Contracted Space Programme - Career without bulding any craft

[BlueCanary]

So, the aim of this is to do a complete space program without ever actually doing anything myself. I plan to fly all the missions with either stock craft or craft from the forum, without doing any more than simple modifications to any of the craft.

I'm doing this because:

-If one more of my own designs leaps twenty feet in the air and disintegrates I'll cry

-The rocket buidlers forum seems to have a huge amount of companies fighting for a tiny amount of requests (kind of like the real life aviation industry I guess), so I thought doing this would even out the work/companies balance a bit

-I'm lazy

I'm using hard mode career but with the entire tech tree enabled so I don't have to worry about coordinating tech levels and stuff with contractors. To get craft I'm using forum challenge and rocket builders requests. The most I will do myself is, say, slapping on some surface attached science instruments or attaching premade packages to planes.

Craft Used:

Active Service:

Planes:

Stock:

-1 Aeris 3A (Two bought, 1 crashed)

-1 Ravenspear 1 (Two bought, 1 crashed)

Andiron:

-1 Penghu Utility Plane

Jeb42:

-1 Unnamed Utility Plane

United Aces of Jebediah:

-1 MP-1 Hummingbird Light Sport Plane

Launchers:

Stock:

-Z-MAP Satellite Launch Kit (3 used)

Andiron:

-Holst Light Launcher (2 used)

FlipNascar:

-El Crappo Light Launcher (3 used)

Spacecraft:

Rockomax Heavy Industries:

-RMCM-01 Single Kerbal Command/Service Module (3 used)

Telstar Micro Engineering:

-Pyxis SR Satellite/Probe (3 used)

-Auriga SR Heavy Satellite (1 used)

Other:

AMRSD:

-1 Kerbike Motorcycle

Retired: (none so far)

- - - Updated - - -

Day 1:

I'm starting with 2 Aeris 3A for training pilots and low altitude research, which leaves about 6000 funds left.

A training flight for Val and Jeb leaves the program with 44144 funds and two almost fully fueled Aeris 3A's on the tarmac.

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Edited June 26, 2015 by BlueCanary

[TheKutKu]

Interesting concept! I am suscribed.

[BlueCanary]

Interesting concept! I am suscribed.

Thanks! I don't suppose you can help with the first contract:

The Space Program now has two contracts active, to enter space and achieve orbit. Simple as this sounds, there is no stock craft capable of doing this under the Tier 1 30 part/18 tonne limits.

So, I need a cheap, expendable launch vehicle, less than 30 parts and 18 tonnes, capable of carrying a satellite to LKO.

Any suggestions/submissions?

[lajoswinkler]

I've never seen anyone doing something like this. Very interesting!

[FlipNascar]

Thanks! I don't suppose you can help with the first contract:

The Space Program now has two contracts active, to enter space and achieve orbit. Simple as this sounds, there is no stock craft capable of doing this under the Tier 1 30 part/18 tonne limits.

So, I need a cheap, expendable launch vehicle, less than 30 parts and 18 tonnes, capable of carrying a satellite to LKO.

Any suggestions/submissions?

Here you go - it's called El Crappo.

I don't know what you needed for a satellite so it's a basic sat - antenna, probe core, thermometer - plus enough dV to fulfill many a local contract. It's not pretty, but it's less than 8k funds... Don't expect to get to orbit on the first stage alone.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v4cvfs8xpf9qsrn/El%20Crappo.craft?dl=0

[Rocketfeline]

Subbed. I will give you something if I get some inspiration. Cost effective and pretty is hard to tackle.

[B-STRK]

For later in your career, I do have a Mun orbiter and a Munlander, both requiring a Tier 2 Hangar (and maybe the pad, too) from my own career playthrough, if you're interested. It's a little up in the tech tree, though, probably all of level 2, but no landing legs required on the lander (flat ground required, though, because of girders' friction and stuff).

CAVEAT: It may need Kerbal Engineer and/or Mechjeb. If you're not playing with those mods, I can strip the parts from the craft before handing them over.

