The Eve Circumnavigation Challenge

[Fengist]

Well, if you want to be picky about the Kethane mod and claim it not stock, you're free to attempt it purely stock if you wish.

[Spartwo]

Well, if you want to be picky about the Kethane mod and claim it not stock, you're free to attempt it purely stock if you wish.

Do you mean that

[Sirine]

To prevent cheating...recommended....plugin.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/49216-Persistent-Trails-record-and-share-your-track-data%21-%28Beta-0-8%29

[Fengist]

Do you mean that

If you think you can get stock, unmodified jet engines to work on Eve, go for it.

[Fengist]

To prevent cheating...recommended....plugin.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/49216-Persistent-Trails-record-and-share-your-track-data%21-%28Beta-0-8%29

Thanks but if people want to cheat, they'll find a way even with that mod. Besides, it's not something most (myself included) are going to complete in one setting and the only person they'll cheat is themselves.

[Spartwo]

If you think you can get stock, unmodified jet engines to work on Eve, go for it.

Dammit no Ion.

[Dooz]

I bet i could do this NO KETHANE Using kerbal magic (infini glider)

[nhnifong]

Bump. This was really cool

[Fengist]

Dammit no Ion.

Well you already completed it once with Kethane engines but, if you realy want to try it with ions, I tell you what I'll do.

I'll make you a deal. I'll expand this challenge to allow ions if you can complete it under the following conditions (along with the normal rules).

1. When you land on Eve you can have ZERO xenon, none.

2. You cannot exceed 35km altitude once you land and mark your starting point.

This means you'll have to:

a. modify the fuel tanks to have 0 xenon in them (pretty easy to do), or burn it off prior to atmospheric entry.

b. pack a kethane converter and drills in order to make xenon.

You want ions, I give you ions... challenging ions.

[Fengist]

I bet i could do this NO KETHANE Using kerbal magic (infini glider)

Ack, against the rules. I bet you could do it WITH Kethane.

[Kingtj44]

Why is the hight limit 25,000? I have a high-altitude superjet that can go around the world 3 times over, but it requires the really high terminal velocity that higher altitudes (35,000) provide to do it.

[Fengist]

Why is the hight limit 25,000? I have a high-altitude superjet that can go around the world 3 times over, but it requires the really high terminal velocity that higher altitudes (35,000) provide to do it.

There is no height limit using Kethane engines simply because, they are their own height limiter. Using IONS... there is a 35k limit. I think you're looking for the Kerbin circumnavigation.

[Voculus]

OK, I'm way late to the party, but it's hard to resist a good airplane challenge. And what a challenge! My Kethane Kruiser (how original) went through a few design iterations, before settling on a twin engine ship, storing 4000 units of Kethane, with an integral drill. Rather than build solely to the challenge, I wanted something that was a serious craft, complete with all the bells and whistles. So the plane was not light as a feather, but she's as rugged and capable as they come! Wall of giant pics to follow, and a YouTube video coming soon.

Mods used:

SpacePlane+ ( The entire ship was constructed from these parts. )

Kethane ( Obviously! )

Aviation Lights ( Real Kerbalnauts roll with navigation lights! )

Surface Lights ( To light up the vertical stabilizers. )

FusTek Station Parts ( Used the large static solar panels. )

Firespitter. ( Small tailwheels which saved my bacon on nearly every takeoff and landing on Eve's surface. )

B9 Aerospace. ( Main landing gear and Sabre engines for spaceflight. )

MechJeb. ( For the airborne autopilot only. )

If it's stupid and it works, then it's not stupid! This was the configuration needed to heave the ship into space:

It's all gravy, baby!

I launched a fuel tender to fill up the tank before the trip to Eve. It was a very tight DeltaV budget, and had I not accidentally stumbled upon a zero inclination intercept, it would not have made it.

Aerobreaking in the pea soup of Eve.

Let's ditch these things already!

The Kethane Kruiser in all her glory.

Coming in hot! Again. Minus the Sabres, it's time to make planet fall.

Planes fly in Eve's air, as a dolphin through water. Too easy! Not an ounce of fuel, save the MonoPro, which I forgot to remove.

Drill, baby! Drill! It's a shameless clipping hackjob, but in a perfect world, I'd have a lil' door for it to poke through. Those tiny wheels are tailwheels from the Firespitter mod. The ship hangs so far over the back wheels, I knew avoiding tail strikes would be difficult, so I beat Eve's lumpy surface to the punch. They worked great.

The cargo bay holds the Kethane tanks, a single RTG, two batteries, two solar panels, and the drill. The panels are enough to power the drill when the sun is high.

The belly of the beast.

One of the best-made, most thoughtful mods ever made for KSP. I love these engines!

The engines were nearly killed by overheating on every single takeoff, but Old Betsy had the oats to push through high enough and fast enough to make it each time.

Marking my territory with flags.

It was quite heavy (20t) when laden with fuel, and I spent most of my time between 20 and 23 thousand meters. When the Kethane got low, it would do better than a 2:1 TWR up high.

A lonely place, to be sure.

SpacePlane Plus has a great new pit. I highly recommend this mod.

The proof is in the pudding.

A map of my journey.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds,  and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of  wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or ever eagle flew â€â€

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Voculus

[Fengist]

OK, I'm way late to the party, but it's hard to resist a good airplane challenge. And what a challenge! My Kethane Kruiser (how original) went through a few design iterations, before settling on a twin engine ship, storing 4000 units of Kethane, with an integral drill. Rather than build solely to the challenge, I wanted something that was a serious craft, complete with all the bells and whistles. So the plane was not light as a feather, but she's as rugged and capable as they come! Wall of giant pics to follow, and a YouTube video coming soon.

Glad you enjoyed it. I always thought this was my best challenge creation. But since it's not an instant gratification kinda thing, most haven't tried it. Now you make me wanna make a full mod plane and give it a go.

[Darthzeus]

Am I allowed to use KAS? If so I will do it in two parts.

Parts: Jebediah Kerman, 1 Radial parachute.

Parachute down. Get walking/swimming.

I won't do this unless I find a mod with REALLY high physwarp

[Fengist]

Am I allowed to use KAS? If so I will do it in two parts.

Parts: Jebediah Kerman, 1 Radial parachute.

Parachute down. Get walking/swimming.

I won't do this unless I find a mod with REALLY high physwarp

Yep, KAS is just fine. Love that mod.