[Stock] Station Escape Pod Challenge

[nerdboy64]

The aim of this challenge is to design an escape pod to save Kerbals from a no-longer-habitable space station. Scoring is based on the part count and Kerbal capacity of each pod, according to the rules below.

Minimum Requirements:

In order to qualify for the challenge, each escape pod must do the following:

• Deorbit under its own power from an orbit of 80 km (periapsis) or higher.
  
• Land on Kerbin without killing any Kerbals.
  
• Have a docking port*.
  
• Consist of no more than 30 parts.
  

* If the pod cannot dock under its own power, then its launcher must be capable of docking it before it is discarded. You do not actually have to dock it to anything, but it has to be possible.

Scoring:

10 points will be awarded for every part under the 30-part limit.

Multiply this number by the number of Kerbals each pod can safely return to Kerbin to get your basic score.

Example: A 20-part escape pod that can save 4 Kerbals would earn 4 * 10 * (30 - 20) = 400 points.

Additional Points will be awarded for completing the following challenges:

(If you don't want to write the full name, just say "challenge 1," "challenge 4," etc.)

1. Precision landing - Land on KSC terrain or the water immediately surrounding it.- 50 pts.
   
2. It's so cute! - Escape pods weigh less than 2 tonnes each. - 50 pts.
   
3. One rocket to rule them all - Deploy at least 5 individual escape pods in a single launch. - 100 pts.
   
4. Now you're just showing off - Launch your escape pod(s) by SSTO. - 100 pts.
   
5. Role player - After your pod lands, send a vehicle to retrieve its passengers and bring them back to KSC terrain. (Does not count if they land at KSC in the first place) - 200 pts.
   

More challenges coming as I think of them. If you submitted a design before a challenge was invented, let me know and I will update your score.

Rules:

• All designs must be 100% stock. No exceptions.
  
• You may use part clipping, but nothing else from the debug menu.
  
• No config or persistence file edits, deliberate exploitation of bugs (e.g. infiniglide), or any other nonsense like that.
  
• I have the final say on what is and is not allowed. If I think something isn't right, I'm not going to argue with you.
  

To Submit:

Post a comment with the details of your design, including the weight, part count, and kerbal capacity of each pod. Also include screenshots of your craft before launch (focusing, obviously, on the actual escape pod(s)), your orbital trajectory (showing periapsis > 80 km), and your final landing site. There must be at least one kerbal aboard the pod to prove that it is safe, however the pods do not have to be fully loaded.

Leaderboard:

1. Kermunist - 840 pts. with "Pod, Escape, MKII Heavy"
   
2. nerdboy64 - 630 pts. with "No. 2 Escape Pod"
   
3. Sigma117 - 550 pts. with "Cluster Pod"
   

Here's my own entry, the rather blandly named "No. 2 Escape Pod" (The No. 1 was a prototype). Each one seats 4 kerbals, weighs 0.62 tonnes, and is made up of a mere 14 parts. They have no onboard power generators, and the probe core is there only to provide torque.

On the launch pad. The pods are launched in clusters of 6, which can dock as a whole or release the pods on their own.

Orbital trajectory.

Landed safely. I only had one kerbal on it because I was too lazy to send any more than that.

That gives me a basic score of 4 * 10 * (30 - 14) = 480, plus 150 for doing challenges 2 and 3, for a total of 630 points.

Edited July 4, 2013 by nerdboy64

[Sigma117]

My entry: The Cluster Pod. Our engineers figured they could lower the chances of losing all our kerbals to station debris by clustering them out on deployment. A few trial runs later, and they had this:

On the Pad

Ap/Pe

All 5 Kerbals safe Note: Only one pod was manned, for testing purposes (Read: too lazy to fill it up)

It weighs a total 9.05 tonnes, a large amount of which is the fuel. We believe the fuel offsets the extra weight as it allows more d/V for manoeuvres.

Total part count is 19. For those concerned about the odd docking port placement, it is to encourage attachment to a station via structural supports, to lessen the chance of damage to the pod and its occupants during and emergency.

Edit: Standard score I think would be 550. I'm not sure if it qualifies for launching 5 at once though~

Edit 2: That's what I get for trying to use dropbox, the images loaded fine on my end :T

Edited July 4, 2013 by Sigma117

[kahlzun]

pics didn't work sigma117...

[Sigma117]

Fixed it, the images were loading fine for me so I didn't notice. Thanks ^^

[nerdboy64]

My entry: The Cluster Pod. Our engineers figured they could lower the chances of losing all our kerbals to station debris by clustering them out on deployment. A few trial runs later, and they had this:

- image snip -

It weighs a total 9.05 tonnes, a large amount of which is the fuel. We believe the fuel offsets the extra weight as it allows more d/V for manoeuvres.

Total part count is 19. For those concerned about the odd docking port placement, it is to encourage attachment to a station via structural supports, to lessen the chance of damage to the pod and its occupants during and emergency.

Edit: Standard score I think would be 550. I'm not sure if it qualifies for launching 5 at once though~

Edit 2: That's what I get for trying to use dropbox, the images loaded fine on my end :T

I'd call that one pod with 5 kerbals in it, because the command pods can't deorbit on their own. Still, a good score nonetheless.

EDIT: In other news, I've just finished up my own entry and have added it to the OP.

Edited July 4, 2013 by nerdboy64

[Kermunist]

Well I suspect the winning design for this challenge will be half a dozen hitchikers covered in parachutes, but that's not really my idea of an escape pod.

I submit my standard escape pod (Pod, Escape, MKII Heavy). Now with SSTO launch vehicle:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

By my count 7 parts and 3 Kerbals gets me 10*(30-7)*3 = 690 points

I'm also claiming:

Precision Landing for 50 points (if 5.4km is close enough)

Now you're just showing off for 100 points (with my first ever SSTO!)

for a total of 840 points

I reckon 5000+ points is doable, I may have a go at the weekend...

Oh, and I know the challenge is stock only, but I have CrewManifest installed. It doesn't affect the flight in any way, so hopefully it's OK.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Kermunist
typos

[nerdboy64]

Well I suspect the winning design for this challenge will be half a dozen hitchikers covered in parachutes, but that's not really my idea of an escape pod.

I submit my standard escape pod (Pod, Escape, MKII Heavy). Now with SSTO launch vehicle:

- snip -

By my count 7 parts and 3 Kerbals gets me 10*(30-7)*3 = 690 points

I'm also claiming:

Precision Landing for 50 points (if 5.4km is close enough)

Now you're just showing off for 100 points (with my first ever SSTO!)

for a total of 840 points

I reckon 5000+ points is doable, I may have a go at the weekend...

Everything looks good. I'll add you to the leaderboard.