 10000 / 10000
= 75
/
t
If somehow you manage to attach 150 t of extension with the same operational cost.
cost per mass
= operational cost / average mass adjustment
= 750000 / 15000 / 10000
= 50
/
t
Low Resource Bonus Time
Time taken to construct is 20 hours 3 minutes and 59 seconds with an adjusted cost per mass of 75 /t.
One hour is deducted from the bonus time for every 10 /t
One minute is deducted for every 2 /t
Integers only.
Deduction
= (75/10)* 1 hour + (5/2) * 1 minute
= 7 hours 2 minutes
Bonus Time Adjustment
= 9 hours - (7 hours 2 minutes)
= 1 hours 58 minutes
Total time
= Total Time - Bonus Time Adjustment
= 18 hours 5 minutes 59 seconds
= 18:05:59

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My construction project that inspired this challenge.

LeaderBoards

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Disclaimer: After the competition what happens to and done with the extension is entirely up to the challenge entrant.

Safe disposal of the hardware is strongly recommended.

Attachment of kerbals to the extension is strictly forbidden.

Not including scientific experimentation.

Edited July 5, 2015 by MoeslyArmlis
Rules so many rules

smjjames · June 15, 2015

Can the 200m extension be done in parts or does it have to be all at once?

Moesly_Armlis · June 28, 2015

The extension can be of your choice of design.

How you get it up to and attached is also your choice.

For now it is unlimited weight class division.

The method I chose was eight segments with RCS blocks. The eight segments were sent up wrapped around the launch vehicle.

The grabber vehicle was piloted had the claw Advanced Grabbing Unit. Also used was an inline remote unit with fore and aft docking ports.

The grabber, inline remote unit and an FL-R1 RCS tank were launched inside a shuttle type vehicle.

The inline unit ran out of MP and had to retrieve it with the grabber.

I will attempt this again and post some results with examples of safe methods for extension disposal.

Edit:

The station is in orbit and waiting for the extension hardware to be launched.

The extension hardware payload is designed.

Simulation of delivery vessel begins.

Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure. Delivery vessel failure.

Delivery vessel with payload on route to station.

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Edited June 29, 2015 by MoeslyArmlis
Update

spudman2 · July 1, 2015

I'll do it! Probably tonight, if my new crossbow doesn't distract me. Setting alarm for 7pm... (it's 9:40 right now)

Moesly_Armlis · July 1, 2015

Probably tonight, if my new crossbow doesn't distract me.

Better test drive that crossbow ASAP. Once I get started in KSP mode I would not be able to be distracted.

Besides, I have a video on launching the hardware that I am about to release Soon^tm.

Edit:

When Will Then be Now. Now!

My krappy video documenting my attempt at building a heavy lifter.

The Station is lifted and placed into 142 km orbit.

Then the testing and redesigning of an encumbered lifter.

The many failures leads to discovery and increased payload.

The original payload is hardware for quick assembly of an extension with a length of 225 metre and mass of 75 tonne.

The plan was to launch three segments and assemble them in space.

It quickly got out of hand and the payload turned into four than five then six and finally eight. The distance and mass also escalated.

The segment is made from five empty "Kickback" Solid Rocket Boosters with a length of 76 metre and mass of 25 tonne..

The payload was changed and will go for length of 600 metre and a mass of 200 tonne.

Does this challenge need a distance category? The maximum distance I understand is 2500 metre.

Now hers is another krappy video it is part 2 of the extension hardware being lifted.

There was learning much of the fuel flow and kris-cross feed.

This krappy video demonstrates the determination of the delivery team.

The delivery was made to the driveway but did not make it to the front door.

Now Jebediah has to go and pick it up.

Edited July 14, 2015 by MoeslyArmlis

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