Fast ship to Duna

[metaphor]

The challenge is to build the fastest spaceship to go from Kerbin to Duna.

Rules

- stock parts, plus Mechjeb or other pilot/info mods

- no ion engines (they are very annoying to use)

- any part of the spacecraft can get to Duna, does not have to be manned

- scored by lowest mission time elapsed at Duna impact

Show a screenshot of the ship on the pad, a screenshot in transit showing its trajectory, and a screenshot either in Duna's atmosphere or after impact showing the mission time elapsed.

Here's mine, 20 days, 16 hours, 43 minutes. I didn't use nuclear engines but you can if you want. I started at a new save when Duna was on the other side of the sun, but you can start whenever.

1. Istas - 3 days, 13 hours, 29 minutes, 59 seconds

2. metaphor - 20 days, 16 hours, 43 minutes, 31 seconds

Edited April 25, 2013 by metaphor

[Istas]

I'm on this.

[Flixxbeatz]

How on EarthKerbin did you managed to transfer from LKO straight to Duna without even waiting for the right alignment?

[metaphor]

By adjusting the maneuver node until you get the right orbit. If you mark Duna as the target, usually the direction you want to go is pretty close to the direction of the target marker on your navball, even if the alignment is wrong.

[Flixxbeatz]

I did the very same thing before. My craft got stuck in solar orbit.

Seriously?

[Awaras]

How on EarthKerbin did you managed to transfer from LKO straight to Duna without even waiting for the right alignment?

You can get anywhere you want at any time as long as you have dV to burn.

If you can move fast enough (like, significant fraction of C fast), you can just point toward your destination planet and burn away, no need for all that silly orbital mechanics stuff.

You only need to wait for the right alignment if you care for such petty things as 'fuel efficiency' and 'budget constraints'.

I remember someone once made a (heavily modded) ship that was able to get from Kerbin to Jool in 6 ingame HOURS... O_o

Edited April 24, 2013 by Awaras

[duncan1297]

notice how the ship is labeled eve ascent probe, and was out of fuel when it hit Duna.

[metaphor]

notice how the ship is labeled eve ascent probe, and was out of fuel when it hit Duna.

Yep I was just using the same design as for an Eve lander I built, since it had a huge amount of delta-v.

[Istas]

3 days 13 hours 29 minutes 59 seconds

Takeoff mass: ~920 tons

Velocity before leaving Kerbin's SoI: >26 km/s

Probe: incinerated, then obliterated

Jeb: Disappointed he didn't get to go

Launch pic:

http://s78.photobucket.com/user/IstasPuma/media/screenshot150_zps60a0e737.png.html

Transit pic:

http://s78.photobucket.com/user/IstasPuma/media/screenshot160_zps2fcd3c29.png.html

Impact time:

http://s78.photobucket.com/user/IstasPuma/media/screenshot181_zpsd2ae067d.png.html

[GusTurbo]

I love the straight-line path to Duna.

[Istas]

Who needs curves?

[metaphor]

Very nice, Istas. That is a lot of delta-v!

[Istas]

Thank you metaphor.