Historical Space Race Challenge

[Scarecrow71]

Discoverer XIV has been launched and recovered.

 

[Scarecrow71]

I feel like I'm the only one doing this.  Is this challenge just not catching the attention of anyone?

Korabl-Sputnik II has been launched and recovered.

 

[18Watt]

1 hour ago, Scarecrow71 said:

feel like I'm the only one doing this.

Work happens, I’m currently spending 18 hours per day in a giant box full of video screens.  I’d call it a giant video game, but can’t play KSP on it, just work stuff. 

[Akagi]

1 hour ago, Scarecrow71 said:

I feel like I'm the only one doing this.  Is this challenge just not catching the attention of anyone?

Korabl-Sputnik II has been launched and recovered.

 

Never fear! After finishing the new Azur Lane update... and finishing the Chibi Starship... and the New Sheepherder... well, you know, life happens.

Three things in life are certain: death, Siren attacks, and not being able to do that one thing you REALLY want to do on the KSP forums.

[Scarecrow71]

I have updated the challenge rules slightly.  There are 2 missions, one Soviet and one American, that are effectively the same mission:

• Korabl-Sputnik II
• Mercury-Redstone II

Both of these missions are to simply put a living being into space (other than a human) and recover the craft.  Korabl-Sputnik II is a full orbital flight, while Mercury-Redstone II is sub-orbital.  KSP has no mechanic to send anything living other than Kerbals up, so you can't really test a dog or a plant or a primate.  And these missions are so similar in scope that doing both is redundant and a waste of time.  Therefore, if you are doing both the Soviets and the Americans, you are required to only do 1 of these, and it is your choice as to which one to do.

[Scarecrow71]

Several launches/missions this morning!

 

[Scarecrow71]

Several launches this morning!

 

[Akagi]

Nice!

[Scarecrow71]

I'm really digging this challenge that I've set up.  A lot of this early stuff is a bit redundant (first animal, first primate, first man, first woman, first flight longer than 1 day, etc.).  But now we get to start doing some really weird and cool stuff, like the X-15 flight.  First EVA is coming up, first rendezvous and docking, first crew transfer...getting excited!

[Akagi]

I'm going to start with the first launch once i get onto a computer with KSP.

[18Watt]

Discoverer 1, Explorer 6, Luna 2, and Luna 3 missions complete.  I'm still doing this in science mode, we'll see how far I get with that.

 

[Scarecrow71]

1 hour ago, 18Watt said:

Discoverer 1, Explorer 6, Luna 2, and Luna 3 missions complete.  I'm still doing this in science mode, we'll see how far I get with that.

 

How hard did you hut the Mun?  I landed sideways at night at ~8 m/s and survived, so I'm curious.

[18Watt]

25 minutes ago, Scarecrow71 said:

How hard did you hut the Mun?

I’m guessing it was well over 1200 m/s.  I didn’t even try to slow down, just let it fall naturally.  I think the original mission was more of an impacted than a lander.

I did consider soft landing it, but thought it would be more fun to just let it fall.  I’ll be back with a soft lander soon enough..

[Scarecrow71]

X-15 Flight 90.  The hardest thing I've ever done in this game.

 

[Scarecrow71]

So while the wife is watching QVC, I'm launching stuff into outer space.  Sounds right to me.

 

[18Watt]

I’m up to the X15 flight.  I’m still trying to do this in Science mode, although I know switching to Sandbox is an option.  In stock KSP, I’m not able to unlock all the parts to build a proper B52 launch platform.  So this mission is going to be Kerbalobulated to a fairly high degree.

Since there isn’t really a way to land the jet carrier aircraft anyway, I might not spend much time trying to build one with the parts available.  I think it’ll be just a jet powered carrier that can get my X15 to a decent altitude, any resemblance to an actual B52 will be accidental.

[Scarecrow71]

4 minutes ago, 18Watt said:

I’m up to the X15 flight.  I’m still trying to do this in Science mode, although I know switching to Sandbox is an option.  In stock KSP, I’m not able to unlock all the parts to build a proper B52 launch platform.  So this mission is going to be Kerbalobulated to a fairly high degree.

Since there isn’t really a way to land the jet carrier aircraft anyway, I might not spend much time trying to build one with the parts available.  I think it’ll be just a jet powered carrier that can get my X15 to a decent altitude, any resemblance to an actual B52 will be accidental.

I had to switch to sandbox to launch the X15 because I didn't have the parts.  And I'm not even gaining much science any longer as I am trying to keep this close to history, so I'm not loading up on gadgets to get science with.  This may truly end up being a sandbox challenge.

[jinnantonix]

@Scarecrow71 I am keen to do this in sandbox mode, and stock + DLC, unmodded.  Just to be clear, KER and Mechjeb are not OK in the unmodded category?

[Scarecrow71]

29 minutes ago, jinnantonix said:

@Scarecrow71 I am keen to do this in sandbox mode, and stock + DLC, unmodded.  Just to be clear, KER and Mechjeb are not OK in the unmodded category?

Incorrect.  KER and MJ put you in the Stock Parts/Modded category, and both are stated as being allowed.

[jinnantonix]

4 hours ago, Scarecrow71 said:

Incorrect.  KER and MJ put you in the Stock Parts/Modded category, and both are stated as being allowed.

Thanks.  I think I will go Stock Parts/Modded with KER and MJ.  Doing this massive challenge without informational and automation mods is a bridge too far.

Edit:  I might go modded with Tweakscale, it helps with creating replicas with limited parts at the right scale.   Is that allowed?

Edited February 7, 2022 by jinnantonix

[Scarecrow71]

8 hours ago, jinnantonix said:

Thanks.  I think I will go Stock Parts/Modded with KER and MJ.  Doing this massive challenge without informational and automation mods is a bridge too far.

Edit:  I might go modded with Tweakscale, it helps with creating replicas with limited parts at the right scale.   Is that allowed?

That would put you in the full modded category as it alters gameplay or parts.

[Scarecrow71]

And another "heh heh heh-heh-heh".

 

[18Watt]

Updated through Luna 9 in my mission reports thread:

 

[jinnantonix]

R-7 Semyorka ICBM

Complete with retracting service towers.  Achieves 100km orbit with a 5t payload.

[Scarecrow71]

@jinnantonix

You need shots from the rocket in orbit, as well as its flight path, in order for it to count.  Simply sitting it on the launchpad doesn't show that the launch succeeded.