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Doing it Apollo style


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Well, since I've been asked before: I have no problem with you guys submitting a second or third entry to get a higher score. Just don't submit again just because you got 3 points more for no forgetting to plant a flag.

I trust that you guys know, when a new entry is justified ;)

Edited by Xeldrak
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Gemini Lunar Landing

The Gemini lunar lander would have potentially landed two crew on the moon by 1966-67. Using Gemini's proven technology and a multi-stage direct ascent lander, the Gemini L could be launched on a single Saturn 5 rocket. A direct ascent moon landing using Gemini style spacecraft would have saved time and expense because it didn't require developing two distinct spacecraft, didn't require developing a docking system and used proven rockets and duration-tested life support systems.

This entry isn't intended to be exactly Apollo style, but attempts to instead capture Apollo's backup-plan: the Gemini Lunar Landing.

Goals:

  • Standard mission goal Single rocket, specialized CM and MM (although bolted together until lunar ascent), no mods, BYOR. +30
  • 2-man Lander +10 Got that one!
  • 2-stage Lander (leave the decent-engine on the mün) +20 Wow got this too!!
  • Main rocket aspargus'd? -10 (Wernher von Kerman does not like aspargus!) Saturn 5.. good here
  • Escape tower? +10 Gemini LES system present, so claiming this one too :D
  • Lander stored behind the CM during ascent +20 Well, yes the landing stage is below the Command Module..
  • Free return trajectory to the mün +10 Check
  • Flawless landing (no parts broke off, Neil Armstrong is watching you!) +10 Lots of parts and alls well!
  • MM disposed by crashing it into the Mün (remove Kerbal first!) +5 The Lunar Retrograde Engine crashed into lunar surface
  • Plant flag on the Mün (no cumulative, i.e. two flags don't get you 6 points) +3 Check!
  • Spashing down on Kerbin (land on water) +5 Splish splash!

No satellites, no rovers and no science. Gemini was all about doing it cheap. Score: 123 points.

Gemini Lunar Configuration

kIZnH98.png

Gemini Landing Site

zepHBMJ.png

Design

geminiiii.jpg

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Well, technically speaking, you do not quallify for an entry, because it is specifically stated that you have to fly a LOR mission, you did Direct ascent. No, this "I have a MM and a CM, they are just bolted together", does not count :P

But since it is clearly a fun entry and an orignal, rather fancy design - you shall pass...

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Well, technically speaking, you do not quallify for an entry, because it is specifically stated that you have to fly a LOR mission, you did Direct ascent. No, this "I have a MM and a CM, they are just bolted together", does not count :P

But since it is clearly a fun entry and an orignal, rather fancy design - you shall pass...

Yeah, I did kinda call "shenanigans" on my entry after I re-read the rules and saw the LOR requirement. But in the end, I couldn't resist posting it since it was in the same spirit as the challenge. Closer, I guess, to "Doing it 60's Space Program Style" and more of a proof of concept thing than a legitimate entry.

Similar to my Big Gemini/AAP mission, I was really just playing around with some of the far-out 60's spacecraft ideas. :D

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Well here's an attempt. Far from the amazing stuff I've seen elsewhere here, but I did it. It's actually done as part of working my way through the campaigns here: http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Campaigns, but I thought I might try to do this challenge with my Kerbollo mission in it. Those campaigns plus making one SSTO and getting it into orbit is all I have done in KSP, so this is actually my first manned Mün mission.

I don't know that it really qualifies though, given that this was very much not done in one attempt. I probably reloaded after messing up at least 30 times.

The gallery:

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If I do qualify despite many reloads I think I have the full 218. If not I'm not worried:

- Everything has to be started with a single rocket (no building ships in orbit or refueling in orbit)

- You have to fly a LOR mission (you need a Command Module [CM] and a specialized Münar Module [MM])

- No mods! All stock, no Mechjeb. (Did Neil and Buzz land by auto pilot?) --- Mechjeb and Sub Assembly Loader were installed, but only used to help develop the ship, not for the actual execution.

- BYOR (Bring your own rocket) - The rocket must be your own design

- 3-man Mission +10

- 2-man Lander +10

- 2-stage Lander (leave the decent-engine on the mün) +20

- Escape tower? +10

- Lander stored behind the CM during ascent +20

- Lander tucked away behind some fairing? +5

- Free return trajectory to the mün +10

- Flawless landing (no parts broke off, Neil Armstrong is watching you!) +10

- Got a Munar Roving Vehicle (MRV) on board? +15

- After succesfull Mün landing docked CM and MM in Orbit (no swapping ships without docking them first) +10

- MM disposed by crashing it into the Mün (remove Kerbal first!) +5

- Plant flag on the Mün (no cumulative, i.e. two flags don't get you 6 points) +3

- Spashing down on Kerbin (land on water) +5

- Deploy münar sub-satellite before returning to Kerbin +10 Points

- Land within 100 meters of the NAM +15

- Are we there yet? - 15 points - Drive beyond 10km of the lander

- Science extravaganza! - 15 points - Deploy four experimental packages 2.5km from the landing site (and at least 2.5km from eachother)

Edited by Astilious
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@Astilious

Yeah, first claiming that it's far from the amazing stuff you've seen here, just to claim the full 218 points. ;)

Well, you've been added.

