Spy Satellite Intercept Challenge!

[Jodo42]

Ladies and gentlemen: I bring to you today dire news. The wretched Kermunists have successfully launched a spy satellite into orbit of our peaceful Kerbin, with the obvious intention of stealing our precious snack-manufacturing data. In light of such events, the Society of Foreign Space Affairs has come to an unavoidable conclusion: the satellite must be dealt with. But as to how, well, they're just Kerbals. Not rocket scientists, like you. They've given you the challenge of figuring out what to do with the thing. Here's your intel:

This mission is of vital importance. Get it right, or those Kermunists could start making their own space cheese balls.

The Spy Satellite Intercept Challenge!

Your challenge is to design and fly a rocket that somehow disables the spy satellite. It's in a LKO of 70km, so getting to it isn't the challenge. The challenge is to do it in a creative, fun, and unique way. Oh, and be fast. Fast is important. In fact, your score is based mainly on your speed: from liftoff to time of disabling is your score. Lowest score wins. “But Jodo,†you say, “I'm not good at being fast! How can I lower my score?†Plenty of ways, good sir or madam. Plenty...

Achievements:

-Tactical Strike: Hit the satellite with an unpiloted (no probe core or cockpit) projectile while it's in orbit, disabling or destroying it. Reward: Subtract the distance the projectile was fired from, in seconds, from your score (eg if you fired at 212 meters, subtract 212 seconds). You must fire from a distance of >50m for this achievement to be valid.

-Specialist- The Camera: Leave the satellite intact, other than destroying its camera. Reward: -20 seconds.

-Specialist- The Comms: Leave the satellite intact, other than destroying all 3 of its communication antennas. Reward: -1 minute.

-*Poke*: Dock with the satellite. Reward: -1 minute.

-*Grab*: Grab onto the satellite using landing legs, without docking with it. Reward: -2 minutes.

-Warp Speed: Send the satellite flying out of the Kerbin system (leaving LKO will disrupt its specially calibrated instruments, meaning as soon as you leave LKO (see Rules) the satellite will be disabled). You must achieve a Kerbin-system escape trajectory for this achievement to be valid. Reward: -2 minutes.

-If you want something done right: Do it yourself. Send a kerbal to do the dirty work, whatever it may be. He must return safe and sound back to Kerbin for this achievement to be valid. Reward: -30 seconds.

-Enemy Intelligence: Bring the satellite, intact, down to the main KSC for examination. You must have a visual on the KSC for this achievement to be valid. Reward: -2 minutes.

-10 Point Landing: Land the satellite, intact, on top of the VAB. Reward: -3 minutes.

-Return to Sender: Smash the satellite into the grounds of the Kermunist space center (the one that looks like the pre .21 center). Reward: -2 minutes.

-As if they didn't have enough problems: Smash the satellite into the VAB of the Kermunist space center. Reward: -3 minutes.

-Chariot of Fire: Deorbit the satellite, with it being destroyed on impact. This achievement does not stack with any other achievements that require de-orbiting the satellite. Reward: -1 minute.

-Pilot: Use a spaceplane to intercept the satellite. Reward: -5 minutes.

-Because you're just a badass: Bring the satellite back to the runway of the KSC on a spaceplane, intact. Reward: -8 minutes.

-SSTO: Use a SSTO rocket or spaceplane to intercept the satellite. Reward: -5 minutes.

Suggestions for more achievements? Post them BEFORE you complete the challenge, and they might make it here!

The time rewards are subject to change, especially if we start getting negative scores. Again, suggestions are welcome.

RULES:

1. This is a stock challenge. No mods may be used, with the exception of Kerbal Engineer Redux (or Mechjeb, for vessel information ONLY), or mods that are purely aesthetic (eg, Universe Replacer). Mods that make the game objectively harder, such as FAR or Deadly Re-entry will be included in a special “Hard-mode†category. No autopilots, part mods or cheat mods may be used. The F12 menu may not be used at any time. If you use any of the above mods, say so in your entry.

2. No bugs, glitches, or exploits may be used in this challenge. This includes the infiniglide bug, the FTL Egg bug, and others. If you're not sure about something, ask.

