Shuttle Challenge v3 - The 1.1.x STS thread [Stock and Mod Friendly][11.10.2016 - CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT]

[Alchemist]

OK, for STS-3 better use the updated version of the Hubble - I've fixed the port clipping. Also reduced thrust on the RCS of the MMUs to 20%.
All credit to @xoknight

[sdj64]

Here is my entry for STS-1 with an inline shuttle.  The Shuttle Chevalier: named for its nose mounted external tank, like a knight's lance (warranty void if jousting with 2 shuttles).  Nothing extraordinary in terms of payload capacity but incredibly easy to fly and land.  It has a capacity of 6 crew and a bit bigger cargo bay than a single CRG-100.

Mods: KER, Time Control, EVE.

Crew: Bill and Billy-Bobwig Kerman.

Takeoff weight without payload: 280 tons

Took the standard fuel pod into a 100 km orbit:  100000.3 x 99972.2 m

Note that the mission was done before I decided on the final name, ignore the name "upside shuttle" in the KER readout.

Edited June 18, 2016 by sdj64

[Alchemist]

Did this mission, even if it really didn't want to work today.

The craft kept yawing right on the runway and barely got of it.
HRO got to LKO with minimum fuel left in it. Buran also had rather tight fuel reserves for its mission.

The telescope... enough to say that I had to revert once because of it and fix it in the VAB. At least on the second time around it worked.

HRO somehow managed to bend the wings on landing. Again

Buran, compared to when I launched the telescope in 1.0.5, totally flew like a... smoothing iron (Утюг - that's how the pilots on Baikonur actually nicknamed its prototype, OK-GLI)

Video report coming soon

[Firemetal]

On 6/18/2016 at 2:55 PM, Alchemist said:

Did this mission, even if it really didn't want to work today.

The craft kept yawing right on the runway and barely got of it.
HRO got to LKO with minimum fuel left in it. Buran also had rather tight fuel reserves for its mission.

The telescope... enough to say that I had to revert once because of it and fix it in the VAB. At least on the second time around it worked.

HRO somehow managed to bend the wings on landing. Again

Buran, compared to when I launched the telescope in 1.0.5, totally flew like a... smoothing iron (Утюг - that's how the pilots on Baikonur actually nicknamed its prototype, OK-GLI)
 

Video report coming soon

Had the yaw problem when I was building SSTOs. Annoying. :/ Nice job.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Firemetal

[Jhawk1099]

On 6/15/2016 at 7:50 AM, Firemetal said:

Hmmm I'm having trouble flaring. I hold down the S key really hard but it just noses up to about -10 degrees. Anyone know a solution to this?

Vernor rcs engines?

 

[Firemetal]

1 minute ago, Jhawk1099 said:

Vernor rcs engines?

 

Don't worry m8. My shuttle was pretty uncontrollable at that point. And still is once the CoM moves forward. Vernor is a good idea though. Thanks!  

[Jhawk1099]

1 minute ago, Firemetal said:

Don't worry m8. My shuttle was pretty uncontrollable at that point. And still is once the CoM moves forward. Vernor is a good idea though. Thanks!  

de nada amigo

 

[Firemetal]

Quote

Vernor rcs engines?

By the way I put on place-anywhere docking ports and I find once I get to a low altitude, they make my craft quite unstable so I doubt vernor would do much good but I might try it at some point.

[Cipher_077]

18 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

 Without further ado I present to the world the Speeding Mullet 84t Ore Pod:

 

Well, when I was testing my shuttle I used an 84t payload and took it to an 82,000,000m orbit soooo.....

[Speeding Mullet]

16 hours ago, sdj64 said:

Here is my entry for STS-1 with an inline shuttle.  The Shuttle Chevalier: named for its nose mounted external tank, like a knight's lance (warranty void if jousting with 2 shuttles).  Nothing extraordinary in terms of payload capacity but incredibly easy to fly and land.  It has a capacity of 6 crew and a bit bigger cargo bay than a single CRG-100.

Mods: KER, Time Control, EVE.

Crew: Bill and Billy-Bobwig Kerman.

Takeoff weight without payload: 280 tons

Took the standard fuel pod into a 100 km orbit:  100000.3 x 99972.2 m

*Gallery Snip*

Note that the mission was done before I decided on the final name, ignore the name "upside shuttle" in the KER readout.

