[Completed] JNSQ Space Race 2: Two Race, Two Space

[Misguided Kerbal]

Just now, Kraken that doesn't exist said:

i didn't quote you i quoted @GuessingEveryDay

yeah, that's what it says. 

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

21 hours ago, Misguided_Kerbal said:

so... another drop out. ok then  

i wish i did not but i cant play now.

[jimmymcgoochie]

Advanced Audacious Aerospace Research Group: Our probes are bigger than yours!

It appears that the Board has enthusiastically embraced the 'bigger is better' philosophy of rocket design, because our latest vessel is absolutely gigantic! Well, it needed to be, because the last set of probes we launched might not have the fuel to make orbit and it's better to be safe than sorry.

With 13 'Etna' cryo engines on the first stage, three 'Liberator' hydrogen-powered nuclear engines (and a lot of drop tanks) on the second stage and two 'Ulysses' cryo engines on the third stage, this rocket packs almost 20km/s of vacuum delta-V on the launch pad and had at least 600m/s of delta-V left in the first stage when it made orbit. Well, it did every time it made orbit- one of them had a really bad launch profile, pitched over too far too soon and ended up burning up in the lower atmosphere and disintegrating as soon as the fairing overheated. The Board were livid- 2.4 million funds down the drain, they screamed furiously at anyone they clapped eyes on, although nobody but the Board knows what a 'fund' is, never mind two and a half million of them.

After the first probe struggled for power due to the high energy demands of the tank cooling systems, the next two were given even more solar panels (ironically, first one is going to Jool and would have the greatest need for the extra power) and unlike the last time we used the 'Liberator' engine, these three probes had no issues with overheating- no doubt due to the use of liquid hydrogen as their propellant.

Spoiler

All three probes have been dispatched and will arrive at their target planets with enough delta-V to brake into orbit without the need for aerobraking. As is customary, it was only after all three were underway that we realised that the fuel tank hiding under the heat shield on all three probes was incorrectly filled with liquid fuel and oxidiser, rather than liquid methane and oxidiser, but it also appears that decoupling the heat shield will make this tank explode and give us a bit more delta-V, should the need ever arise. This does pose a small problem for the first generation of probes, though, as they used the same design for the probe itself and so the nose fuel tank will need to be emptied before decoupling the heat shield.

Full album is here: https://imgur.com/a/fgj34kT

AAARG's space program has been running for 20 days, 5 hours and 24 minutes. We now have two probes each going towards Eve, Duna and Jool, and while the second set will take a bit longer to get there, they also have a far better chance of making orbit as they won't be relying on aerobraking to do so. With that out of the way, our next missions will most likely be to recover all our Kerbals scattered around Kerbin's SOI; they're needed on the cleaning rota as all the janitors have mysteriously disappeared...

[Geoplex_Official]

On 8/4/2020 at 3:24 PM, Misguided_Kerbal said:

not anymore... but I might be hosting a 3d one. We'll see.

If you do do a 3rd one, do one for beyond home, its a lot more interesting

[Kraken that doesn't exist]

14 hours ago, Geoplex_Official said:

If you do do a 3rd one, do one for beyond home, its a lot more interesting

how about we make the 1st section before kerbol 2nd stock 3rd after kerbol and 4th beyond home

[GuessingEveryDay]

19 hours ago, Kraken that doesn't exist said:

also can you see the problem with your thing in my qoute

What's wrong?

[GuessingEveryDay]

Also

Tree Industries

Has finally finished it's Branch program. After finishing the Stick, with Geoff Kerman's flight, we started working on the Brach rockets for docking and sorts.

Spoiler

I forgot to turn on the screenshot software and didn't realize until it was too late. The fuel tank is Branch 1, by the way.

Then we launched Branch 2.

Spoiler

Branch 2 on pad.

Discarding boosters.

Checking out daytime.

Rock 3 on approach.

Ran out of EC, so had to wait for the sun.

Yes!

 

Docking completed at y1, d2, 6h, 38m.

Deorbiting Rock 4, to make room for Branch 3.

Now it's time for the Kerballed Docking. Branch 3 on the pad.

Spoiler

Lift off!

Boosters are gone.

There goes the first stage.

"Dang it, Jeb!" Geoff screamed, Jeb had spun the capsule around, ruining a picture.

Finally they made it.

And Kerballed docking is done at y1, 2d, 9h, 15m.

Jeb and Bill celebrate with an unauthorized EVA.

Seems it's going to become a new tradition to take an unauthorized EVA. Anyways, burning to lower periapsis.

Mmm. Toasty.

There are the parachutes!

Landed.

So all the docking things are done! Just have to get satellites around the moons.

