Shuttle Challenge v6 - The STS thread [Stock and Mod Friendly] - ANNOUNCEMENT: v7 IS LIVE!

[sturmhauke]

23 minutes ago, KingDominoIII said:

https://imgur.com/gallery/B6MIz8s

I captured an asteroid. The gear didn't blow up- I just forgot to reattach it. My returning Duna 1 mission has the same issue, as does the Duna 2 mission that I launched during the transfer window. The Duna 1 mission can be completed, just gotta be careful landing it, but I had to rescue the Duna 2 mission with another rocket. 

Landing next to the runway doesn't count for commander, right? My Duna shuttle only has drogues, and I need all the room I can get to slow down. 

Yes, you need to land on the runway for Commander. I'm impressed you managed to land an asteroid with a missing nose gear though!

[KingDominoIII]

https://imgur.com/gallery/J3ujqSi 

The Duna 1 mission went okay. Bit harder to land than the asteroid shuttle, since no main chutes. 

[KingDominoIII]

Quick question: can the support package be a transfer stage, or just fuel? Didn't realize how much dV Duna landings take, especially with no orbiting transfer stage. 

[Entropian]

Is there a lower limit to the size of lunar modules?

[sturmhauke]

10 hours ago, KingDominoIII said:

https://imgur.com/gallery/J3ujqSi 

The Duna 1 mission went okay. Bit harder to land than the asteroid shuttle, since no main chutes. 

Looks good, congratulations Commander!

4 hours ago, KingDominoIII said:

Quick question: can the support package be a transfer stage, or just fuel? Didn't realize how much dV Duna landings take, especially with no orbiting transfer stage. 

The support package can be anything you want, as long as it fits the general rules. Transfer stages are a popular choice.

1 minute ago, Entropian said:

Is there a lower limit to the size of lunar modules?

Nope. Practically speaking, the lower bound is going to be set by the habitat sections, but other than that it can be as small as you can manage.

[Entropian]

20 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

Nope.

Ok, great.  I'm dealing with the atmospheric entry design now.

 

[KingDominoIII]

https://imgur.com/gallery/GPFpfY7

Landing on Duna was difficult, to say the least. To be honest, Laythe might be easier. 

[sturmhauke]

25 minutes ago, KingDominoIII said:

https://imgur.com/gallery/GPFpfY7

Landing on Duna was difficult, to say the least. To be honest, Laythe might be easier. 

I haven't landed a shuttle on Duna yet, but I'm inclined to agree. The atmosphere is thick enough to heat your craft, but too thin to glide through easily. Your mission looks good though, nice work!

[Entropian]

I'm doing the finishing touches on my Massive^(tm) lifter and I need to know if I can change the Mammoth's part attachment config to allow radial attachment without being counted as modded.  Is this the case, or no?

[sturmhauke]

You could do that, or you could just use Editor Extensions Redux which does that automatically for all parts (and lots of other cool tricks). It doesn't alter the performance properties, so I'd still consider it stock. However, the attach node may still be exposed, which affects drag calculations.

[Entropian]

Ok, great.  Thanks for the recommendation.

[Entropian]

I finally finished Mun Moon STS-1.  In the end I went with a Wolfhound powered small shuttle with some really tight margins.  I used the same launch vehicle that I used for the Earth series as well.  From this experience I think the rocket I will need for Duna Mars is going to be insane.  Anyway, here's the mission:

Liftoff:

SRB jettison:

First asparagus:

Core jettison:

There's a NERV transfer stage on the bottom of the shuttle; it's a bit difficult to see due to the lighting.

Orbit:

Beginning of several periapsis kicks:

Transfer stage jettison:

Course correction:

Lunar orbit injection:

I both injected and deorbited in the same burn.  This was the final trajectory:

The margins on landing were hairsplittingly close; I ended up with 7 m/s left after touchdown:

Landed! (whew):

Deploying ISRU kit:

After refueling a bit, I deployed the lab:

After some largely unsuccessful reaction wheel acrobatics, I decided to just move the shuttle:

All fueled up and ready to go:

Flipping the shuttle up:

Takeoff!