Welcome to the challenge, that's a very unusual shuttle you have there it's really innovative.  Did you take inspiration from anywhere for that one?  Also that's one hell of an ET separation mechanism!   Well done on the mission to deliver the 42t fuel pod to orbit!  I can't place you on the leaderboard as you aren't top 5 for the stock entries, but regardless you still get these two awesome badges.  Well done Shuttle Commander!  

 

12 hours ago, Alchemist said:

Video report coming soon

Look forward to this as always!
 

5 hours ago, Cipher_077 said:

Well, when I was testing my shuttle I used an 84t payload and took it to an 82,000,000m orbit soooo.....

Hmmmm.  Ok well you are going to be on the leader-board then lol.  I'll add the challenge anyway and if you guys are all just taking it to the edge of the soi and its appearing pointless I will withdraw the 84t payload or add a third pod bonus mission with a 500t dead weight or something

 

The OP is being updated now with the second bonus mission!

SM

[michal.don]

Hi there,

Kolumbia is back to ruin the new challenge from the start

With slight modification (read MOAR BOOSTERS!!) to the launch vehicle, I was able to put the heavy pod to a 83 000 x 83 000 orbit. I had to launch to a very low orbit and use a Munar gravity assist, and I got there with just enouch fuel to deorbit again.

I think this is the absolute border where I can push this shuttle without significantly rebuilding it, I landed with 28 m/s of Delta-V left. Maybe I could make the external tank bigger, but it's a beast as it is now.

Michal.don

[G'th]

I have a question for the challenger, regarding this:

Quote

A reusable winged Orbiter which carries kerbals and cargo to orbit and back and is capable of a horizontal landing. It should have OMS engine(s) for trajectory changes as well as an RCS system for maneuvering. It must be lifted into space by a Carrier Vehicle which either supplies fuel during to main engine(s) mounted on the Orbiter or lifts the Orbiter into space with its own engine(s) (or both!!).  Boosters may be attached radially on the Carrier Vehicle (no other attachment location is permitted) for additional thrust.

What about a pair of boosters that are technically attached to the Orbiter, but are essentially carrying it given that they are the main engines for the entire stack? My shuttle below is essentially a Buran-style shuttle without the large tank, with the Orbiter "attached" to the boosters. Given how odd my Shuttle is compared to other concepts, it kind of breaks the idea of a "Carrier Vehicle", as in reality its being carried by two of them, who in turn can only be best described as boosters. 

TL;DR the semantics here is technically breaking my ability to meet this challenge

 

[Speeding Mullet]

On 6/18/2016 at 11:32 PM, Alchemist said:

OK, for STS-3 better use the updated version of the Hubble - I've fixed the port clipping. Also reduced thrust on the RCS of the MMUs to 20%.
All credit to @xoknight

Thanks very much indeed for doing this!  Due to your consistent patronage of the challenge including developing a number of capable shuttles, providing quality assistance to others, and most recently updating the HST sub-assembly I would like to present you with the STS Engineers badge   

 

On 6/20/2016 at 2:56 AM, michal.don said:

Kolumbia is back to ruin the new challenge from the start

Oh my, ok I'm going to think about this second payload challenge.  Can you check your PM's please!

 

On 6/20/2016 at 5:34 PM, G'th said:

I have a question for the challenger, regarding this:

Wow that's a seriously beautiful shuttle you have going on there!  Welcome to the challenge.  I think this came up a page or few ago as a ruling, let me just go dig out the post.  Ah yes here it is:

 

On 6/15/2016 at 6:54 AM, CheckYoStaging said:

I'm gonna make sure that this craft qualifies as a shuttle before I attempt an actual mission.  Its a bit funky, with two fuselages and the boosters doing double duty as external tanks.  It also turned out to be an SSTO.  It has plenty of cargo space, though, and lands on a runway.

http://i.imgur.com/pO1qc9i.png

http://i.imgur.com/vwJyDGt.png

Hmmmmm, very very good question.  OK I got this.  The answer is no and for one reason only.  Your shuttle is lifted into space by carrier vehicles rather than a singular carrier vehicle. If you have a look at this shuttle designed by @robertlong13 you will see a very very similar design to yours, but with one critical difference - The shuttle is attached to a single carrier vehicle rather than two separate drop tanks.

Small re-design should see you on your way from here by the looks of it!  Let me know if you have any more questions...