[BlueCanary]

CAVEAT: It may need Kerbal Engineer and/or Mechjeb. If you're not playing with those mods, I can strip the parts from the craft before handing them over.

The mods I'm playing with are KER (for information), BurnTogether (for cool screenshots), Atmospheric Pilot Assistant (so on long plane flights I don't have to sit at a computer for hours tweaking trim) and HyperEdit (used on other saves, can't be bothered to remove it), so that should be fine

- - - Updated - - -

Here you go - it's called El Crappo.

I don't know what you needed for a satellite so it's a basic sat - antenna, probe core, thermometer - plus enough dV to fulfill many a local contract. It's not pretty, but it's less than 8k funds... Don't expect to get to orbit on the first stage alone.

Awesome, it doesn't really matter what's on the satellite (but thermometer/antenna is pretty much all I need) since adding science kit is pretty much the limit of the modifications I'm going to do

[BlueCanary]

Part 2:

After some more testing of the Aeris 3A the engineers decided something more capable was needed for some high altitude contracts. Two Ravenspear MK1's were purchased, and one was sent off with Jeb at the controls. Unfortunately it crashed in a landing accident (I was distracted) but Jeb survived and the data was saved. The remaining Ravenspear was taken on a test flight and taxied back to the flight line.

Now was time for the Space Program to actually try to go to space. The available launchers were FlipNascars El Crappo and Andirons Holst. After an unsuccessful El Crappo test (I suck at flying rockets without SAS) the first successful satellite launch was completed with a Holst.

The Ravenspear was then modified for a couple of part test contracts and returned safely.

Next the program took delivery of two prototype utility/trainer planes from Andiron (the single engined one) and Jeb 42 (twin engined). Both completed successful flights, Jeb and Val getting some more hours logged and Bill and Bob getting some useful scientific research done. Jeb and Val found both planes handled well and were both quickly put into active service but had long landing rolls and high landing speeds, leaving a slot to be filled for a maneuverable short takeoff plane for exploring kerbin.

With the sun setting over KSC, Jeb, Val, Bill and Bob walked back to the astronaut complex, realising how hard it is walking when you're wearing a spacesuit and your head is longer than your legs. A request was quickly put in for some ground support vehicles to save any more embarrassing incidents of kerbals tripping over invisible walls and flapping around on the grass.

It's in a wierd order for some reason, but here's the pointlessly long imgur album:

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[Andiron]

I'm glad that you liked my creations ^^

[Ace_Of_Spades]

Interesting concept, subscribed.

[BlueCanary]

Part 3:

After successful unmanned flight, there was a need to go one step further and put kerbals into space. Using the same Holst launcher as before, along with an RMCM-01 Stonewall command/service module found on the forums (I'm going to put links to all the craft I use in the OP at some point), after stripping down the CSM and taking fuel out of the launcher to meet the weight and part limits I was able to get a very usable rocket, albeit with a lot of capabilities removed for part count reasons.

Unnecessarily long imgur album number 2:

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For the next missions I'm looking for some low part count satellites (with science kit) for a com network, preferably with the ability to add more equipment to the basic design as needed. Any submissions/suggestions for where to find some?

[Ferdoni]

Very interesting!!

Maybe you can use my probes to get science all around the Kerbol system!!

[BlueCanary]

Very interesting!!

Maybe you can use my probes to get science all around the Kerbol system!!

If you're talking about the probes on the Telstar Micro Engineering thread, they're exactly what I was looking for, thanks. I'm trying to keep a vaguely realistic progression so I don't want to use high tech stuff like ion engines until later on, but the Pyxis is going to be really useful for the near future. Any chance of an intermediate probe in the future, like a larger chemical engined probe with maybe a service bay for science kit that I can send to the Mun, Minmus and Duna/Eve?

EDIT: Just saw the Pyxis X4, that's definitely going to be useful.

