[Stock] Government Cuts

[Crocket]

The Government has been keeping an eye on the Space Program's ludicrous spending lately and has decided to cut their funding! They now give them these limitations (ie. the challenge rules):

1. If reusable craft are present, no new craft may be manufactured. If not, one new craft void of fuel may be manufactured.
2. All craft will use fuel from one (1) Government provided Kerbodyne S3-14400 tank. Said tank may be modified once in a facility.
3. At least 200(normal mode)/400(hard mode)/800(Jebediah mode) Science must be brought back to KSC for the Government to analyze. The Science must be received in whole. (no transmitting)
4. ISRU is allowed, provided the craft used Government fuel originally and it is not within 10 kilometers of KSC.
5. There will be no manufacture of new parts allowed. (no parts mods)
6. Any number of launches may be made, however all Science must be delivered on one craft.

The crew at KSC are squirming under these inane new regulations, but Gene thinks it might (might) be possible. Can you step up to the plate and get their funding back?

Start: Normal Science save (to actually get and track Science), all parts unlocked, 0 science remaining.

Badge: 

Your score is the amount of Science you bring back, it's simple.

Top Government Scientists:

1. Jetski with 2,140.2 Science
2. (This could be you!) with (number) Science
3. (This could be you!) with (number) Science
4. (This could be you!) with (number) Science
5. (This could be you!) with (number) Science

Feel free to voice any comments, concerns, or criticism; I'm not the best challenge maker.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2016 by Crocket
Changed rules and added Jetski to leaderboard.

[Jetski]

Well lets get this started, shall we?  2140 science, no ISRU and no grinding.  I only hit Kerbin flying/high/low orbit/high orbit, then a Mun flyby for high/low science, then landed in a single Minmus biome plus orbital sci.

2 points came to mind while doing this challenge

First, to clarify, is ISRU permitted on the pad at KSC or only on other bodies?  If its allowed on the pad (see the last pic in the album) then I could have a nice little refueling rig and a truck to fill up any new ships.  Fun to play with, but it wouldn't make much of a limitation.  I suggest no mining within 10km of KSC, or mining only permitted at the Old Airfield, or something to make it interesting.  This will make us do all sorts of horrible contortions to get launches, such as shipping fuel back to KSC by boat or something.

Second, you might want to confirm that SRBs and mono tanks are forbidden as well, as my first impulse was to spam Puffs or SRBs (but I resisted the urge).

I kept a named savegame so I can pick up at Minmus landing if there's a reason to continue.  Pretty sure I can do all the Minmus biomes and go on to make a Duna/Ike landing with what I have.  If I can refuel things on Kerbin it will get more interesting quickly

 

Edited July 11, 2016 by Jetski

[Crocket]

Hoo boy, what a great submission!

1. Good observation! I'll add that!

2. Mono, SRB, Xenon, etc. are not allowed, basically anything that can power an engine that doesn't come from the Government tank is prohibited. ElectricCharge and Ore are the only two other usable resources.

Also, on the "any number of launches", if you have a reusable craft somewhere you can launch that as many times as your heart desires. After modifying the tank and making your one ship, no new ships may be made.

However, since you passed (and with such flying colors, too), I might permit you to modify the tank again and make another craft just to see how insane this can get. 

Edited July 11, 2016 by Crocket

[zolotiyeruki]

Sounds like a job for an SSTO with an ISRU.  With the exception of Eve, you could get all science from all bodies with one!

[Crocket]

2 hours ago, zolotiyeruki said:

Sounds like a job for an SSTO with an ISRU.  With the exception of Eve, you could get all science from all bodies with one!

I was thinking I might scale the challenge up to 1000/2000/4000 if people seemed to be doing it too easily.

[joshudson]

9 hours ago, zolotiyeruki said:

Sounds like a job for an SSTO with an ISRU.  With the exception of Eve, you could get all science from all bodies with one!

No kidding. I have the ISRU designed; with that amount of fuel I can put it in orbit with 2k delta V remaining, which is more than enough to make Minmus. From that point, it's just a matter of how much grinding I want to do. I can make Duna and every airless body except Moho once fully loaded with 3.5k delta V.