The Moho Challenge

[Xeldrak]

The Moho Challenge

We neet to talk. About Moho, this tiny, obscure rock close to the burning ball of plasma that is Kerbol. 
When it comes to exploration, Moho is often dismissed as too tiny, too hard to reach and too hard to land at. 
But still: Moho is a planet in need of exploration! I challenge you to send a mission to Moho!

Scoring

You will get 30 points just for reaching the Moho SOI.
So even a flyby qualifies for this challenge! However, a lot of additional points can be earned:

Mission parameters:
+10 points: Reach Moho SOI with a manned craft
+40 points: Land your craft of the surface of Moho
+10 points: For each landed Kerbal (capped at 30 points)
+40 points: Return (i.e. land or spash down. If a few parts rip of, it's fine. But not just crashing) at least a part of your vessel to the surface of Kerbin
+10 points: For each Kerbal returned to Kerbin from the surface of Moho (capped at 30 points)

Science:
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Moho SOI (not cummulative)
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Surface of Moho (not cummulative)
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho SOI to Kerbin and retrieve it. (not cummulative)
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho surface to Kerbin and retrieve it (not cummulative)
+20 points: Return a surface sample from Moho and retrieve it.
+30 points: Collect science from two different biomes
+20 points: Explore the Mohole (use your own discretion on what accounts for "explore")

Misc:
+5 points: Plant a Flag at Moho
+10 points: Leave behind a science station (need probe core, energy, sciency thing and antenna). 

 

Mods that grand additional information (e.g Kerbal Enginer) are fine, as are cosmetic mods and so on. No part mods or mods that automate flying. I open to suggestions for more goals.

Leaderboard
Stock
Foxster - 215 points
Physics Student - 125 points

Modded
-

Edited February 21, 2017 by Xeldrak

[Speeding Mullet]

I did this exact thing in March last year, the first and only time I went to Moho, and I went large - 608 parts, 4600t, lander built for two, space station and science outpost built for 24, and return vehicle with deep space habitat:

  This looks like something worth doing again.  You could have (as additional goals) deploying a space station, minimalist/maximalist records, points for a single launch etc, but to be honest this looks like a really good starting point.  Perhaps time to venture back with an even bigger mission, but I've got a few other challenges to complete so I will see you again soon Moho!

SM

[septemberWaves]

If this had a modded category I'd try it. As it is, I think I'll focus my efforts on Eve Rocks and the Shuttle Challenge since they're more suited to my play style.

[Xeldrak]

@eloquentJaneWell, if there is demand I can host a modded leaderboard aswell.

[septemberWaves]

Just now, Xeldrak said:

@eloquentJaneWell, if there is demand I can host a modded leaderboard aswell.

Well, I'd certainly be interested in it. I couldn't say how popular it would be, but it might attract a few other people who, like me, would rather attempt a challenge which allows for some parts mods.

Either way though I'll be keeping up with this challenge; Moho doesn't get a whole lot of attention compared to some other planets, which is unfortunate because designs intended to visit Moho tend to end up being quite interesting because of the unique difficulties associated with its location.

[Biggen]

Gotta have a point catagory for getting to and/or exploring the Mohole!

I spent two hours and drove 50 km uphill 5000m from my lander to get to the Mohole.  I ended up launching a rescue mission with a new lander to pick those two up at the Mohole. No way I was driving another 50km back down to the original lander.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Biggen

[Xeldrak]

There you go: another 20 points for exploring the mohole. The alleged home of the mythical Mohomole!

[Foxster]

Not been to Moho for a bit so thought I'd give this challenge a go on the good ship Mo Ho Ho 1...

Mission album (bottom to top): http://imgur.com/a/WSIdK

You will get 30 points just for reaching the Moho SOI. Check
+10 points: Reach Moho SOI with a manned craft Check
+40 points: Land your craft of the surface of Moho Check
+10 points: For each landed Kerbal (capped at 30 points) Check
+40 points: Return at least a part of your vessel to the surface of Kerbin Check
+10 points: For each Kerbal returned to Kerbin from the surface of Moho (capped at 30 points) Check
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Moho SOI (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Surface of Moho (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho SOI to Kerbin and retrieve it. (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho surface to Kerbin and retrieve it (not cummulative) Check
+20 points: Return a surface sample from Moho and retrieve it. Check
+30 points: Collect science from two different biomes Check
+20 points: Explore the Mohole (use your own discretion on what accounts for "explore") Nope
+5 points: Plant a Flag at Moho Check
+10 points: Leave behind a science station (need probe core, energy, sciency thing and antenna).  Check

I make that about 215 points.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Foxster

[Xeldrak]

Nicely done! And a cool spaceship. I like the way you hid the science pods

[Foxster]

Just realised my previous Mohole exploration base is still there, along with it's happy crew of 99 Kerbals (and probably their children too by now)...

Edited February 17, 2017 by Foxster

[Xeldrak]

Poor guys, spending their whole life inside a hole on Moho ^^

Edited February 17, 2017 by Xeldrak

[Planetace]

On 2/17/2017 at 5:04 PM, Foxster said:

Not been to Moho for a bit so thought I'd give this challenge a go on the good ship Mo Ho Ho 1...

