Kerbal Dynamics: The Kessel Run

[ihtoit]

Inspired by a few comments about the greatest feat ever accomplished in a Correlian tramp freighter.

The Challenge:

Achieve an encounter (fly through the SOI) with every major body in the Kerbolar system. FYI, that's Moho, Eve, Kerbin, Duna, Dres, Jool, and Eeloo.

Do it with just ONE crewed craft.

Do it either in order of increasing orbit from Kerbol (innermost to outermost), or in decreasing order of orbit (outermost to innermost).

Make as many refuelling stops as you want, but your refuelling pods must be on station prior to launching your challenge craft.

Land safely back on Kerbin or dock with a station in orbit of the planet.

Do the entire challenge in twelve Kerbin years MET on the challenge craft.

The Rules:

Fuel pods must be on rails. No manoeuvering of them once they're on station. Docking manoeuvres must be performed solely by the challenge craft.

No OP engines. Use your own judgement and try not to cheat the challenge by using quantum vacuum thrust or warp drive. In fact, QVT and warp drive are the only methods prohibited. There ya go.

All other parts and mods are valid.

No Hyperedit* or infinite anything.

*You may Hyperedit the fuel pods into place *before* launching your challenge craft, but once you do launch that ship, no more Hyperedit!

**ESCAPE CLAUSE: Running out of fuel mid-burn isn't necessarily a run-ender. You MAY launch a CREWED fuel pod to rendezvous with your challenge craft and refuel it. HOWEVER, the clock does NOT stop and you are NOT allowed to launch your crewed fuel pod in anticipation of running out of fuel to beat the Fuel Stop penalty. And your crewed fuel pod MUST return to Kerbin.

No unbreakable joints, part welding or any of that malarky.

You have 12 years to complete the challenge. On the tick of 12 Kerbin years, your attempt is over.

Scoring:

Each year MET elapsed: -1

Each refuelling stop: -1

Each verified encounter: +2

Safe landing on Kerbin: +2

Docked in Kerbin orbit: +1

Did it in increasing order: +3

Did it in decreasing order: +5

SURPRISE BONUS: Drop a probe into low orbit of each body: +2 each

SURPRISE BONUS: Soft land a probe on any body in each planetary system: +3 each

Other points additions TBD by discussion.

Badge:

 

(Challenger's Note: I've done a swan dive from Kerbin orbit to the surface of the Sun, it took 27.8 game-days. I do not consider this challenge impossible. Just really, really tricky.)

Note: Using the following map, I've napkinned the total dV requirement using orbital transfers (not overburning or using slingshots) at around 27km/s. Aside from getting into Kerbin orbit, I believe this *is* possible using ion drive (but I'm not brave enough to test this theory). It's certainly possible using nuclear engines in the transfer burns (plus the fact that the LF tanks are lighter than the LFO ones, kinda makes it a no-brainer as far as reaction mass efficiency goes). The Luvodicus Super Atomic engines and the Poseidon's Revenge, even though they both use oxidiser, would ace this challenge on just eight FL-T800 tanks. If only I could get them working in 1.x.

Leaderboard:

1. Nefrums in his stock "Falcon": 4Y 61D and some amazing manoeuvering (orbital capture!) for a score of 13.

Edited January 28, 2016 by ihtoit

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Drop tanks and an SSTO, hmmm

Also, 12 years?ge the challenge is hard enugh, maybe put that on a "Frenzy" level?

[adsii1970]

Can I just submit a design for the badge? If you click the links below, you can see some examples of my artwork...

 

[ihtoit]

42 minutes ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

Drop tanks and an SSTO, hmmm

Also, 12 years?ge the challenge is hard enugh, maybe put that on a "Frenzy" level?

This is why I decided on an aggregate score. If you take 26 years outward and visit every SOI, fail to dock or land, don't refuel and don't deploy any probes, you'll score exactly 3. If you take 12 years, you'll score 17. If you take 8, you'll score 20. Or something. It's nearly 2am and my brain's just gone to sleep.

17 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

Can I just submit a design for the badge? If you click the links below, you can see some examples of my artwork...

 

sure thing

Edited January 11, 2016 by ihtoit

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Should there be a bonus for landing somewhere, depending where?

 

Also, can we take the tanks with us? Pull them along until they dry?

[ihtoit]

1 hour ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

Should there be a bonus for landing somewhere, depending where?

 

Also, can we take the tanks with us? Pull them along until they dry?

1. There are bonuses for soft-landing probes, but since the challenge is for a mere flyby I don't think it'll be such a smart idea to land a crew anywhere.

