drain valve altitude record.

[Flying dutchman]

hey everyone, as you may know ksp 1.9 features drain valves and these actually produce some thrust but terrible isp.

 

the challenge is simple: build a "rocket" and try to get as high above sea level as possible.

the catch is that you are only allowed to use drain valves as propulsion.

 

Edit: no use of the overclock bug and also no intake air

 

no cheats and no mods that alter physics, highest altitude wins.

 

 

Leaderboard: 

Honorary winner: the one and only Scott Manley for making it to orbit utilizing a bug that let's you expell intake air through the drain valves.

 

Normal leaderboard:

 

1 sturmhauke 4296 m

2 flying dutchman: 2243 m

3 boomchackle 1878m

4 klapaucius : 1640 m

Edited February 16, 2020 by Flying dutchman

[Flying dutchman]

 

[Klapaucius]

So far my best is 800 meters. One unexpected fly in the ointment: the drain valves will only drain the tank they are attached to. If you have tanks stacked with the drains only on the bottom one, only the bottom tank will be drained. Likewise, you cannot use asparagus staging for the same reason. The drains do not recognize fuel pumping lines.

[Xurkitree]

1 hour ago, Klapaucius said:

So far my best is 800 meters. One unexpected fly in the ointment: the drain valves will only drain the tank they are attached to. If you have tanks stacked with the drains only on the bottom one, only the bottom tank will be drained. Likewise, you cannot use asparagus staging for the same reason. The drains do not recognize fuel pumping lines.

I think there's a setting that switches the drain mode from part to vessel, try that?

Also, I have a few tricks I want to try, let's see.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Xurkitree

[Xurkitree]

Threw this together and used the thrust overclock bug to get to 1600m/s quickly enough. Idk if this is even legal, since it uses a stock bug, but eh.

[Klapaucius]

Well, not nearly as impressive as @Flying dutchman, but still respectable I think.  1640 meters.

 

[catonthekbd]

Does Scott Manley getting to orbit count?

 

 

[Flying dutchman]

38 minutes ago, catonthekbd said:

Does Scott Manley getting to orbit count?

 

 

Well "technically" yes.. but this seems to be a trick that completely takes the "challenge" out of the challenge...

I mean if you do it this way it's not difficult at all to get decent altitude or even orbit.

 

But for he is Scott Manley i will make him honorary winner of this challenge, does that sound good?

1 hour ago, Xurkitree said:

Threw this together and used the thrust overclock bug to get to 1600m/s quickly enough. Idk if this is even legal, since it uses a stock bug, but eh.

I really like the effort but i don't think i should count it in spirit of this challenge..

[sturmhauke]

I got to 4296 meters. The secret is an extremely excessive number of drain valves - 1449 to be exact, with 483 on each booster and the center stage.

Spoiler

 

[catonthekbd]

48 minutes ago, Flying dutchman said:

But for he is Scott Manley i will make him honorary winner of this challenge, does that sound good?

no - think I will wait to see what Bradley Whistance does first

[Flying dutchman]

@sturmhauke great job! I put you at the top of the leaderboard!

[sturmhauke]

Thanks!

[boomchacle]

https://gfycat.com/grotesquegregariousdaddylonglegs

[Flying dutchman]

2 hours ago, boomchacle said:

https://gfycat.com/grotesquegregariousdaddylonglegs

i have added you to the leaderboard!

[boomchacle]

6 hours ago, Flying dutchman said:

i have added you to the leaderboard!

When I was filming that rocket, I felt like I was playing one of those build a rocket flash games lol