3. You may not pilot the satellite until you have docked with it. Once docked, you gain control of the satellite, and may retract or extend instruments, enable or disable the engine, undock and redock, and pilot the probe.

4. “Disabling†the satellite is defined as follows: destroying all power sources onboard, destroying all comms antennas on board, disintegrating the satellite into multiple pieces of debris, destroying the camera dish, retracting all 3 comms antennas, retracting the camera dish, or moving the satellite out of LKO (<69km or >71km). Docking alone DOES NOT disable the craft.

5. You must use the provided save file to complete this challenge.

6. For judging, I need a screenshot of the rocket on the pad or in the VAB, one with the time of disabling, and screenshots clearly demonstrating any achievements you may get.

The save file: http://www./download/d3wdw80xz9zsmle/Spy_Sappers.rar

Just copy the "Spy Sappers" folder into your saves folder of KSP.

Happy flying!

WINNERS CHARTS

Stock

1.Johno: -29 seconds

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/46676-Spy-Satellite-Intercept-Challenge%21?p=603159&viewfull=1#post603159

2.capi3101- 38:34

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/46676-Spy-Satellite-Intercept-Challenge%21?p=608632&viewfull=1#post608632

3.

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7.

8.

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10.

Hard Mode

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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8.

9.

10.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Jodo42

[Firenexus13]

I will try this, possibly...

[The Jedi Master]

I'll definitely be trying this!

[Johnno]

Oh boy did I love this challenge. I may make more entries just to try different things. But, my first entry goes to my SSTO spaceplane which I'm quite proud of. I tweaked it a tiny bit while doing testruns for this challenge (hadn't flown it in a while), turned out quite well. Only mod used btw is engineer redux.

My achievements:

-*Poke* -1 minute

-If you want something done right -30 seconds

-Enemy intelligence -2 minutes

-Pilot -5 minutes

-Because you're just a badass -8 minutes

-SSTO -5 minutes.

I forgot entirely that docking wasn't enough to neutralize the satellite, luckily I nabbed a bunch of screenshots and one of them is just after my deorbit burn, at 30:08 minutes (timewarp ability shows I'm in atmosphere). So 30:08 minus 21:30 would be 8:38. Jodo you might want to specify what "out of LKO" means btw, if it would'be been enough to dip below 69km (even if I would've had to stay below that after) I could've shaved off 10 minutes off my time. Not that I remembered, but as general feedback (potentially good to know before my next try).

Total score: 8 minutes 38 seconds.

Thanks for an awesome challenge.

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[Xeldrak]

Yeah, I think I will try this for fun - although I think the scoring system is not really well balanced. -2 Minutes for bringing it back to the KSC? I will need to complete almost a full orbit, compare to just letting it burn

[Jodo42]

Oh boy did I love this challenge. I may make more entries just to try different things. But, my first entry goes to my SSTO spaceplane which I'm quite proud of. I tweaked it a tiny bit while doing testruns for this challenge (hadn't flown it in a while), turned out quite well. Only mod used btw is engineer redux.

My achievements:

-*Poke* -1 minute

-If you want something done right -30 seconds

-Enemy intelligence -2 minutes

-Pilot -5 minutes

-Because you're just a badass -8 minutes

-SSTO -5 minutes.

I forgot entirely that docking wasn't enough to neutralize the satellite, luckily I nabbed a bunch of screenshots and one of them is just after my deorbit burn, at 30:08 minutes (timewarp ability shows I'm in atmosphere). So 30:08 minus 21:30 would be 8:38. Jodo you might want to specify what "out of LKO" means btw, if it would'be been enough to dip below 69km (even if I would've had to stay below that after) I could've shaved off 10 minutes off my time. Not that I remembered, but as general feedback (potentially good to know before my next try).

Total score: 8 minutes 38 seconds.

Thanks for an awesome challenge.

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Firstly, thanks for an awesome entry. I didn't expect spaceplanes and such so early. The satellite doesn't weigh much, but much of anything seems to break those darn SSTOs for me, so props for a great design. Secondly, about the scoring - moving out of LKO means moving below 69km or above 71km. So yes, you could have shaved off a fair bit of time. I'll add you to the leaderboard later today.