2. no, once they're on station they're on rails: you can dock with them and drain them, but actively shifting their orbits off station is a no. Aside from the Pendulum effect of transferring fuel, of course (Manley did a video where he moved fuel from one end of a spindle to the other and moved the structure from orbit to a Munar lithobrake without firing a single engine).

Edited January 11, 2016 by ihtoit

[Hexlord]

Can I ask why we get a point for docking in kerbin orbit? Kinda forces me to split my ship in 2, rather than doing it in a single launch (since I plan on doing the entire thing without refueling)

[Nefrums]

This sound like a fun and hard challenge. I have some questions:

1. Do we start from kerbin?   Launchpad or LKO?
2. Is a Kerbin encounter required between eve and duna encounters?
3. Are we allowed to use hyper edit to place space stations in various orbits before the run?
4. Do the ship have to return to kerbin (within the 12 years time) after visiting all planets?

Edited January 11, 2016 by Nefrums

[Nefrums]

I'v started a attempt of this,  It is defiantly doable in 8-9 years, with a couple of refuels.

But I think I picked a bad launch window.  Kerbin->Eeloo->Jool  was done in well under 2 years, (with a refuel at Eeloo)  but I got crappy transfers to Dres and Duna.

I have put stations in low orbits around most planets beforehand, to be able to refuel as needed, I hope this is allowed.

 

[ihtoit]

On 1/11/2016 at 9:22 AM, Hexlord said:

Can I ask why we get a point for docking in kerbin orbit? Kinda forces me to split my ship in 2, rather than doing it in a single launch (since I plan on doing the entire thing without refueling)

it's an alternative for actually soft-landing your craft on Kerbin.

On 1/11/2016 at 10:22 AM, Nefrums said:

This sound like a fun and hard challenge. I have some questions:

1. Do we start from kerbin?   Launchpad or LKO?
2. Is a Kerbin encounter required between eve and duna encounters?
3. Are we allowed to use hyper edit to place space stations in various orbits before the run?
4. Do the ship have to return to kerbin (within the 12 years time) after visiting all planets?

1. MET for the challenge begins at liftoff, ergo launchpad.

2. Yes.

3. Yes. Placing them after the run has started is however prohibited. IF you run out of fuel mid-burn for Duna, tough noogies. Actually, refer to the rules (just about to update) for an escape clause.

4. Yes.

[ihtoit]

20 hours ago, Nefrums said:

I'v started a attempt of this,  It is defiantly doable in 8-9 years, with a couple of refuels.

But I think I picked a bad launch window.  Kerbin->Eeloo->Jool  was done in well under 2 years, (with a refuel at Eeloo)  but I got crappy transfers to Dres and Duna.

I have put stations in low orbits around most planets beforehand, to be able to refuel as needed, I hope this is allowed.

 

it is, in fact it's encouraged as encounters can do weird things to trajectories and completely wreck fuel plans.  Just as long as you can manoeuvre to intercept the station rather than move the station to meet the ship (which is specifically not allowed).

Edited January 13, 2016 by ihtoit

[Nefrums]

This challenge is lots of fun.    You get to do stuff you normally don't do when you go for speed rather than efficiency, like:  

• Piloting 5 figure dV transfers.
• Powered gravity assists inside Jools atmosphere.
• Constantly being on an Kerbol escape trajectory

I found a better launch window with allowed for Kerbin->Eello->Jool->Dres->Duna  in less than one lap around Kerbol

Edited January 13, 2016 by Nefrums

[KerbMav]

I am so close to nitpicking on the title of this challenge, but I shut up and just smile.

Like the idea! Not sure if I will get to trying it, but a question nevertheless (might help others still), must the whole ship return or are drop tanks in order? Because drop tanks with engines = probes to land on planets.

[Nefrums]

Well the challenge could be to do the trip in lest than 12 of unit some of distance rather than a unit of time to more accurately reflect the inspiration source, but I guess that would be hard to measure.

And I see nothing in the rules that prevent staging.  But As the dV requirements are kind of large you are better of refueling, as even with staging it is hard to get enough dV.  I don't think cheep Hohmann transfers is enough to do this in time.

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2016 by Nefrums

[ihtoit]

part of the inspiration actually comes from my Kerbolar rescue I did a while ago. There was a bit of direct burning and a LOT fo coasting in that one. Not my most efficient mission, but almost certainly my most spectacular!

7 hours ago, KerbMav said:

I am so close to nitpicking on the title of this challenge, but I shut up and just smile.

Like the idea! Not sure if I will get to trying it, but a question nevertheless (might help others still), must the whole ship return or are drop tanks in order? Because drop tanks with engines = probes to land on planets.

