Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System Challenge

[War Eagle 1]

For years militaries have used cargo craft to airdrop vehicles and supplies to their forces.

Now in KSP we finally can recreate this.

For this challenge you will create a cargo craft and rover designed to be airdropped from low altitudes by said cargo craft.

Rules.

1. Make a cargo craft. Mods allowed but MK3 cargo bay and ramp are needed.

2. Make a rover that can fit into the cargo bay and get out via cargo ramp. Mods allowed but wheels must me stock (kerbal foundaries wheels are too powerful)

3. Fly the cargo craft to the island runway and drop the rover out the back.

4. Land the cargo craft.

5. Reload the rover into the cargo craft.

6. Fly back to KSC and unload the rover.

7. Pics (or video) or it didn't happen

These rules are what must be completed to have the challenge completed

How to win.

To win you add up the total weight of the cargo before airdrop. For example, in my take, my airdrop rover weighted up to 10.2 tons. Round to the nearest whole number, so for me it will be 10 tons.

For multiple vehicles add the total number of tons for pre drop rover and add that to .5 times the total weight of one rover.

For example I had two rovers in my turn so thats 20 tons then when i add 10x.5=5 so my total point range is 25 points.

After the drop the vehicle that returns to the cargo aircraft can weigh no less than 2 tons its original weight.

So because my rover weighted 10 tons pre drop then i ditched its airdrop sled it weighted 8.32 rounded to 8 tons.

Apon return to KSC the rover(s) must still be drivable.

Example:

My attempt

Javascript is disabled. View full album

NOTE* you do not have to do an actual LAPES you just have to air drop it. I needed a name for the challenge and thats what I choose

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Current Standings

1. War Eagle 1: 25 points

2. zolotiyeruki: 13 points

Edited November 17, 2015 by War Eagle 1

[War Eagle 1]

Is anyone going to try this challenge?

[Darren9]

Since you asked, I clicked in after reading the title yesterday expecting to enter and couldn't. For me personally these things are better suited to a modded game. I've got one I did back in 0.2-something and I would of tried making an even better one but not without Real-Chute, some better wheels/skids, a procedural wing and a few other bits. I fully understand some people only play stock, but in a challenge all you have to do is add a second category below the stock one and you've increased the chance of entries.

[War Eagle 1]

Since you asked, I clicked in after reading the title yesterday expecting to enter and couldn't. For me personally these things are better suited to a modded game. I've got one I did back in 0.2-something and I would of tried making an even better one but not without Real-Chute, some better wheels/skids, a procedural wing and a few other bits. I fully understand some people only play stock, but in a challenge all you have to do is add a second category below the stock one and you've increased the chance of entries.

Well the idea is to keep over powered wheels for being used on the rovers to

But that said I ll at least make the plane and allow mods

[War Eagle 1]

rules slightly updated to allow for more availability

[Wanderfound]

Did you re-dock that rover to the cargo aircraft for the return trip, or can you get away with just having it sitting loose in the cargo bay these days?

[War Eagle 1]

[quote name='Wanderfound']Did you re-dock that rover to the cargo aircraft for the return trip, or can you get away with just having it sitting loose in the cargo bay these days?[/QUOTE]

I redocked.
If you can get them back without docking and they stay intact in the cargo bay then be my guest and more power to ya.

[zolotiyeruki]

I was working on this last night. I think it's definitely possible using stock parts, but it's not easy. I got everything perfect until I was on my way back to KSC. The load was loose in the cargo bay and shifted too far back, pulling my CoM behind my CoL. And when I loaded the quicksave, it broke some of the wheels on the rover (which was in the cargo bay when I quick saved). I'm going to try again tonight.

Part of the challenge is that if you have a heavy rover and you dock it in the cargo bay, it becomes part of the mothership, and its weight can make it hang down and clip through the fuselage. So I've been trying to return it to the KSC while sitting (unconnected) inside the cargo bay.

[BlueCanary]

I did this lots in 1.0.2, my record is dropping a full big red with wheels out of the back of a plane at 33m/s, which was scary to say the least. I'll update this with the album when I'm not on my phone, and I'll try to do a 1.0.5 entry too.

