The Eve Rocks Challenge [1.6.1 - 1.7.x] [Reboot]

[Johnster_Space_Program]

Hello! I'm Johnster Space Program who created the DLMAB challenge, and I'm rebooting the reboot of the eve rocks challenge!

Older 0.90 Thread [CLOSED]: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/86265-the-eve-rocks-challenge-v090-only/

Old v1.2.x Thread [CLOSED]: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/156505-eve-rocks-challenge-12xrebooted/ 

In An Alternate Universe, JFK Said:

I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this century is out, of landing a kerbal on eve's surface, and returning them safely to planet kerbin. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to kerbkind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. But we must do it, we can not fail this task, for if we do, we will never win...

This is how the challenge will go:

Your challenge is to land on eve, collect a surface sample, and return back to kerbin. Landing on eve is easy, but returning is a whole other challenge! You will have to build very large rockets if you are going to return from eve! Scoring is based on how quickly you complete the mission, how much the total mission costs, and how much the total rocket weighs in tons. There will be varying levels you can do, starting from level 1 and moving your way up in difficulty. For those that complete it in any level, you will get this badge:

(Its an updated version of the original badge, made by Ziv)

These are the levels (in order):

Level 1 (I Did It!): Land on the surface of eve, collect a surface sample, and return and land back on kerbin safely.

Level 2 (Back For Seconds): Land on eve 's surface, but at a surface altitude of 2500m or less, collect 2 surface samples, and return back to kerbin

Level 3 (Eve AND Gilly): Land and collect a sample from eve, then land on Gilly and collect a surface sample, then return back to kerbin safely

Level 4 (Ore From Eve): Land on eve and collect 25 ore with mining equipment and then return to kerbin safely, surface sample optional

Level 5 (The Ultimate Challenge): Land in eve's oceans, collect a sample, then collect a sample from the surface, and return to kerbin safely, gilly sample optional

The Rules:

No Cheating (Mod Menu, Infinite Fuel, Etc.)

Must Provide Video or Photographic Evidence of Completion

No Seats, Must Have Kerbals Onboard In A Pod

Multiple Launches For Refueling Allowed (Images or Video Of Each Launch)

Docking Allowed (You can leave a orbiter in eve orbit, and have a separate eve lander that redocks)

No Mods Except Mechjeb, KER Allowed

Must Be Stock KSP 1.6.x, KSP 1.7 or higher and MH Allowed

Cost And Weight Of Rocket Includes Cost and Weight of All Rockets Used Combined In Challenge

ISRU allowed

 

Scoring:

Level 1 Complete: +300 points

Level 2 Complete: +550 points

Level 3 Complete: +825 points

Level 4 Complete: +1250 points

Level 5 Complete: +1500 points

Rocket Weighs 0-500 Tons: +250 points, Rocket Weighs 500-1000 Tons: +175 Points, Rocket Weighs 1000-2000 Tons: +100 points, Rocket Weighs 2500+ Tons: +50 points

Rocket Costs 0 - 250k funds: +250 points, Rocket Costs 250 - 500k funds: +175 points, Rocket Costs 500k - 1 million funds: +100 points, Rocket Costs 2 million+ funds: +75 points

Mission Completed in under 300 days: +250 points, Mission completed in 300-400 days: +125 points, Mission completed in 500+ Days: +25 points

ISRU Used: +225 points, ISRU  not used: +325 points

 

Participants:

@K3rb0dyn3

@Aeroboi

@GRS

@purpleivan

 

Leaderboards:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

To everyone that does the challenge, have fun! And if you have any questions ask me. 

Edit 42219: Updated For 1.7 KSP Update

Edited April 22, 2019 by Johnster_Space_Program

[Johnster_Space_Program]

Who wants to try this?

[K3rb0dyn3]

I might give this a shot.

Don't know if I will complete this thought because I have only done an Eve mission twice.

[Johnster_Space_Program]

7 hours ago, K3rb0dyn3 said:

I might give this a shot.

Don't know if I will complete this thought because I have only done an Eve mission twice.

ok, good luck!

[K3rb0dyn3]

14 hours ago, Johnster_Space_Program said:

 Level 4 (Ore From Eve): Land on eve and collect 25 ore with mining equipment and then return to kerbin safely, surface sample optional

 

do we need a ISRU for this?

[Johnster_Space_Program]

3 hours ago, K3rb0dyn3 said:

do we need a ISRU for this?

yes

[Johnster_Space_Program]

If you have any other questions, I suggest you PM me

[Mr. Peabody]

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 5:46 PM, Johnster_Space_Program said:

For those that complete it in any level, you will get this badge:

I'm going to be brutally honest: The old badge looked way better.

