"Just the Facts, man" - A(nother) No-Contract Career

[Death Engineering]

Thanks to @Superfluous J for posting this cool challenge! At first look, this challenge appeared to be long, possibly grindy, conceivably even leading to dead ends. Perfect! 

Entry:

• Pure Stock (GFX only)
• Custom settings (changes from 'Normal' default):
  • Missing crew do not respawn
  • Allow other launchsites on  Decided it was too easy to get these science points
  • Part Pressure limits on
  • Part G-Force limits on
  • Kerbal G-Force limits on
  • Always allow action groups on
  • Require signal for control on
• Self-imposed rules:
  • No science lab
  • No ore conversion Was initially going to allow ISRU but no selling of Ore for funds. Instead...
  • No ISRU/drill use of any kind
  • Crewed flights with no strandies (Crewed missions where possible and everyone flown gets home safe or they snuff it)
  • No admin strategies (tentative - may flex this rule if pressed)
  • No space-travel in Command Seats (everyone needs a place to store their snacks, right?)
  • Not going to drive myself nuts trying to recover every part

Three Launches and into orbit

I'll try and get better documentation as things move along, but so far just three (4 counting an expensive test) launches with some tricky science-scooping, but not harvesting from the KSC by any means. In the first suborbital hop to around 12km, earned enough science to gain a few nodes and build up a sub-orbital flight up to 75km. Finally, a basic orbiter to high space wraps this update. Nothing unlocked yet at the KSC but have unlocked tier 1,2 and one node in tier 3 and 1 node in tier 4 with over 230k in the bank. 

Here's how it played out:

 

This multi-stage solid rocket earned first to space but Jeb had to wait for liquid fuel for orbit. Two launches of the orbiter were done, with the second carrying a supply of science instruments and pushed up to high-space before recovering the crew.

Am I happy about using an inline decoupler this way? No, but the mass was below 18t!  With two flights of this goofy thing in the books, and Jeb getting his first star, it's time to think about spending some funds on KSC. Logically, the launch pad makes sense but maybe I'll see where we can go in 18t and get the tracking station up. 

The tech unlock was a direct line to the solar panels so we can spend some time in space, now it's time to get out there!

 

KSC Upgrades:

• none

Funds in the bank: 230,971

Tech tree:

Edited June 10, 2020 by Death Engineering

[Superfluous J]

Welcome to the list! Looking forward to seeing your progress!

[Death Engineering]

Update to the Settings/Self-imposed rules

• Disabled Other Launchsites as those science points are too easy.  I may fly there to get them, but not as a click-launch-score situation.
• No ISRU (yes this is probably a bad idea). But, I think it just opens up the possibility for too much free money/fuel.
• Admin Strategies: Going to allow these as turning off Other Launchsites and banning ISRU entirely will make it hard enough.
• No space-travel in Command Seats (everyone needs a place to store their snacks, right?)

First Mun Points and some upgrades

Upgraded the Launch Pad to level 2 and the Astronaut Complex to level 2. Then two launches, one suborbital and the second an ambitious Munar flyby with a free-return trajectory (no tracking station). Got the World's Firsts for the Mun encounter and successfully tested the capsule design for high-speed re-entry. Used some of the funds earned from the mission to upgrade the Tracking Station to level 2 (that one hurt a bit!) but we're going to need to know where we're flying from now on.

Launches:

Cost: 7882

This wee solid-propellant rocket was used just to get the Science lab part into space to earn enough science to unlock enough points to get the Terrier engine. I need to start paying more attention to costs/unneeded parts. Why did I waste funds on nose cones??

Cost: 13130

This Munar flyby also tested the crew capsule with the integrated payload bay carrying the science parts. Was pleased that the mass of everything was still low enough to be safely recovered on land with a single chute.

Nailed the free-return trajectory without the tracking station's help (I guess that's what >10k hours in KSP gets me), then boosted a bit to get the low-space achievement. Picked up a decent number of EVA science points while doing the low-space flyby then headed home. Forgot to get the low space mystery goo, but we'll send a scientist back here soon enough.

Going to have to think on how to spend these SCIENCE points. I'm tempted to start heading out past Kerbin SOI but I know Minmus is easy picking. Or maybe build an El-Cheapo Air jet and harvest some points around Kerbin. 

KSC Upgrade Status:

[ ] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[ ] [ ] Mission Control

[■] [ ] Launch Pad

[ ] [ ] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [ ] Tracking Station

[ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

 

Funds in the Bank: 61135
 

Science Points available: 307
 

Tech Tree: 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by Death Engineering

[Death Engineering]

Flying to the Minty Green One and our first Anomaly

Upgraded the tech tree to include some larger tank parts to reduce part count, then off to Minmus. Getting the Minmus mission into orbit was done with a reusable SSTO (with a couple of wee SRB's to help with TWR off the pad). The intent was to try and recover the propulsion module as well, but after trying to aerobrake multiple times to lower the Ap and still blowing up without recovering the entire mission, I gave up and let it burn.

