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

[michal.don]

1 hour ago, Alpha 360 said:

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.

Of course! And could you maybe put the link to the challenge into the OP of your mission report? It could lure some more shuttle enthusiasts here

Also, we reached 100 posts here, it seems the challenge is getting properly started

MIchal.don

[zolotiyeruki]

Finally had some time to follow up on my Mun 2-4 missions.  I had brought my crew home on STS 4, so I had to ferry them back out to test the escape vehicle.  And then it turns out that the contractors for the rover and the base hadn't exactly coordinated, and the docking ports didn't match up.  So yet another mission was sent, with a large-ish adapter.

http://imgur.com/a/HJaAb

 

 

Edited September 1, 2017 by zolotiyeruki

[qzgy]

23 hours ago, michal.don said:

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.

Maybe an idea to improve it is to have a set of gears at the bottom of the badge to represent modded? Doesn't change the wreath color, but does signify that internal shenanigans have been going on or something.

[michal.don]

On 31. 8. 2017 at 10:34 AM, zolotiyeruki said:

Finally had some time to follow up on my Mun 2-4 missions.

Shoots. It seems the new forum has eaten your imgur album. I know it was there, I saw it, but now it's gone.

 

3 hours ago, qzgy said:

Maybe an idea to improve it is to have a set of gears at the bottom of the badge to represent modded? Doesn't change the wreath color, but does signify that internal shenanigans have been going on or something.

Unfortunately, the badges are not made by me, and I have exactly zero experience with graphical software. So I guess the badges are going to stay as they are for the forseeable future.

[zolotiyeruki]

3 hours ago, michal.don said:

Shoots. It seems the new forum has eaten your imgur album. I know it was there, I saw it, but now it's gone.

 

Yeah, the forum seems to have had a few glitches the last few days.  Here's the album:

http://imgur.com/a/HJaAb

[inigma]

I love it! Great thread and has my full support!  You guys are doing amazing work. I love all the shuttles and challenges!

Edited September 2, 2017 by inigma

[michal.don]

On 31. 8. 2017 at 10:34 AM, zolotiyeruki said:

 I had brought my crew home on STS 4, so I had to ferry them back out to test the escape vehicle.  And then it turns out that the contractors for the rover and the base hadn't exactly coordinated, and the docking ports didn't match up.  So yet another mission was sent, with a large-ish adapter.

Alright, nothing is preventing me from awarding the badge now! I love your reference to Apollo 13 regarding the not-so-compatible equipment  Beside that, a nice SSTO to ferry the crew, and yet another pin-point landing on the Mun. Great job, commander!

 

8 hours ago, inigma said:

I love it! Great thread and has my full support!  You guys are doing amazing work. I love all the shuttles and challenges!

I'm glad you like where your original challenge is going, and I hope it will continue in a way you'd approve. Thanks for stopping by, and if you find the time, come again to fly some shuttles

Michal.don

[Ozelui]

Congratulations on the 100 posts mark!!!

Since the forums decided to eat all my imgur albums containing the mission reports (apparently single images still work), i started a new thread in the mission reports subforum, to keep track of them:

Back to potato hunting!

[Andetch]

Andetch Industries Shuttle Challenge Entry (STOCK)

STS-1a/1b

Craft Type: Andetch Shuttle Type C "Heavy" https://kerbalx.com/Andetch/Andetch-Shuttle-Type-C-EL-Heavy

Payload: Mullet Dyne Fuel Pod.

Target Orbit: 71,200m, heading 90 degrees.

Brief: In collaboration with Mullet Dyne, Andetch Industries is proud to have further expanded the range of Type C Shuttle class to include the "Heavy" variant. In the attached gallery you can see the mission stills. A full mission video has been taken for client verification purposes.

Andetch Industries is confident that this achievement places their team at the forefront of shuttle technologies.

We are looking forward to future launches.

Gallery: https://imgur.com/a/BhxWK

[Ozelui]

Here's the potato:

 

I'm considering to repeat the mission, since the little minmus detour took more than two years... also it was my first contact with space potatoes, and i overestimated them.  At least the class A is very light, maybe other classes are more challenging.

[Andetch]

I have a question about STS2, (providing I passed STS1 - mission video will be up 12 hours).