Turns out, I forgot to retract a drill.

Ascent was pretty normal:

In orbit:

Plotting a course to aerobrake:

Aerobraking:

After some simple trajectory tweaks, I got to the final reentry:

Gliding back:

Getting closer:

Landed!

[Entropian]

Out of curiosity, can I use a shuttle as an EEV for Moon STS-2-4?

[sturmhauke]

@Entropian, In honor of your impressive achievements so far, and to encourage future mod planet entries, I have created a new series of badges. Congratulations, you've earned them!

 

1 hour ago, Entropian said:

Out of curiosity, can I use a shuttle as an EEV for Moon STS-2-4?

The main shuttle is just for delivering base modules and crew, but you can use a smaller shuttle for the EEV. I have one for my unfinished mission that I'll get around to eventually.

[Entropian]

12 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

@Entropian, In honor of your impressive achievements so far, and to encourage future mod planet entries, I have created a new series of badges. Congratulations, you've earned them!

Wow, thanks!

13 minutes ago, sturmhauke said:

The main shuttle is just for delivering base modules and crew, but you can use a smaller shuttle for the EEV.

Ok, great.

[sturmhauke]

Hmm, maybe I should make the default size smaller. In the meantime you can edit the display size in your signature by doing Ctrl-right click > Edit Image.

[Entropian]

I was literally just sending you a PM about that!   Thanks for the keyboard shortcut.

[sturmhauke]

Here's a new set, with a vertical size of 125 pixels:

[Entropian]

I'm designing the EEV and I need to know, can I mount it on the outside of the shuttle?

I'm also thinking about the Mars missions.  Can the "support package" be another shuttle?

[sturmhauke]

3 hours ago, Entropian said:

I'm designing the EEV and I need to know, can I mount it on the outside of the shuttle?

I'm also thinking about the Mars missions.  Can the "support package" be another shuttle?

External payloads were planned for the real Space Shuttle, but never flew in any real missions. Martin Marietta's proposal for the Aft Cargo Carrier would have used a shroud attached at the base of the external fuel tank for carrying additional payload, for cases when the main cargo bay was at volume capacity but not mass capacity (which was fairly common).

https://www.wired.com/2012/05/shuttle-with-aft-cargo-carrier-1982/

In light of that, and also the fact that I have a mission pending with a small external payload myself, I'd say it's fine as long as the external payload isn't too large. Also keep in mind that an EEV shuttle doesn't need to be anywhere near as large as the primary shuttle, as it's only expected to carry passengers and is taking off from 1/6 g. For reference, here are my current primary and EEV shuttles.

Muninn, using Mk 4 Spaceplane, with a cargo capacity equivalent to about 4 long Mk 3 bays

 

Huginn, using mostly stock + Breaking Ground (for the folding wings) + Mk 2 Expansion (for the passenger section, but that can easily be substituted with stock parts)

 

As for a support package on missions that allow one, an entire second shuttle is totally fine.

[Entropian]

Ok, great!  The problem for me is that my cargo bay is 3 Mk3 "units" long, and I have 8 kerbals to carry.  2 km/s to orbit + 1 km/s for escape and atmospheric aiming has a bit of margin, so 3 km/s in all.  It would be a tight fit in my cargo bay.  For the Mars mission I have a much larger cargo bay though.

[Wojjy]

Here are my submissions for the STS-1(a+b)(commander) and STS-2(a+b)(commander). I decided to use a skylon design for my shuttle because the regular shuttles I built were extremely unstable, and having the wings and engines in the middle of the craft improved the stability by a lot. Despite launching horizontally and following the ascent profile of a typical SSTO, the rapier engines are the lifting stage which is decoupled after leaving the thick atmosphere, making the craft fit the requirements of the challenge. Landing with the extra mass of the fuel tank in STS-2b was more difficult than I expected since I only practiced landing without any payload, and the wheels would break upon touchdown, so it took me well over 20 attempts to finally land in one piece. The only gameplay-affecting mod I used was mechjeb, but it was only used for orbital maneuvers.

