Small Rocket Design

[Skystorm]

@Nik75 You seem to have cut some corners there.  You are missing your required solar panel, and I doubt that pod would survive a direct return from Minmus on normal mode without a heat shield.  Also, your remaining delta V in orbit sounds a few hundred m/s too low to reach Minmus, pull into orbit, land, take back off, and perform a direct return to Kerbin.

Have you actually performed the mission on normal mode using this craft?  I'd be interested in seeing some albums from others that have done it.

[Nik75]

9 hours ago, Skystorm said:

@Nik75 You seem to have cut some corners there.  You are missing your required solar panel, and I doubt that pod would survive a direct return from Minmus on normal mode without a heat shield.  Also, your remaining delta V in orbit sounds a few hundred m/s too low to reach Minmus, pull into orbit, land, take back off, and perform a direct return to Kerbin.

Have you actually performed the mission on normal mode using this craft?  I'd be interested in seeing some albums from others that have done it.

Well, this was actually the second minmus rocket I built for this "challenge". The first one was 14 parts, including a solar panel, but over 10.000 in cost. It was almost the same design. And yes, it easily goes to minmus and lands on sealevel Ice Lakes takes a sample and returns to Kerbin. I tested the mission several times and it works with ease. Will post pictures tomorrow! And the heat shield is not needed at all and it is in stock and normal mode, but not if entering to steep of course. I usually have between 1900-2000 m/s dV left when in LKO.

I'm just casual KSP player but I love this game! So I hope I have not cut some corners! Build it and try it if you have time. It's not as good looking as your craft but it works too :-)

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by Nik75
Added images

[sevenperforce]

23 hours ago, Nik75 said:

Amazing! How on Ear.. I mean, how on Kerbin did you get that low weight? 

Here you go.

Here's the cost, by the way:

[sevenperforce]

 

[ManEatingApe]

How low can we go, I wonder?

Here's a cheap and cheerful entry, a shade heavier than @sevenperforce's neat craft.

Just 10 parts, 6.31 tons, 3.5m tall and a bargain at 6,411 funds.

 

Mission highlights

Spoiler

Things got a little toasty during ascent.

1,770 m/s dV in LKO.

Plenty to make it to Minimus' surface...

..and just enough to make it back!

3 gentle aerobraking passes slow us down.

Made it back upright and in one piece.

 

Full mission album link

[Nik75]

@sevenperforce and @ManEatingApe

Amazing... Could never have imagined so much variety in design for such strict rules. Thanks so much for accepting the challenge, and for all pictures and interesting writing. Was a real joy to see your missions from start to end! I sure have learned a lot.

[sevenperforce]

2 minutes ago, Nik75 said:

@sevenperforce and @ManEatingApe

Amazing... Could never have imagined so much variety in design for such strict rules. Thanks so much for accepting the challenge, and for all pictures and interesting writing. Was a real joy to see your missions from start to end! I sure have learned a lot.

Thanks for the interesting challenge!

@ManEatingApe almost always beats me at challenges like this, though whether due to patience or genius, I'm not sure.

[ManEatingApe]

6 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

 ...almost always beats me at challenges like this

I don't see it like that at all! There were four dimensions to optimise; weight, parts, cost and (somewhat unusually) height.

You chose weight and I went for parts and cost.

Without any objective way to weight these 4 dimensions there's no way to rank the entries, completing the challenge is enough of an achievement itself.

I really like that we all went for different approaches given the tight constraints.

6 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

...whether due to patience or genius, I'm not sure.

Gin, a dV calculator and an unwarranted sense of optimism 

Edited August 24, 2017 by ManEatingApe

[Nefrums]

This sounded fun!

Here is my attempt:

10 parts, 5,91 tons, 6m tall and  5428

 

 

[sevenperforce]

1 hour ago, Nefrums said:

This sounded fun!

Here is my attempt:

10 parts, 5,91 tons, 6m tall and  5428

 

 

Damn, that is impressive. 

[ManEatingApe]

Couldn't resist having another crack at this with a slightly unorthodox design.

Whittled it down to 8 parts, 5.3 tons, 5.5m tall and an affordable 4,944 funds.