[Ferdoni]

If you're talking about the probes on the Telstar Micro Engineering thread, they're exactly what I was looking for, thanks. I'm trying to keep a vaguely realistic progression so I don't want to use high tech stuff like ion engines until later on, but the Pyxis is going to be really useful for the near future. Any chance of an intermediate probe in the future, like a larger chemical engined probe with maybe a service bay for science kit that I can send to the Mun, Minmus and Duna/Eve?

EDIT: Just saw the Pyxis X4, that's definitely going to be useful.

Very nice to hear that!

Have you also checked the Pyxis X4-L? that one is fitted with a parachute for like Duna and Eve.

Also please let me know if you have feedback on them.

If you want I can develop a newer probe to fit better in your needs, if so, you can just place a request with the details

EDIT:Or a probe with low-tech parts

Edited June 22, 2015 by Ferdoni

[BlueCanary]

Very nice to hear that!

Have you also checked the Pyxis X4-L? that one is fitted with a parachute for like Duna and Eve.

Also please let me know if you have feedback on them.

If you want I can develop a newer probe to fit better in your needs, if so, you can just place a request with the details

EDIT:Or a probe with low-tech parts

Maybe a larger modular probe/lander would be nice, with lots of science gear or space for a subsatellite or something might be nice. What I'm really looking for is craft I can use for lots of different types of mission, which yours are perfect for. The X4-L is cool, one way I might go for the first Duna mission is take several of them to land in different places.

[BlueCanary]

Part 4:

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Next mission will be a mun flyby or impactor, probably using another Pyxis SR.

[Ferdoni]

Part 4:

http://imgur.com/a/BL4eI

Next mission will be a mun flyby or impactor, probably using another Pyxis SR.

So awesome you used it! I hope i can submit tomorrow a probe with all the science stuff on it. Will be pretty heavy, 0,8 t of science stuff alone, plus the propulsion system. The propulsion will be chemical btw!

[BlueCanary]

So awesome you used it! I hope i can submit tomorrow a probe with all the science stuff on it. Will be pretty heavy, 0,8 t of science stuff alone, plus the propulsion system. The propulsion will be chemical btw!

Awesome! I just completed a mun orbiter mission with one, I'll upload the album tomorrow.

[Ferdoni]

Here is the new Auriga! (just submitted)

It can do all the science you need

[BlueCanary]

Here is the new Auriga! (just submitted)

It can do all the science you need

Wow, that's absolutely perfect for what I need. And it looks great too. Probably going to use these as science packages on manned craft as well as in probes.

[Ferdoni]

O yeah! '1' activates all the science modules

[BlueCanary]

Part 5:

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The first mun mission of the space program, an unmanned flyby using a slightly modified Pyxis SR launched on an El Crappo launcher (now my standard light satellite/launcher combo). Without patched conics I had to eyeball the transfer, the first time I've ever had to do that, but I got an intercept first time and the Delta-V margins were so high I could get an elliptical orbit for maximum science value (low and high mun results in one mission).

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Not to be outdone by Jeb, Val now has bought her own personal vehicle, a heavily customized MP-1 Hummingbird from United Aces of Jebediah. She hides it on the island so Jeb won't "borrow" it.

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After some more routine Ravenspear 1 high alttude survey contracts, the next mission is going to be to recover a 0.8 tonne but 11m long prototype from LKO. Any craft suitable or this kind of thing and hopefully future Klaw-type contracts would be much appreciated. I managed to save up and upgrade the VAB and launchpad so part limit 255, mass 140 tonnes.

[Ferdoni]

Part 5:

The first mun mission of the space program, an unmanned flyby using a slightly modified Pyxis SR launched on an El Crappo launcher (now my standard light satellite/launcher combo). Without patched conics I had to eyeball the transfer, the first time I've ever had to do that, but I got an intercept first time and the Delta-V margins were so high I could get an elliptical orbit for maximum science value (low and high mun results in one mission).

What did you modify on it?

[BlueCanary]

What did you modify on it?

I think I added more solar panels so I wouldn't have to worry about pointing it to the sun.