Splashdown! Biggest/best water landings!

[Markus Reese]

It was a day that will live in the memories of all kerbal kind, a potential disaster began to unfold on the first orbital test flight of the Minimun 2 X-prize space plane. A calculation error resulted in all fuel being consumed just prior to acheiving orbit. With no burn fuel, the ship began an uncontrollable glide decent back to Kearth, right into the center of the Karcific Ocean. :-X

Kerbals young and old watched as brave commander Gregger Kerman glided the experimental craft in an attempt to perform a never thought possible water landing. Without any experience or training, the crew had only instinct to rely upon. At the last moment, all RCS rockets fired in a lift and braking maneuver while Gregger flared up in an attempt to stall forward speed and decent.

The plane struck hard in a firey collision as the outer orbital rockets broke free and residual fuel detonated. The rear tail immediately snapped off with collision with the water and the landing gears sheared away. Engine turbines shattered. The front came down with enough force to shatter the nose. But the crew was alive, shaken but okay. The design of the plane, remained water tight and boyant with the now empty fuel tanks.

The following image was taken by the rescue helicopter. We can see the crew is calm and relaxed through the onboard camera. Desiring further studies into the possible necessities of further water landings, the KSA challenges designers to come up with and perform crafts capable of saving the crew in the event of a water landing.

Guidlines and rules.

1. Default components and unmodded gameplay only. Sorry, but that means no mechjeb too.

2. Ship must be able to acheive orbit.

3. Successful water landing of orbital stage. This means all boosters required to acheive final orbit, IE stuff that would be jettisoned once in orbit.

4. Three screenshots. Pre-launch, orbit, and water landed.

Following scorings:

1: First to water land

2: Largest water landed vehicle

3: Style points; /10 points for each category

a) Threading the Needle - Smaller body of water, the better.

Land Ho! - Being as far away from land as possible for landed water body

c) Tonka Tough - How intact ship is after landing

[Tim_Barrett]

Damn, I had something that qualified for 2, 3, and 4, but has mods!

[Markus Reese]

The only reason for the no mods, is not sure what all is out there, cannot make it too easy