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

[Kerbolitto]

@Togu Very cool shuttle !! But how much dV it has ? You plan to do the other challenges ?

[Togu]

1 hour ago, Kerbolitto said:

@Togu Very cool shuttle !! But how much dV it has ? You plan to do the other challenges ?

Thank you.
In the start configuration my shuttle has up to 5000 m/s dV, the orbiter itself up to 900m/s depending on the payload.  Yes, I will do a few more challenges, which first have to see exactly what can be done without major modifications.

 

[sturmhauke]

What's up shuttle fans? I've been unable to work on any serious missions until just recently - my old laptop was starting to struggle to run any games, and then my new PC turned out to have a lot of driver issues. But I think I've finally got it sorted out now.

Here's a little peek of my next shuttle design in progress, for Mun STS-2. The one I used for the previous mission was a little too unwieldy and prone to overstressing the engine pylons, since they were so far outboard. But I did want to keep the VTOL nacelles in some form. Somebody here did a split-wing VTOL design (sorry, I can't remember who it was) that I thought looked cool, so I did my own version. I also switched from a bunch of Nervs to a couple of Wolfhounds. They're much less efficient of course, but also have a much better TWR and a shorter profile, making them way easier to work with. Finally, it's named after an old Munar mission I did back when I was a noob and didn't really know what I was doing. (Also a certain mythological raven.) It was a sort of Apollo 13 situation, but the plus side was I learned how to do complex rescue operations. Here's a link. Hopefully I've learned a few things since then, and this one goes smoother.

Presenting the Munnin:

 

[Kerbolitto]

Nice design, I like the wing shape around the engine !

[sturmhauke]

Thanks! Hopefully I can get the mission going soon.

[Kerbolitto]

Me too.. Im considering running some missions, again I think I could use some kind of a glitch to build an enormous (stock) shuttle :p

[Togu]

So I'm looking forward to your mission reports. 

[sturmhauke]

I had to change the wing geometry some; the previous version didn't have enough lift/drag, and it was getting too hot on reentry and also too fast on landing approach. I mean I guess I could, you know, make a more normal-sized shuttle, but why would I want to do that? Anyway, this redesign was able to reenter and land successfully, so it should be close to final. Still have to design the boosters.

 

[sturmhauke]

Munnin is done with trials. Now I'm working on the Mun base design. I decided to go with the Planetary Base Systems mod; I like the way it looks, and it doesn't come with life support attached which I don't want to deal with right now. I'm also experimenting with a construction crane made from Breaking Ground parts. It works better than I expected, but it's kind of unwieldy to operate:

 

[sturmhauke]

I made a video of my construction vehicle test. I haven't put a crane on it yet, but I finally got it driving well and also not exploding inside the cargo bay (mostly).

 

[Ksp Slingshooter]

I would like to try this challenge at some point, but I have some questions:

Are we allowed to play in a version newer than 1.7?

In the missions that have "a" and "b", do we have to complete both in the same launch or are they 2 separate launches? 

Do we have to maintain the same shuttle design throughout the missions? 

[sturmhauke]

2 minutes ago, Ksp Slingshooter said:

I would like to try this challenge at some point, but I have some questions:

Are we allowed to play in a version newer than 1.7?

I hope so, I'm running 1.8.1 

Quote

In the missions that have "a" and "b", do we have to complete both in the same launch or are they 2 separate launches?

You can do them either way. It's probably easier to to them separately, although it will take longer. 2a and 2b in particular are a bit tricky to do as one launch; you're taking up one payload and taking back down a very different payload, potentially from a very different orbit.

Quote

Do we have to maintain the same shuttle design throughout the missions?

Definitely not. I'm working on my 5th design currently (not counting failed prototypes), although I did reuse a lot of launch system components. I'd count it as 3 major launch system versions, with some variants.

[Kerbolitto]

18 minutes ago, Ksp Slingshooter said:

Do we have to maintain the same shuttle design throughout the missions? 

My advice would be to design a shuttle capable of holding 40t to orbit and descending them on the ground, with some pre-thinking about adding more fuel tanks / different engines. 

This way you'll have a suitable craft capable of flying with various cargo and fuel mass, and possibillities to extend its range for the latest missions

[JacobTheFoxx]

Hello! It's been almost a year since I've been here. I will be redoing all the challenges, so please ignore any submissions I have made in the past.

I look foward to doing this challenge again, and hopefully all the way through.