Mission album (bottom to top): http://imgur.com/a/WSIdK

You will get 30 points just for reaching the Moho SOI. Check
+10 points: Reach Moho SOI with a manned craft Check
+40 points: Land your craft of the surface of Moho Check
+10 points: For each landed Kerbal (capped at 30 points) Check
+40 points: Return at least a part of your vessel to the surface of Kerbin Check
+10 points: For each Kerbal returned to Kerbin from the surface of Moho (capped at 30 points) Check
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Moho SOI (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Surface of Moho (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho SOI to Kerbin and retrieve it. (not cummulative) Check
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho surface to Kerbin and retrieve it (not cummulative) Check
+20 points: Return a surface sample from Moho and retrieve it. Check
+30 points: Collect science from two different biomes Check
+20 points: Explore the Mohole (use your own discretion on what accounts for "explore") Nope
+5 points: Plant a Flag at Moho Check
+10 points: Leave behind a science station (need probe core, energy, sciency thing and antenna).  Check

I make that about 215 points.

The first person to get to the mohole in your craft, or a updated one, will forever be at the top of the leaderboards...

[Xeldrak]

Unless I add a few more goals...  

You know, to keep you guys motivated.

[Foxster]

7 hours ago, Galacticvoyager said:

The first person to get to the mohole in your craft, or a updated one, will forever be at the top of the leaderboards...

It could probably be done in my craft. There was about 2000dV left at the end, which could be enough to get to the North pole of Moho and back to an orbit for Kerbin.

I thought of trying it but I couldn't remember how much dV I'd need to get home so skipped it. 

[JacobJHC]

How many points will this get?

[Xeldrak]

@JacobJHC Thats a very cool mission. Please calculate you points yourself, you should find find everything you need to know in the original post. 

[Speeding Mullet]

Just checking in to say that I'm now in the design phase for this mission.  I'll be doing this and my second Elcano in the same mission.  Report can be followed here, although it's going to take a while.  A long while in fact.  I'm not going small!

First module being delivered:

SM

[JacobJHC]

13 hours ago, Xeldrak said:

@JacobJHC Thats a very cool mission. Please calculate you points yourself, you should find find everything you need to know in the original post. 

Will do, when it says return a part of the ship to  the surface of kerbin,... I kinda slammed into the ocean but it did make contact with Kerbin for a breif period before it was destroyed and the Kerbal lived. Would I get points for that?

[Xeldrak]

yyyyyyyno. Although not clearely stated, I was thinking of some kind of landing on Kerbin. Not just crashing into it

[Human Person]

I've been playing KSP for 500h now and never been to Moho ever.

If I made it a little bit lighter, It wouldn't even have passed the 140t mark (had about 3000m/s delta v left at the end so i could have made this a lot smaller)

Nuclear booster seperation during Moho-insertion-burn after ballistic transfer. I actually launched in quite an inclined orbit to match moho's inclination better.

The single-stage Lander weights just about 700kg

The lander was'nt over-engineered. it made the rendevous with the spacecraft wit only 60m/s to spare.

42 km Apoapis after the skip-reentry at 5km/s, periapsis 33 km. Max decceleration: 6.2g

 

Mission parameters:
+10 points: Reach Moho SOI with a manned craft +10
+40 points: Land your craft of the surface of Moho +40
+10 points: For each landed Kerbal (capped at 30 points) +10
+40 points: Return (i.e. land or spash down. If a few parts rip of, it's fine. But not just crashing) at least a part of your vessel to the surface of Kerbin +40
+10 points: For each Kerbal returned to Kerbin from the surface of Moho (capped at 30 points) +10

Science:
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Moho SOI (not cummulative) whoops, i returned everything
+10 points: Transmit some kind of science from the Surface of Moho (not cummulative) nope
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho SOI to Kerbin and retrieve it. (not cummulative) +10
+10 points: Return some kind of science from the Moho surface to Kerbin and retrieve it (not cummulative) +10
+20 points: Return a surface sample from Moho and retrieve it. +20
+30 points: Collect science from two different biomes (EVA reports from just above ... not sure if that counts)
+20 points: Explore the Mohole (use your own discretion on what accounts for "explore") did'nt do that

Misc:
+5 points: Plant a Flag at Moho +5
+10 points: Leave behind a science station (need probe core, energy, sciency thing and antenna). no

My Score: 155

Edited February 22, 2017 by Physics Student

[Xeldrak]

Nicely done! Thats a very neatly designed rocket

Sorry, but collecting science from orbit over two diffrent biomes does not count.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Xeldrak

[Human Person]

13 hours ago, Xeldrak said:

Nicely done! Thats a very neatly designed rocket

Thanks! I wanted to keep it low-tec except for the LV-Ns. I'm gonna redo this with a lighter launch-vehicle and two landers. 

[Speeding Mullet]

Things are going well with the design phase of the mission.  The payloads complete are now the ground operations module, the rover for the Elcano section of the challenge, and the relay comsats.  Update here:

The total payload as it stands is now 28.276t and 234 parts, with much more to come!

SM

[Speeding Mullet]

I'm back from a bit of an RL break and continuing with my mission.  Update here for anyone that is interested,  The total payload is now clocking in at 52.341t and 317 parts 

 

SM

[Xeldrak]

Looking good What a nice lander!