Challenge: Drag race to 100KM altitude

[Salda007]

After a substantial redesign along similar principles, dropped it to 2:00 flat with stock parts. (Didn't get top speed on this run, unfortunately.)

Update: 1:59!!! :w00t:

[DoctorEvo]

I find your lack of booster disturbing.

[Salda007]

I find your lack of booster disturbing.

Challenge accepted!

1:53! BAM! (I 8) struts...)

[DoctorEvo]

Challenge accepted!

1:53! BAM! (I 8) struts...)

Touché.

Don't make me break out my A-game now...

[Salda007]

Touché.

Don't make me break out my A-game now...

Well played, sir, well played! If I wasn't currently working on another challenge right now, I'd be strapping together Jebian quantities of SRBs right now.

8)

[Rocket Surgeon]

So without being stupid about my rocket and using only SIDR parts..

[foamyesque]

1:53, derived from altitude and velocity. Stock parts.

(Amusingly, my 2nd stage is crashing right as I cross the 100km mark, causing choppy flight)

[Mad_Engineer]

First try, all stock parts.

2:22

[foamyesque]

A new personal record, stock parts.

1:49

[DoctorEvo]

A new record, stock parts.

1:49

'Scuse me?

Keep shaving those seconds, pal. You haven't passed me yet.

[foamyesque]

'Scuse me?

Keep shaving those seconds, pal. You haven't passed me yet.

*grinds teeth*

Next time, Gadget, next time!

[foamyesque]

Alright you.

1:42

[foamyesque]

SpaceMonkey: You're aware KSP can take screenshots, right? Hit F1 and it'll save a picture to your Screenshots directory.

[Fool]

Hello gents,

I'll just leave this here...

(And may I say that of all the first posts I've ever made this is the most enjoyable)

[foamyesque]

Of course, you realise... this means war.

[Stinkyhair]

I demand to see the rockets you're achieving these times with

[foamyesque]

1:38. Your move, Fool!

I demand to see the rockets you're achieving these times with

Fair enough.

Any questions?

[Salda007]

Fair enough.

Any questions?

...

I'm gonna need more boosters...

[DoctorEvo]

Any questions?

Yeah. Are you man enough to wrestle it into orbit in 2:00 flat? (Judging by your screencap, it should be capable).

[Stinkyhair]

Any questions?

Yeah, how come it doesn't just overheat and explode on blastoff?

[foamyesque]

Yeah, how come it doesn't just overheat and explode on blastoff?

Struts.

[foamyesque]

1:36

[Fool]

Hmm,

you go away for a couple of days and someone takes four seconds out of you record.

I've got some assembling to do....

oh and

Struts.

also, going really fast helps to dissipate the heat.

[Stinkyhair]

A stack of liquid fuel tanks with tricoupler mounted engines gives a greater thrust to weight ratio than boosters, but so far I've been unable to find a way to make such rockets stable. They always pitch down and start spinning out of control when you approach max q.

[foamyesque]

A stack of liquid fuel tanks with tricoupler mounted engines gives a greater thrust to weight ratio than boosters, but so far I've been unable to find a way to make such rockets stable. They always pitch down and start spinning out of control when you approach max q.

TWR of a full SFB is ~7.3; TWR of a LFE plus 1/3 of a tricoupler plus 1/3 of a LFT is ~6.4, and would burn for less time, and requires more infrastructure to set up.