I will say... use your own judgement on this one. My preference is to use a SSTO with dry LF tanks on the ascent, refuel in Kerbin orbit then use what I have (hopefully I'll be able to get the dV high enough to do the challenge without subsequent refuels). As for landing the thing back on Kerbin: a capsule escape system is always handy - stack separator and chutes for the win.

[Nefrums]

Here is my stock ship Falcon:

 

It completed the kessel run (decreasing order) in 4y 61d, stopping to refuel three times.

 

Complete album:

 

If I interpret the point system correctly this will score 13 points

year MET elapsed: -4

refueling stop: -3

verified encounters: +14

Docked in Kerbin orbit: +1

decreasing order: +5

Edit: Increased the brightness of some of the darker images in imgurs edit tool, gui got really bright thou.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Nefrums

[ihtoit]

that ship is TINY! Great run, and yes that scores 13.

(I think I've overengineered mine, it runs 336t fuelled!)

[Nefrums]

Yeah you don't need to have a big ship go get good fuel fraction.  mine is about 70% fuel when fully fueled, witch gives it 9450 m/s dV.  I then added another stage with better twr to make the first Kerbin exit burn in a better way and save about 100 days flight time to Eeloo.

I made it small to be able to do burns with 4x physics warp without to much wobbling.

The 7.9 km/s dV capture bun at Eeloo is by far the biggest single burn I ever made in KSP.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by Nefrums

[Araym]

The Force is Strong in this thread!

Spoiler

A badge is needed!!!

- free to use -

[ihtoit]

3 hours ago, Araym said:

The Force is Strong in this thread!

  Reveal hidden contents

A badge is needed!!!

- free to use -

I so agree. Nefrums, can you post your interception plots? That might make for an interesting montage... maybe even as the prototype for a Grand Tour Badge to beat them all!

[EDIT] NM, I got them from your album...

[EDIT EDIT] Abstract from some random orbit map I got from thar interweb and three minutes with Paint, using your plots:

Edited January 15, 2016 by ihtoit

[Musil]

Going ro try this one tomorrow. 

[Musil]

Ok, so I did some experiments today. After messing around with ions for a while, I decided that Nefrums' design is probably the best posible one. The only improvement that I can think of is moaaare fuel, to reduce the number of refuelings stops. That seems completely unoriginal, but the only alternative I can think of is building some colosal behemoth with very low TWR, and it does get very boring to fly those. Maybe, I am yet undecided. 

But that's not really what I tried. I wanted to see if I could go low first, very close to the sun, and accelerate to Eeloo at Ph. To my amazement, it works! I got a Ph of about 500.000 Mm, getting there in 85 days, sling to Eeloo for about 4k dv. My test overheated so close to the sun, of course, so that was that, but the idea was fine. The real problem is that it does not really get me there any faster than what Nefrums managed: it was bellow 2 years, but many more days, and the burn at Eeloo to get to Jool was immense. Also, I think my Jool encounter would have been much later than Nefrums'. So it seems I will have to discard that concept.

As for the departure date, even my attempt with a completely different path was close to Nefrums', so I guess if you go Kerbin-Eeloo without the sun aproach, around year 6 is the best possible one. 

More experiments will follow, I am sure. Meanwhile, congratulations to Nefrums for a really nice mission. 

 

[ihtoit]

I'll tell you, I really was not expecting anyone to get much below 9-10y with the way the orbits run, 4.something years is something spectacular. Can I ask, though, Nefrums, what was the Kerbin date of launch? Y1D1?

[ihtoit]

On 1/11/2016 at 7:05 AM, ihtoit said:

1. There are bonuses for soft-landing probes, but since the challenge is for a mere flyby I don't think it'll be such a smart idea to land a crew anywhere.

 

I will slightly disqualify this in that the physics for the BBC drama-documentary "Space Odyssey" were sort of cheated I think to allow crewed landings during the encounters. I wonder if anyone can keep to time constraints and land single-use crew landers (as in they get used once and that's it, docked and deactivated afterward) to put down 1-3 crew on suitable solid bodies (I'd say at least one in each planetary SOI) *and* recover them before moving on?

[Musil]

@ihtoit he launched on y6 d331, sais so in the album. A good date for Eeloo->Jool,  but I fiscovered that around y8 you can go to Eeloo in 230 days... For an awfull lot of dV,  in a Kerbol escape trajectory.  And later changin path to Jool is another 6k. But very very fast.  Already did that,  but still have to complete the challenge,  next week. 

Edited January 24, 2016 by Musil