 Does the shuttle have to exceed 200km high, or just the sats? I ask because my design is only rated for a max altitude of around 100km, but another retrofit of fuel tanks and she could get higher. Is just a pain to add more tanks - creating the EL version was  a day or two work! Then creating the EL "Heavy" (first designs only lifted about 25T into orbit) was another few hours flight testing.... Thing is, a standard Andetch Type C can lift a load of satellites - in career I deploy sats from a Type C shuttle in LKO to travel to Jool etc, so no issues there....

 

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

[Bottle Rocketeer 500]

10 hours ago, Andetch said:

Does the shuttle have to exceed 200km high, or just the sats?

The shuttle, the sats have to be geostationary IIRC.

[Andetch]

8 hours ago, Bottle Rocketeer 500 said:

The shuttle, the sats have to be geostationary IIRC.

Ok, well I devised a way of getting a 360km orbit - so no worries.

[michal.don]

On 3. 9. 2017 at 11:03 PM, Andetch said:

Craft Type: Andetch Shuttle Type C "Heavy"

Welcome to the challenge, a mighty fine looking shuttle! From the report, the mission looks just fine, there is only a small detail missing - could you please provide a screenshot proving the resources from the fuel pod have not been used in the mission (it is full)? Other than that, congrats, commander!

 

On 4. 9. 2017 at 8:50 AM, Ozelui said:

Here's the potato:

It looks like you found yourself a nice small pet space rock  I guess that's an advantage of larger shuttles, they make landing asteroids look easy - really well flown mission! Also, I'm glad someone was able to find a kerbal brave/stupid enough to sit on top of that thing, even if it did not end well for them. Here is your badge:

And I'm curious where you will be heading next - deep space awaits

 

 

21 hours ago, Andetch said:

Does the shuttle have to exceed 200km high, or just the sats?

That is correct - for the pilot level, the shuttle has to reach an orbit of 200km+, for the commander level 350km+. The sats have to reach KSO.

2 hours ago, Andetch said:

Ok, well I devised a way of getting a 360km orbit - so no worries.

That's the way I'd suggest to go about it, too, since later missions require higher orbits, offften with heavy payloads. Good luck in your mission!

 

MIchal.don

[Andetch]

3 hours ago, michal.don said:

Welcome to the challenge, a mighty fine looking shuttle! From the report, the mission looks just fine, there is only a small detail missing - could you please provide a screenshot proving the resources from the fuel pod have not been used in the mission (it is full)? Other than that, congrats, commander!

That is correct - for the pilot level, the shuttle has to reach an orbit of 200km+, for the commander level 350km+. The sats have to reach KSO.

That's the way I'd suggest to go about it, too, since later missions require higher orbits, offften with heavy payloads. Good luck in your mission!

 

MIchal.don

Michal, the pod has no fuel used - I locked the resources. This is shown in the final scene of the flight video (sorry no narration) here;

The video is worth watching, especially the landing because I deliberately (is that believable?) overshot the descent to show off the superb handling characteristics of "Heavy".

The Shuttle used is the Type C EL "Heavy" variant. The original Type C Shuttle is nicknamed "Forgiveness" as you can put her into a spin, nosedive or tail fall and recover at any altitude more than 2km, and "Heavy" does have some of those! I am putting together a video showing off this, if you would care to see it? Does flight stability and handling characteristics count for anything?

I have successfully put one sat into geostationary orbit (at dawn) with no rcs. I am right in assuming the other sat must be at the dusk position to complete the mission? Also, can I send a 2nd shuttle to recover the Fuel Pod?

Now these badges, what do I do with them? Hehehehe

[Ozelui]

6 hours ago, michal.don said:

Also, I'm glad someone was able to find a kerbal brave/stupid enough to sit on top of that thing, even if it did not end well for them. Here is your badge:

Thanks for the badge !   And just for the record, he volunteered.     Well, maybe he was volunteered.   He was happy with it! (not)

[Andetch]

54 minutes ago, Ozelui said:

   Well, maybe he was volunteered.   He was happy with it! (not)

But Gene told me that it was every kerbal's ultimate dream to end up with their name inscribed for all time on that special wall outside the astronaut complex it's true, no?

[Ozelui]

58 minutes ago, Andetch said:

But Gene told me that it was every kerbal's ultimate dream to end up with their name inscribed for all time on that special wall outside the astronaut complex it's true, no?

