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

[Kerbolitto]

On 10/3/2019 at 2:13 PM, michal.don said:

And one bit of (sort of) important info - tomorrow I'm leaving for three weeks for a holiday - my first real one this year - and @4x4cheesecake was again very kind to agree to take over the challenge for the time I'm gone.

Where you going ? :p

Also what about the big secret mission ?

[DunaManiac]

STS 5-8 Missions:

For the temporary manager, here is a complete modlist. Imgur: 

First Launch: https://imgur.com/a/YT1EwGN

Second Launch: https://imgur.com/a/gRcsmC9

Third Launch: https://imgur.com/a/CMgT6HF

Fourth Launch: https://imgur.com/a/a5n7za3

Edited October 4, 2019 by DunaManiac
Modlist

[4x4cheesecake]

2 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

STS 5-8 Missions:

For the temporary manager, here is a complete modlist.

Thank you, very kind

Very impressive landing on the first mission, you should record a video next time and make a tutorial "how to land a shuttle without a front wheel" And yes, of course this landing still counts since you didn't loose any parts
The station looks cool, well done! I'm a bit surprised to find the MPL on it though but I guess you've asked about it so you don't have to use it twice?
Also, I'm curious: the engines on the service module, are these puff engines? It's always a bit dark when they are visible ^^

Congratulations to your new badge

 

Are we going to see STS-9 next or do you jump directly to the mun missions?

[DunaManiac]

Thanks for the badge!

Yes, the service module did have puff engines.

Actually, I have managed to land planes without front wheels before, one I had a mk2 space plane which front landing gear was on a cargo bay, and the game thought it was inside the cargo bay, so I landed it without a landing gear. The trick is to lower the velocity down to under 40 m/s and use the cockpit to absorb all of it's energy, then use the other landing gear to do the rest.

I think I'll do the Mun Missions, by the way, can I go back to the STS-9 mission if I start the mun missions?

 

[4x4cheesecake]

12 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

The trick is to lower the velocity down to under 40 m/s and use the cockpit to absorb all of it's energy, then use the other landing gear to do the rest.

Under 40m/s? Wow, you need a lot of lift and pitch authority for this

12 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

I think I'll do the Mun Missions, by the way, can I go back to the STS-9 mission if I start the mun missions?

You can always go back to do skipped optional missions and/or to repeat missions you've already done (for fun or to qualify for a different category)

[Kerbolitto]

Well well well, it's good but I think some improvements could be needed..

[DunaManiac]

Mun STS-1 Mission:

Album: https://imgur.com/a/5ius9rv

[MarkoeZ]

Good day!

Oldtimer checking back in and going for this challenge  

Working towards the first badge, and the Kerbals finally have a properly flyable shuttle and what looks like a decent launch booster. They managed to launch, not perfect but they got into near circular orbit (105 km x 95 km). And fortunately there was still even some fuel leftover from the second of 3 stages to help with the de-orbit maneuver! But once that fuel ran our, our little Kerbals had a nasty surprise when they tried to separate the 2nd stage. Instead of attaching it to the detachment manifold, the ground crew had welded it directly to the main fuselage...

In true Kerbal spirit the brave astronauts still went on with their mission though! The de-orbit maneuver was completed as planned, and descent onto the desert airfield initiated. Right before the final landing approach, a last fuel burn was done to get rid of as much weight and combustibles as possible.

In the end, the runway was not quite hit on touchdown, but the landing was gentle enough to JUST rip off the 2nd stage (and perhaps a wing of the lander, but they were on the ground already, details...), touch down, and roll onto the landing strip.

So yeah, not a full first run yet, but the journey was too great not to share

Some pictures: https://imgur.com/a/dhqN9Fw
 

[4x4cheesecake]

On 10/5/2019 at 10:16 PM, DunaManiac said:

Mun STS-1 Mission:

Album: https://imgur.com/a/5ius9rv

That was fast

Landing a shuttle on the mun can be quite challenging but you made it look like any other standard mun mission, well done!
Interesting construction for the research facility, you are probably the first who build it in form of a rover  

For future interplanetary missions, please do me a favor and add a screenshot of your shuttle during the aerobreak, at least the first one. It's a very critical moment during these missions and it can be quite difficult to hit the "sweetspot", where you break just enough to get captured but don't burn up in the atmosphere.
I have no doubt you made it, especially since your shuttle is pretty lightweight and there is no way you can burn up during this trip with a Pe of 60km around kerbin, but if you skip this phase in the mun missions already, you'll probably skip it during other missions as well

Anyway, congratulations to your new badge

 

21 hours ago, MarkoeZ said:

Good day!

