Survey contracts

[seaces]

So I am now in career game and got some survey contracts on another continent at Kerbin so survey points require me to do survey above 19100M. So I wonder what is the best way to approach this kind of contracts? maybe some plane with just turbojets since it is high up? I tried this approach and came close to finishing it but run out of fuel..also it is bit boring to keep plane in flight that long time.

Edited June 20, 2015 by seaces

[capi3101]

High altitude planes are probably your only bet. You could in theory send a craft to orbit and then de-orbit it so that it passes close to the target area, but judging the correct spot to deorbit can be tricky. You can also burn yourself up pretty efficiently too if you haven't got A.I.R.B.R.A.K.E.S. unlocked. It is the fastest way to do it, though.

If you've just begun career, you might want to hold off on high-altitude surveys (much above 15k) until you get far enough the tech tree to get the Whiplash jet engine unlocked. You can do surveys with the Wheesley, but you won't be travelling nearly as fast nor as high. That said, if you've got such a contract already, you can just hold off on doing it for a while rather than cancelling the contract (unless you can still only take two contracts).

[seaces]

Got those turbos for high altitude. Well the biggest issue for me after the fact that I need to upgrade my plane so that it can fly long range atmosphere is just those contracts are damn boring. Just presing W on the keyboard to keep it up until you fly half around Kerbin...

[ajburges]

Four approaches to high altitude surveys with advantages and disadvantages.

Capsule decent: hit it during reentry of an orbital capsule.

+ low tech requirements (can you get to orbit?)

+ can perform with craft used for another mission. Free in a sense

- limited number of sites you can pass through for reentry

- entering sites can be tricky

- inclination needed for sites not along the equator, polar sites are particularly vexing.

- may require sacrificing recovery percentage

Basic jet with rocket booster: don't have the Whiplash? Add moar boosters!

+ low tech requirements (can access with science available on Kerbin)

+ recovery at landing strip available

+ lowest tech solution that can hit different sites in one launch

- low rocket efficiency limits capabilities

- Basic jets are dog slow

Turbo Jets: "I shall fear no evil. For I am at 80,000 feet and climbing!"

+ it's a plane that can go mach 3! You can visit the opposite side of Kerbin in a half hour for a few hundred units of fuel an engine

+ it's a plane so it can land

+ multi-site capabilities

- moderate tech requirements

- heat management is a concern

(Sub)orbital hops with space planes: when mach 3 just isn't fast enough!

+ Turbojets take 30 min to reach the other side, suborbital hop takes 15

+ all the other benefits of a turbojet

+ if the survey site is along your SSTO accent path, free survey!

? I don't know how this compares to Whiplash for trip fuel efficiency

- suborbital hops are not commonly utilized by the KSP community less knowledge on how to do them efficiently

- design complexity: your basically making a space plane

- reentry management

- at least the same tech requirements as turbojets

[Solar71]

Send a craft up in a polar orbit. Eventually it will fly over your points, then just quickly do a crew report. If you get bored, just leave and come back the next day. Ship will still be in orbit.

[seaces]

Hmm so basically I was right with my idea of good plane that can reach 20km. Was thinking to make so suborbital hops but then I was thinking it could cost more then my plane and it is more complicated anyway. I was just asking to see what are other solutions if any.

@Solar71 some survey points require me to be below 17km and even land so polar orbit is not and option in this contract but maybe in some situations it is better.

For now I will try to complete this one and stay away from this kind of contracts they are really boring at least this one with these parameters.

[FancyMouse]

This type of contract lets you to design crafts for arriving at a designated destination - is fun for the design phase, but not fun for flying (yeah quite tedious and time consuming). I usually just do them once for each planet, and then let my contract rejecting mod filter the rest.