Land on Kerbin, but without parachutes or engines!

[Deadpangod3]

I saw a challenge like this one before the kraken attacked the forums, so I'll re-make it

The workers at the engine factory and parachute factory have gone on strike, so now there's no parachutes and the only engines left are only enough to get into orbit and re-enter, but not land!

Objective:

Get to orbit and return, but once you re-enter the atmosphere you can't use your engines or use parachutes

Rules:

1. The command pod/probe core must survive the crash landing, or it does not count

2. No engines or parachutes when you attempt to land

3. Noinfini-glide

4. Other methods of thrust ARE allowed

5. No srbs either (I'm looking at you, Jeb)

6. No RCS

7. Pics required of drop and landed

8. Mod parts (except decouplers unless their ejection force is VERY high) that produce thrust are not allowed

The previous thread showed it was possible and I will attempt it when I get home from school also

Highest scores:

1. Jaedinator: 83 parts

Happy landings!

Edited May 20, 2013 by Deadpangod3

[Tachy0n]

Can I just glide in on wings like a spaceplane would?

[Flixxbeatz]

Do it first.

[_The_Burn_]

Once my finals are done (tomorrow) I am going to make something like this=======>http://energykitesystems.net/Rogallo/RW2.jpg Or I could do the danny2462 thing and use a ton of structural beams. But, just saying, it's coming

[Atanar]

]2. No engines or parachutes when you attempt to land

4. Other methods of thrust ARE allowed

5. No srbs either

What else is there? Is this basically the challenge to land on RCS? I am totally going to try that.

[whatisthisidonteven]

Lithobraking/Wings might work

[Shrike42]

Does this require the craft survive, or just the crew?

Edit: Reread the rules, just the command pod or probe body, got it.

[Deadpangod3]

Ok I forgot the no RCS, I'll edit it,

You have to land on Kerbin without RCS, srbs, engines, parachutes, or infini-glide

So basicly you have to crash land, you can drop from any height as long as its outside the atmosphere

The command pod-probe core HAS to survive the landing (pic of it on the ground required)

Any methods of thrust other then the above is allowed

[Jaedinator]

Could you post your attempt or at least the idea of how it should be done, because the only thing i could imagine is flying a spaceplane to orbit and then land it like a normal plane, but i guess that would be too easy for a challenge?

edit: you just posted it, sorry

[SciMan]

are mods allowed? I think Firespitter parts would come in quite handy for this challenge, especially with the larger wings and the air-brakes that are included in it. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't allow Firespitter air-brakes, because when they deploy they create a lot of drag, but no lift.

Because of that, I think they would make the challenge not very.... challenging, as all you would have to do is put 6-8 air-brake petals on a mk1 pod and it should land at about the same speed that it would with a parachute!

[Deadpangod3]

Mod parts (except decouplers unless their ejection force is VERY high) that produce thrust are not allowed, (forgot that part too) if you see I've missed anything let me know please

[Atanar]

So it's safe-crashing only? Why didn't you say that?

[Jaedinator]

Here is my attempt, all stock except for mechjeb (not really any purpose but i automatically attach it to everything i build).

as you can see the fuel amount at orbital altitude is the same as right before landing.

[Atanar]

What's the method of comparioson then ? Part count for the landing stage?

[Deadpangod3]

How about least amount of parts?

Could you tell us how many parts were in the ship before it crashed in your attempt jaedinator?

Edited May 20, 2013 by Deadpangod3

[chri]

Lithobraking/Wings might work

I never heard of lithobraking but it doesn't sound like a safe thing..it's like braking...on rock? God that must hurt...

[Shrike42]

I never heard of lithobraking but it doesn't sound like a safe thing..it's like braking...on rock? God that must hurt...

Google 'ablative armor'.

Edit: To clarify, if you design things with crumple zones and parts that are intended to absorb energy and be destroyed instead of transferring and damaging the core component, there's a whole new field of lander design to explore, even for inelegant pilots like myself.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Shrike42

[Jaedinator]

Mine has 83 Parts. (With launcher as i haven't decoupled it to get some extra stopping power)

[Deadpangod3]

Schools almost over so I'll be able to attempt this in a few minutes

[ZingidyZongxxx]

Finished. 19 parts including the launcher, easily survives a fall from orbit. Yes it, it has an engine when coming in to land (crash) but there is no fuel left, so I think it's fine.

Launchpad:

(Barely) Stable Orbit:

Gotta Love Those Effects:

"Landing":

Probe:

Sorry there are so many pictures, but I took more than I needed.

[occar]

Here is an old one, not made for this challenge. Note that technically, this can be done with just a single I-beam on the pod. It's an easy challenge.

Edited May 20, 2013 by occar

[Reavermyst]

Something like this seems like it can be fabricated. Anyone could go into the parts database and make the pod indestructible and no one would be any wiser. This also seems like a luck based challenge rather than skill. Reason I say this is because, and this is assuming you're running the challenge legitimately, crash landings are tough to duplicate with the same results. I've had parts cushion my landings when things go downhill. It works, but there are times where it results in failure. Either the pod pops off, hits the ground first, or even collides with the cushioning parts!

Edited May 20, 2013 by Reavermyst

[occar]

Something like this seems like it can be fabricated. Anyone could go into the parts database and make the pod indestructible and no one would be any wiser. This also seems like a luck based challenge rather than skill. Reason I say this is because, and this is assuming you're running the challenge legitimately, crash landings are tough to duplicate with the same results. I've had parts cushion my landings when things go downhill. It works, but there are times where it results in failure. Either the pod pops off, hits the ground first, or even collides with the cushioning parts!

Truthfully, most of the challenges are that way. However, this one is very doable with whatever it takes to get your ship up out of the atmosphere, and then just a single I beam and a good landing. There was a challenge for it already recently, but the forum issue ate it, I think. Not sure why it says "orbit" because really, anything in middle atmosphere is going to be the same exact speed on impact as something deorbited. 130ish m/s is going to be the terminal velocity.

[Francesco]

"other method of thrust are allowed"... like what? are there any other? no engines, no infiniglide, no RCS... not that RCS helps on Kerbin btw.

[ZingidyZongxxx]

"other method of thrust are allowed"... like what? are there any other? no engines, no infiniglide, no RCS... not that RCS helps on Kerbin btw.

You can technically get a TWR of greater than one on Kerbin with RCS, but it lags a ton and is useless.