 

I'm actually really torn on this ruling as it does limit diversity in carrier vehicles slightly, but I'm going to stick with my guns on this as a ruling has been previously made and it would mean unpicking quite a major rule.  Your shuttle uses carrier vehicles rather than a single carrier vehicle and so doesn't meet the requirements for the challenge unfortunately.  It sounds like a technicality but when you look closely and compare CheckYoStaging and your shuttles with Robertlong13's you will see the difference between Carrier vehicle and Carrier vehicles.

Hope that helps!  I don't think it would take much at all for you to alter your carrier vehicles to decouple as one single object, qualifying you for the challenge!

EDIT:  THIS RULING IS NO LONGER VALID.  PLEASE SEE THIS POST FOR MORE INFO, AND THE OP FOR THE MOST RECENT RULES.

SM

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by Speeding Mullet

[Speeding Mullet]

On 6/20/2016 at 2:56 AM, michal.don said:

Hi there,

Kolumbia is back to ruin the new challenge from the start

With slight modification (read MOAR BOOSTERS!!) to the launch vehicle, I was able to put the heavy pod to a 83 000 x 83 000 orbit. I had to launch to a very low orbit and use a Munar gravity assist, and I got there with just enouch fuel to deorbit again.

*Gallery Snip*

I think this is the absolute border where I can push this shuttle without significantly rebuilding it, I landed with 28 m/s of Delta-V left. Maybe I could make the external tank bigger, but it's a beast as it is now.

Michal.don

Right haha yourself and @Cipher_077 have basically shot the 84t ore pod to limits of the challenge straight away so this has forced me into a position where I needed to re-think things a little.  For everyone else:  As top of the respective leader-boards for the fuel pod challenge both stock and modded I commissioned these two "Shuttle tonnage to orbit" masters to perform some secret testing for me.  I am as a result very happy to present the now de-classified Speeding Mullet 168t Ore Pod:

I've updated the OP and the challenge is now open.  I suspect (I also hope) that it will possibly be a while before the fuel pod is taken anywhere near the upper limits of the challenge.  Please prove me wrong and force me to build a 336t Ore Pod!!

 

23 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

EDIT:  THIS RULING IS PENDING REVIEW AND MAY CHANGE SHORTLY

After much looking back through the threads and reviewing previous judgments, working out valid loop holes and consulting with various people, as well as looking at shuttle design both historic and future I have decided to over-rule my ruling.  @G'th thanks for your input, and @CheckYoStaging this judgement also affects your potential shuttle (and anyone else that had read this judgement that had planned a similar shuttle).  I am going to update the Shuttle Definition in the OP to accommodate a wider and more inclusive interpretation of the requirements of making a challenge entry.  The main thing that swayed me in the end was one of my own Shuttle replica's the JSC Shuttle IIc.  Clearly a shuttle by any definition, but clearly not allowed under the (old) rules of this challenge.  The new definition will be as follows:

Official definition of a shuttle for this challenge:

A "reusable" winged Orbiter which carries Kerbals and cargo to orbit and back and is capable of a horizontal landing. It should have OMS engine(s) for trajectory changes as well as an RCS system for maneuvering.  The Orbiter must be lifted into space by a Launch System that decouples or un-docks once expended, allowing the Orbiter to land entirely under it's own power.

If anyone feels that this rule re-write is not to the benefit of the challenge and/or is not clear enough then feel free to PM me.  I always went into this 3rd gen challenge with the intentions of expanding it and making it more inclusive so I think the above new definition will help with that, but still rules out SSTO entries (there are plenty of SSTO challenges). I will pick back through this thread and add notes that the ruling has changed to relevant posts.

 

SM

[Alchemist]

Launch vehicle: HRO-N
Obiter: Buran
Payload: Hubble

 

There may be another thing I want to try with these two spaceplanes... Well, it's probably not that difficult to guess what exactly, especially since HRO already proved itself with something even crazier...

 

On 20.06.2016 at 10:55 AM, Speeding Mullet said:

Thanks very much indeed for doing this!  Due to your consistent patronage of the challenge including developing a number of capable shuttles, providing quality assistance to others, and most recently updating the HST sub-assembly I would like to present you with the STS Engineers badge   

Thanks! I really like this payload since it gives a reason to have a crew with you. And I totally enjoy orbital assembly.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

I'll just leave this here:

Details:

Has RCS (Check)

Has OMS engine (Check)

Wings (Check)

Horizontal Landing (Check)

Payload (Unsure, look at vid for payload scheme)

90% reusable? Check!