Spoiler

Gene's official comment on this subject:

"Absolutely right you are!  Every kerbonaut should be willing to sacrifice for science!  And we remember those brave kerbonauts and their  selfless contribution to our species progress by adding their names to the wall of fame!

Honor them! The heroes that gave their lives widening the boundaries of known space!

 

<turns off the mic>

Wall? What damn wall? Did we told them their names will be sculpted in a rock or something? lol.   I told you, monkeys!  Monkeys are the future of space exploration!  And they don't ask for dumb things like oxigen or food.  Order me a box of monkeys! No!! Seven boxes!"

 

[Andetch]

Thank you so much Actually gave me a nice chuckle

You get 5,000,000 to spend on Andetch Shuttles as a reward

[Ozelui]

10 minutes ago, Andetch said:

Thank you so much Actually gave me a nice chuckle

You get 5,000,000 to spend on Andetch Shuttles as a reward

Hey, you left the joke in orbit, i had to land it somewhere! 

By the way, to put the badges in the signature, you can use a code like this in profile -> signature:

[ url=https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/164104-shuttle-challenge-v5-the-sts-thread-stock-and-mod-friendly-new-mission-782017/& ][ img ]http://i.imgur.com/bE1JPq5.jpg[ /img ][ /url ]

(Without the spaces, i added them so the forum doesn't recognice the code).  Save it and open the signature again.

[michal.don]

18 hours ago, Andetch said:

Michal, the pod has no fuel used - I locked the resources. This is shown in the final scene of the flight video

Yep, I see, thanks.

18 hours ago, Andetch said:

The Shuttle used is the Type C EL "Heavy" variant. The original Type C Shuttle is nicknamed "Forgiveness" as you can put her into a spin, nosedive or tail fall and recover at any altitude more than 2km, and "Heavy" does have some of those! I am putting together a video showing off this, if you would care to see it? Does flight stability and handling characteristics count for anything?

Well, not in terms of scoring, but it sure will make your missions easier for you

15 hours ago, Ozelui said:

Thanks for the badge !   And just for the record, he volunteered.

He's a kerbal of course he volunteered. They are all green little idiots, otherwise they wouldn't sit in any of my vessels

 

[Alpha 360]

I have completed the third challenge, aiming for a commander badge for once. Here is the thread with the report of STS-3

 

 

[Andetch]

20 hours ago, Ozelui said:

Hey, you left the joke in orbit, i had to land it somewhere! 

By the way, to put the badges in the signature, you can use a code like this in profile -> signature:

[ url=https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/164104-shuttle-challenge-v5-the-sts-thread-stock-and-mod-friendly-new-mission-782017/& ][ img ]http://i.imgur.com/bE1JPq5.jpg[ /img ][ /url ]

(Without the spaces, i added them so the forum doesn't recognice the code).  Save it and open the signature again.

That landing definitely counts as a perfect KSC landing!

Okay, thanks very much for explaining that!

I'm gonna smash this challenge/s out! Well, to a point anyways - I always have trouble building something that I am happy with that goes interplanetary (yeah ofc I have landed on Duna etc - but only with loads of support equipment like mining rigs on Ike etc)....

10 hours ago, michal.don said:

Well, not in terms of scoring, but it sure will make your missions easier for you

Meh..... Well, all future videos will probably show off the handling of the shuttles - it is very rare that I can set up a descent to KSC that does not require some fancy flying (if at all - usually I land on beaches)!

[michal.don]

16 hours ago, Alpha 360 said:

I have completed the third challenge, aiming for a commander badge for once. Here is the thread with the report of STS-3

NIce mission, and a nice new shuttle - quite an original wing design.

However - I'm going to need a bit more detail until I can award the badge. Could you please provide screenshots of the final orbit (inclination and height), and some screenshots of the assembly process? These are missing in the mission report.

15 hours ago, Andetch said:

Meh..... Well, all future videos will probably show off the handling of the shuttles - it is very rare that I can set up a descent to KSC that does not require some fancy flying (if at all - usually I land on beaches)!

Luckily, the stock atmo and planet dimensions are quite forgiving, so even pretty serious mess-ups can be saved and navigated to the KSC runway....

Michal.don

[Andetch]

STS 2 - FAIL

Kind of thought you guys would find this short video funny.......

Forgot to adjust the wings - oops.

I do have a save before the mission for competition