Jump to content

Shuttle Challenge v5 - The STS thread [Stock and Mod Friendly] - MAJOR CHALLENGE ANNOUNCEMENT! - 30.3.2020


Recommended Posts

Hi guys, sorry for the slight delay - for the first time since my spring surgery, I was able to do something "outdoorsy" and I went on a canoe trip with my friends, and had a great time. I don't know if it's common where you are from, but it's almost a traditional thing in my country, and since it is a ballance between the paddling and sitting around a campfire, singing songs and drinking beer, it is great fun and I recommend all of you to try it :)

So, let's get started:

  On 8/24/2017 at 9:07 PM, Ourworldalpha1 said:

Just look at the pic's and be amazed

Expand  

This looks very good, and I think it's pretty much as close as it can get to the real thing. Really looking forward to see it in action!

 

  On 8/25/2017 at 9:07 AM, Speeding Mullet said:

Mun STS 2-4 complete :)  As normal totally stock and hand flown.

Expand  

Great mission, and I absolutely love your compact payload designs - I would have never thought of using the lander can as a rover/truck cabin :) I'm quite surprised by the "low" payload capacity though - the shuttle is really massive, and the ETs seem to separate just some 300-ish m/s left to LKO. Is all the additional crew/mining/electrical equipment so heavy, that the shuttle just makes it to the Mun with the 7.5 tons of cargo?

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the mission, and here is your well-earned badge:

nc5yhi3.jpg?1

 

  On 8/25/2017 at 1:20 PM, oAsAo said:

STS-5, STS-6, STS-7, STS-8

Expand  

Very nice looking station, and from the report, all the flights look rather routine, with precise landings and no problems - it looks like you're getting really good with your shuttle (or there is a lot of quicksaving/quickloading going on, I can't know :) ). Congratulations, here is your badge, and happy 'roid hunting!

t3gSvqs.jpg?1

  On 8/26/2017 at 10:56 PM, Bottle Rocketeer 500 said:

Can I use a custom 40t fuel pod instead of the MulletDyne one, as I have one prepared.

Expand  

Yes, as long as it weighs 40t (or more), has some sort of power ganeration/storage, and stays completely idle during the flight, I don't have any problem with a payload of your own design. Good luck!

 

  On 8/28/2017 at 2:45 AM, Ozelui said:

While i felt the cargo bay was too small for the station i had in mind and created this thing (still WIP) ...

Expand  

Guys..... stop this madness!!!! :D

No, seriously, I'm curious how this ends, because the designs are getting more and more crazy. Jeb approves :D

  On 8/28/2017 at 2:45 AM, Ozelui said:

..i really want to see how far can my starting shuttle go before i have to switch to a new one.

Expand  

Starting shuttles can get very far, sometimes even Laythe :wink: 

Nice reports, a really original station design and great payload engineering to fit it in a MK3 cargo bay. And great piloting, even from the "C team". Good job, here is your well earned badge:

t3gSvqs.jpg?1

Michal.don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/28/2017 at 5:50 AM, Ozelui said:

The cargo bay is this big:

  Reveal hidden contents

Positioning the cargo well, i think it can hold two mk3 fusselages, but i didn't try yet.

Almost 800 parts (many of them struts), and almost 900 tons :)

Expand  

So nice and big. Cool!

  On 8/28/2017 at 11:39 AM, michal.don said:

Guys..... stop this madness!!!! :D

Expand  

NEVER!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey @Natokerbal - You can do a much more efficient ascent, even without MechJeb or anything. Start your gravity turn almost after you takeoff. 30m/s or something. Then slowly pitch down. You should be at around 10,000 m when your craft is at 45 degrees. Almost level at around 40 to 50 km.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Marsupial Shuttle Program 

Mods which are and aren't in use

  Reveal hidden contents

STS Marsupial 

  Reveal hidden contents
Edited by Alpha 360
This post qualifies as a success, the other really didn't.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/28/2017 at 9:54 PM, Bottle Rocketeer 500 said:

 I will try to complete many missions in one shuttle flight. Is that OK with you?

Expand  

Sorry, but that's a no-go. The missions must be completed in the given order, from STS-1. However, you might complete the "bonus" missions STS-1b and STS-2b on the same flight as STS-1a and STS-2a.

 

  On 8/29/2017 at 4:00 AM, Natokerbal said:

Here is my attempt I completed lvl 1 and 2 in one mission. Its a video for my craft on kerbalx. So not fully perfect.