Yeah, I think I will try this for fun - although I think the scoring system is not really well balanced. -2 Minutes for bringing it back to the KSC? I will need to complete almost a full orbit, compare to just letting it burn

Take into consideration that as soon as you've docked with it, you can disable the satellite by retracting the camera or comms antennas. If you still think it's unbalanced, say so. Always open to suggestions, those rewards were just off the top of my head.

Edit: apparently I was wrong there, but it's rather simple to get out of LKO quickly, which disables the satellite. The suggestions bit is still open, however.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Jodo42

[Johnno]

Firstly, thanks for an awesome entry. I didn't expect spaceplanes and such so early. The satellite doesn't weigh much, but much of anything seems to break those darn SSTOs for me, so props for a great design. Secondly, about the scoring - moving out of LKO means moving below 69km or above 71km. So yes, you could have shaved off a fair bit of time. I'll add you to the leaderboard later today.

It actually did unbalance my spaceplane quite a bit, I almost flipped over when I hit reentry heat and had to fly all the way to landing hands on correcting nearly nonstop. I'll do a new attempt and exit LKO straight off (above 71km likely so I don't have to worry about reentering directly).

Take into consideration that as soon as you've docked with it, you can disable the satellite by retracting the camera or comms antennas. If you still think it's unbalanced, say so. Always open to suggestions, those rewards were just off the top of my head.

Sadly this isn't doable, the antennas and dish are 'oneshot' in their original config files, meaning once you deploy them they won't have a retract function. I tried as soon as I docked and couldn't retract them. The only way in completely stock would be to use an action group (since action groups seem to reset when you dock/quicksave/load), but you had no action groups on the satellite. Only other way would be to edit the persistence file.

Either way I'd say it's sensible that the bad guys have different coding in their software so you can't access all functions of the satellite to disable it, so taking it below 69km or above 71km would be quickest to disable it once docked. Entirely fair in my opinion.

[Johnno]

Here's my new entry (Jodo feel free to just use this one instead of my previous, same aircraft + achievements).

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My achievements:

-*Poke* -1 minute

-If you want something done right -30 seconds

-Enemy intelligence -2 minutes

-Pilot -5 minutes

-Because you're just a badass -8 minutes

-SSTO -5 minutes

Time of disabling satellite: 21:01

Time of achievements: -21:30

Total score: -29 seconds.

[mellojoe]

Marking this, because I have some ideas. This looks fun.

Edited August 19, 2013 by mellojoe

[Jodo42]

Added Johno to the leaderboard, as our only current entry. Looking forward to more.

[Hejnfelt]

The problem with this challenge is that it gives too many points for careful planning and execution... Ain't no Kerbal got time for that!

Meet Weapon X! Orbiting Kerbin, ready to take out any and all enemies of the Kerbal government. It has been redirected to deal with the enemy spy satellite!

Taking aim...

FIRE!!!

Bulls eye!

Rest in pieces.

Thank you for this challenge, it was a lot of fun. When I read the challenge, I was actually building an entry for the space prison that allows mods and was working on forced jettison of prisoner pods using the parts used for missiles here. I instantly knew I needed to make weapon X, regardless of disqualifying myself with mods

[bgraves]

This is a really cool challenge. Might I suggest that you change the name of the "Back from where it came" acheivement to "Return to Sender"?

[Hejnfelt]

After having now blown up the spy satellite from many different distances with Weapon X I've found that any distance of more than 500 meters poses complete impossibility of reliably hitting it. Even at that distance I fire all missiles at once and sometimes don't hit it. Also, just rendezvousing with the satellite is no big deal in itself. Giving a -10 second reward for blowing it up makes this challenge only about space planes. If however you give projectile rewards based on the distance between your main vessel and the satellite at time of launch, then you're incentivising projectile take outs also. I suggest:

Blow it up with missiles, reward: - seconds = distance in meters between ship and satellite at time of projectile launch.

Blow it up with ship, rewards: - 1 minute (while it's completely possible to hit 70km in less than 1 minute I don't believe anyone can hit the satellite steering by hand.

Obviously takeout time is the moment of impact between projectile and satellite. At all distances this has reliably been very visible, audible and satisfying muahaha.

Also I'd like to point out that a projectile should be uncontrollable (no pod) and even with stock parts these can be built in many ways using solid boosters.