[Johnster_Space_Program]

53 minutes ago, The Dunatian said:

I'm going to be brutally honest: The old badge looked way better.

ok, I will update the badge to make it look better (im not good at making them) should I just take the old badge and make some changes to make it better?

Edited March 30, 2019 by Johnster_Space_Program

[Johnster_Space_Program]

So, here is the new badge (its an updated version of the original) @The Dunatian

v0.90 original: 

v1.6.x reboot: 

I know its not that much different, but you should think its better now.

[GRS]

Now to make another installment of The Centurion family...i need a bit vacation from that Kerpollo, hope this Challenge can give you greater Rep and moar dots, and...

Spoiler

I like going...

BIGG

Level 5 quite looks like a good chance to go 100% in my Macro-Engineering, swimming will be painful...

Still using 1.5, Modset still not finished in 1.6, i'll have to wait, and hope people will like this and crowd up again...

Edited March 31, 2019 by GRS

[GRS]

On 3/29/2019 at 4:46 AM, Johnster_Space_Program said:

...Level 5 (The Ultimate Challenge): Land in eve's oceans, collect a sample, then collect a sample from the surface, and return to kerbin safely, gilly sample optional...

Just surface sample ???

[Johnster_Space_Program]

5 hours ago, GRS said:

Just surface sample ???

if you want I can make it harder

[GRS]

No need, i may actually end up bothering the others, i should make it harder for myself, but swimming will be a real pain (Though i have Dokkan Battle to distract myself), so...get some Water and Land samples, Gilly samples, NO DOCKING, while carying 25 Units of Ore in the whole trip.

[Aeroboi]

Does a contraption that sinks to get a surface sample from the ocean floor count? The reason I ask is because I can make this and it means I don't have to swim.
Either way, I would bring more mass to the scene or have a dedicated boat craft to get the Kerbal to the shores. In both cases I have to contrapt something heavy plus a cage so the Kerbal stays at the bottom so I'm sure this is acceptable as it requires a dedicated vessel/module. Regardless it seems immersive and creative to do it this way.

Personally I would like a formula of score that gives points to re-useability. While the lifter might not be (unless you replicate stratzenblitz) you can recover almost anything else and save costs.
Wouldn't you want the most varied rigs to be designed to serve as a sample for how such a mission can be constructed?
What I personally don't like about challenges and why I often don't participate is because the challenge rules forbid certain specific designs. Like you must contain this but you cannot do that!
I hope a new rebooted eve rocks challenge opens the possibility for all designs imaginable.
 

Edited March 31, 2019 by Aeroboi

[purpleivan]

For the Ultimate Challenge would two landers be within the rules (nothing explicitly forbids this as far as I can see)? One to land a kerbal on the water to get the sample, plus another that is the launch vehicle, that lands on solid ground.

[Laie]

While I believe that Eve is no longer half the challenge it used to be, recent posts on the forum have taught me that it's still a major milestone for many. I endorse this challenge.

The original was just about returning a soil sample from Eve¹, encouraging but not requiring a landing near sea level. I think that would still be fine, and that a score isn't necessary -- getting the job done is what counts, anything besides is just icing on the frosting. Water landings could be a nice touch, though.

I notice that ISRU isn't mentioned. The scores you're currently handing out appear to apply only to non-ISRU, but these days this shouldn't be taken for granted. Even the most lightweight Eve mission will become much cheaper with mining. Here's an example that didn't even strive to be cheap or lightweight. As ISRU is in the stock game, I'm not sure if the technique should be ruled out (way back when mining was mod-only, this was easier). Perhaps add a category for it?

--

¹ "returning a soil sample" means a craft you can get in and out of. If you can do that, you can also transfer science from rover, yadda yadda yadda. Hardly anyone did that, though, most people did the challenge as a challenge, rather than as a mission in a career save. I think science harvesting beyond the proof of concept should be optional. As should be a visit to Gilly -- in challenge terms, that's more of a distraction than a logical addition.

 

 

 

[Johnster_Space_Program]

6 hours ago, Aeroboi said:

Does a contraption that sinks to get a surface sample from the ocean floor count? The reason I ask is because I can make this and it means I don't have to swim.
Either way, I would bring more mass to the scene or have a dedicated boat craft to get the Kerbal to the shores. In both cases I have to contrapt something heavy plus a cage so the Kerbal stays at the bottom so I'm sure this is acceptable as it requires a dedicated vessel/module. Regardless it seems immersive and creative to do it this way.

