Air launch to orbit

[Bioman222]

My submission:

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2.8 + 2(0.715) + 10 + 10 + 10 for a whopping total of 34 points. Wowzers.

[AnTREXon]

I think I have 610 now

Edited September 10, 2015 by AnTREXon

[Monsterlunch]

Nice challenge! Going to submit my entry later on!

[mellojoe]

PS: The only way I managed a carrier plane fly-back with a stock install is if you actually run the mission twice. The first time, drop the payload, then swap back to the carrier plane. Ignore the crashing payload .... fly the carrier plane back to land. Then launch a second time, this time ignoring the crashing carrier plane as you control the payload rocket. I did this way back in 2013 on an earlier version of KSP.

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.

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I've started working on a new version, but i keep crashing it. LOL

Edited September 9, 2015 by mellojoe

[Monsterlunch]

Here is my entry:

The HuckePack MK1

Full Album:

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I didn't have much time right now, so I flew only once although the plane crashed in the end, due to some of the engineers at the KSC who didn't quite realize landing gear has to face downwards.... :blush:

Score:

0.0 + 2 * 14 = 28

10 Kerbals = 300

Solar Panels = 10

[Payload return = 50 (well...)]

= 338

= 388 if you count the not really successfull landing. Fuel left, i think i could've actually brought my payload somewhere with a little patience.

There has actually been a super secret 2nd payload in the HuckePack Mk1, but more on that later....

[Foxster]

Anyone had any luck dropping from a cargo bay? Every time I tried it it went badly.

[Halo_003]

Not from a cargo bay, but I have dropped one successfully.

[Monsterlunch]

Cargo bay worked fine for me. Usually I open the bay when still climbing (somewhere above 30,000m though) , undock/decouple and pitch down the carrier, so that the payload can float out.

[mellojoe]

In the spirit of this challenge, here's mine. I am stock except for Kerbal Engineer at this time. Thus, I technically can't do it without two flights, or quicksave / reload just prior to payload detach.

http://imgur.com/a/2Kh3D

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My rocket makes it to about a 175km x 165km orbit, with about 100 delta-V remaining, ending up around 4.3 tons. I suck at flying planes, but I did manage to get back near the KSC landing strip.

Edited September 10, 2015 by mellojoe

[TheXRuler]

What about part mods, suh as B9, Procedural Wings, KW rocketry? Also what about FAR?

Also what about older KSP versions? Not all my mods are updated yet and I don't want to make a new copy just for this challenge.

[Foxster]

Stock craft...

• The basic point formula is as follows: (-)h + 2t = p, where h = height above atmosphere (.07 Mm) in megameters (averaged of both periapsis and apoapsis, rounded to nearest the nearest tenth), and t = mass of final payload in orbit. Height is negative around non Kerbin planets
  h=5.93, t=9.115. So 5.93+18.25=24.18
  
• Plane Fly back (requires flight manager or similar): +20 points 0
  
• Payload has Kerbal aboard: +30 points per Kerbal 30
  
• Payload has science instrument: +10 points 0
  
• Payload has power generator: +10 points 10
  
• Payload has antennae: +10 points 0
  
• Payload is put in orbit around one of Kerbin's moons: +50 points for Mun, +100 points for Minmus 0
  
• Payload orbits a planet: +500 points Eve and Moho 500+500=1000
  
• Payload lands somewhere (Not kerbin): +100 points 0
  
• Payload returns to Kerbin post-mission: +50 points 0
  Total points = 24.18+30+10+1000=1064.18
  

​

Piccies...

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Edited September 10, 2015 by Foxster

[Bioman222]

What about part mods, suh as B9, Procedural Wings, KW rocketry? Also what about FAR?

Also what about older KSP versions? Not all my mods are updated yet and I don't want to make a new copy just for this challenge.

Part mods? I could care less as long as it isn't anything cheap. FAR? If you want to use it, sure. I will throw on a point bonus for FAR. No versions under 1.0, sorry. The aerodynamics model is different and there has been some rebalancing of various parts.p, so it wouldn't be fair. Also leaderboard will be updated momentarily.

- - - Updated - - -

Stock craft...

• The basic point formula is as follows: (-)h + 2t = p, where h = height above atmosphere (.07 Mm) in megameters (averaged of both periapsis and apoapsis, rounded to nearest the nearest tenth), and t = mass of final payload in orbit. Height is negative around non Kerbin planets
  h=5.93, t=9.115. So 5.93+18.25=24.18
  
• Plane Fly back (requires flight manager or similar): +20 points 0
  
• Payload has Kerbal aboard: +30 points per Kerbal 30
  
• Payload has science instrument: +10 points 0
  
• Payload has power generator: +10 points 10
  
• Payload has antennae: +10 points 0
  
• Payload is put in orbit around one of Kerbin's moons: +50 points for Mun, +100 points for Minmus 0
  
• Payload orbits a planet: +500 points Eve and Moho 500+500=1000
  
• Payload lands somewhere (Not kerbin): +100 points 0
  
• Payload returns to Kerbin post-mission: +50 points 0
  Total points = 24.18+30+10+1000=1064.18
  

​

Piccies...

http://imgur.com/a/xrws1

The planetary orbit bonus only applies once. Your score is 564.

[K3achas]

First truly reusable set-up.

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[Foxster]

The planetary orbit bonus only applies once. Your score is 564.

That was not clear from the scoring.

Never mind, here's another go...