Oldtimer checking back in and going for this challenge  

Welcome back to KSP

Your shuttle looks promising and I'm certain you'll be able to teach the ground crew how the booster should be attached to the orbiter in a way, it can be separated

Good job on lithobreaking just enough to get rid of the unnecessary parts without flipping the whole thing around. If you didn't loose a wing, this would actually qualify you for a badge but it's probably not the best start into this challenge^^

Thanks for sharing this first impression, looking forward to your first actual entry  

Edited October 6, 2019 by 4x4cheesecake
Corrected the badge to "Pilot" rank

[MarkoeZ]

6 hours ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Welcome back to KSP

Your shuttle looks promising and I'm certain you'll be able to teach the ground crew how the booster should be attached to the orbiter in a way, it can be separated

Good job on lithobreaking just enough to get rid of the unnecessary parts without flipping the whole thing around. If you didn't loose a wing, this would actually qualify you for a badge but it's probably not the best start into this challenge^^

Thanks for sharing this first impression, looking forward to your first actual entry  

Thanks!

And yeah, that was not an entry, just my statement of commitment and a funny mission

That said, my STS-1a challenge is now completed i think!
Got into orbit, de-orbited and landed at the dessert airfield in one piece, without any extra luggage this time
I have hyperedit and mechjeb installed, but neither were used during this run. Just very useful while building the craft. No other mods

And the album: https://imgur.com/gallery/fbKbvKq

[4x4cheesecake]

2 hours ago, MarkoeZ said:

That said, my STS-1a challenge is now completed i think!

Looks like you are right

The shuttle looks very stable through the flight whole flight and even survived the steep reentry. I'm a bit surprised that you aimed for the Dessert Airfield instead of the KSC but of course, that's up to you and a perfectly fine choice

I have a few questions though, just out of curiousity: These are a lot of engines you're firing during the launch, do you really need all of them? And why did you place the landing gear in an angle? Just for your personal style?

Anyway, congratulations to your first badge

[DunaManiac]

10 hours ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

That was fast

Landing a shuttle on the mun can be quite challenging but you made it look like any other standard mun mission, well done!
Interesting construction for the research facility, you are probably the first who build it in form of a rover  

For future interplanetary missions, please do me a favor and add a screenshot of your shuttle during the aerobreak, at least the first one. It's a very critical moment during these missions and it can be quite difficult to hit the "sweetspot", where you break just enough to get captured but don't burn up in the atmosphere.
I have no doubt you made it, especially since your shuttle is pretty lightweight and there is no way you can burn up during this trip with a Pe of 60km around kerbin, but if you skip this phase in the mun missions already, you'll probably skip it during other missions as well

Anyway, congratulations to your new badge

 

Welcome back to KSP

Your shuttle looks promising and I'm certain you'll be able to teach the ground crew how the booster should be attached to the orbiter in a way, it can be separated

Good job on lithobreaking just enough to get rid of the unnecessary parts without flipping the whole thing around. If you didn't loose a wing, this would actually qualify you for a badge but it's probably not the best start into this challenge^^

Thanks for sharing this first impression, looking forward to your first actual entry  

Thank you for the badge, but I am pretty sure that that is a Commander badge, and I didn't qualify for that, I only did the pilot mission.

[MarkoeZ]

51 minutes ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Looks like you are right

The shuttle looks very stable through the flight whole flight and even survived the steep reentry. I'm a bit surprised that you aimed for the Dessert Airfield instead of the KSC but of course, that's up to you and a perfectly fine choice

I have a few questions though, just out of curiousity: These are a lot of engines you're firing during the launch, do you really need all of them? And why did you place the landing gear in an angle? Just for your personal style?

Anyway, congratulations to your first badge

 

Awesome, Thanks!

Most of the engines are the small engines on the shuttle itself, and perhaps they dont need to be on during launch, but every bit of thrust helps i guess. Because with those small engines,  i can balance the weight more around the shuttle, then just engines at the back. That keeps it super easy to fly.
Also, the launch vehicle itself is way more powerful than it needs to be or this challenge alone, but that helped with the next step!

I noticed the pod of the STS-1b challenge fit in the hull, and with some adjustments (bigger shuttle engine, 2 solid boosters and some tweaking off the liquid sidetanks positions)  i got it into orbit, AP 117.258, PE 117.274, deployed, and shuttle landed on KSC this time, only about 30 meters to the right of the runway!