Expand  

Welcome to the challenge! A nice shuttle, and the jettisonable tower is a nice touch. I am not sure what you mean by completing the level 1 and 2 in one mission though - your mission seems to be a commander lever STS-1a. So, here is your badge, commander:

QThe6Sf.jpg?1

As @qzgy mentioned above - your flight profile seems to be really inefficient, as you climb too steeply. Your shuttle has a lot of thrust, you might want to go for a far more agressive pitchover. Looking forward to seeing more! :)

 

  On 8/29/2017 at 5:51 AM, Alpha 360 said:

Does this count as a success? I made orbit (just barely) and I crash landed in the middle of the desert.

Expand  

The orbit is just fine. Unfortunately, the landing not so much. I would probably allow it if it was the STS-9 with the asteroid, but since this mission is about building a shuttle AND learning how to fly it, I'm going to say no. Please, try to land it a little more intact :D Regarding your modlist - does the shuttle use any parts other than stock? Thanks.

 

Michal.don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for fun, I've been developing a new shuttle with a new goal: high volume to orbit, rather than high mass to orbit.  Launching heavy fuel tanks is fun, but I find myself usually wanting payloads that are much bigger but less dense.  I'll probably use it for the Mun base missions.  Huge cargo bay is about 7.5m diameter and runs the whole length of the ship.  It actually does protect the parts inside from drag, though the fairings and all the radiators have lots of drag by themselves.

Now it just needs a launcher.

hZcxlDS.png

gNVZavt.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/29/2017 at 4:22 AM, qzgy said:

You can do a much more efficient ascent, even without MechJeb or anything. Start your gravity turn almost after you takeoff. 30m/s or something. Then slowly pitch down. You should be at around 10,000 m when your craft is at 45 degrees. Almost level at around 40 to 50 km.

Expand  

I know I didn't use mechjeb for piloting I have a mod I don't use called mechjeb for all. it puts mechjeb in all command pods even without the part on the craft

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally after 2 months I have completed the Jool Mission.

There are a total of 4 videos/image gallerys because my computer kept crashing after so much time.

First off, Mod List:  No part mods, just several design, informational, and visual mods.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I launched a support mission ahead of time too place communication satellite around Jool, a ScanSat around Laythe, and left the the boost section in low Laythe orbit for refuelling the shuttle after lifting off from Laythe.

  Reveal hidden contents

 Now the actual shuttle launch and landing on Laythe. Launch was a direct to Jool burn with gravity assists at Tylo to use a little fuel as possible. I had a little mistake getting the miner/plane out of the cargo bay so had to do a reload.

  Reveal hidden contents

My computer crashed shortly after lifting off from Laythe, so the launch and first part of the return journey is in this second video. I used Tylo as a gravity assist to boost me out of Jool orbit and Duna for assists to bring orbit down near Kerbin. I mis-timed my Jool departure, so the return journey took about 35 years.

  Reveal hidden contents

Computer crashed again on one of the Duna gravity assists, so last part of the return journey is in yet another video.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Marsupial Shuttle Program 

Mods which are and aren't in use

  Reveal hidden contents

STS Marsupial 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Edited by Alpha 360
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/29/2017 at 2:13 PM, sdj64 said:

Just for fun, I've been developing a new shuttle with a new goal: high volume to orbit, rather than high mass to orbit.

Expand  

Not exactly "beautiful", but very, very impressive :) And I'm quite curious how the launcher will look like, but I suppose it will follow the recent trend of insane large things :D Good job!

 

  On 8/29/2017 at 9:19 PM, Natokerbal said:

I know I didn't use mechjeb for piloting I have a mod I don't use called mechjeb for all.

Expand  

Even when flying by hand, quite efficient launch profiles are achievable. BUt worry not, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it during the missions, there are plenty of them :wink:

 

  On 8/30/2017 at 5:17 AM, armegeddon said:

Finally after 2 months I have completed the Jool Mission.

Expand  

Good job, welcome to the elite group of Laythe visitors :) A nice mission, even if a bit on the long side. I really like the deployment method of the base and aircraft, that's a nice piece od engineering.

For the next missions though - please, please, try to select fewer pictures for the galeries - It was quite difficult to navigate in the 600-ish screenshots and several hours of video :wink:

Nevertheless, here is your badge:

RoJZC7l.jpg?1

 

  On 8/30/2017 at 10:47 AM, Alpha 360 said:

I assume that this qualifies as a landing? If not :( , I have failed once more. 

