The Jool 500 Kolonization Challenge Continuation

[sturmhauke]

I see Ikea is making colony kits now.

[Kerbolitto]

1 minute ago, sturmhauke said:

I see Ikea is making colony kits now.

Haha you had no idea xD

If you check the video, I was extremly lucky with the fitting of the sciences modules and the isru ..

[Kerbolitto]

If you feel attracted to modules design and packaging on top of an orbiter, here is a new video here ! (jool 500 création du lander)

(I know the music is a bit loud at the beginning !)

 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Kerbolitto

[jinnantonix]

@JacobJHC I am really starting to love this challenge. 

I am wondering, has anyone actually achieved the goal of 500 Kerbals in the Jool system when using life support?  Based on my calculations so far, I am sure it can be done but Wow!  what a challenge.

As I develop the solution I have found that in order to enhance my Laythe colony's resupply and science gathering I am keen to go underwater.  Water ballast tanks are a must.  I find this simple mod does the trick.   Download here.   Approved?

And why oh why can't I mine water on Vall?  The scanner says:  Water = resource unknown.  Hmmm.

[Kerbolitto]

Part 1.5 Assembly in orbit !

 

Cargo-Péniche is assembled in orbit, its a bit wobbly but not too much (we will see when burning 3Kn through it :D)

I took some screenshot, because the video was too pixellated !

 

Modules on launchpad, all packed inside that big fairing :

Mun is in the way !

First iteration of the module pack, I had to relaunch it because I forgot ... one decoupler.. So imagine that this is the final product, minus 1 decoupler !

The rocket was put into a higher orbit to avoid moving having too many parts on the same spot, ISRU is descending on the Péniche helped by a RCS probe

Not too fast ...!

After a few trips, all the stuff is finally inside

Ready to move to Jool (after refuelling :p)

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by Kerbolitto

[jinnantonix]

@JacobJHC I have a question about the rules.  My architecture includes vehicles that satisfy two requirements simultaneously (see example below).  In this case I have a large freighter (I will deploy 2 per moon) which can carry a minimum of 50 tons of cargo ( 25t for Laythe/Tylo) and also up to 5 Kerbals between biomes and also to orbit.  Do I get points for both requirements with a single craft capable of doing both roles?

Rovers and planes

4. Long-range transports (rovers, boats, or planes) are required for your colony to be a success. Send at least 2 to each moon. Each should be able to transport at least 5 kerbals. (+1 point for each long-range transport vessel that can carry at least 1 short range vehicle (+1 point per vehicle carried). Ideally they should also be able to generate power. (+4 points for each long-range transport; +1 additional point if it can carry two resource transports; +3 additional points for any fuel-using transports that can replenish that fuel; +1 additional point for transports that have a science lab).

    Space Transport

3. Large freight transports are going to be important for your colony. Each should be a highly specialized vehicle able to lift or drop at least 50 tonnes of cargo from the surface of the moon it is sent to (or 25 tonnes for Laythe and Tylo). Each freighter should be able to get into a stable orbit of that moon with a full load of cargo (50 tonnes),and return to their moon's surface with another full load (50 tonnes) of cargo. Send at least 1 to every moon. (+10 points for every transport; +1 point for every 10 tonnes of cargo capacity to/from the surface of that moon; +4 points for ability to replenish fuel; (points are awarded per transport)).

 

Edit:  This may come down to whether a rover can have liquid fueled rocket engines, or should be electric.

Edited February 29, 2020 by jinnantonix

[JacobJHC]

On 2/28/2020 at 12:10 AM, jinnantonix said:

@JacobJHC I have a question about the rules.  My architecture includes vehicles that satisfy two requirements simultaneously (see example below).  In this case I have a large freighter (I will deploy 2 per moon) which can carry a minimum of 50 tons of cargo ( 25t for Laythe/Tylo) and also up to 5 Kerbals between biomes and also to orbit.  Do I get points for both requirements with a single craft capable of doing both roles?

Rovers and planes

4. Long-range transports (rovers, boats, or planes) are required for your colony to be a success. Send at least 2 to each moon. Each should be able to transport at least 5 kerbals. (+1 point for each long-range transport vessel that can carry at least 1 short range vehicle (+1 point per vehicle carried). Ideally they should also be able to generate power. (+4 points for each long-range transport; +1 additional point if it can carry two resource transports; +3 additional points for any fuel-using transports that can replenish that fuel; +1 additional point for transports that have a science lab).

    Space Transport

3. Large freight transports are going to be important for your colony. Each should be a highly specialized vehicle able to lift or drop at least 50 tonnes of cargo from the surface of the moon it is sent to (or 25 tonnes for Laythe and Tylo). Each freighter should be able to get into a stable orbit of that moon with a full load of cargo (50 tonnes),and return to their moon's surface with another full load (50 tonnes) of cargo. Send at least 1 to every moon. (+10 points for every transport; +1 point for every 10 tonnes of cargo capacity to/from the surface of that moon; +4 points for ability to replenish fuel; (points are awarded per transport)).

 

Edit:  This may come down to whether a rover can have liquid fueled rocket engines, or should be electric.

Think about it like this, are you using a freighter as a rover? I think the rover should be separate, but if your freighter can do all that, putting a rover in the back to ferry around doesn't sound all that difficult. Why don't you post a picture, it might be easier to decide that way.

[jinnantonix]

8 hours ago, JacobJHC said:

Think about it like this, are you using a freighter as a rover? I think the rover should be separate, but if your freighter can do all that, putting a rover in the back to ferry around doesn't sound all that difficult. Why don't you post a picture, it might be easier to decide that way.