Edited August 7, 2020 by GuessingEveryDay

[Kraken that doesn't exist]

1 hour ago, GuessingEveryDay said:

Also

Tree Industries

Has finally finished it's Branch program. After finishing the Stick, with Geoff Kerman's flight, we started working on the Brach rockets for docking and sorts.

  Reveal hidden contents

I forgot to turn on the screenshot software and didn't realize until it was too late. The fuel tank is Branch 1, by the way.

Then we launched Branch 2.

  Reveal hidden contents

Branch 2 on pad.

Discarding boosters.

Checking out daytime.

Rock 3 on approach.

Ran out of EC, so had to wait for the sun.

Yes!

Docking completed at y1, d2, 6h, 38m.

Deorbiting Rock 4, to make room for Branch 3.

Now it's time for the Kerballed Docking. Branch 3 on the pad.

  Reveal hidden contents

Lift off!

Boosters are gone.

There goes the first stage.

"Dang it, Jeb!" Geoff screamed, Jeb had spun the capsule around, ruining a picture.

Finally they made it.

And Kerballed docking is done at y1, 2d, 9h, 15m.

Jeb and Bill celebrate with an unauthorized EVA.

Seems it's going to become a new tradition to take an unauthorized EVA. Anyways, burning to lower periapsis.

Mmm. Toasty.

There are the parachutes!

Landed.

So all the docking things are done! Just have to get satellites around the moons.

 

this is what is wrong

how does no one see it

[jimmymcgoochie]

If there’s a repeat, it should be done in science or career mode. There’s nothing in sandbox to stop you building a ten thousand ton monstrosity to land on the Mun inside an hour, but the other modes require a more gradual approach as the good parts are kept further down the tech tree, and career also adds limits on cost and facility upgrades too.

Going to the Mun is easy; going to the Mun with all level 1 buildings is far more challenging!
 

I’m open to different planet packs, haven’t tried Beyond Home but it looks really good.

[GuessingEveryDay]

1 hour ago, Kraken that doesn't exist said:

 

this is what is wrong

how does no one see it

Try using a different browser?

[jimmymcgoochie]

Advanced Audacious Aerospace Research Group: Over to Bobak for another traffic update!

Three space stations, two surface bases, 11 Kerbals in space. "Not for long!" declared the Board. "Bring them back here at once! Because, er, reasons..."

So a big, ugly rocket was created to visit the Mun and Minmus, collect the Kerbals from orbit and the surface of both and then return with minimal refueling. The only problem was that nobody told the base and station crews about that plan, so they took matters into their own hands and flew Space Stations 3 and 4 back from the Mun and Minmus respectively, Space Base 2 back from Minmus and Space Base 1 into Mun orbit from the surface, to be picked up by the rescue ship. Space Station 2 was also deorbited from LKO and made a surprisingly accurate re-entry over the KSC- good news for Jeb, Bill and Bob who were spared from a really long walk back in the middle of the night, but not so good for the staffers whose cars were peppered with fragments of burnt-up space station in the KSC car park...

Space Station 3's return was made a little trickier by Val, who threw a screaming tantrum when she was told they were returning to Kerbin and had to be sedated by her crewmates using sleeping tablets dissolved in her coffee before their return. Upon learning that Frodo had stolen her record for longest time spent in the Mun's SOI, she retreated to a corner of her quarantine cell (the one with the nice padded walls and floor again) and sat flicking her finger over her lips making bibble bibble noises. Nineteen hours later, she still hasn't stopped...

Spoiler

All our Kerbals are now back on Kerbin and are having every conceivable medical test (and a variety of other experiments) performed on them to see how they've been affected by their prolonged stays in low or no gravity. (We tried explaining microgravity to the Board, but after three hours we decided to stick with 'no gravity in space' instead of bashing our heads against a brick wall trying to make them understand...)

Full album is here: https://imgur.com/a/jH0PGcQ

AAARG's space program has been running for 30 days, 4 hours and 13 minutes. Next up- some probes will be arriving at other planets, but that's going to take a while and will require A LOT of confectionery to distract the Board with during the wait.

[GuessingEveryDay]

23 hours ago, Kraken that doesn't exist said:

 

this is what is wrong

how does no one see it

Okay, for some reason, Google Photos keeps switching out the links. So that's all I need to do. 

[Kraken that doesn't exist]

27 minutes ago, GuessingEveryDay said:

Okay, for some reason, Google Photos keeps switching out the links. So that's all I need to do. 

Branch 3 is fixed

[GuessingEveryDay]

After just 7 days,  6 hours, and 28 minutes, Tree Industries has a satellite for each moon, and a space station on its way to the Mun with the CEO and 4 victimsvolunteers.

