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See Space with One Engine - Revamped

SollyK
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SollyK

SollyK

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The Challenge is to make a piloted craft using just a single engine that's capable of getting into a stable orbit and returning the crew safely.

Rules:

1. The craft must reach a stable orbit (Perikee at least 69,078m) and land with it's pilots intact.

2. Stock parts must be used. Informational and piloting mods are allowed.

3. 'Engine' covers liquid fuel engines, RCS thruster nozzles, boosters and jets (sepratrons are okay if they do not boost the craft in any way). Only a single engine must be present on the ship at the moment of launch.

4. Post three pictures, at launchpad, in orbit (if applicable), landed safely (if applicable).

Titles of distinction:

1. Smallest ship (by weight). Minimalist.

2. Largest ship (by weight, no staging until clear of pad). Maximalist.

3. Landing at KSC. High Efficiency.

4. Make it to the Mun. Higher than an Eagle.

5. Make it back to Kerbin without a Parachute. Safety Last.

6. Take off and land horizontally and intact. Vomit Comet.

7. More than three kerbals landed safely on Kerbin. Standing Room Only.

To Orbit and Back:

tavert - MinLKO 4a, OEM 2c - Minimalist (1.64 t), Exceptional Achievement, Higher Than an Eagle, High Efficiency x2, Safety Last x2

SollyK - Astraeus, The Cluster - Maximalist (152.13 t), Exceptional Achievement x2, Safety Last, Standing Room Only

Climberfx - Dragon - High Efficiency, Safety Last

Exceptional Achievements: (Other achievements will be added if necessary)

Landed on another planet or moon and returned:

Visited another planet and returned:

Landed on the Mun or Minmus and Returned:

tavert - OEM 2c - Mun

SollyK - Astraeus, The Cluster - Minmus

One way trip to another body's surface:

One way trip to another body's sphere of influence:

Edited by SollyK
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SollyK

SollyK

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"Piloted" in a manner of speaking, Minimalist at 1.64 tons, High Efficiency, Safety Last.

I didn't even think about that route. Really the whole reason it is piloted though is getting Kerbals out to space and back home safe so it works for me. :)

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tavert

tavert

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And here's basically the opposite: http://imgur.com/a/LZBGK#0

Maximalist at 148.64 tons (until someone builds something that needs to burn off a bunch of fuel before it can take off), High Efficiency, Higher than an Eagle, Safety Last.

First time I've used a mainsail in a while. Most annoying bit was simultaneously having landing gear low enough to get around the engine, while making sure enough fuel was in front of the center of thrust, otherwise it would be uncontrollable.

Edited by tavert
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SollyK

SollyK

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And here's basically the opposite: http://imgur.com/a/LZBGK#0

Maximalist at 148.64 tons (until someone builds something that needs to burn off a bunch of fuel before it can take off), High Efficiency, Higher than an Eagle, Safety Last.

First time I've used a mainsail in a while. Most annoying bit was simultaneously having landing gear low enough to get around the engine, while making sure enough fuel was in front of the center of thrust, otherwise it would be uncontrollable.

Wow, you work fast. I guess I should start working on some more of these. I think the maximum should end up just over 150 t.

I think it was interesting how you used landing gear. I don't think I've ever seen that.

Edited by SollyK
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tavert

tavert

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The first one I had done some time ago for a now-gone "Minimalist mission megathread" that I think only I participated in, so I didn't have to do anything other than find my imgur link.

That second rocket's name was "OEM 2c" btw, standing for One Engine Mun. My takeoff TWR was 1.03, so you could add another few tons but it would be even slower getting off the pad. You should probably say no staging until you're at least off the pad, otherwise you could just add an arbitrary number of orange tanks on decouplers.

The aircraft landing gear are awesome at the moment, I use them on everything. It says in the VAB (and the CoM indicator would also lead you to believe) that they're pretty heavy, but in flight they're actually massless (for now, subject to change of course). And they have a higher impact tolerance than the normal landing gear, they can handle impressive landing speeds. I actually ran out of fuel a few meters up when landing OEM 2c (MechJeb's Land At Target tried to do a horizontal velocity correction that was probably unnecessary), landed a little faster than I wanted to but it was fine. You can also attach things to the gear bays, which can be useful. My side fuel tanks actually used the tiny inline decouplers on struts, then a bunch more struts underneath the tank. Here's a closeup: http://i.imgur.com/cCd7aQR.jpg

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SollyK

SollyK

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Whats the ruling on sepratrons? I've got a design that I think is perfect for this challenge, but it'll blow up without sepratrons. I suppose they are considered boosters, but they don't propel the main craft, just the refuse.

Honestly I am okay with sepratrons as long as they do not boost the main craft at all. I think that they help create innovative designs.

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SollyK

SollyK

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So I decided to try at some more awards but instead of going small I decided to go big. :)

I present to you The Cluster. Born from the depths of Jebs insane mind while under an unknown hallucinogen. This craft is powered by a single mainsail and has 28 stages. When KSP issued a flight qualification manual for this craft it contained only two words: "Be Jeb"

Album: http://imgur.com/a/3tX6M

Name: The Cluster

Weight: 152.13 t

Parts: 372

Crew: 4

I really wanted to return to KSC with my landing but I was just not able to squeeze out enough fuel. Thanks to tavert for the landing gear idea, really helpful.

[Maximalist, Exceptional Achievement, Safety Last, Standing Room Only]

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SollyK

SollyK

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Holy moses that's some fuel lining!

It is a nightmare. I had to let Mechjeb fly the thing because it's like a whale. Then add in the fact that you have to time 28 stages, it's insane. So basically it's kerbal. :D

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SollyK

SollyK

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I put the Dragon in. A very cool rocket :cool: especially since it looks just like the space x rocket (I imagine that's what you were going for). I like how it is single stage.

I believe the Falcon doesn't qualify because it has three engines and RCS.

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