[Kerbolitto]

 

Work in progress

0.6TWR in orbit without cargo, 2 bobcats & 6 nukes, around 4k dV in total, good glider, double 1.5 cargo bay

Also the central cockpit is a terrier / jets propulsed mini-shuttle which can detach from the rest.

 

Edited March 11, 2020 by Kerbolitto

[sturmhauke]

I may need to rethink my construction methodology...

[Kerbolitto]

1 hour ago, sturmhauke said:

I may need to rethink my construction methodology...

Cool stuff for future archeologists !

[Kerbolitto]

Here are 2 small clips from the mission Im flying right now.

First is the landing of a 210t. shuttle with 2x 1.5 cargo bays, followed by the Shorpa with which I made my second run at this challenge, with a new wing design (body lift). I detailled the complete approach from supersonic to landing .

Again sorry if the quality is bad, I have dark age internet

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

 

New clip, outpost assembly

I will do a full post once the mission is over but maybe some of you may enjoy small videos too

Spoiler

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Kerbolitto

[HyperDraco]

This is my calling. Saving this for reference soon.

I just spent 15 hours at figuring out Orbiter 2016.

This will be mine.

(I'm actually a very nice person so don't worry)

[sturmhauke]

So I've decided to split my construction vehicle off from my flatbed truck. Trying to put a crane on the truck was proving difficult with the space limitations, and I didn't feel like redesigning the shuttle yet again. So here is a test of my new construction vehicle carrying the antenna mast for my base. It also has a klaw on the belly for moving habitation and other large modules.

[Kerbolitto]

1 hour ago, sturmhauke said:

So I've decided to split my construction vehicle off from my flatbed truck. Trying to put a crane on the truck was proving difficult with the space limitations, and I didn't feel like redesigning the shuttle yet again. So here is a test of my new construction vehicle carrying the antenna mast for my base. It also has a klaw on the belly for moving habitation and other large modules.

Nice ! but a bit large for mk3 bay ?

I can send you this rover if you want to check it

[sturmhauke]

21 minutes ago, Kerbolitto said:

Nice ! but a bit large for mk3 bay ?

Thanks! And yeah, it is probably too big for Mk3. But I've been using Nertea's Mk4 mod since I started this series. Also it collapses for transport, although maybe not as compactly as yours.

[Kerbolitto]

4 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

Thanks! And yeah, it is probably too big for Mk3. But I've been using Nertea's Mk4 mod since I started this series. Also it collapses for transport, although maybe not as compactly as yours.

Yes I saw the hinges ! Robotic is not that bad once you lower your expectations ^^

Look at that you will get a better idea

Spoiler

 

 

[Yakez]

Hey... I am really new to this challenge stuff, so I maybe did not capture everything that I need... sorry. To be fair this is my fist KSP plane/shuttle that can actually fly. It had couple of iterations, but finally I want to show this one. So I started doing STS challenges on clean save. And missions went, slightly off... as expected in the space exploration.
Mods: I could not live without Near Future Solar panels and use some more cosmetic/roleplay stuff from Restock+. Everything else is fully stock and mainly utility mods, half of witch I do not use anyway.

SMM is short for Starplane Maximia Maro. SMM was designed by Yakez Interstellar Corporation and is fully powered plane capable of at least mach 3 in atmosphere, orbital flight and missions beyond. SMM was designed with modularity in mind and can be reconfigured even in orbit to complete wide variety of missions.

Engines:
- 3 orbital RV-1 "Cub";
- 6 JX-4 "Whiplash" jets.
Maximum crew: 7.
Docking a: airlock/docking port on top for crew transfer and bottom airlock inside cargo bay for EVA missions.
Docking b: front aerodynamic nose cone with shielded docking port and forward RCS system behind clamps. Nose cone can be detached and reveal second large docking port for more complex mission configurations.
Docking c: big rear docking port for any interplanetary engine payload or other SMM craft to be docked for refuelling.
VTOL: capable in low gravity, VTOL docking port explains bottom facing cargo bay, in future it would be mounted inside cargo bay for VTOL missions.
Payload: 40t+.
Launch system:
- 4 Vector engines (core booster);
- 4 Vector engines (fuel distribution system under SMM);
- 1 Mainsail engines (top boosters).
Total launch mass: around 600-640t (for basic missions).

During launch craft leave the atmosphere and only then during second burn detach core booster and shortly after 2 top boosters and rear engine cluster with fuel distribution system. After that craft propels last 40-60 m/s with 3 orbital engines.