Spoiler

I just realized that I have to land on the runway for the commander title, so here's the link to a clip where I land on the runway after I reload a quicksave near the runway.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Wojjy
Add video of landing spaceplane properly

[sturmhauke]

Welcome @Wojjy! I believe yours is the first runway-launched shuttle for v6, and Skylons are always cool.

STS-1a and -1b: Everything looks good there. I have to ask, how long did it take you to figure out how to jettison the jet pods without ripping a wing off? I've done that sort of thing in the past, and it's always a bit nerve-wracking.

 

STS-2a and -2b: This is mostly fine, except that you were supposed to reach an orbital altitude of 350+km before deploying the comsats for the Commander level. I'm inclined to cut you a break, since it appears you would have had enough fuel to reach the higher orbit and then come back for the fuel pod and land afterwards, and the comsat orbits look good. However, please read the mission descriptions more carefully next time.

[Entropian]

After much blood, sweat, and tears, I have completed Moon STS-2-4.  I ended up using a massive lifter that carried a very unstable NERV-powered Vector VTOL.

This was the monstrosity:

It has 8 groups of 25 Clydesdales as a first lifter stage, then it switches over to a Rhino-powered heavily asparagused core section.

Beginning gravity turn:

SRB separation:

These are the side boosters decoupling:

Finally, the last lower section decouples:

Wolfhound upper stage ignition:

Finally, orbit is achieved:

TLI:

Wolfhound stage separation:

Final trajectory:

Capturing:

Captured:

Deorbiting:

VTOL activation!

Almost there:

Landed!

Deploying mining equipment:

Rover deployed:

Habitation deployed:

Docked together:

Can't forget a flag!

Takeoff!

Escaping:

Aerobraking was quite dangerous, but nothing exploded, luckily:

Final reentry:

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the landing on the runway!  I have photos later on to show that it can land though.

Liftoff of the next mission:

Orbit:

TLI:

Wolfhound sep:

Trajectory:

After injection:

Descending:

Almost there...

Landed:

EEV deployed:

ISRU unit deploying:

Docked!

Takeoff:

Ascending:

Orbit:

Escaping:

Atmospheric entry was fine this time due to a wing location shift:

Gliding back:

Landed:

Final mission takeoff:

I ended up going straight into TLI:

Braking at the Moon:

Landing on VTOL:

Landed:

Solar truss deploying:

Docked:

Refueling:

Takeoff:

Switching to NERVs:

Orbit:

After aerobraking, the final trajectory:

Atmospheric entry:

Landing:

Landed:

I also installed a decal mod, but it doesn't affect the usage of the craft.  For the next mission, I think the current orbital ranges will do.  Go or no-go?

EDIT:
Just realized I didn't include photos of the EEV returning.  It can carry 9 kerbals, 8 in the crew cabins and 1 in the command module hidden by the inflatable heat shield.

Ready for takeoff:

Takeoff:

Ascending:

Orbit:

Escaping:

Return trajectory:

Atmospheric entry:

Parachute deployment:

Landed:

Edited September 9, 2020 by Entropian

[Wojjy]

I apologize for not raising my orbit high enough for the STS-2. I got confused by the instructions, and thought that the geostationary orbit has to be at 350+km, instead of the orbit at which the probes are deployed. When it comes to safely detaching the lifting stage, I just added a load of separatrons which are usually enough to stop the boosters from colliding with the shuttle. Obviously, this method is not foolproof, and reloading is quite a common occurrence xD. Anyways, here's my STS-3(commander) mission. I tried to make the telescope look similar to the hubble space telescope, and I think I didn't do a terrible job. I also didn't realize how costly an inclination change is with a low orbit, so I barely had enough fuel left to deorbit.