Rocket Science is hard (RP-1/RP-0 RP)

[Zedwardson]

Do you want to see someone fail, hard? 

For those who do not know, RP-1 is a realistic version of KSP that starts in 1950, you as you try to start a space program and move forward in time.  I am AWFUL at it, with many failures.   It is expected that you fail, and so I decided to play a slightly modified RP-1.   I will reserve the ability to infuse cash for narrative reasons so that I can continue a game past sounding rockets (which is normally were I run out of cash.  You will see all the failures, as engines shut down, I fail to make it to orbit (I never orbited in RP-1) and also the sweet taste of success as I might make slow progress.

Note, since I am not playing strictly to RP-1 standards, I am not going for any records,  just seeing what I can pull together.  

----------------------------

January 1, 1950.

The International Union of Space (IUS) is founded to attempt to carry out space research, it will be based out of cape Canaveral.  

[Zedwardson]

First Sounding rocket...

 

First sounding rocket, quick, dirty, and gets a contract out of the way.



Gets about 7,000 meters up.

Which then leads to the Epee Series...

Epee Mark Ia is a simple design but works very well, 

 

It burns it engines till it hits about 50,000 meters



Rises to 176-177kms

 

Then returns to earth in a fire and impact

 

I carried out several of these shots to collect science data.

 

 

Also tried one without fins on the sustain module to try to reduce drag, however the spin didn't work well and it more osculated upwards



Still reached 80km even with the poor launch.

However it was time to do more complicated rockets...

The first attempt at a two stage sounding rocket....

 

Suffers a first stage engine failure

 

Note, might of gotten the shots confused - historian corrects me.

The 2nd attempt has a failure within seconds of launch, a complete failure.



After these failures, it was time to do some launches with biological samples.  

[Zedwardson]

 

The Delta Epee Mark 1 which is a modified Epee Mark 1 to take bio samples is a full success.

And now we try a 2 stage design....

Noooooooooooooo

 

No Christmas this year as the rocket fails spectacularly.

End of year one report.

Launch attempts: 8
Orbital: 0
Suborbital: 8

Mission successes: 4
Partial success: 1
 Failures: 3

Notable issue:  Still not carried out a true two stage launch.
Upcoming goals: building a "X-1A" manned rocket for science and contracts.
Keep it in the black" (Money is tight but not had to bail myself out yet.)