Attempting to go to space. Strung on to an SRB... An experiment report.

[Tw1]

Alternate title:How to get your kerbals really high.

Part 1/2

Last night, something prompted me to see if solid fuel could be transferred between SRBs.

As logic would say, you could not. But I now had a kerbal, and an SRB with a KAS cable connected.

I'm sure you and I both can see the potential here.

This one time, I launched a large SRB with a probe core on top, and it cleared the atmosphere.

Recalling that, it was time for experiments!

OK, But that wasn't big enough. And leaving the pod connected only slows us down. Time to bring out the decouplers, and a Rockomax BACC!

Dilmy Kerman: "Hey, hold my beer"

Soon enough, re-entry flames appeared. We're going that fast.

♪♫Up, up, here we go, go. Up, up, here we go, go ♫♪

And then the computer crashed.

Rebooting the computer, I decided to take a different approach. As Project Kannon failed to provide a cheap way to put kerbals in orbit, I was still looking. And this had potential.

But as you know, to get into orbit, you need to get horizontal velocity. The SRBs were tilted in hope that they'd slowly pitch over.

Also, I used three this time. Because more boosters has got to be better, right?

Bill Kerman stepped up to the plate, grabbed his parachute, and got ready for blast of. Soon enough:

The cluster tipped over way to early. Bill was spinning all over the place, turning it as he went. Until:

Uh, Bill,? You should be going the other way.

Further experiments, mainly adding more fins did not yield better results. Possibly a combination of the cable being of centre, and the whole set-up being wobbly on the launchpad.

Would a centrally placed cable be better?

Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos at this point. But it wasn't better, this set up was even more unstable.

Time to go back to basics. In my next kerbal session, I tried again with a single SRB. This time on a cupola, on top or a remote control disk, giving it a wide base for stability. The fins where placed with 6X symmetry, for extra stability.

This would be Tomcas's adventure.

Optimistic, isn't he?

The same procedure was followed for this launch as the prevous ones:

Release the cable. Exit the hatch. Collect a parachute from the Box, and grab the cable. Hop down from the ladder.

Then, switch back to the rocket, fire the SRB (boom!),then switch back to the kerbal. Then it's just a short wait...

Woosh! He looks so happy! Gaining speed...

This SRB is flying true. Perhaps we'll go to space today!

Eventually, the rocket ran out of fuel. Then I realised that if I let go of the cable, I wouldn't have the drag from the rocket slowing us down.

At first, Tomcas wasn't sure what had happened. But by the time he passed 30 Km, he was loving it!

We reached an apoapsis of 81.466Km. We are in space

First kerman to exit the atmosphere without anything attached!

This works much better than adding a seat on the side.

Now it's time to come down...

Tomcas continued to roll around a little as he re-entered the atmosphere. Then, something terrible happened.

How can I open the parachute if you're doing that?

I clicked futility, not knowing about the hotkey to activate the mod.

Sadly, Tomcas would not be able to join in the celebration of his own achievement that day.

Lodfrod was sent to do a second test. He was less enthusiastic.

On the way down, the same effect was encountered. But this time I was ready.

Fire the parachute, and we have normality. Lodfrod made it to the ground intact.

It seems to be something to do with the fact that the kerbal is in ragdol mode when he enters the atmosphere.

In the next part, I'm going to solve this problem, and see how high I can go. This beats going by cannon for sure.

Edited July 10, 2013 by Tw1

[Tw1]

Part 2/2

That daredevil Tomcas, back from the dead, was ready for another go.

This time, I popped out the suit's built in RCS, and brought his spinning to a stop.

According to Tomcas, this was a "circularisation burn." Yes Tomcas. There is a reason his stupidity meter is almost at the max.

As is the way things normally work, gravity did its thing, and Tomcas plummeted... with his bodily shape intact.

Safely touching down with parachute, I knew that this kind of trip is nice and survivable.

That last launch only went 77km. I knew I could go higher.

When I cleared the atmosphere, I engaged the RCS, but instead of burning in a futile attempt to get into orbit, I fired upwards. The altimeter climed 70k, 80k, 90k, would I reach 100?

Argh, just short.

Then I had an idea. I fired my RCS as soon as I cleared the atmosphere, to avoid wasting it fighting drag. But as it doesn't have a TWR greater than one with Kerban's gravity, all it does is decrease the rate your vertical velocity falls. So maybe, if I fired it earlier, I'd sustain a higher speed for longer, and get higher.

Oh, and Tomcas landed safely. And planted this flag.

He won't be back any time soon. Looks like this last experiment falls to his partner.

3..2..1..

Doing his duty, for the good of kerbal kind, Lodfrod griped the controls of his jetpack trying not to shake. Waiting for the optimal time to start... (roughly when the amount of time it takes to empty the pack equals the time until apoapsis. I hope.)

Soon, he could see the curvature of Kerbin.

Up, up, up,.... fuel almost gone...

We've done it! 100km. And more...

Now that's high.

And that's how you get to space with one SRB. Now, how to achieve orbit.....

Btw, this is my new fountain.

Edited July 10, 2013 by Tw1

[TheDarkStar]

That's impressive. Now, I wonder if you could create a steering system, using the mass of the Kerbal. IT might require a different setup, though.

[Tw1]

That's impressive. Now, I wonder if you could create a steering system, using the mass of the Kerbal. IT might require a different setup, though.

I did experiment with this a little, by swinging to one side with the jetpack. I got it to tillt a little, but was hard to control.

Maybe that would be a good challenge, who can steer a booster into orbit, using the kerbal dangling beneath...

But yeah, this set-up wouldn't have the delta V.

[Deses]

That was beautiful, I bet kerbals and you enjoyed the experience.

[SuperWeegee4000]

I want that fountain in my bedroom.

But it wouldn't fit.

And would torch the house.

Reality, stop getting in my way.

[togfox]

If you had 2 kerbals - each one off centre by the same amount, you'd have a level of stability.

[OUScooby]

Kerbals have parachutes!?! Is that an add on or has that always been in the game?

[Tw1]

Parachutes are a mod, by Vanguard technology.

If you had 2 kerbals - each one off centre by the same amount, you'd have a level of stability.

I reckon something like this will be what I attempt next. You could lift several with a skipper or mainsail. Maybe I'll aim for the Mun...

[kahlzun]

EVA kerbs only weigh about 0.1T, so they're quite light..

[Pigbear]

EVA kerbs only weigh about 0.1T, so they're quite light..

That is still 100 kg, heavy. Quite dense too, only like 75 centimeters tall.