Sputnik Challenge

[Jebediah Kerman Jr.]

Hannand Kerman was visiting Baikurbanur yesterday and a thought popped into my head.

The Challenge: Build a fully stock Sputnik/R7 replica (no DLC parts either).

Transport the rocket from the KSC to the Baikerbanur Launchpad. You can do this in any way you like, as long as no Hyperedit/cheats are used. Be creative.

Launch the rocket into orbit!

[Superfluous J]

I assume by "cheat" you would include "setting the launch site to Baikerbanur from the VAB"

[Jebediah Kerman Jr.]

Wait, you can set the launch site to Baikerbanur from the VAB?

[Superfluous J]

Sorry, no you can't. Just Woomerang and Dessert. I thought you could select Baikerbanur but I just tested it.

Carry on

[Jebediah Kerman Jr.]

Phew. My challenge is still challenging.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Jebediah Kerman Jr.

[l0kki]

22 hours ago, Jebediah Kerman Jr. said:

Phew. My challenge is still challenging.

Sorry to break it to you but woomerang is the "baikerbanur" of ksp

[Superfluous J]

46 minutes ago, l0kki said:

Sorry to break it to you but woomerang is the "baikerbanur" of ksp

No KSP2 is.

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Inland_Kerbal_Space_Center

[jinnantonix]

I am assuming the the R-7 replica needs to follows these specifications in terms of height, weight etc. 

The R-7 was 30m tall and weighed 140 tons fully fuelled, quite a challenge to get to Baikerbanur  .  Or would a mini R-7 in similar configuration (capable of launching the Sputnik, 500kg payload) be OK?  Also which engines best match the RD-107 engine?  A twin nozzle engine that was 1 ton in weight, and had 800kN ASL thrust.   A single Vector has the right thrust, but is 4 tons.  Or 2 x Terriers = 1 ton, but nowhere near enough thrust.  I am thinking 2 x Swivels seems about right and performs appropriately when tested.  Thoughts?

Here is my R-7 with Swivels.  Matches the specs fairly closely.

Edited November 19, 2018 by jinnantonix

[vyznev]

5 hours ago, jinnantonix said:

I am assuming the the R-7 replica needs to follows these specifications in terms of height, weight etc. 

The R-7 was 30m tall and weighed 140 tons fully fuelled, quite a challenge to get to Baikerbanur  .  Or would a mini R-7 in similar configuration (capable of launching the Sputnik, 500kg payload) be OK?  Also which engines best match the RD-107 engine?  A twin nozzle engine that was 1 ton in weight, and had 800kN ASL thrust.   A single Vector has the right thrust, but is 4 tons.  Or 2 x Terriers = 1 ton, but nowhere near enough thrust.  I am thinking 2 x Swivels seems about right and performs appropriately when tested.  Thoughts?

I'd hope that a smaller-scale model would be reasonable, given that Kerbin is smaller than Earth anyway and needs less delta-v to orbit. Even this 1.25m scale R-7 replica I made has almost 2 km/s of excess delta-v for this mission:

It uses a cluster of four Spark engines (which actually have decent sea-level thrust) to model the main thrusters of the RD-107/108 engines and Spider engines to model the verniers. Of course the Spark engines in KSP can gimbal on their own anyway, but the main nozzles on the R-7 can't, so I locked their gimbals for this vessel. The boosters also have some cosmetic fins, although (unlike on the real R-7) they're not movable control surfaces, so the only steering mechanism this craft has are the Spider engines. As it turns out, they do the job quite nicely.

Test flight screenshots:

Spoiler

Craft file here, in case anyone else wants to use this.

Edited November 19, 2018 by vyznev

[Jebediah Kerman Jr.]

Yes, both designs are acceptable, the only specifications are:

The rocket closely resembles the R7,

has a Sputnik as a payload,

is launched from Baikerbanur (KSC 2),

and enters orbit.

(And no cheating)

(or DLC parts, because those were designed to look like historic rockets)

Edited November 19, 2018 by Jebediah Kerman Jr.

[l0kki]

17 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

No KSP2 is.

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Inland_Kerbal_Space_Center

ah crap, mixed it up with baikonur

[jinnantonix]

Here is my mini R7.  For the engines, I have a pair of Thuds clipped into an empty FL-T200 tank for the main twin nozzles, and  a pair of Spiders for the verniers.  The fins are fixed only, not really required as the craft is very stable.  Plan is to carry the R7 to KSC2 on a jet equipped with ISRU.  All tests passing so far.  Mission is ready to begin.

Update:  Discovered there is no ore at the KSC2, so transported the R7 fully fuelled and ready to launch - fortunately the transport jet had enough fuel to reach the KSC2 in a single hop, with plenty to spare.

Mission Completed.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2018 by jinnantonix

[PrvDancer85]

I'm also almost ready just have to see if it is reaching ksc2 and is able to climb the ramp

Edit

Nope it doesnt but i came close

Edit2

I reworked the "plane part" now it does reach ksc2

I've build this, it's pretty tiny, i get if it doesnt count as R7

Full trip

Edited November 22, 2018 by PrvDancer85