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• The basic point formula is as follows: (-)h + 2t = p, where h = height above atmosphere (.07 Mm) in megameters (averaged of both periapsis and apoapsis, rounded to nearest the nearest tenth), and t = mass of final payload in orbit. Height is negative around non Kerbin planets
  h=0.1, t=12.8. So 0.1+25.6=25.7
  
• Plane Fly back (requires flight manager or similar): +20 points 0
  
• Payload has Kerbal aboard: +30 points per Kerbal +30
  
• Payload has science instrument: +10 points +10
  
• Payload has power generator: +10 points +10
  
• Payload has antennae: +10 points +10
  
• Payload is put in orbit around one of Kerbin's moons: +50 points for Mun, +100 points for Minmus +100
  
• Payload orbits a planet: +500 points +500 (Duna)
  
• Payload lands somewhere (Not kerbin): +100 points +100
  
• Payload returns to Kerbin post-mission: +50 points +50
  Total points = 25.7+30+10+10+10+100+500+100+50=835.78
  

[Foxster]

Here's a fun way you can put a big craft into orbit within the rules. It has 9000dV in orbit, so it could go anywhere and do anything...

Edited September 13, 2015 by Foxster

[Onieronaut]

My design can easily reach other planets, but KSP has a weird bug on my new Linux computer which makes interplanetary maneuvers impossible. I leave it to the judge's mercy to determine whether I'm allowed to actually claim the 500 points for orbiting another planet as part of my score. The offending bug is detailed in this thread:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/134383-Orbit-Paths-Disappear-When-Zooming-Out-in-Map-View-%28Ubuntu%29

My score:

• (h + 2t = p) altitude is negligible and mass is roughly 8 tons ... 16
  
• Plane Fly back ... 20
  
• Payload has Kerbal aboard ... 30
  
• Payload has science instrument ... 10
  
• Payload has power generator ... 10
  
• Payload has antennae ... 10
  
• Payload is put in orbit around Mun ... 50
  
• Payload is put in orbit around Minimus ... 100
  
• Payload returns to Kerbin post-mission ... 50
  

For a total of 296 points.

I took a Munar slingshot trajectory to Minimus, and after establishing a close circular orbit around Minimus my craft still had over 3,700 delta V remaining. I'm confident this would have been more than enough to make it to Duna and back, if my Linux bug had not stopped me from making a Kerbin to Duna transfer out of Minimus orbit. If 500 points are added for Duna and 50 are subtracted for Mun orbit, this yields a corrected score of 746. (If you doubt I could've made it back to Kerbin then call it 696.)

The only disposable part of this design is a small SRB with tail fins.

My design:

Mission album:

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Edited September 16, 2015 by Onieronaut

[Foxster]

Its...{imgur}Pt1OI{/imgur}...but with square brackets.

[Onieronaut]

Thanks! (Original post now edited.)

Edited September 17, 2015 by Onieronaut

[Bioman222]

Here's a fun way you can put a big craft into orbit within the rules. It has 9000dV in orbit, so it could go anywhere and do anything...

http://i.imgur.com/k86ourz.jpg

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

http://i.imgur.com/NS7LyOS.jpg

No, it wouldn't.

The very first sentence of the original post goes as follows, and I quote: "The idea here is simple. Fly a plane up really high and drop a payload from it."

THAT, my good sir, is a rocket.

"But it has jet engines and wing-"

No. Not a plane.

Also, it doesn't drop its payload radially or from a cargo bay.

This said it's a cool design.

Edited September 23, 2015 by Bioman222

[Foxster]

No, it wouldn't.

The very first sentence of the original post goes as follows, and I quote: "The idea here is simple. Fly a plane up really high and drop a payload from it."

THAT, my good sir, is a rocket.

"But it has jet engines and wing-"

NO! NOT A PLANE!

Also, it doesn't drop its payload radially or from a cargo bay.

It is a plane because it uses air breathing engines and has wings which contribute to lift. I built it, I get to decide.

It does release the payload radially.

[Mister Dilsby]

It is a plane because it uses air breathing engines and has wings which contribute to lift.

Not taking a side between this definition and the OP's--but Foxster would your craft also work in a horizontal launch if you slapped some gear on it?

[Foxster]

Not taking a side between this definition and the OP's--but Foxster would your craft also work in a horizontal launch if you slapped some gear on it?

Yes, sure.

(Actually I haven't a clue but I might try later )

[RYU AZUKU99]

On 9/9/2015 at 2:23 PM, Monsterlunch said:

Here is my entry:

The HuckePack MK1

Full Album:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

I didn't have much time right now, so I flew only once although the plane crashed in the end, due to some of the engineers at the KSC who didn't quite realize landing gear has to face downwards....

Score:

0.0 + 2 * 14 = 28

10 Kerbals = 300

Solar Panels = 10

[Payload return = 50 (well...)]

= 338

= 388 if you count the not really successfull landing. Fuel left, i think i could've actually brought my payload somewhere with a little patience.

There has actually been a super secret 2nd payload in the HuckePack Mk1, but more on that later....

Can you post a craft link from github or kerbalx? Thanks!

[Monsterlunch]

On ‎17‎.‎02‎.‎2016 at 4:30 PM, RYU AZUKU99 said:

Can you post a craft link from github or kerbalx? Thanks!

uhm. This might prove difficult. Lets just say I'm hanging out on Eeloo and my PC and my craftfiles are back home on Kerbin.

Launch window opens up in May so I might have a look then, but I don't even know if I still have that .craft

So if you don't desperately want that exact craft I think you'd be better off trying to rebuild it from the pictures. It's not a very decent built either, just something slapped together to compete in that challenge. 

if you need any advice, just give me a yell

 

Cheers!