Challenge 18 Orange Tanks to Orbit

[Bothersome]

Challenge get 18 Orange fuel tanks to orbit Kerbin.

Rules:

1. Stock parts only.

2. No refueling in space, must launch all tanks to space in one go.

3. No computer assisted piloting except SAS or ASAS.

Now, I wouldn't ask any of you to do something I couldn't so...

Here is mine...

That's 4532 tons held together by 1719 parts (includes 16 towers).

53069 units of liquid fuel in orbit.

Not trying to create a King of Space, but,... you know..

[jjwb22101]

The one criticism I have for you is that this challenge seems to be more of one limited by the computer that people have access to, instead of actual flight skill.

[Bothersome]

Well, there is no rule saying it had to be done in real time. So it runs a little slow. It can still be done on slower computers can't it?

It's an engineering challenge more than a flight challenge. If you can build it, you prolly can fly it.

[Octobomb]

'So it runs a little slow'

Kerbal for me becomes so laggy at 300 parts mechjeb can't pilot it. At 400 parts KSP dies totally. That said, this is a very simple and easy challenge if you exploit a simple loophole: Nobody said anything about the tanks having to be FULL at launch - ill just refuel them in orbit, one or two tanks at a time. Supernova can lift 4. Tedious, yes, but even on a low end computer feasible.

EDIT: Yes, I know it says no refuelling in space, but there are no specifications for tanks having to remain full.

[Bothersome]

Well, you can do that, but if you want some respect for meeting the challenge, I'd suggest you try not skirt through a loop hole. Just do it, or move on. The challenge is an engineering test. Do you have what it takes?

[John FX]

Wow. What`s the final payload mass you have there?

[kahlzun]

If it's an engineering challenge, then why can't we use "computer assisted piloting" (which i assume means mechjeb) ?

[Bothersome]

John, it's 775 tons according to the map info. 343 parts.

kahlzun, if you must use mechjeb then do so. I didn't use it (no mods installed here). If you need it to do the easy part of flying the ship, then use it. But I think I can confidently say, that if you manage to engineer such a craft, the flying is gonna be the easy part.

[tavert]

You should add some kind of scoring system, maybe based on number of parts or mass at takeoff. And you should really clarify if you mean 18 full tanks, otherwise 18 tanks and 9 mainsails should be SSTO, getting to orbit empty.

[Galacticruler]

'So it runs a little slow'

Kerbal for me becomes so laggy at 300 parts mechjeb can't pilot it. At 400 parts KSP dies totally.

same thing here, but drop both numbers by 50 - 100.

[SixthFall]

same thing here, but drop both numbers by 50 - 100.

What's with the WOT stats?

[Flixxbeatz]

It can still be done on slower computers can't it?

I have 4GB RAM, and I don't want to let my part count creep past 300. Otherwise it would be a slideshow. So I find it more like a "Hey, my rig can do this! How about yours?" challenge.

Kudos for attempting it yourself before posting though

[Bothersome]

I think it more likely you don't comprehend the scale of the problem. So you blame your computer instead. You THINK you can do it easily, yet you're not willing to try because it might PROVE to be difficult. At least, that's MY thinking.

[Rizendell]

I actually did this a while ago in .18. I saw someone's screenshot of one of these things and decided it wasnt big enough. so I made it bigger, and then decided it needed a friend to help it slow down (plan was for interplanetary travel). so here are the screenshots i captured of it.

[Rizendell]

http://imgur.com/a/sU2kb

I did this a while ago back in .18. the plan was originally to mate the two halves together, but Im not sure how the game would react to that many docking ports together at once, so I just went with an RCS fuel pylon between them.

[Bothersome]

Yeah that's pretty amazing space wheels you got there. From what I can gather from the screen shots, you used the fuel in the tanks to get it to orbit. Mine are launched from Kerbin and to orbit FULL. No fuel used from the orange tanks. My brother has just beat my record by putting 73169 units of liquid fuel into a 74K orbit. But, he didn't use orange tanks so, he don't qualify.

[cpt_nosh]

This is madness!!!

[triffid_hunter]

manual piloting is almost impossible below 5fps, and there's no way my computer could lift 18 orange to orbit at more than about 0.3fps. MechJeb would therefore be 100% necessary for me to even attempt this

[SmallChange]

Here's an idea for a scoring system:

As it was pointed out earler, there is no prohibition against using those tanks, so remaining fuel could be the score. Also, you could do a MJ scoreboard and a total vanilla one.

Just a suggestion.

[xandalis]

I agree, that many parts requires MJ to get it off the ground for most computers that are technically capable of supporting KSP with those part-monsters loaded. My rig can handle well over 700 (mind you, I get like .1 fps during the entire ascent, and usually have to leave the flight as soon as it's achieved orbit, quit KSP, then come back to it), but there's no way a 700 part beast could be manually controlled with any chance getting to even the first stage sep.

And also, in those screenshots, what are those icon-less items on the stage list? Thought stock-only didn't have blank icons.

[triffid_hunter]

And also, in those screenshots, what are those icon-less items on the stage list? Thought stock-only didn't have blank icons.

my stock ksp frequently has blank icons, usually when layering symmetry..

try this:

start with a pod of some sort, add 1 radial girder, stick a fuel tank on it. attach an engine to the tank, set symmetry to 4x and attach cubic octagons to the bottom. attach engines to the cubics. now detach the girder and reattach it in 4x mode so you now have 16 engines. do this a few times and there's a good chance you'll end up with a few blank icons for the engines.

It also plays havoc with action groups!

[xandalis]

my stock ksp frequently has blank icons, usually when layering symmetry..

try this:

start with a pod of some sort, add 1 radial girder, stick a fuel tank on it. attach an engine to the tank, set symmetry to 4x and attach cubic octagons to the bottom. attach engines to the cubics. now detach the girder and reattach it in 4x mode so you now have 16 engines. do this a few times and there's a good chance you'll end up with a few blank icons for the engines.

It also plays havoc with action groups!

Ah, I suppose that could do it. Not going to bother replicating, my system gets a bit twitchy around 1k parts, ~700 is pushing stability as-is in VAB/at launch (random crashes, 5 minute "hangs," showing a part as highlighted but not grabbing the correct part, etc...).

[Ekku Zakku]

I once made a nearly SSTO with about 21 orange tanks; obviously wasn't full when it reached orbit (and certainly could have used a refueler that big lol), but it had about .25 times the weight of the fuel in engines too with well over 1000 parts, so it would have been damn near impossible to make a lifter to put it into orbit full lol.

I've been hearing talk about people trying to put a kiloton into orbit, I'd be amazed if anybody can do that for sure =3

[Cooly568]

Ouch... the most I've ever done was 2, or about 87 tons to orbit

[lmm]

An old mission of mine that's kind of relevant; only twelve tanks, but possibly a similar quantity of payload. I need a new computer before I try anything like this again though.