First 3 missions under spoilers:

Spoiler

First starplane mission was obliviously called Maximia Maro I and featured automated craft that delivered dummy 40t payload and landed on desolate desert airfield just in case... There was an issue with tapes of mission melting when they were recovered from craft and left outside for couple of days in the desert sun. So there is only photos of craft on airfield and full footage of further missions for future generations.

https://imgur.com/a/uu4E0GA

Mission: Maximia Maro II (STS-1a + STS-1b).
Status: success.
Commander: Bill Kerman.
Pilot: Summer Kerman.
Crew: 5.

First crewed mission delivering actual Mullet Dyne 40t Fuel Pod to 100km LKO. During payload release there was an issue with secondary cargo bay docking clamp (did not hold payload correctly), it would be replaced on future missions with something else. All other orbital operation were success, however due to incorrect de-orbit burn SMM overshoot KCS by couple hundred kilometres and Summer Kerman was tasked to perform high speed atmospheric turn and mach 3 flight to KSC.

With glorious mach 3 Summer piloted craft to KCS and landed craft on a rather high 100 m/s speed.

 

Spoiler

https://imgur.com/a/sR36nR1

Mission: Maximia Maro III (STS-2a + STS-2b).
Status: partial failure, relay network can be repaired and drifting at KSO apophasis; new secondary mission - success.
Commander: Bill Kerman.
Pilot: Summer Kerman.
Crew: 5.

Mission goal was to establish KSO relay network. Mission went as planned and due to rather light payload SMM easily achieved KSO apophasis to release stack of 3 satellites. After that stack was to boost itself to 2/3 orbit resonance with KSO and detach all 3 satellites at 60 degree angle with every orbit. 

However, satellite stack was unresponsive to any testing before separation on KSO. After closer EVA inspection by crew it was clear that engineers on Kerbin simply forgot to put core control modules and it was impossible to remote control units in any capacity. After further instructions from the ground MMIII mission was ordered to ditch payload and complete other objective due to now vacant mission time. New goal was to recover Mullet Dyne 40t Fuel Pod from MMII mission.

To achieve lower orbit with limited fuel Bill ordered to perform Kerbin aerobrake with altitude of 60 km. After 6 orbits craft achieved apophasis of 154 km - enough to start rendezvous with pod. With several burns of 60 and 20 m/s MMIII mission successfully docked to pod in orbit via back docking port of SMM. After that crew run diagnostics and shutdown procedures before docking pod into the cargo bay.

Return to Kerbin was done during night-time and initial plan to land on desert airfield cancelled in favour of KSC landing. MMIII mission flawlessly touched down on KSC runway on second attempt from the seaside. Heavy load and rather bad piloting caused craft to break extra hundred meters after runway ended. It is lucky that first attempt from mountain side had failed, runway in other direction opens to the seaside... same sloppy landing would most likely costed crew their lives. 

 

Spoiler

https://imgur.com/a/DYyH6Wl

Mission: Quintina Calvuis I (STS-3 + STS-2a repairs).
Status: operational success, partial engineering failure.
Commander: Bob Kerman.
Pilot: Frorim Kerman.
Crew: 6.

Quintina Calvus I mission involved second spaceplane built very similar to the first SMM. There were 6 main goals on the mission list:
a) Test capability of SMM to carry additional payload instead of nose cone;
b) Test slightly altered launch system;
c) Test re-entry capability and supersonic flight without nose cone;
d) Test and heavily utilize 2 KMU (Kerbal Manoeuvring Unit);
e) Rendezvous and attach 3 repair kits to 3 stranded KSO relays from MMIII mission;
f) Achieve circular 600 km orbit and deploy Pergula Telescope.

QCI vent as expected and was able to deliver all repair kits and reconfigure KSO relay stack of 3 satellites. However, due to engineering failure now controllable satellites could not change their aliment to achieve KSO orbits. Someone forgot to pack some RCU or more expensive probe in repair kits...

After aerobreak from KSO apophasis Quintina Calvus was put into 601 km circular orbit. Mission went onward with deployment of Pergula Telescope. Telescope was reassembled with 2 KMU while docked to the rear port of Quintina Calvus and then released. It was decided to leave both KMU attached to the telescope.

On return burn QCI went into reserve RCS fuel and made aero capture almost on monopropellant fumes. Landing was done rather flawlessly on KSC runway.

 

For the next future SMM mission it is now considered to do inclination adjustment of Pergula telescope and delivery of second repair kit to KSO relay. (Finally finishing STS2a and setting up STS4 and reason to create orbital workshop with STS5+).

Edited March 19, 2020 by Yakez
Edit into spoilers, format

[sturmhauke]

Welcome to the shuttle club @Yakez! Cool stuff so far.