The Mun satellite went first, on the new Bough program.

Spoiler

While Bough 1 was waiting for TMI burn, Bough 2 lifted off with Minmus' new satellite.

Spoiler

After that, it was 7 days, when Geoff Kerman on a split-second decision, started the next space station, that would have everything necessary to land on Mun, or Minmus.

With that, it was Pinecone 1.

Spoiler

That's all for now, see you this afternoon.

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by GuessingEveryDay
New links.

[Misguided Kerbal]

1 minute ago, GuessingEveryDay said:

After just 7 days,  6 hours, and 28 minutes, Tree Industries has a satellite for each moon, and a space station on its way to the Mun with the CEO and 4 victimsvolunteers.

The Mun satellite went first, on the new Bough program.

  Reveal hidden contents

While Bough 1 was waiting for TMI burn, Bough 2 lifted off with Minmus' new satellite.

  Reveal hidden contents

After that, it was 7 days, when Geoff Kerman on a split-second decision, started the next space station, that would have everything necessary to land on Mun, or Minmus.

With that, it was Pinecone 1.

  Reveal hidden contents

That's all for now, see you this afternoon.

 

great, but I can;t see the pictures. Why don't you use imgur?

[Kraken that doesn't exist]

15 minutes ago, Misguided_Kerbal said:

great, but I can;t see the pictures. Why don't you use imgur?

yeah that was the problem i had, he managed to fix a bit of it though

[GuessingEveryDay]

27 minutes ago, Kraken that doesn't exist said:

yeah that was the problem i had, he managed to fix a bit of it though

Okay, found out about free posts without having an account. Now things should be fine. Now to do the same for everything else.

Edited August 7, 2020 by GuessingEveryDay

[jimmymcgoochie]

Advanced Audacious Aerospace Research Group: Let's do the time warp again!

Well, it turns out that the second set of probes we sent out were necessary after all. All three of the first wave burnt up during aerobraking- even at Duna! Although that slowed us down a bit, the second set of probes all arrived safely and inserted into stable orbits, just a bit slower than we would have liked (and probably slower than we could have done, but the delta-V gauges were a bit dodgy due to drop tanks with crossfeed on the decouplers).

The Jool probe burning up may have been our fault- it was pretty clear that the tenuous atmosphere high above Jool's "suraface" wasn't providing nearly enough drag to brake into orbit, so the whole rocket was turned sideways on to try and boost drag. Of course, that meant that the whole thing immediately overheated and exploded as we overestimated the heat tolerances of most of the parts; turns out they'll go boom at a mere 2000K and they were exposed to 2400K.

Spoiler

 

Three more objectives completed:

• Probe in orbit around Eve: Super Probe E, achieved after 166 days, 1 hour and 4 minutes.
• Probe in orbit around Duna: Super Probe D, achieved after 192 days, 0 hours and 14 minutes.
• Probe in orbit of Jool: Super Probe J, achieved after 1 year, 68 days, 3 hours and 39 minutes.

These times were all calculated by adding one orbital period to the time shown in the images above to calculate the time at which they would have completed one full orbit after ending their orbital insertion burns.

Full album is here: https://imgur.com/a/BNcaG4x

AAARG's space program has been running for 1 year, 68 days, 3 hours and 40 minutes. All Phase 3 objectives are now complete and the Board are salivating at the thought of commencing Phase 4. Or maybe that's because a big truck just pulled up outside the Boardroom windows and started offloading chocolate, hard to tell.

(OOC: And in case you're wondering about the title: I had to time warp for over a year for this one update!)

Edited August 7, 2020 by jimmymcgoochie

[GuessingEveryDay]

1 minute ago, jimmymcgoochie said:

Advanced Audacious Aerospace Research Group: Let's do the time warp again!

Well, it turns out that the second set of probes we sent out were necessary after all. All three of the first wave burnt up during aerobraking- even at Duna! Although that slowed us down a bit, the second set of probes all arrived safely and inserted into stable orbits, just a bit slower than we would have liked (and probably slower than we could have done, but the delta-V gauges were a bit dodgy due to drop tanks with crossfeed on the decouplers).

The Jool probe burning up may have been our fault- it was pretty clear that the tenuous atmosphere high above Jool's "suraface" wasn't providing nearly enough drag to brake into orbit, so the whole rocket was turned sideways on to try and boost drag. Of course, that meant that the whole thing immediately overheated and exploded as we overestimated the heat tolerances of most of the parts; turns out they'll go boom at a mere 2000K and they were exposed to 2400K.