Personally I would like a formula of score that gives points to re-useability. While the lifter might not be (unless you replicate stratzenblitz) you can recover almost anything else and save costs.
Wouldn't you want the most varied rigs to be designed to serve as a sample for how such a mission can be constructed?
What I personally don't like about challenges and why I often don't participate is because the challenge rules forbid certain specific designs. Like you must contain this but you cannot do that!
I hope a new rebooted eve rocks challenge opens the possibility for all designs imaginable.
 

yes, it counts

4 hours ago, purpleivan said:

For the Ultimate Challenge would two landers be within the rules (nothing explicitly forbids this as far as I can see)? One to land a kerbal on the water to get the sample, plus another that is the launch vehicle, that lands on solid ground.

yes, that is allowed

2 hours ago, Laie said:

While I believe that Eve is no longer half the challenge it used to be, recent posts on the forum have taught me that it's still a major milestone for many. I endorse this challenge.

The original was just about returning a soil sample from Eve¹, encouraging but not requiring a landing near sea level. I think that would still be fine, and that a score isn't necessary -- getting the job done is what counts, anything besides is just icing on the frosting. Water landings could be a nice touch, though.

I notice that ISRU isn't mentioned. The scores you're currently handing out appear to apply only to non-ISRU, but these days this shouldn't be taken for granted. Even the most lightweight Eve mission will become much cheaper with mining. Here's an example that didn't even strive to be cheap or lightweight. As ISRU is in the stock game, I'm not sure if the technique should be ruled out (way back when mining was mod-only, this was easier). Perhaps add a category for it?

--

¹ "returning a soil sample" means a craft you can get in and out of. If you can do that, you can also transfer science from rover, yadda yadda yadda. Hardly anyone did that, though, most people did the challenge as a challenge, rather than as a mission in a career save. I think science harvesting beyond the proof of concept should be optional. As should be a visit to Gilly -- in challenge terms, that's more of a distraction than a logical addition.

 

 

 

ok, I will add a isru category, also its good to see the original creator here

Edited March 31, 2019 by Johnster_Space_Program

[Johnster_Space_Program]

So, how's your progress going?

Edited April 1, 2019 by Johnster_Space_Program

[K3rb0dyn3]

Challenge No 4 

Collect 25 ore with mining equipment on Eve. 

Craft Cost 995,542 Kerbal thingys

Craft Mass: 2291.4 Tones

Mission Duration: 396d

ISRU Used

Built in KSP 1.7 (The rules said 1.6 but it this allowed?)

Mods: Only Mechjeb is used for the mission

At Launchpad:

Launching: (Frame rate is terrible) 

In Orbit Around Kerbin:

In Orbit Around Eve (Circularised by aero braking. Btw the side boosters are still on because I transferred fuel to them due to bad TWR for landing.)

Landing at Eve:

Landed At Eve:

Taking Off From Eve: (Most Stressful Part Of The Mission)

Burn Back To Kerbin:

Kerbin Almost Reentering:

Home Sweet Home:

[Johnster_Space_Program]

Good job! Since I originally made the op a few weeks before 1.7 i will update it.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Johnster_Space_Program

[Laie]

On 4/13/2019 at 1:04 PM, K3rb0dyn3 said:

Landed At Eve:
[...]

Taking Off From Eve: (Most Stressful Part Of The Mission)

How did you rid yourself of the Mainsail boosters? I don't see any wreckage.
How was entry with the low-heat tailfins?

[K3rb0dyn3]

For the mainsail boosters, I ditched them but I had to go to the tracking station and terminate them because when the engines ignited, it would cause them to blow up and cause the rocket to lean on one side.

The side fins did actually blow up in the mission but due to the rocket being very long, it liked to flip itself when the fins blew up. I had to turn reetry heating down to stop the rocket from fliping when the fins exploded. I also tested the rocket landing without those fins and it still worked. The main purpose of the fins is actually for the Kerbin accent and not the Eve decent. I only kept the mainsail boosters attatched due to the final burn for landing because I did not have enough parachutes.

Also, the rules did not mension anything about reetry heating so thats why I kept the photo on there.

[MythicalHeFF]

I may give this challenge a shot when I get back from vacation. I’ve done Eve surface missions before, but they were all done by landing at over 4000m, with ISRU and 4 kerbals in a 2.5m service bay. Definitely a new challenge for me which I’ve never tried, might go for level 3 or 4.

[jinnantonix]

Here' s one I have prepared already...

• Level 5 Complete: +1500 points
• Rocket Weighs Rocket Weighs 2500+ Tons: +50 points
• Rocket Costs 2 million+ funds: +75 points
• Mission completed in 500+ Days: +25 points
• ISRU Used: +225 points