This challenge is making me play KSP in ways I haven't done in a long time (maybe never!). Even in a heavily modded extreme hard-mode career playthrough, funds were only relevant in early game, and at most presented a minor barrier.  Not with this challenge, funds are going to be close.. especially now that I've decided that I'm not going to drive myself nuts trying to recover every part.

As a result of deciding I'm not going to stress over losing a few funds from not recovering everything, I've decided to allow Admin Strategies. Unless things get desperate, I'll be using two strategies both currently at 48% (which was all my Rep could afford). To that end, I've enabled 'Patents Licencing' and 'Leadership Initiative'.

Minmus lifter up and down

 

This very basic lifter will also be used for the Mun, Duna, and Gilly missions which come next.

Resetting those science parts

Brought our Scientist along to reset the science modules. Would have been nice to get surface samples, but I guess they don't know how to use ziplock bags yet.  

Our first Monolith

Found our first anomaly and was pleased to confirm that their discovery yields science and funds!  Since I just completed a complete Anomaly Hunt playthrough, I'm pretty sure I can locate every anomaly in the game and scoop their mysteries for fun and profit.

Landed, but with less rocket than expected

Was a little disappointed that it was turning into such a pain to recover the whole spacecraft, so let it burn up after failing to safely aerobrake it. Did manage to get some nice photos from the Shores though, so that helped (?).

Next mission will be two or three Mun landings (depending on how much dV I can squeeze into 30 parts and low-tech). In that post I'll also put up the Worlds First achievements to date. 

KSC Upgrade Status:

[■] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[ ] [ ] Mission Control

[■] [ ] Launch Pad

[ ] [ ] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [ ] Tracking Station

[ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

*New upgrade

Admin Strategies:

• Patents Licencing - 48%
• Leadership Initiative - 48%

Funds in the Bank: 75104

Science points available: 135.1

Tech Tree:

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Death Engineering

[Death Engineering]

Save-game rollback and a trip to the Mun

At the end of the last post, the KSC was upgraded to Level II Admin building and two strategies were employed at 48%. Then, I did a Mun landing and was shocked at how much extra funds/science the strategies reaped. That realization inspired me to roll the save back to before the upgrades and re-do the two airplane flights. Then, after performing the Mun landings again, re-selected the strategies at 25% commitment. 
 

Anomaly points are going to be my 'secret' weapon

Took a pilot and a scientist around the KSC area looking for tasty science. Stopped at the Island Airfield and did a flyby of the closest monolith on the mountains just west of the KSC.
 

 

Two-launch Mun Mission

Using the fully reusable first stage, two launches sent up first a Mun transfer stage and then the Mun lander. The two docked in Kerbin orbit and then proceeded to the Mun.

View from the N.A.M.

Set the scientist down on top of the NAM for the first landing, walk and flag points. Grabbed some science and then boosted east to the equatorial rock arch on the northern rim of the nearby crater.

 

Booster stage recovery

Saving parts/mass, the chutes were located on the booster stage instead of the crew module. Slightly unorthodox, but so is this challenge! 

After recovery, had enough funds to upgrade the VAB and the Astronaut Complex, but nothing leftover for the next mission. Hrrmph.  So instead, the decision was made to go all-in and spend nearly all our kash on the R & D Tier II, to earn the ability to get surface samples. The next mission mission then will be the same equipment as the Mun lander, but a stopover on Minmus first. Maybe even stick our toes into the abyss of interplanetary space..

Technically, a more complex rocket could be designed with all the new parts unlocked, but there really isn't enough funds to do anything else. At this point, after spending our Mun science, we've already unlocked nuclear propulsion and resource transfer.

Isn't there a 3-part rocket solution that wins the game from here?

KSC Upgrade Status:

[■] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[■] [ ] Mission Control

[■] [ ] Launch Pad

[■] [ ] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [ ] Tracking Station

[ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

*New upgrade

Admin Strategies: (altered since prev. post)

• Patents Licencing - 25%
• Leadership Initiative - 25%

Funds in the Bank: 65836

Science points available: 566.7

Tech Tree:

Edited June 12, 2020 by Death Engineering

[Death Engineering]

A Trip to the Big Red One (no, not Red Dwarf)

Squeezed a semi-reusable mission to Duna in 30 parts and scored enough science to get all the parts we need to complete the challenge. Took a pilot to make the flying easier without needing an antenna, but without an engineer to repack the chutes on Duna had to be cautious with the landing.

 

After a quick pass by Ike to get some tasty science and World's First payola, the crew aligned for a 45 degree inclination.

 

 Landing near the Face on Duna got some more of that Anomaly Dough!

 

Jeb had some fun doing an Eva jump and chute-fly back to the ship and then into orbit.

Back home and after counting our Science and Funds, I can see this is going to take some careful planning on the next few missions. Won't make any new purchases quite yet at the KSC or R&D building quite yet, until we have a look at what we really need.

Probably do a trip to Jool next, for the target-rich environment (and no concerns about life-support for the long trip), which means a landing at my fave anomaly.. Vall Henge!