Edit: wait, in your example the payload is decending vertically under the chutes. I thought LAPES meant the load was dropped a couple of metres off the ground and the parachutes decelerated it as it slid across the ground, not when it was in the air? Edited November 16, 2015 by BlueCanary

[Wanderfound]

[quote name='zolotiyeruki']Part of the challenge is that if you have a heavy rover and you dock it in the cargo bay, it becomes part of the mothership, and its weight can make it hang down and clip through the fuselage. So I've been trying to return it to the KSC while sitting (unconnected) inside the cargo bay.[/QUOTE]

Alternately: docking port on the roof above the rover's CoM and landing legs (or aircraft gear, or RCS) to raise the rover to the port. Or a port on the floor and some way to compress the rover's suspension.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

I might give this a try, my TyloRacer 2 has a claw on it...

[War Eagle 1]

[quote name='BlueCanary']I did this lots in 1.0.2, my record is dropping a full big red with wheels out of the back of a plane at 33m/s, which was scary to say the least. I'll update this with the album when I'm not on my phone, and I'll try to do a 1.0.5 entry too.

Edit: wait, in your example the payload is decending vertically under the chutes. I thought LAPES meant the load was dropped a couple of metres off the ground and the parachutes decelerated it as it slid across the ground, not when it was in the air?[/QUOTE]

I just called it LAPES to give it a good challenge name. You don't have to do a true LAPES but don't be airdroping rovers from space either

[COLOR="silver"][SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote name='zolotiyeruki']I was working on this last night. I think it's definitely possible using stock parts, but it's not easy. I got everything perfect until I was on my way back to KSC. The load was loose in the cargo bay and shifted too far back, pulling my CoM behind my CoL. And when I loaded the quicksave, it broke some of the wheels on the rover (which was in the cargo bay when I quick saved). I'm going to try again tonight.

Part of the challenge is that if you have a heavy rover and you dock it in the cargo bay, it becomes part of the mothership, and its weight can make it hang down and clip through the fuselage. So I've been trying to return it to the KSC while sitting (unconnected) inside the cargo bay.[/QUOTE]

The way I did it was docking ports on the cargo bay and then having a docking port on the underside of the rover in the exact middle of the rover and having the rovers COM as close to the middle of the rover as possible. When done right the rover won't clip through

[BlueCanary]

[quote name='War Eagle 1']I just called it LAPES to give it a good challenge name. You don't have to do a true LAPES but don't be airdroping rovers from space either[/QUOTE]

Oh, I see. Anyway, I found the album from ages ago that shows a big red being delivered to the island runway:

[imgur]ng7lu[/imgur]

I have a craft all set to try repeating this for 1.0.5.

[zolotiyeruki]

[quote name='Wanderfound']Alternately: docking port on the roof above the rover's CoM and landing legs (or aircraft gear, or RCS) to raise the rover to the port. Or a port on the floor and some way to compress the rover's suspension.[/QUOTE]I tried that (putting a docking port above the middle), but I couldn't get it to dock back up. The way I eventually did it (see below) was to extend the rover's landing legs while in the bay, and that held it in place quite well on the way home.

Speaking of which:
[imgur]zpBbs[/imgur]

13 tons and change.

[War Eagle 1]

[quote name='zolotiyeruki']I tried that (putting a docking port above the middle), but I couldn't get it to dock back up. The way I eventually did it (see below) was to extend the rover's landing legs while in the bay, and that held it in place quite well on the way home.

Speaking of which:
[url]http://imgur.com/a/zpBbs[/url]

13 tons and change.[/QUOTE]

Not bad. I ll add your name to the front page when I get the chance

[Hodo]

[quote name='zolotiyeruki']I tried that (putting a docking port above the middle), but I couldn't get it to dock back up. The way I eventually did it (see below) was to extend the rover's landing legs while in the bay, and that held it in place quite well on the way home.

Speaking of which:
[url]http://imgur.com/a/zpBbs[/url]

13 tons and change.[/QUOTE]


I use the inline docking port, the one that extends from the body of the craft. You would be surprised at how well that thing works. I place it upside down and have it at the bottom of the rover, and the docking port in the cargobay on the floor. This gives it a place for it to dock to as it drives over it.

[zolotiyeruki]

[quote name='Hodo']I use the inline docking port, the one that extends from the body of the craft. You would be surprised at how well that thing works. I place it upside down and have it at the bottom of the rover, and the docking port in the cargobay on the floor. This gives it a place for it to dock to as it drives over it.[/QUOTE]Ooh, I hadn't considered that. That's a great idea!