Talking about saving&loading: Well, it's allright if you load a lot - I couldn't check it anyways. I like it if someone actually accepts, that one (or more) of his kerbals died or that he botched the landing - but I can't blame you for quickloading. I'd probably do the same.

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I'm working on this great challenge ! I carefully read ONLY first page to be sure to not copy some design.

Still need to improve rover, it can actually carry only two MSEPs, but rocket looks nice and weighs only 269t.

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Well just to keep you updated, I have a new lander and rover, loaded with just enough fuel (~800Dv down and ~800Dv up) with a heavily redesigned MM. There are still places I can see where I could optimize so I`m not finished with it yet. 6ofg.pngk8oh.pngkee9.pnguh4o.png

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Might be a little late to the game here.. but ya know, work etc. been busy. Let me know if you see anything that is out of place. Took me a long time but I had a bunch of fun with it. Thanks for the challenge!

Goals

- 3-man Mission +10

- 2-man Lander +10

- 2-stage Lander (leave the decent-engine on the mün) +20

- Main rocked aspargus'd? -10 (Wernher von Kerman does not like aspargus!)

- Escape tower? +10

- Lander stored behind the CM during ascent +20

- Lander tucked away behind some fairing? +5

- Free return trajectory to the mün +10

- Flawless landing (no parts broke off, Neil Armstrong is watching you!) +10

- Got a Munar Roving Vehicle (MRV) on board? +15

- After succesfull Mün landing docked CM and MM in Orbit (no swapping ships without docking them first) +10

- MM disposed by crashing it into the Mün (remove Kerbal first!) +5

- Plant flag on the Mün (no cumulative, i.e. two flags don't get you 6 points) +3

- Spashing down on Kerbin (land on water) +5

No one died!

- Deploy münar sub-satellite before returning to Kerbin +10 Points

- Land within 100 meters of the NAM +15

- Are we there yet? - 15 points - Drive beyond 10km of the lander

- Science extravaganza! - 15 points - Deploy four experimental packages 2.5km from the landing site (and at least 2.5km from eachother)

Should be the full 218pts.

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- Single Rocket + MOR + stock parts + own rocket +30

- 3-man Mission +10

- 2-man Lander +10 (yes, I know, it is really rough)

- 2-stage Lander (leave the decent-engine on the mün) +20

- No asparagus design.

- Escape tower +10 (by the way, it really works while pressing "Abort" button !)

- Lander stored behind the CM during ascent +20

- Lander tucked away behind some fairing +5

- Free return trajectory to the mün +10

- Flawless landing +10

- Got a MRV on board +15

- After succesfull Mün landing docked CM and MM in Orbit +10

- MM disposed by crashing it into the Mün +5

- Plant flag on the Mün +3

- Splashing down on Kerbin (land on water) +5

- No dies.

- Deploy münar sub-satellite before returning to Kerbin +10

- Land within 1 km of NAM +10 Points

- Are we there yet? - 15 points - Drive beyond 10km of the lander

- For science! - 10 points - Deploy two experimental packages 2.5km from the landing site (and at least 2.5km from each other)

= 208 points.

By the way, the crew missed precision landing (under 100m) near Neil Armstrong Memorial.

Of course, they have been immediately fired after return.

An other crew is actually training to achieve a full goal mission with an improved launcher !

Here is the record (sorry, blocked for Germany... :( ).

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- Single Rocket + MOR + stock parts + own rocket +30

- 3-man Mission +10

- 2-man Lander +10 (yes, I know, it is really rough)

- 2-stage Lander (leave the decent-engine on the mün) +20

- No asparagus design.

- Escape tower +10 (by the way, it really works while pressing "Abort" button !)

- Lander stored behind the CM during ascent +20

- Lander tucked away behind some fairing +5

- Free return trajectory to the mün +10

- Flawless landing +10

- Got a MRV on board +15

- After succesfull Mün landing docked CM and MM in Orbit +10

- MM disposed by crashing it into the Mün +5

- Plant flag on the Mün +3

- Splashing down on Kerbin (land on water) +5

- No dies.

- Deploy münar sub-satellite before returning to Kerbin +10

- Land within 1 km of NAM +10 Points

- Are we there yet? - 15 points - Drive beyond 10km of the lander

- For science! - 10 points - Deploy two experimental packages 2.5km from the landing site (and at least 2.5km from each other)

= 208 points.

I really enjoyed this video! Classy soundtrack and nice editing. Great spacecraft, too! Where did those satellites come from, LOL! :D

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Does it only have to be that the fairings cover the lander and not the rover for it to count because, well, let's just say that i found a use for the massive rover wheels.

I really want to know what you have up your sleeve.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My goodness, Tigrou. Beautifully designed spacecraft, beautifully executed mission, beautifully composed video...truly an entry to be proud of.

(And how in the world did you make a rover so small, yet still so driveable on the 0.21 Mun?)

Wish I could hire you to document my next mission!

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