I see your point.  I am not really using the freighter as a rover, even though I could.  I will create a separate craft.

BTW, do you know if anyone has ever completed a Jool 500?

[Jetski]

On 3/1/2020 at 1:17 AM, jinnantonix said:

 

BTW, do you know if anyone has ever completed a Jool 500?

I completed one in the original challenge by eloquentjane - maybe KSP 1.4?  I did it on easy mode though - I used DeepFreeze (buggy as heck but able to cheap out on life support, keeping everyone frozen until resources caught up).  It was an old laptop that started to stutter at part counts.  Had to do some stuff like delete relays, etc.

[jinnantonix]

3 hours ago, Jetski said:

I completed one in the original challenge by eloquentjane - maybe KSP 1.4?  I did it on easy mode though - I used DeepFreeze (buggy as heck but able to cheap out on life support, keeping everyone frozen until resources caught up).  It was an old laptop that started to stutter at part counts.  Had to do some stuff like delete relays, etc.

Awesome, and well done.  Link?  I am worried that my computer can't handle this.  But I am going to attempt anyway.  Working now on reduced part count.

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by jinnantonix

[Jetski]

12 hours ago, jinnantonix said:

Working now on reduced part count.

 

I ended up doing a lot of part welding, particularly for the electrical systems needed for DeepFreeze, and passenger cabins.  I'm still working on my submission - right now I'm trying to get a good source of Fertilizer on each planet.  I found that some mod (maybe Planetary bases?) has an option to directly make Fertilizer from Ore with the smaller ISRU, but it's insanely inefficient.  Like warping 50 days makes 4 units of fertilizer in a decent % ore field.  Maybe an engineer would help?

Getting a little bogged down - I may check and see if DeepFreeze has improved any

Edited March 3, 2020 by Jetski

[jinnantonix]

1 hour ago, Jetski said:

I ended up doing a lot of part welding, particularly for the electrical systems needed for DeepFreeze, and passenger cabins.  I'm still working on my submission - right now I'm trying to get a good source of Fertilizer on each planet.  I found that some mod (maybe Planetary bases?) has an option to directly make Fertilizer from Ore with the smaller ISRU, but it's insanely inefficient.  Like warping 50 days makes 4 units of fertilizer in a decent % ore field.  Maybe an engineer would help?

I am using planetary bases, and have a functioning self sustaining habitat.  It makes fertilizer from ore, and also requires water.  As you have guessed it requires an engineer to work efficiently.

My Deepfreeze deployment for 25 Kerbals is pretty simple, just 5 cryo chambers, 6 wheels, a probe core with RTG, and docking ports.  Can't see how to reduce part count further.

Edited March 4, 2020 by jinnantonix

[jinnantonix]

My Jool 500 Kolonization Mission has begun, logging the mission here.

Below is my Superlifter launch vehicle lifting two modular moon bases/outposts for assembly in LKO into the first transit vehicle.


 

[sturmhauke]

Those are some pretty thin booster mounts you got there. I suspect trickery.

[jinnantonix]

19 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

Those are some pretty thin booster mounts you got there. I suspect trickery.

Lots of autostrutting

[sturmhauke]

2 hours ago, jinnantonix said:

Lots of autostrutting

Why I would never!

[jinnantonix]

Part 1 of my Jool 500 mission is completed.
 

 

[Kerbolitto]

7 hours ago, jinnantonix said:

Part 1 of my Jool 500 mission is completed.
 

Oh yeah that is a cool mother-ship !

[Ksp Slingshooter]

For this challenge, do we need to achieve self-sufficiency for the permanent bases and colonies (like in Usi-Mks) or do we only need to resupply the ships once they run out of supplies? 

[JacobJHC]

On 3/11/2020 at 11:59 AM, Ksp Slingshooter said:

For this challenge, do we need to achieve self-sufficiency for the permanent bases and colonies (like in Usi-Mks) or do we only need to resupply the ships once they run out of supplies? 

Up to you really. I'm only going to suggest this next part, but consider what a colony is. Colonies can get help, but the ultimate goal is to colonize. Perhaps in the end the Jool system's colonies should be self-sufficient?

[jinnantonix]

8 minutes ago, JacobJHC said:

Up to you really. I'm only going to suggest this next part, but consider what a colony is. Colonies can get help, but the ultimate goal is to colonize. Perhaps in the end the Jool system's colonies should be self-sufficient?

I believe the test of a successful Jool 500 colony is that no ships are required from Kerbin to maintain long-term presence (many Kerbin years).  I have found that there are locations within the Jool system that can support full self- sustainability, requiring no external delivery of resources, and can in fact produce an excess of resources which can be used to supply other outposts.  However non-self-sustainable outposts require constant transport of resources to maintain them, and if you create many such non-sustainable outposts, it requires effort to verify that these can be sustained long-term from within the Jool system.

[Ksp Slingshooter]

How would we regenerate supplies in-situ without Usi-Mks?

[jinnantonix]

@Ksp Slingshooter, I am using USI-LS and Planetary Base Systems.  Works well.

Edited March 14, 2020 by jinnantonix

[jinnantonix]

Here is part 2 of my Jool 500 mission.  The Planetary Base Systems habitats are landed on each biome of Pol, each ready for 10 Kerbals to use in a later part of the mission.  This phase also sets up relays and probe/rovers on each biome of Laythe.

 

[JacobJHC]

I have decided to reattempt the challenge in career mode, I just can't figure out how to reasonably hire 500 Kerbals. Might have to adjust the rules if this is deemed impossible by other contenders.