Album: https://imgur.com/gallery/O4fkAZY

Edited October 6, 2019 by MarkoeZ

[4x4cheesecake]

13 minutes ago, DunaManiac said:

Thank you for the badge, but I am pretty sure that that is a Commander badge, and I didn't qualify for that, I only did the pilot mission.

Silly me, you are absolute right. Commander needs a manned research facility, I'm sorry. Thanks for correcting me, here is your correct bade  

(I'll edit my previous post as well, just to prevent confusion)

 

6 minutes ago, MarkoeZ said:

Most of the engines are the small engines on the shuttle itself, and perhaps they dont need to be on during launch, but every bit of thrust helps i guess. Because with those small engines,  i can balance the weight more around the shuttle, then just engines at the back. That keeps it super easy to fly.
Also, the launch vehicle itself is way more powerful than it needs to be or this challenge alone, but that helped with the next step!

I see, thanks
Well, I already thought that it will help you with this mission

7 minutes ago, MarkoeZ said:

Album: https://imgur.com/gallery/O4fkAZY

Oh, so close to the runway...that's unfortunate How did that happen? You were lined up very well during your approach.

While I'm inclined to turn a blind eye regarding the landing this time, I need to ask you for another screenshot to proof that every tank of the 40t pod is actually filled and untouched. I can see the amount of ore in the resource window and you show the LFO tank but there is also a monoprop tank which need to be untouched and since you have used some monoprop during your mission, there is no way for me to see if the fuel was provided by the orbiter or the fuel pod. Just load your game, switch to the pod in orbit (which is hopefully still there) and open the resource window or right click every tank

[MarkoeZ]

17 hours ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Oh, so close to the runway...that's unfortunate How did that happen? You were lined up very well during your approach.

While I'm inclined to turn a blind eye regarding the landing this time, I need to ask you for another screenshot to proof that every tank of the 40t pod is actually filled and untouched. I can see the amount of ore in the resource window and you show the LFO tank but there is also a monoprop tank which need to be untouched and since you have used some monoprop during your mission, there is no way for me to see if the fuel was provided by the orbiter or the fuel pod. Just load your game, switch to the pod in orbit (which is hopefully still there) and open the resource window or right click every tank

Ahw crap, had not watched that at all. Apparently 76 monopropellant got used... Shame because the craft had more than enough on board.

Will do another run, gives another chance at the airrstrip landing too ;)

[DunaManiac]

I have a question, regarding areocaptures... by areocapture do you mean doing what I did in my previous mission Mun STS-1, reentering several times to slow down, or one large areobreak, to slow down into a low orbit and then land?

Edited October 7, 2019 by DunaManiac

[MarkoeZ]

Ok, new attempt at STS-1b, and caught on video  

Orbit proof around 17 min 20 sec in the vid, and around 21:05 the probe gets fully activated, with proof of fuel/cargo. 

And completed in one run even! Did quicksaves, but not needed in the end. Cheers!

 

[Kerbolitto]

29 minutes ago, DunaManiac said:

I have a question, regarding areocaptures... by areocapture do you mean doing what I did in my previous mission Mun STS-1, reentering several times to slow down, or one large areobreak, to slow down into a low orbit and then land?

I think he meant that the first aerocapture is very important, and after a few passes as the speed decreases, it all becomes pretty standard.

 

[4x4cheesecake]

1 hour ago, DunaManiac said:

I have a question, regarding areocaptures... by areocapture do you mean doing what I did in my previous mission Mun STS-1, reentering several times to slow down, or one large areobreak, to slow down into a low orbit and then land?

Yes, you already performed an aerocapture in your last mun mission. If you enter the atmosphere multiple times or just once, is up to you. It is just important, that you have to use the atmosphere to slow down your orbiter to reach an orbit around kerbin (circular or elliptical, doesn't matter). The opposite would be a "powered break" by using the engines and firing them in retrograde direction.

52 minutes ago, Kerbolitto said:

I think he meant that the first aerocapture is very important, and after a few passes as the speed decreases, it all becomes pretty standard.

This one as well I personally prefer to create the screenshot close to the Pe...if you got there without burning up, you'll be fine.

 

1 hour ago, MarkoeZ said:

Ok, new attempt at STS-1b, and caught on video  

Uh, nice!