Here's weapon X taking out the satellite from 500m using all projectiles at once:

I used mods and Mech Jeb to rendezvous with the satellite so my score doesn't count, but using my scoring method above, I would have almost tied with Johno: 7:51 at impact - 496 seconds (8 min 16 seconds) = -25 seconds. Anyone who can do this without mods deserves just as much recognition as someone using a space plane.

Notice the small ring around the projectiles, that's the satellite exploding from impact

Edited August 20, 2013 by Hejnfelt

[Hejnfelt]

server error, it was then posted multiple times by accident.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Hejnfelt
there was a server error and my post was posted multiple times. Please delete it if possible.

[Jodo42]

This is a really cool challenge. Might I suggest that you change the name of the "Back from where it came" acheivement to "Return to Sender"?

Good idea, changed it.

After having now blown up the spy satellite from many different distances with Weapon X I've found that any distance of more than 500 meters poses complete impossibility of reliably hitting it. Even at that distance I fire all missiles at once and sometimes don't hit it. Also, just rendezvousing with the satellite is no big deal in itself. Giving a -10 second reward for blowing it up makes this challenge only about space planes. If however you give projectile rewards based on the distance between your main vessel and the satellite at time of launch, then you're incentivising projectile take outs also. I suggest:

Blow it up with missiles, reward: - seconds = distance in meters between ship and satellite at time of projectile launch.

Blow it up with ship, rewards: - 1 minute (while it's completely possible to hit 70km in less than 1 minute I don't believe anyone can hit the satellite steering by hand.

Obviously takeout time is the moment of impact between projectile and satellite. At all distances this has reliably been very visible, audible and satisfying muahaha.

Also I'd like to point out that a projectile should be uncontrollable (no pod) and even with stock parts these can be built in many ways using solid boosters.

Here's weapon X taking out the satellite from 500m using all projectiles at once:

I used mods and Mech Jeb to rendezvous with the satellite so my score doesn't count, but using my scoring method above, I would have almost tied with Johno: 7:51 at impact - 496 seconds (8 min 16 seconds) = -25 seconds. Anyone who can do this without mods deserves just as much recognition as someone using a space plane.

Notice the small ring around the projectiles, that's the satellite exploding from impact

Weapon X, despite not working in this challenge, is rather remarkable. I would say those missiles are overkill for such a tiny satellite, but there is no such word in the Kerbal language. Besides, let's teach those Kermunists a lesson! Great job with that thing, it not only functions well, but looks awesome. The screenshots of the debris are also ridiculously awesome on both of your posts.

I like your idea about the missiles, and agree, I've given too much of a benefit to the space-plane-ers. Replaced "Smashing" with "Tactical Strike" under the rules of your "blow it up with missiles" idea.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Jodo42

[capi3101]

Interesting looking satellite. It looks unbalanced...how hard was it it to get it into orbit?

Built a rocket for this challenge last night; test flights were going poorly until I checked the fuel lines; then I was able to get it into orbit. I'll be making my attempt to deal with the Kermunists this evening (knock on wood).

[Jodo42]

Interesting looking satellite. It looks unbalanced...how hard was it it to get it into orbit?

Built a rocket for this challenge last night; test flights were going poorly until I checked the fuel lines; then I was able to get it into orbit. I'll be making my attempt to deal with the Kermunists this evening (knock on wood).

Not hard at all, considering all I had to do was press alt+h, type in 70000, select Kerbin, and hit go...

Looking forward to your entry.

[capi3101]

Not hard at all, considering all I had to do was press alt+h, type in 70000, select Kerbin, and hit go...

Looking forward to your entry.

......thought so.

[capi3101]

Alright. My entry.

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I'm not sure I fulfilled the victory conditions, though; I did two attempts as the (too many) screenshots demonstrate and both times I knocked the satellite out of a 70x70 orbit. However, there was in both cases an apsis that was still within the 69-71 km range; I could use some clarification there.

I either case, it wasn't nearly as good as Johnno's run. I claim a disable-event at MET 39:04, -30 seconds for sending up Jeb and getting him back safely, for a score of 38:34.