Careful observers will notice that the Spark is pointed backwards. Valentina had fly the entire mission in reverse!

 

Mission Highlights

Spoiler

Once the Whiplash reached its full potential, the tendency to rotate upwards was neatly balanced by gravity, allowing us to keep a constant heading...barely!

The Minimus landing was a little unconventional.

Even though the craft was stable nose first, we were able to keep pointed retrograde for maximum drag until reaching the lower atmosphere.

The drogue chute, combined with a last second burst from the Spark, got Valentina safely home.

 

Full mission album link

Edited August 27, 2017 by ManEatingApe

[sevenperforce]

7 hours ago, ManEatingApe said:

Couldn't resist having another crack at this with a slightly unorthodox design.

Whittled it down to 8 parts, 5.3 tons, 5.5m tall and an affordable 4,944 funds.

Careful observers will notice that the Spark is pointed backwards. Valentina had fly the entire mission in reverse!

 

Mission Highlights

  Hide contents

Once the Whiplash reached its full potential, the tendency to rotate upwards was neatly balanced by gravity, allowing us to keep a constant heading...barely!

The Minimus landing was a little unconventional.

Even though the craft was stable nose first, we were able to keep pointed retrograde for maximum drag until reaching the lower atmosphere.

The drogue chute, combined with a last second burst from the Spark, got Valentina safely home.

 

Full mission album link

Bravo!!

[Nik75]

On 8/25/2017 at 11:38 PM, Nefrums said:

This sounded fun!

Here is my attempt:

10 parts, 5,91 tons, 6m tall and  5428

Very good! Super nice and also unique design!

[Nik75]

On 8/27/2017 at 8:23 PM, ManEatingApe said:

Couldn't resist having another crack at this with a slightly unorthodox design.
Whittled it down to 8 parts, 5.3 tons, 5.5m tall and an affordable 4,944 funds.
Careful observers will notice that the Spark is pointed backwards. Valentina had fly the entire mission in reverse!

Amazing.. So cool with that Spark on top This just have to approach the limit of a possible Minimus lander with lower than 5000 funds!
So what about a 5 or lower part Minmus stock spaceship? Is it possible if removing the other limits and just minimize the parts?

[sevenperforce]

2 hours ago, Nik75 said:

Amazing.. So cool with that Spark on top This just have to approach the limit of a possible Minimus lander with lower than 5000 funds!
So what about a 5 or lower part Minmus stock spaceship? Is it possible if removing the other limits and just minimize the parts?

Can I use a command seat?

[Nik75]

16 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

Can I use a command seat?

Yeah... maybe that is the only way to use 5 or fewer parts.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Nik75
Spelling correction

[Nicias]

fewer

[sevenperforce]

Actually, now that I think about it, using a command seat requires either a heat shield or a payload bay, to protect the Kerbal from re-entry heat. And since there are no parts which contain both oxidizer and an air intake, you need five parts just to get an engine on it.

Of course if we're only working on part count, then a LOT of other opportunities open up....

[sevenperforce]

I did a simple, almost trivial 5-part Minmus lander with a Twin Boar, a Rockomax decoupler, a Poodle, a C7 adapter, and a Mk0 capsule, but that seems too easy. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by sevenperforce

[Nik75]

6 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

I did a simple, almost trivial 5-part Minmus lander with a Twin Boar, a Rockomax decoupler, a Poodle, a C7 adapter, and a Mk0 capsule, but that seems too easy. 

Yes.. that is easy, made a similar 5-part craft too. But can we get down to 4 parts? Just for the insanity of it. Or three. Maybe 5 parts is the absolute limit?. It get's so very much harder just with one part less.

EDIT:
It is very easy to build a 4 part rocket based on Mk1 that goes to Eeloo and far beyond. ^{_{(No orbiting) (No landing) (No return)}}
A 4 part Minmus lander is also extremely easy. But the Kerbin landing is too complicated for me with 4 parts.

Maybe there is some crazy designs or tricks that will make it with 3 or 4 parts stock. To Minmus and back with a sample. I have not got the slightest idea but MAYBE it can be done.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Nik75
Editing :)