Pumping ion

[Foxster]

Here's a nice little one for you...

Achieve Duna orbit using only ion engines.

All you have to do is get a Kerbal inside something from the surface of Duna below 4km to a 55km+ Pe/Ap orbit.

Rules...

1. Stock only

2. All the usual stuff about no cheating or fiddling i.e. no physics or part-changing mods, no infinite fuel, no kraken drive, etc.

3. You can use Hyperedit to get your craft to the surface of Duna

4. Your Kerbal must be seated in a can, capsule or service bay for the trip

5. The only thrust can come from stock "Dawn" engines. No RCS, no LF/O engines

6. Pre-lift-off, in-flight and orbit (with Pe/Ap shown) shots required.

7. No bending rules for the sake of it - my decision is final (unless you come up with something inspired )

8. You can use the big solar panels from the Squad Asteroid mod if you like.

I've had a go and it's quite do-able. Forgive me for not posting my effort yet so as not to give away a way of doing it too soon.

Ranking will be by lowest mass.

Good luck!

============

Leader board

Teilnehmer - 3.107 t

Edited July 7, 2015 by Foxster

[HoloYolo]

Please post your attempt. What if you're lying? Proof or impossible.

[Foxster]

Please post your attempt. What if you're lying? Proof or impossible.

Ah, I'd really rather not at this point. Its not hard, I promise! I threw my craft together and got it to orbit in about 15 mins total. There's nothing super-special or glitchy about it.

It's just that if I post my craft then its going to give away one way to do it. I'd like to give others a bit of time to first come up with their own solutions.

Basically - trust me!

Edited July 3, 2015 by Foxster

[HoloYolo]

Ah, I'd really rather not at this point. Its not hard, I promise! I threw my craft together and got it to orbit in about 15 mins total. There's nothing super-special or glitchy about it.

It's just that if I post my craft then its going to give away one way to do it. I'd like to give others a bit of time to first come up with their own solutions.

Basically - trust me!

http://i.imgur.com/h84pEaR.jpg

Alright I will. After I finish Elcano I'll do this.

[Foxster]

Seems this one didn't grab anyone.

Anyway, here's my 3.295t craft...

[Teilnehmer]

My attempt: 3.107 t.

(Launched from Lat 0° Lon 0°, 2935 m above “see levelâ€Â.)

Javascript is disabled. View full album

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Seems this one didn't grab anyone.

Anyway, here's my 3.295t craft...

(I didn’t see your craft until posted mine.)

Your vessel seems to have fewer parts than mine. Why is your mass greater? I don’t see a LF/O tank for the fuel cells. Did you use clipping?

I tried several 5-engine designs, but failed to circularize with them. I’m curious if it is possible to create a 5-engine under 3 tonne vehicle.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Teilnehmer

[Foxster]

Well done Teilnehmer.

I do have LFO tanks on mine, they are just obscured by the three fuels cells stacked vertically around them. I'd guess the weight difference is just down to the amount of fuel on board, I erred on the side of caution.

I too tried 5 engines but you still need the three fuel cells and the payload so I couldn't make it to orbit from under 4km.

[Teilnehmer]

My tanks (two PB-X150’s and a Round-8) are full at launch as can be seen in the resources panel. I could save a few kilos though as a tiny bit of fuel left unused in orbit.

My vessel has no probe core (the Kerbal is faced up already), but it’s only 40 kg.

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I too tried 5 engines but you still need the three fuel cells and the payload so I couldn't make it to orbit from under 4km.

I hoped I could use full thrust at launch only. When the charge falls to almost zero, one can decrease the thrust a bit and still have sufficient TWR with less fuel left and higher centrifugal force.

Though, I failed anyway.

I should try staging. Some engines can be dropped when the speed is high enough.

Are multiple attempts from the same user allowed in the challenge?

Edited July 7, 2015 by Teilnehmer

[Foxster]

Are multiple attempts from the same user allowed in the challenge?

Of course.

I thought about some staging too and it was the next thing I was going to try. Not sure it will save any launch weight but no need to get hung up on the rules - bonus point all round for interesting stuff!

[Geschosskopf]

Ranking will be by lowest mass.

Shouldn't it be highest mass? More mass, more harder.

[nicky4096]

if highet mass wins, the winner will be the one that makes a modular ion system and has the beefiest computer that can handle the most parts.

with lowest mass, it gets more interesting IMO.

[Foxster]

Shouldn't it be highest mass? More mass, more harder.

Interesting point. I found it not too hard to get a craft aloft with a large number of ions, it was minimising them that seemed the tricky bit. Certainly payload faction would be a good measure.

Really though, I'd like to see any surface-to-orbit ion crafts.

[Teilnehmer]

Almost done (55 ap / 5 pe) with a 2.47 t craft (2 fuel cells, 5 engines at launch, 4 after staging).

I hope I’ll manage to make an orbit with a better ascend profile/

[Foxster]

Just managed to get a 4 engine craft to orbit OK with a little dV to spare...

Edited July 7, 2015 by Foxster

[smjjames]

5. The only thrust can come from stock "Dawn" engines. No RCS, no LF/O engines

Maybe I can try this. One question though, can I use RCS for well, RCS? As in stability control and stuff.

Also, you might want to designate a liftoff point because it would obviously be easier to launch from the highlands than the lowlands. It would also make comparing scores easier and more fair.

[Foxster]

Maybe I can try this. One question though, can I use RCS for well, RCS? As in stability control and stuff.

You can but make sure no thrust is to the back.

Also, you might want to designate a liftoff point because it would obviously be easier to launch from the highlands than the lowlands. It would also make comparing scores easier and more fair.

That's why the launch must be at less than 4km.

[smjjames]

Regarding power sources, can I use the panels from Near Future Solar?

[Foxster]

Regarding power sources, can I use the panels from Near Future Solar?

No - once we get into using mods anything is possible.

[smjjames]

No - once we get into using mods anything is possible.

Fair enough, what about a command pod from a mod?

You really should be more specific on what's allowed and what's not. I assume structural parts from mods are ok though.

Besides, your ship has that ground base from KIS/KAS, I think.

[Foxster]

Fair enough, what about a command pod from a mod?

You really should be more specific on what's allowed and what's not. I assume structural parts from mods are ok though.

Besides, your ship has that ground base from KIS/KAS, I think.

This seems pretty clear: "1. Stock only"

I have zero parts mods installed.

[smjjames]

Okay okay.

I do have MJ though, but I assume the autopilot is out obviously.

- - - Updated - - -

Seems this one didn't grab anyone.

Anyway, here's my 3.295t craft...

http://i.imgur.com/qPeKJED.png

Isn't that grey block from KIS/KAS?

[Foxster]

Okay okay.

I do have MJ though, but I assume the autopilot is out obviously.

No, please use it. Its just stock parts that are needed, mods that help you with flying it are fine.

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Isn't that grey block from KIS/KAS?

What, on top? No, its the back of a large fuel cell.

I'm off to bed now. Hopefully you have what you need now. Good luck!

[smjjames]

No, please use it. Its just stock parts that are needed, mods that help you with flying it are fine.

Okay

What, on top? No, its the back of a large fuel cell.

I'm off to bed now. Hopefully you have what you need now. Good luck!

My mistake then.

[Teilnehmer]

Just managed to get a 4 engine craft to orbit OK with a little dV to spare...

Cool.

Please add yourself to the leaderboard.