Mods? (The ones I actually USED)
MechJeb.
EVE
Chatterer

Other mods installed not used tho.

*Determination.
 

[Paranoid Shark]

Hey Guys,

Here is my take on STS-2. One of my ComSats failed due to bad staging (pressed space once too many times!) Good think I brought 6!

4 of the ComSats were put into Geostationary orbit, the last was left in a 350 x 350 orbit for when Dang It! eventually strikes.

Mods used that affected the design/performance of my shuttle:

Mechjeb

Kerbal Engineer

Better Burn Time

RCS Balancer

Dang It!

Shuttle Lifting Body (Body, Nose, OMS System)

Fuel Tanks Plus (External Tank)

Space Y (SRB's)

Tweakscale (WIngs)

Stage Recovery (SRB Recovery)

RemoteTech (ComSats)

 

[Speeding Mullet]

On 6/23/2016 at 6:40 AM, Alchemist said:

Launch vehicle: HRO-N
Obiter: Buran
Payload: Hubble

*Video Snip*

There may be another thing I want to try with these two spaceplanes... Well, it's probably not that difficult to guess what exactly, especially since HRO already proved itself with something even crazier...

Thanks! I really like this payload since it gives a reason to have a crew with you. And I totally enjoy orbital assembly.

You've definitely got something on your HRO that is pulling you right haven't you?  I also noticed it when you landed  and applied your brakes.  Could be something to do with your right wing gear, as it does appear not to deflect to the under load position when you hit the ground.  Anyway another awesome mission and thanks once again for re-working the HST sub-assembly.  That was one hairy takeoff I thought you were looking at an F9 right there!

Have another badge good Sir! 

I take it you will be attempting the 168t fuel pod to the edge of the universe?!

 

On 6/23/2016 at 10:48 AM, SpaceplaneAddict said:

I'll just leave this here:

*Video Snip*

Details:

Has RCS (Check)

Has OMS engine (Check)

Wings (Check)

Horizontal Landing (Check)

Payload (Unsure, look at vid for payload scheme)

90% reusable? Check!

Mods? (The ones I actually USED)
MechJeb.
EVE
Chatterer

Other mods installed not used tho.

*Determination.
 

Awesome, another video to watch with my home from work cup of tea.  Loved the feeling of this video - nicely made and funny to watch, possibly because of the addition of the frenetic music!  I was I'll admit ready to throw the law down on your lack of cargo bay, but in the spirit of a) this being awesome and b) getting over myself I am delighted to be able to award you the STS Pilot - Rank 1.   I've awarded you this badge mostly because despite the lack of cargo bay you still delivered a couple of micro cubesats to space which is commendable, and you also had a land-able first stage, making for a truly re-usable shuttle system.  Also I'd like to see you become SpaceshuttleAddict

 

8 hours ago, Paranoid Shark said:

Hey Guys,

Here is my take on STS-2. One of my ComSats failed due to bad staging (pressed space once too many times!) Good think I brought 6!

4 of the ComSats were put into Geostationary orbit, the last was left in a 350 x 350 orbit for when Dang It! eventually strikes.

Mods used that affected the design/performance of my shuttle:

Mechjeb

Kerbal Engineer

Better Burn Time

RCS Balancer

Dang It!

Shuttle Lifting Body (Body, Nose, OMS System)

Fuel Tanks Plus (External Tank)

Space Y (SRB's)

Tweakscale (WIngs)

Stage Recovery (SRB Recovery)

RemoteTech (ComSats)

*Gallery Snip*

Good to see you back with another challenge entry @Paranoid Shark.  Looks like a nice tidy mission boosting your RT Comsats to geostationary orbits.  One question - What if the one at 350km fails .

Seriously though this is more proof of concept of your well designed shuttle and you can wear your badge with pride.  Here it is!  

Looks like you have quite a lot of things floating up there along with your comsats.  What else is going on in the space program and does your shuttle get used regularly outside of this challenge to launch tonnage?

 

SM

 

 

[Alchemist]

17 minutes ago, Speeding Mullet said:

 I also noticed it when you landed  and applied your brakes.  Could be something to do with your right wing gear, as it does appear not to deflect to the under load position when you hit the ground.

It's the second time I've got the bent wings effect (first time was when landing the asteroid). Looks like the gear bays managed to clip through other sections of the wings.