KSC Upgrade Status:

[■] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[■] [ ] Mission Control

[■] [ ] Launch Pad

[■] [ ] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [ ] Tracking Station

[ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

Admin Strategies:

• Patents Licencing - 25%
• Leadership Initiative - 25%

Funds in the Bank: 1,257,392

Science points available: 1421.7

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by Death Engineering

[Death Engineering]

Year 4 Day 111.. seems like it should be later than that..

After nearly two years on the shelf, I'm pulling this No Contract Career Challenge back into play. It was not easy to get the save file back and we're playing in KSP V 1.9.1., so this is going to be a bit "vintage". This wasn't a terrible version, but I suspect I'm going to miss the kreature komforts that 1.12 has been giving me.

Before this got put away some purchases and upgrades were done, bringing this status update to:

KSC Upgrade Status:

[■] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[■] [ ] Mission Control

[■] [■] Launch Pad

[■] [ ] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [ ] Tracking Station

[■] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

*New Upgrade

Admin Strategies:

• Patents Licensing - 25%
• Leadership Initiative - 25%

Funds in the Bank: 750,392

Science points available: 91.7

 

 

Originally had planned on a trip to Jool, but maybe Eve / Gilly would be better.  Hmmm. 

Made it this far?  Here's a previously unpublished shot from the Duna mission!

There's something in my eye!

[Death Engineering]

Jool Explorer in Orbit 

This mission to Jool will attempt to land on Vall, Bop and Pol. There are anomalies there so, those will be the targeted landing zones. We have enough fuel to do multiple landings on Bop and Pol so should be able to get every bit of fundage from those bodies as possible. 

Had hoped to send a simple SSTO Laythe plane, but the mass of this mission was causing the lifter costs to skyrocket (lol). The mission already had a steep price tag of 140k, with only the second LFO stage being recovered for 12k. One cost saving measure was to replace the single Mainsail for the first LFO stage with 4 Bobcats. This saved a huge amount of cash and actually had better TWR and control authority for this unwieldy payload.

Will send the spaceplane on a separate flight to Jool using a fully reusable lifter and park it around Laythe for whoever can get there first.   

Getting Jool Explorer into orbit

Wasn't really paying attention to costs when this mission was designed, but landing on three bodies should still put this mission well into the profitable zone. Will likely not be the last mission, however, as a base on and around Eeloo might be fun and definitely carries a high profit margin!

Had to use mighty (?) Mite engines to pull the spent SRB's away as Separatrons are not unlocked yet.

Second LFO stage recovered near the Island Runway

[Death Engineering]

Gravity Brake past Tylo with Jool, Vall and Laythe in background

With a carefully planned 86m/s ▲V burn, over a year out from Jool, we coasted into a stable orbit around Vall. I used the "new" maneuver tool tweaker-thing in the corner to plan this gravity brake, and really found it to be more useful than I had anticipated. Yeah, I had always still been drag-drag-drag-TOOFARGOBACK with the on-orbit tool. No one has ever accused me of being an early adopter. 

Getting pretty good at hitting Vall Henge, being my fave anomaly to visit in the game. For the curious, this is the score I earned for the "discovery", with any bonus a result of a 25% commitment in Admin Strategies:

Jeb got a good look around and planted our flag for the 41k of funds. We've not transmitted any Joolian science back to KSP, saving the harvest for landing, but even without returning at science yet we're still at 969k for this mission so far. 

Not a bad return on a 160k investment! Is this style of gameplay going to be enough to complete this challenge, or do we have to Kerbal-it up a notch?  I'm a pretty traditional space-sim player, so harvesting the goofy out of the game isn't my specialty.  We shall see..

The ascent stage of this lander will become the Bop/Pol lander so we're off to the Kraken now! (that sounds like a terrible idea)

[Death Engineering]

"We're not in Kansas anymore!"

Using the Vall lander's ascent stage as a basic lander, Jeb set down in several spots on Bop's surface and got loads of Science!, including a pic on top of The Kraken. 

There was a nearly two-year wait until the Kerbin return window, so kept the lander attached until the last moment to give the crew some extra breathing room. This is going to be a long mission!

Dropped the wee lander and left Bop orbit with just over 1,000 m/s of ▲V available. Luckily, with a two-pass gravity boost past Tylo, this will be enough.

Dropped the interplanetary module and finished off the Kerbin encounter burn with the Kerbin entry pod.

Brought the crew down safe in the eastern plains, with a MET of over thirteen years!

More than 5.6k  and about 3m from this 145k launch. Looking good to complete this challenge with some kind of silly Eeloo station/base mission. May have to unlock the VAB to get the unlimited part count when I'm ready to start that design, but for now unlocked the tech tree enough to get all the science parts from the later nodes (Seismometer and Atmospheric). Also made some KSC upgrades:

KSC Upgrade Status:

[■] [ ] Administration Building

[■] [ ] Astronaut Complex

[■] [■] Mission Control

[■] [■] Launch Pad

[■] [■] Research and Development

[ ] [ ] Runway

[ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar

[■] [■] Tracking Station

[■] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building

*New Upgrade

Admin Strategies:

• Patents Licensing - 25%
• Leadership Initiative - 25%

Funds in the Bank: 521,267

Science points available: 4954.6

Edited May 22, 2022 by Death Engineering