What are all these explosions during the launch? Looks like you got some parts overheating by exposing them to the engine exhausts Beside of that, it was a really good flight and you demonstrated some serious piloting skills by adjusting the engine thrust during the launch to reduce the torque and by controlling your descent trajectory by changing the pitch of the orbiter during the whole flight.
The orbit of the fuel pod looks fine and luckily, all the fuel is still in it this time Also, you actually hit the runway this time, that's an important improvement  

This badge is for you and well deserved

 

If you don't mind, I have a little suggestion though: It looks like your reaction wheels take too much control during the final approach of the runway and prevent small adjustments. You may want to switch their mode to "SAS only" (probably via actiongroup) or turn them off at all, so your orbiter is actually controlled by the elevons and not the reaction wheels

[DunaManiac]

STS 1 Mun Mission. Commander level this time.

Album: https://imgur.com/a/KDGpBxB

[MarkoeZ]

16 hours ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Uh, nice!

What are all these explosions during the launch? Looks like you got some parts overheating by exposing them to the engine exhausts Beside of that, it was a really good flight and you demonstrated some serious piloting skills by adjusting the engine thrust during the launch to reduce the torque and by controlling your descent trajectory by changing the pitch of the orbiter during the whole flight.
The orbit of the fuel pod looks fine and luckily, all the fuel is still in it this time Also, you actually hit the runway this time, that's an important improvement  

This badge is for you and well deserved

If you don't mind, I have a little suggestion though: It looks like your reaction wheels take too much control during the final approach of the runway and prevent small adjustments. You may want to switch their mode to "SAS only" (probably via actiongroup) or turn them off at all, so your orbiter is actually controlled by the elevons and not the reaction wheels

Thanks!

And yeah, not figured out what's exploding yet, everything still seems to function properly and do not see anything missing. Then again, It would not be Kerbal without some exploding parts

And good tip! Still working on the landing indeed, found out during this run the RCS does more harm than good in the final approach. Mostly been a rocket man so far

Finally a question about challenge STS-2a: "Reach an orbit of 350+km and deploy three or more comsats to equidistant geostationary orbits. De-orbit and land at either at the KSC runway, the Island Airfield just off of KSC, the Dessert Airfield from MH, or at any Kerbal Konstructs airport."

350 km is not geostationary. So i launch the sats at 350km and move them to their final orbit, 2200km ish afterwards? And equidistant, just roughly at 120 degrees of each other or is there a certain threshold like with the fuel can orbit?

 

 

Cheers!

[4x4cheesecake]

15 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

STS 1 Mun Mission. Commander level this time.

Album: https://imgur.com/a/KDGpBxB

Well done mission and thanks for keeping the space clean by crashing your debris Don't worry too much about missing an screenshot of the last aerobreak, it's really just the first one which is interesting

Congratulations to the upgrade of your badge

 

1 hour ago, MarkoeZ said:

Finally a question about challenge STS-2a: "Reach an orbit of 350+km and deploy three or more comsats to equidistant geostationary orbits. De-orbit and land at either at the KSC runway, the Island Airfield just off of KSC, the Dessert Airfield from MH, or at any Kerbal Konstructs airport."

350 km is not geostationary. So i launch the sats at 350km and move them to their final orbit, 2200km ish afterwards? And equidistant, just roughly at 120 degrees of each other or is there a certain threshold like with the fuel can orbit?

Correct, 350km is not geostationary but also, no one said it must be a circular 350km+ orbit Of course you can launch into a circular orbit above 350km, release the comsats and bring them in their final position on their own power, it's perfectly fine.
A different approach would be a resonant orbit, for two reasons: The Pe would be above 350km (to fulfill the requirement) and it will also allow you to place the comsats in equidistant position.

If you've never heard of resonant orbits, you may want to look at this nice tool:

 

Well, if you actually want to try it without a resonant orbit: there is no official threshold and I'm not going to measure the angles of your final triangle. If you can look down at your satellites in map view and think "yeah, looks like an equilateral triangle", that's totally fine (It's also not perfect when using a resonant orbit though^^)

Edited October 8, 2019 by 4x4cheesecake

[DunaManiac]

I have a question, can the rover use the claw to dock to the base on Mun STS-2?

Edited October 9, 2019 by DunaManiac

[4x4cheesecake]

8 hours ago, DunaManiac said:

I have a question, can the rover use the claw to dock to the base on Mun STS-2?

Well, it's not prohibited but the required docking port of the habitat module is supposed to be used to dock the rover to the base.

I'm not going to decline an entry which uses the claw to bypass the typical hight issues since it will create a docking connection as well but it is not exactly how it is supposed to be

[DunaManiac]

I have a question about STS 2-4:

"Take the rover for a short ride" is there a limit to what counts as a "short ride", do I need to drive to a kilometer and then drive back, or undock, or drive it around for a minute and then dock it back?