21 minutes ago, Speeding Mullet said:

That was one hairy takeoff I thought you were looking at an F9 right there!

Yeah, should have engaged the main engines slightly earlier - then it takes off without such a dangerous drop. But jumping off the end of the runway is kinda standard procedure for something this heavy - attempts to pull up in the middle of the runway with such weight have risk of the gear glitching into the surface.

To be honest, I still consider myself not very good at spaceplanes. But HRO turned to be a very good multifunctional airframe.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

1 hour ago, Speeding Mullet said:

Awesome, another video to watch with my home from work cup of tea.  Loved the feeling of this video - nicely made and funny to watch, possibly because of the addition of the frenetic music!  I was I'll admit ready to throw the law down on your lack of cargo bay, but in the spirit of a) this being awesome and b) getting over myself I am delighted to be able to award you the STS Pilot - Rank 1.   I've awarded you this badge mostly because despite the lack of cargo bay you still delivered a couple of micro cubesats to space which is commendable, and you also had a land-able first stage, making for a truly re-usable shuttle system.  Also I'd like to see you become SpaceshuttleAddict

Aw, shucks! Thanks Mullet!

Also, in retrospect, I probably should've used Mk2 posts, seeing as they have cargo bays but, oh well. I really just thought "it says payload. Didn't say where" so I slapped then onto the top of the first stage. Really, the mission can be nearly 95% reusable, if you land both the shuttle, and the first stage at the KSC. But you won't be recovering the CubeSats, nor the fuel. Anyway, let's go deploy those ComSats, eh? 

*Determination.

[Paranoid Shark]

2 hours ago, Speeding Mullet said:

Good to see you back with another challenge entry @Paranoid Shark.  Looks like a nice tidy mission boosting your RT Comsats to geostationary orbits.  One question - What if the one at 350km fails .

Seriously though this is more proof of concept of your well designed shuttle and you can wear your badge with pride.  Here it is!  

Looks like you have quite a lot of things floating up there along with your comsats.  What else is going on in the space program and does your shuttle get used regularly outside of this challenge to launch tonnage?

 

SM

 

 

Hey,

Since designing my shuttle, I have tried to fit everything I can in a MK3 bay. So far it's launches have been,

• A ScanSat for Kerbin, Mun & Minmus. (3 satellites in one launch) This was a real challenge for me, I launched the Mun & Minmus ones from a polar Kerbin orbit, as I didn't have enough Dv to do the plane change. The payload at the moment needs ScanSat, Dmagic & Universal Storage, but I could clean them up so it could be done with just ScanSat if you are interested in another challenge! 
• 2x Manned Munar Landers & Transfer Stages. I'm in the process of redesigning this one so it will be stock and capable of landing on the Mun and Minmus in one mission to fulfill my first Grand Tour contract.
• 2x RT ComSat's for Moho, Eve & Duna (Needed cash and they were easy contracts, I don't plan on going there any time soon) 
• A 2nd Inigma fuel pod.
• A Minmus Biome Hopper that can also leave Kerbin's SOI (need to get Jeb his 3rd Star) This one isn't re-entry capable as it was designed to be reused. When it finally gets back to LKO it will dock with the fuel pod and they will transfer to something to come back home.

As for if (when) the 350x350 one fails, the package of 4 new ComSats fits in 1/3 of a cargo bay!

 

Kit

Edited June 24, 2016 by Paranoid Shark

[sdj64]

On 6/19/2016 at 3:20 AM, Speeding Mullet said:

Welcome to the challenge, that's a very unusual shuttle you have there it's really innovative.  Did you take inspiration from anywhere for that one?  Also that's one hell of an ET separation mechanism!   Well done on the mission to deliver the 42t fuel pod to orbit!  I can't place you on the leaderboard as you aren't top 5 for the stock entries, but regardless you still get these two awesome badges.  Well done Shuttle Commander!  

Thanks!  I wanted to make something really different.  The inspiration is sort of a mashup of ideas.  I do remember another shuttle with a nose mounted tank from many versions ago, but I can't find it anymore.  I wanted to make a practical way of keeping the center of mass balanced.  I also tried earlier a "bobsled shuttle", I put a picture of it in the album.  I can picture the design discussion:

Jeb: Let's put a heatshield on the front...

Bob: Wow Jeb, a safety idea from you?

Jeb: ...so the shuttle doesn't explode when we do this.

