[REBOOT: MOD] Thrust KSC Land Speed Challenge 1.0.x

[ihtoit]

Following the amazing success of the previous run of this challenge, I'm going to do a straight-up reboot for version 1.

Following the failure of Werner von Kerman to design and build a supersonic airbreathing jet that didn't use the highly experimental and shockingly expensive Procedural Fairing technology, it was decided that the developments he did come up with were to be put to a more sporting pursuit: that of land speed records.

The Challenge:

Build a car for a speed run along the length of the KSC runway.

Rules:

- MUST start and finish on the runway.

- MUST have at least one Kerbal on board. Probe cores permitted, but you better have a Kerbal in an armchair if you do.

- MUST use a liquid fuel rocket (no nukes though unless you're entering a Gatecrasher) as your primary method of thrust.

- MUST NOT at any point leave the runway surface. The instant it does, your run is over.

- MUST NOT go off the end of the runway - your speed run must leave enough runway to slow to a stop while still on the tarmac. You may use retro rockets, however these MUST be the solid fuel rockets that burn until they run out.

- Your speed run MUST finish with your car fully intact: no jettisoning parts, no clamps.

- NO welding, unbreakable joints, or any other anti-vehicle-shattering mod. Bits falling off is a run-ender.

- NO infinite fuel.

- NO procedural fairings. Mach 4.stupid dragsters is not the idea here, unless you can achieve this without artificially zeroing parts drag.

- Please indicate if you use MechJeb or any other active flight control system.

- I am aware that FAR drastically alters drag characteristics, I am also aware that it alters lift characteristics to a similar degree. Both advantages in flight, total disadvantages on wheels. Or skids. I am also going to count adjusted atmospheric heating effects in sandbox prep as "FAR". Be honest, did you dial it down?

Scoring:

Post-run F3 screenshot and a shot of your vehicle at the start and end of its run. Video would be nice, especially if you have a spectacular run.

Bonus 100 points if you make an immediate turnaround and successful return run of at least 75% of your West/East (outward) run speed.

Speed in m/s.

Scoreboards:

NON-FAR:

1.Claw with a new record (assuming this is stock aero as well, please correct me if I'm wrong): 700m/s! That's nearly twice the speed of sound, folks!

2.norup in what looks like a Naboo starfighter, a respectable 345m/s and interesting use for cubic struts...

3.

4.

5.

FAR:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

GATECRASHER (used nuke engines?):

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

SPECTACULAR FAILURES:

1.Kaboom! Sorry, the rules state that you cannot leave the tarmac.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Special note: I will keep checking in from time to time to update the scoreboard. My internet access is a bit spotty at the moment because I'm getting a lot of calls in from fifteen counties to take care of a rabbit population explosion. They're breeding like rabbits.

Edited July 18, 2015 by ihtoit

[Claw]

This looks interesting. I will definitely give it a go.

Hopefully whatever I come up with is worth actually posting.

Cheers,

~Claw

[HoloYolo]

Can we get a badge?

- - - Updated - - -

I'll be the first to enter

[Claw]

Here's my best attempt of the night. Managed to get 700 m/s. All stock.

Thanks for the drag race.

Cheers,

~Claw

[Soda Popinski]

I suggest no part clipping. Otherwise we'll just Spam Spark engines again.

[norup]

Tried a lot of designs, only to find they became unstable or did not follow the rules.

This should be ok, and behaves nicely, but is rather slow: 345m/s, all stock.

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[Claw]

Challenges like this are hard not to create minimized craft with spammed engines (unfortunately). Though it was fun trying to keep it on the ground.

[Stoney3K]

Speeding up isn't really the problem, stopping without leaving the runway definitely is.

Only rockets allowed to slow down? No jets, airbrakes or chutes? In that case I don't expect the numbers to be tremendous.

[norup]

Speeding up isn't really the problem, stopping without leaving the runway definitely is.

Only rockets allowed to slow down? No jets, airbrakes or chutes? In that case I don't expect the numbers to be tremendous.

I see no rules against these. The only thing not allowed is liquid fuel braking rockets.

I used chutes.

[nigelvn]

NOTE: I did another (serious) try and broke this record, you can find it on the next page.

I participate in the Gatecrasher catogory, and for now I take the lead with a whopping 59 m/s!

Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/fpw9y#0

Edited July 15, 2015 by nigelvn
see note

[Stoney3K]

I participate in the Gatecrasher catogory, and for now I take the lead with a whopping 59 m/s!

Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/fpw9y#0

Strictly speaking, your entry's speed is zero, because you started from a pair of launch clamps and dropped the craft from the air.

[nigelvn]

yeahh.. -.-

I could have used two SRBs, but that would give a messy flight results, so I chose to make it clearer as it would not be part of the main run anyways.

[annallia]

Out of curiosity would it be within the rules to use the anchor/claw/harpoon from KAS to stop?

I mean I would have to fine tune the speed I drop/fire it at to find out where the breaking point would be but I could see it making me (and others) more willing to get more speed to stop.

[nigelvn]

Okay, I had to try again in the Gatecrasher catogory as I thought it was very interesting with the awful thrust of the NERVAs. So disregard my previous attempt because this one absolutely destroyed that result.

The new Super Speed achieved an astonishing 95 m/s, pictures: http://imgur.com/a/FOn5S#0

[ihtoit]

NOTE: I did another (serious) try and broke this record, you can find it on the next page.

I participate in the Gatecrasher catogory, and for now I take the lead with a whopping 59 m/s!

Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/fpw9y#0

Sorry, doesn't even qualify for Gatecrasher (launch clamps, really?)

- - - Updated - - -

Out of curiosity would it be within the rules to use the anchor/claw/harpoon from KAS to stop?

I mean I would have to fine tune the speed I drop/fire it at to find out where the breaking point would be but I could see it making me (and others) more willing to get more speed to stop.

Yes, as long as it doesn't result in any parts being jetissoned or breaking off.

- - - Updated - - -

Okay, I had to try again in the Gatecrasher catogory as I thought it was very interesting with the awful thrust of the NERVAs. So disregard my previous attempt because this one absolutely destroyed that result.

The new Super Speed achieved an astonishing 95 m/s, pictures: http://imgur.com/a/FOn5S#0

Again, nope, what happened to the lander can?

Special note: I will keep checking in from time to time to update the scoreboard. My internet access is a bit spotty at the moment because I'm getting a lot of calls in from fifteen counties to take care of a rabbit population explosion. They're breeding like rabbits.

[HoloYolo]

Are you going to post the attempts or?

[ihtoit]

Are you going to post the attempts or?

yep, linkages in the OP (assuming I remembered how to do it right).

[nigelvn]

sorry, I thought you could setup the attempt, nowhere is stated you can't..

however there is stated that if you use a probecore you need a kerbal in a seat. It is impossible to lauch kerbals in a seat which contributed to my previous belief.

[ihtoit]

sorry, I thought you could setup the attempt, nowhere is stated you can't..

however there is stated that if you use a probecore you need a kerbal in a seat. It is impossible to lauch kerbals in a seat which contributed to my previous belief.

It is possible to park a Kerbal in a rover off the side of the runway first, then go back to the SPH and then deploy your sled.

[nigelvn]

I don't see how that is very different to my solution, but oh well it is not my challenge.

So here I present my redo achieving 95 m/s using only nukes (aka the Gatecrasher category): http://imgur.com/a/HTqNL

[Claw]

1.Claw with a new record (assuming this is stock aero as well, please correct me if I'm wrong): 700m/s! That's nearly twice the speed of sound, folks!

Yes, pure stock install and default stock aero settings for v1.0.4.

Cheers,

~Claw

[million_lights]

Cheers!

Here`s what I got.

1.0.4 stock (Just some visual and info mods)

mammoth engine, a bit fuel, sepratrons to ensure the drogue chutes dont rip off. And done.

Doing it with the mods G effects and Ship Effects while in IVA view is just priceless!

and here is the craft file if you want to try it yourself

http://kerbalx.com/MillionLights/runway-challenge

Edited July 20, 2015 by million_lights

[norup]

Nice job, million_lights! I tried making a similar design, but could not get it stable under braking, while yours behave nicely. It consistently reaches 592m/s on my PC.

[HoloYolo]

Gatecrasher Category Attempt

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[Gaarst]

Here's what I did with my fully-SRB-powered "Ultra II Tri" vehicle (I know I'm supposed to use LF, but I still want to show my record )

511 m/s with stock 1.0.4 aero and stock parts.

Here's the .craft file for those who'd like to try it, just a warning: it is not 100% reliable. You may suddenly lose control at the very end of the acceleration (this happens more often than I'd like to admit) or the chutes may not stop the craft before the end of the runway (you should get a good run after a small dozen tries ).