New Kerizons: Race to Eeloo

[Starwhip]

Remember, everyone attempting this, just because you can't use KER or MechJeb for delta-V, doesn't mean you can't figure out your delta-V.

The time is nigh for the protractor-on-the-screen!

[MoeKitsune]

Maybe Pluron? (with Sigma Mod Expansion)

Sure!

[Death Engineering]

No. The rules clearly say you can't have anything except for aesthetic enhancement.

This is a rule I can get behind. Challenge added to KSP todo list.

[purpleivan]

Seemed like an interesting challenge (I had a go at similar race type challenges to Mun, Eve and Duna) and I'm working on a design for this now, but due to the flight time (I'll be using ions for some of the trip) I'll probably leave that until the weekend.

For now just some flight testing

[Bev7787]

Im currently sending my probe out. It has 30000 d/v however its an ion engine. Leaving my computer on overnight.

[purpleivan]

I've just completed a manned flight to Eeloo in 88d 04:04:21 and I'll be posting pics and a short video of the flyby (skimming by the surface at about 3500m) sometime tomorrow.

Ions (with a lot of patience) are awesome

[purpleivan]

OK... here's my entry in this challenge with a time of 88d 04:04:21

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This trip wasn't intended as a proper flight, just a test to see if everything worked and the departure time was not optimal. With a properly planned launch time, the flight to Eeloo could probably be done in about 80 days with this vehicle.

If I was to do this again (hopefully not, because ion are great but so slow) I'd reduce the number of nuke engine (but keep their tanks) and increase the number of xenon drop tanks (say double the number) on the ion stage. I think that way a properly timed departure could probably give a trip time to Eeloo of 60 days or so.

But who has that kind of time

BTW... I could have made the trip time a little shorter if I'd not been lazy and left the ship thrusting on the last xenon drop tank while I was at work, then drifting for five hours or so before I got home, at which time I dropped the empty tank and then burned using the final one.

I also have a video of the Eeloo flyby which I'll post shortly.

[purpleivan]

Here's the video of the flyby which goes as low as 3500m... scary moment for Jeb

Edited August 29, 2015 by purpleivan

[Bev7787]

Oh dear... time to upgrade my Eeloo flyby ship

[Death Engineering]

Crewed Eeloo Mission 6 years 393 days

This obviously can be done a lot faster, but I wanted to get a feel for the ÃŽâ€v needs and rough times for a round trip mission for my career save. It was a real "treat" not having to deal with life-support requirements for a change! In retrospect, I guess I should have taken three crew.. oh well.

The original design for the command pod was to separate the crew from the orbiter and land the primary command pod on the surface then re-dock back to the orbiter and heat shield. For mass reasons, I selected the Mk 2 Lander Can but ran into problems at the very end of the mission (re-entry): I wasn't able to aerocapture around Kerbin without exploding first.

This version is more traditional with a dedicated lander that stays in Eeloo orbit. This challenge was a good motivator to get back out to Eeloo which I rarely do now since round trips are so long.. thanks Souper for the challenge and I may be back with a real speed-based competitor.

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[Souper]

The results are in!

Death Engineering wins the manned race at 8y 393d!

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Foxster wins the unmanned race at an insane 97d!

Any higher than these and i'l update it.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Souper