 

Also STS-2 has been completed.  There were drag issues with the "cage" of wings that the comsats come in not being recognized as inside the cargo bay, so they were launched without it.  Probably related to those drag issues, there were instability problems coming back and the crew had to keep a fair amount of fuel in the forward tank, overshooting KSC and ditching the shuttle in the water.  No commander badge this time but the crew and the shuttle did survive.  Future shuttles will have the wings moved back to improve stability.  

Now using KSPRC for visual awesomeness.

 

[Speeding Mullet]

23 hours ago, sdj64 said:

Thanks!  I wanted to make something really different.  The inspiration is sort of a mashup of ideas.  I do remember another shuttle with a nose mounted tank from many versions ago, but I can't find it anymore.  I wanted to make a practical way of keeping the center of mass balanced.  I also tried earlier a "bobsled shuttle", I put a picture of it in the album.  I can picture the design discussion:

Jeb: Let's put a heatshield on the front...

Bob: Wow Jeb, a safety idea from you?

Jeb: ...so the shuttle doesn't explode when we do this.

 

Also STS-2 has been completed.  There were drag issues with the "cage" of wings that the comsats come in not being recognized as inside the cargo bay, so they were launched without it.  Probably related to those drag issues, there were instability problems coming back and the crew had to keep a fair amount of fuel in the forward tank, overshooting KSC and ditching the shuttle in the water.  No commander badge this time but the crew and the shuttle did survive.  Future shuttles will have the wings moved back to improve stability.  

Now using KSPRC for visual awesomeness.

*Gallery Snip*

Yep that'll do it!  Here's your badge:  

I had a look back through and can't find it either, it's an interesting shuttle and obviously proving itself capable.  The bobsled concept looks awesome, are you going to develop it further?  Nice visuals provided by KSPRC there!

 

SM

[Paranoid Shark]

Hey,

Here is STS-3, I really liked the MMU's. I attached the panels to the MMU's so it was one less docking to do, and they seemed to fit in the bay perfectly that way. Landing on the runway was interesting, re-entries from inclined orbits are definitely harder!

Mods used that affected the design/performance of my shuttle:

Mechjeb

Kerbal Engineer

Better Burn Time

RCS Balancer

Dang It!

Shuttle Lifting Body (Body, Nose, OMS System)

Fuel Tanks Plus (External Tank)

Space Y (SRB's)

Tweakscale (WIngs)

Stage Recovery (SRB Recovery)

RemoteTech

 

Atlantis is already back in orbit for STS-4, I don't really want to retire her though! I deliberately misaligned the sepratron nosecones so I got a wing strike upon separation, but unfortunately the wing just wouldn't fall off however hard I hit it.... Finally on the 5th launch Dang It! supplied a stuck port aileron. 

I may try adding a probe core so I can do a remote piloted shuttle rescue after I have EVA'd the crew over to the rescue shuttle. I'll have to install KIS/KAS to remove both ailerons before I deorbit it, otherwise it will still spin just because of the extra lift on that wing.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Paranoid Shark

[Speeding Mullet]

7 hours ago, Paranoid Shark said:

Hey,

Here is STS-3, I really liked the MMU's. I attached the panels to the MMU's so it was one less docking to do, and they seemed to fit in the bay perfectly that way. Landing on the runway was interesting, re-entries from inclined orbits are definitely harder!

*Post Snip*

Atlantis is already back in orbit for STS-4, I don't really want to retire her though! I deliberately misaligned the sepratron nosecones so I got a wing strike upon separation, but unfortunately the wing just wouldn't fall off however hard I hit it.... Finally on the 5th launch Dang It! supplied a stuck port aileron. 

I may try adding a probe core so I can do a remote piloted shuttle rescue after I have EVA'd the crew over to the rescue shuttle. I'll have to install KIS/KAS to remove both ailerons before I deorbit it, otherwise it will still spin just because of the extra lift on that wing.

Well done on rearranging the HST package to fit in the cargo bay, it's a great solution to attach them to the MMU's!  Re-entries from inclined orbits are definitely more challenging, but even more satisfying when you manage it.  I think the first inclined re-entry I did caused a whole design review of my Buran shuttle!

Now I'm going to have to be picky here - I can only award you the pilots badge as you haven't met the orbit requirements for the commander badge.  Your inclination is over 30 degrees.  Still a very impressive mission though so well done!

 

SM