Three Solid Rocket Boosters and You're Past Mun Orbit

[inigma]

Does it seem logical that three solid rocket boosters, when staged, can take you past Mun Orbit? I've been scratching my head at this one. I seem to get an AP well past Mun orbit when I launch straight up with only a OKTO 2 module and a nosecone and three staged solid rocket boosters. I wonder if it might then be worthy of a Challenge: 1. Impact the Mun using solid fuel rockets all the way, 2. Orbit the Mun using solid fuel rockets all the way, and 3. Land on the moon using solid fuel rockets all the way.

Maybe to see if the Kerbinese from several thousand years ago could have done it with solid fuel rocket technology!

[Endeavour]

Somebody beat you to it. Both the Mun and Minmus

[astropapi1]

Scottt Manley landed and returned from the Mun using only SRBs!

[Fel]

You have a near zero payload.

With "Zero Payload" and infinite staging... you can go anywhere with any type of engine that has an engine TWR > 1 (just to get through launch, that is).

[UmbralRaptor]

You have a near zero payload.

This.

SRBs have fairly good mass ratios currently, and this is further enhanced with the staging. Assuming you had 1 OKTO, 2 stack decouplers, and 3 RT-10s, your 'payload' (the probe core) was ~0.35% of the mass of the rocket on the pad. If you used a BACC, the probe body was an even smaller part of the overall mass.

[cesarcurado]

I put a octagonal thin probe (I don't remember the name..) and three SRB's separated by decouplers and once i reached the last stage in kerbin's stratosphere (or kerbin equivalent) it all blew up.

lol

[The Ideal Gas Lawyer]

Somebody beat you to it. Both the Mun and Minmus

That was damn impressive.

[inigma]

It was very impressive. He landed on minmus first and the stopped in the mun and made it home. All on solids. Wow.

[Ford_Prefect]

Somebody beat you to it. Both the Mun and Minmus

Oh... I wanted to do this...

edit: I wouldn't have managed THIS, though! Impressive!

Edited June 9, 2013 by Ford_Prefect

[Richy teh space man]

Somebody beat you to it. Both the Mun and Minmus

That's impressive..

[Akalaël]

Er... Actually someone did go Duna and back with only SRB...

Here

[magnemoe]

Serious piloting skills.

Anyway it does not take much to get an probe into orbit.

This is true in real world to, think the Pegasus rocket is 20 ton and it carries 500kg. Granted its lifted to the edge of the atmosphere.

For something real lightweight use an 180 liter tank, two radial orange engines, jet engine below, decopler between and drag fuel line to the jet engine, ram intake on top.

On flameout shut down and drop jet, close ram intake and fire up the rockets. This weight less than 4 ton and you should be able to reach minmus with it.

[llamatoes]

Personally, I feel that just taking a Manley design and telling us about it is a waste oft time magnemoe, we all watch him.

[inigma]

I should also mention that three solid rocket boosters will actually be able to take you out past Dres orbit, not just Mun orbit.

[Cdr_Zeta]

Hi,

My thinking is no - SRBs are mainly for helping the main to get out of the atmosphere; there should be much less (?) TWR in space for them; somethin like that.

Cdr Zeta

[almondj]

That was damn impressive.

Hell yeah it was, there's some cool stuff people do in KSP, but that was definitely impressive.