Beginner - Flea Contract?

[bgray43050]

Just starting with the game in the last 2-3 days. Love it.

The contract for the Flea Booster is killing me.

Requirements that I can't figure out....
Use RT-5 Flea Booster
Keep altitude between 62,000 and 70,000m
Keep speed between 60 m/s and and 210 m/s 

I have used variations with the Flea sometimes using up to 7 of them, and I've limited my thrusters where I feel appropriate...I've limited them to about 50% while in the low atmosphere, and them limited them even more in the upper atmosphere to keep speeds under 210m/s.

I can get the altitude, but not under 210m/s. I can get under 210 m/s, but not near the altitude required.

Sorry if this is something very basic that I'm not figuring out. Any help is appreciated.

 

 

 

[James Kerman]

Welcome to the forum, @bgray43050.

These type of contracts can be a little finicky to get right.  Usually I will stack flea's until I get over the required altitude without adjusting thrust and then adjust the amount of fuel in only the final stage.  This should allow you to fine tune final speed and altitude with more ease.

I don't usually limit thrust due to gravity losses outweighing drag losses leading to a more expensive rocket.

Edited July 5, 2018 by James Kerman
Clarity

[bewing]

Welcome to the forums.

You may not quite be understanding the meaning of the words in the contract. The words mean, "Use any method you like to get to an altitude between 62km and 70km.  When you are there, use any method you like to get your Surface speed to between 60m/s and 210m/s. When you have both of those things at the same time, activate or test a Flea SRB on your ship."

Beyond that, there are things called "haul" contracts, and "test" contracts. For a "haul" contract, you don't even have to test/activate the engine. You have to look at the wording of the contract to see if it uses the word "haul".

 

Basically, the deal is that Flea boosters are not meant to get you that high. So you use a different booster to get you up there, and then you light the flea.

When it comes to carefully controlling your speed, liquid engines are best.

So you unlock the Swivel engine, and some of the little liquid fuel tanks. Build a rocket with those. Put a flea engine near the top. Take all the fuel out of the flea engine, probably -- because actually lighting the engine makes the trip much more complicated. Launch straight up until you are at 62km. Turn around and burn until your speed goes below 210m/s. Then activate the Flea using either staging or with the context menu. Have lots of parachutes on your ship, and let it float back down to the ground (making sure that you aren't going too fast for your parachutes to open).

 

 

[bgray43050]

19 minutes ago, bewing said:

Welcome to the forums.

You may not quite be understanding the meaning of the words in the contract. The words mean, "Use any method you like to get to an altitude between 62km and 70km.  When you are there, use any method you like to get your Surface speed to between 60m/s and 210m/s. When you have both of those things at the same time, activate or test a Flea SRB on your ship."

Beyond that, there are things called "haul" contracts, and "test" contracts. For a "haul" contract, you don't even have to test/activate the engine. You have to look at the wording of the contract to see if it uses the word "haul".

 

Basically, the deal is that Flea boosters are not meant to get you that high. So you use a different booster to get you up there, and then you light the flea.

When it comes to carefully controlling your speed, liquid engines are best.

So you unlock the Swivel engine, and some of the little liquid fuel tanks. Build a rocket with those. Put a flea engine near the top. Take all the fuel out of the flea engine, probably -- because actually lighting the engine makes the trip much more complicated. Launch straight up until you are at 62km. Turn around and burn until your speed goes below 210m/s. Then activate the Flea using either staging or with the context menu. Have lots of parachutes on your ship, and let it float back down to the ground (making sure that you aren't going too fast for your parachutes to open).

 

 

Makes a ton of sense, thanks! The wording of the contract made it sound like I can only use fleas. Building now and about to launch! I appreciate the feedback.

[bgray43050]

20 hours ago, bewing said:

Welcome to the forums.

You may not quite be understanding the meaning of the words in the contract. The words mean, "Use any method you like to get to an altitude between 62km and 70km.  When you are there, use any method you like to get your Surface speed to between 60m/s and 210m/s. When you have both of those things at the same time, activate or test a Flea SRB on your ship."

Beyond that, there are things called "haul" contracts, and "test" contracts. For a "haul" contract, you don't even have to test/activate the engine. You have to look at the wording of the contract to see if it uses the word "haul".

 

Basically, the deal is that Flea boosters are not meant to get you that high. So you use a different booster to get you up there, and then you light the flea.

When it comes to carefully controlling your speed, liquid engines are best.

So you unlock the Swivel engine, and some of the little liquid fuel tanks. Build a rocket with those. Put a flea engine near the top. Take all the fuel out of the flea engine, probably -- because actually lighting the engine makes the trip much more complicated. Launch straight up until you are at 62km. Turn around and burn until your speed goes below 210m/s. Then activate the Flea using either staging or with the context menu. Have lots of parachutes on your ship, and let it float back down to the ground (making sure that you aren't going too fast for your parachutes to open).

 

 

Worked wonderfully thanks!

[Kryxal]

One other thing, I wouldn't use a manned pod for this ... being so high with so little ground speed, you're going to come straight down.  If you can't do that, take extra fuel with you, and do a braking burn once you're lower.