[alacrity]

I will be entering soonish but I would just like to say STOCK challenges are fun... BUT really hard to remember which parts are stock in the PILE of mods I am running...sigh

Alacrity

[alacrity]

well here it is my... VERy .. qualified success.

That's right.. I went... I saw... I cheated a little, and I got that little devil. Then I started to feel a little guilty... (remember the cheating, it wasn't mechjeb or anything... but definitely not stock). So I decided in loo of actually performing this again, I would try to curry favor (and freebie achievment points) by making a vid of my adventure.

No kerbals were injured during the filming of this challenge... And Jeb had a great time

Also first time imbedding a vid... so be kind

Ok I decided to list my achievments...

tactical strike - despite my best efforts I did manage to hit the thing. The impact sent it spinning out of control (tho only the solar sail died, it's orbit was comprimised)

Chariots of Fire - Definately did this... Rode that satellite down like Major Kong in Dr strangelove

Now for personal achievements

Comeback and say the to my face - After a failed partial kill. Hunt it down and hit it again.

The master of Marvel achievment - Using am obscure Stan Lee reference to describe your mission *thwip*

Plan B - Plan for failure with a secondary disabling system that does not center on running into the satellite.

I'm ready for my close up - Make a vid of your efforts

Alacrity

Edited August 23, 2013 by alacrity
wanted some points dammit

[Jodo42]

So firstly, sorry for the long wait for responses. I've been busy lately, and kind of forgot about this.

Alright. My entry.

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I'm not sure I fulfilled the victory conditions, though; I did two attempts as the (too many) screenshots demonstrate and both times I knocked the satellite out of a 70x70 orbit. However, there was in both cases an apsis that was still within the 69-71 km range; I could use some clarification there.

I either case, it wasn't nearly as good as Johnno's run. I claim a disable-event at MET 39:04, -30 seconds for sending up Jeb and getting him back safely, for a score of 38:34.

Good run! I'd agree with your disable time, as you split the satellite into multiple pieces (the ion engine, which then exploded, and the rest of the satellite). I have a feeling a sensitive spy satellite would not sustain an impact of that violence. You also got it on a weird orbital trajectory, so that's a definite kill. Added to the leaderboards at a rather far 2nd. Thanks for entering!

well here it is my... VERy .. qualified success.

That's right.. I went... I saw... I cheated a little, and I got that little devil. Then I started to feel a little guilty... (remember the cheating, it wasn't mechjeb or anything... but definitely not stock). So I decided in loo of actually performing this again, I would try to curry favor (and freebie achievment points) by making a vid of my adventure.

No kerbals were injured during the filming of this challenge... And Jeb had a great time

Also first time imbedding a vid... so be kind

Ok I decided to list my achievments...

tactical strike - despite my best efforts I did manage to hit the thing. The impact sent it spinning out of control (tho only the solar sail died, it's orbit was comprimised)

Chariots of Fire - Definately did this... Rode that satellite down like Major Kong in Dr strangelove

Now for personal achievements

Comeback and say the to my face - After a failed partial kill. Hunt it down and hit it again.

The master of Marvel achievment - Using am obscure Stan Lee reference to describe your mission *thwip*

Plan B - Plan for failure with a secondary disabling system that does not center on running into the satellite.

I'm ready for my close up - Make a vid of your efforts

Alacrity

Your voice is so relaxing. Sorry, just had to get that out of the way.

Thanks for the video! Was great watching the entire process. I never really thought about it, but you're right: putting it in such a low orbit could certainly make things challenging. The music was also lovely, you're pretty good at editing. Unfortunately, as you stated in your video, I can't add this to the leaderboards, as you were using at least 1 mod (KAS), and that heat shield... but it didn't help too much, did it? Hehe.

HOWEVER, if I DID count it, I'd call your time disabling 1:02:57, as that first hit appears to have put it on an out-of-LKO-trajectory, considering your next encounter with it was at 65K, well within the atmosphere. With your guesstimate of 60 meters range, that's -1 minute for tactical strike, -30 seconds for bringing jeb up and back down, and -1 minute for the Chariot of Fire, that'd put you at 1:00:27 by my count. Well behind the other contestants, but your "Master of Marvel" achievement is easily a negative infinity seconds, putting you at the lead.

Good thing I can't add you to the list, eh?