Expand  

I think you are going to start to hate me soon.... I'd forgive the lost nosecone (who needs those, anyway.....), but it seems you lost your enine, too. Which, again, is a substantial damage for the 1-a mission. I really like your design, but I can not award the badge until you manage to land (mostly) intact. Sorry about that.

 

Michal.don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bummer :(. Luckily I am determined to get this badge  or I would have quit long ago. Sorry for not double checking whether or not I'm actually succeeding. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Edited by Alpha 360
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/30/2017 at 1:02 PM, Alpha 360 said:

Genesis Inc. checked the spacecraft heavily after the landing, and if the destruction of the two bottom tail fins counts against me, I have failed for the third time.

Expand  

I'm not that cruel :D I think losing two fins is reasonable damage, and within the mission parameters. So, third time seems to be the charm, and I'm glad I can finally award you the pilot badge for STS-1a. Congratulations!

C74yqgt.jpg?1

If you want to get the nice and shiny commander badge, you'll have to work on your landings a bit - especially hitting the runway, and possibly keeping the fins :wink:

 

Michal.don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Genesis Inc. has accepted a contract to put three satellites in Geostationary orbit. We have adapted the Opossum model with several extra Mk2 cargo bays. 

Here is the Koala Bear sitting on the launch pad. 

0i4fNUt.png

Nnbu7SU.png

The launch profile consisted of a high-speed suborbital trajectory that drained the outer tanks which were detached, then enter orbit at 1,000 kilometers above Kerbin. 

tNlXctn.png

Then after releasing a test satellite and another satellite accidentally, the Koala Bear used the Rhino main engine to raise the orbit to roughly 2,800 kilometers. I then released another satellite in that orbit and time-warped to the highest point of the orbit. I circularized the orbit and released another satellite. 

HUfJhb3.png

I repeated the process and ended up with three satellites in Geostationary orbit, two in circular orbit at 1,000 kilometers, and one in elliptical orbit.

2bVmIiC.png

I de-orbited later and landed without anything exploding except only one tail fin. 

OGmLubJ.png

SaZwzmE.png

Edited by Alpha 360
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Alpha 360 Nice one! Keep practicing more landings until you get used to your shuttle's personality.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/30/2017 at 6:08 PM, Alpha 360 said:

Thank you for that tip. But I have sadly adapted the habit of coming in hard from 100 kilometer+ but I am getting closer to the KSC every time I do it! Next mission, I'm aiming for gold leaves. 

Expand  

Actually, can I also give a tip? Try downloading the trajectories mod. It gives a rough estimate of where you should end up after reentry. I usually overshoot substantially according to it, but I have landed at the runway fairly consistently using it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  On 8/30/2017 at 5:52 PM, Alpha 360 said:

Genesis Inc. has accepted a contract to put three satellites in Geostationary orbit. We have adapted the Opossum model with several extra Mk2 cargo bays. 

Expand  

NIce mission, I'm glad to see you are beginning to get along with your shuttle. Even though I guess a re-design is coming, I don't see any way to take Hubble up without MK3 cargo bay. Anyway, a well earned badge:

D5Lnjuz.jpg?1

 

  On 8/30/2017 at 5:52 PM, Alpha 360 said:

I de-orbited later and landed without anything exploding except only one tail fin.

Expand  

Well, that's a progress, but I'd prefer if you did not lose any parts. The original space suttle didn't either :wink:

 

  On 8/30/2017 at 6:08 PM, Alpha 360 said:

Next mission, I'm aiming for gold leaves.

Expand  

I guess the new badge system is a bit confusing. If you land on the runway, you'll get the commander badge, which has a gold star. The gold leaves are for stock entries, the grey are for modded entries. It might not be the best solution, since the gold leaves admittedly look better, while modded category is not in any way inferior to stock.

 

  On 8/31/2017 at 1:37 AM, Mukita12 said:

is TweakScale Allowed for the External tank ?

Expand  

Yes, tweakscale is allowed. You will be placed in the "modded" category (which is absolutely fine, there were many great shuttles using lots of mods in the previous versions of the challenge). Good luck!

 

Michal.don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it okay if I post my submissions in my mission reports post called Genesis Inc? They will be just a detailed as these are and I would like to post my progression through these challenges as well.

Edited by Alpha 360
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...