The 100,000 metre and back death-defying speed challenge

[Klapaucius]

Very simple. Fly to 100,000 metres and then return to Kerbin as fast as possible. 

 

Rules: Stock and DLC only. No physics altering mods or cheats. The craft must be Kerbaled and your Kerbal(s) must survive. Touchdown is defined as a complete stop.

 

Otherwise, anything goes. You can build any type of vehicle.  You can destroy any number of parts, including the entire vessel.  If your Kerbal arrives physically intact (we cannot account for emotional trauma) you pass.   Take video and/or screenshots at takeoff, apogee and landing.

 

Three categories:

1. Take off from KSC and land at KSC (anywhere within  the flat area just around the complex).

2. Take off from and land anywhere (including tops of mountains). In other words, game the terrain. 

3. Take off and land horizontally.  In this case, the craft needs to land intact (defined as whatever parts it still had just before contacting the ground need to remain in good condition).

The idea came from watching @ShadowZone's recent attempt on the Minmus speed run challenge.

 

LEADERBOARD

@camacju 2:04!

@farmerben3:36

@Klapaucius 3:44

Edited December 10, 2022 by Klapaucius

[Klapaucius]

Here is my attempt. I just squeaked in under 4 mintues at 3:58.  I have no idea if you can do it faster this way or on a more gradual trajectory.  I could do better. I still don't have the return optimized.

 

https://youtu.be/uRyXRvAXW8I

 

[Klapaucius]

3:44  That was a very hard landing.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Klapaucius

[farmerben]

3:36  I started with 4 mammoth engines onioned on to this stage.

 

[camacju]

I took the More Boosters approach all the way, with a time of 2:04.

Spoiler

Launch. Lots of Mammoth engines!

First stage is empty after 5 seconds

Second stage is empty after 13 seconds

Third stage is empty after 30 seconds. The rest of my engines are facing downward so I don't have to turn around.

Apoapsis - I started the Mammoth engine burn too late. Oh well

A cluster of Sepratron motors gives some impulse back towards Kerbin

The cargo bay is aerodynamically optimized so it doesn't have much drag

I open the service bay doors, turning the sepratron array into a giant air brake. This slows me down very quickly.

Parachutes deployed

Stationary at 2:03!

Here's the full video:

Spoiler

 

 

[Klapaucius]

11 minutes ago, camacju said:

I took the More Boosters approach all the way, with a time of 2:04.

That was awesome!  The sepratron cluster was brilliant. 

I reckon you can make sub 2 minutes just by changing out your chutes.  I found the big heat shield was a really good chute in that it acts very fast.  While I did have regular chutes, I deployed them just as the shield hit and bouced/exploded, leaving me with an intact landing can.  

Edited December 10, 2022 by Klapaucius

[camacju]

I suspect sub-2 is possible just from flying this existing craft better. I do have ideas to go significantly faster however.

[Klapaucius]

How many G's do you reckon Jeb just endured?

 

Also, just added a third category--horizontal takeoff and landing.   Started thinking about it while getting myself a snack.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Klapaucius