  Hide contents

 

Three more objectives completed:

• Probe in orbit around Eve: Super Probe E, achieved after 166 days, 1 hour and 4 minutes.
• Probe in orbit around Duna: Super Probe D, achieved after 192 days, 0 hours and 14 minutes.
• Probe in orbit of Jool: Super Probe J, achieved after 1 year, 68 days, 3 hours and 39 minutes.

These times were all calculated by adding one orbital period to the time shown in the images above to calculate the time at which they would have completed one full orbit after ending their orbital insertion burns.

Full album is here: https://imgur.com/a/BNcaG4x

AAARG's space program has been running for 1 year, 68 days, 3 hours and 40 minutes. All Phase 3 objectives are now complete and the Board are salivating at the thought of commencing Phase 4. Or maybe that's because a big truck just pulled up outside the Boardroom windows and started offloading chocolate, hard to tell.

So there's a chance for everyone to catch up!

[jimmymcgoochie]

Advanced Audacious Aerospace Research Group: Duna preparations!

The next Duna transfer window opens in about 1 year, 240 days. This is BAD NEWS! Trying to cut the corner and going there anyway will take a silly amount of delta-V and quite possibly take longer than waiting for the next window to open, so we're going to have to just sit and wait this one out. Or if the Board get bored, knock out some more nuclear boosters with ~20km/s of delta-V and just go for it.

While we're waiting, there was no reason not to launch all the Phase 4 vessels into Kerbin orbit ready for the transfer:

• An Ike lander, which is pretty unremarkable in every way; reasonably small, light and with a decent delta-V budget.
• A Duna rover, outfitted with mining equipment, an ISRU and a self-driving module (courtesy of BonVoyage) to not only fulfil the Duna landing objective but also fill up the sample return craft and, eventually, the crewed lander(s).
• A sample return probe, complete with mystery goo canisters to actually produce some samples in order to return them. It doesn't have enough fuel to get back to Kerbin without the mining rover so is rather reliant on that one working.
• And the crewed Duna vessel, powered by a 'Liberator' nuclear engine attached to a whopping great 10m spherical hydrogen tank (the propulsion system was launched separately because it was pretty bulky), with two single-crew landers to actually land on Duna. They should also be capable of landing on Ike and even have a small probe core attached to be operated remotely for impromptu rescue missions.

The massive hydrogen tank used some of its fuel to get into orbit, so a rendezvous was performed with the hydrogen tank we launched a while ago for just such an occasion. That old tank was then deorbited using the last of its monopropellant, before the crew section was launched into orbit and docked to the propulsion section.

Spoiler

Jeb, Val and Bob went up in the crewed ship, however it will be several years before that one ever goes to Duna so plans are already being made to bring them back. We might leave Val in orbit though, as she seems pretty happy to be there and everyone else is very happy that she's not here- particularly Frodo, who has made nine reports of threatening messages being left on his bedside table in the middle of the night, all matched to Val's handwriting. She really isn't letting that 'first to orbit the Mun' thing go... Maybe getting 'first to land on Duna' will make up for it?

Full album is here: https://imgur.com/a/BtCitOg

AAARG's space program has been running for 1 year, 69 days, 2 hours and 27 minutes. There are now four Phase 4 vessels in Kerbin orbit waiting for their transfer windows to open- the Ike lander, the Duna lander/miner, the Duna sample returner and the Duna expedition ship (name may be changed!).

[The_Stinky_Broccoli]

Well my computer is working again not Shure if it matters now but it is.

 

[Misguided Kerbal]

38 minutes ago, epicfailure2020 said:

Well my computer is working again not Shure if it matters now but it is.

 

I guess you could participate in the 3rd race.

[Kraken that doesn't exist]

9 hours ago, Misguided_Kerbal said:

I guess you could participate in the 3rd race.

i'll probably be krussia/kroscosmos becuase i played as the koviet union and it kinda collapsed

[jimmymcgoochie]

@Misguided_Kerbal Clarification please:

If I launch a Duna lander and an Ike lander on separate rockets then dock them together in orbit, fly them out to Duna together then undock them once in Duna orbit and land them both on their respective bodies, does that count for both milestones? If not I'll just stick the Ike lander to another (non-prerequisite/milestone) probe and piggyback on that instead.

[Misguided Kerbal]

3 hours ago, jimmymcgoochie said:

@Misguided_Kerbal Clarification please:

If I launch a Duna lander and an Ike lander on separate rockets then dock them together in orbit, fly them out to Duna together then undock them once in Duna orbit and land them both on their respective bodies, does that count for both milestones? If not I'll just stick the Ike lander to another (non-prerequisite/milestone) probe and piggyback on that instead.

Yes, that counts. You could piggyback them, but yeah, that counts for both milestones. One craft achieves one milestone, the other craft the other one.