[Stock] The MythBusters JATO Car Challenge

[pxi]

Well in fairness the original myth described a car going airborne via a rocket and a bump in the road.

Mythbusters have tested this three times, usually focusing on the speed supposedly achieved (~350Mph), but the third test on the 10th anniversary show did test the airborne bit too. Exactly which episode we're trying to imitate could be up for debate, but I would have assumed that it was the airborne bit.

[Johnno]

Here's my first attempt.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Achievements

Adam Would Be Proud: Complete the challenge. 10 points.

There's Airborne, And Then...: Get more than 100 meters. 10 points for every 100 meters.

If It's Worth Doing...: Use the big solid rocket boosters. 5 points.

Jamie Don't Got Nothing On Me: Leave the atmosphere. 30 points.

Max altitude = 93706 meters = 9370 points.

Total score = 9415

[Bothersome]

See, my thinking was the OP wanted our cars to get airborne and then go a long distance. But the scoring was very unclear. So I made a car to get airborne and then try for maximum distance. Simple altitude doesn't make sense to me at all. That's just a rocket placed on wheels.

[ihtoit]

No, it's a car, as in something with at least two powered wheels, right? Anyone can make a rocket sled and go supersonic overland. That's why I did a rolling start and showed the steering at the beginning of my video, so you could see that any corrections on land were due to the wheel traction and not the eight control planes. Ref, can we score a fail for those using aircraft wheels, please?

[sweetpezak]

Thought I could maybe attach some boosters to the rover I use to put rings around the SPH to fly planes through, pretty funny results so far... I am hoping to improve the placement of the SRB's to avoid flipping out of control, but for now there are no wings... The top-heavy ring tilts backwards when the lower SRBs are fired and the 2nd set of SRBs on top of the ring allow for take-off, but the thing goes all over after that... Max height - 377m ... This thing is a beast at 95 tons lol, I will try and record video/do improvements to it tomorrow... *edit: any extra credit for not popping any tires on take-off?

Edited August 23, 2013 by sweetpezak

[ihtoit]

that is *mental*!

[palker]

My attempt. Spent good few hours crashing and exploding until i build something controllable. 4 Big SRBs 6 small ones and 2 separatrons. Used the biggest rover wheels cause the regular ones could not take the weight also millions struts to keep to together. 9 reaction wheels to deal with the unbalanced trust and 2 parachutes for safe and comfy landing. Lander can containing a brave test pilot girders panels and 2 command seats plus big batteries and RTGs over 120 parts in total i think. Rover is drivable even before launch if you land on the ground rover should stay intact and carry you wherever you want to go + with so many reaction wheels it should be pretty flip resistant.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Highest altitude 49 684 m

Adam Would Be Proud: 10 points.

There's Airborne, And Then...: 4960 points.

If It's Worth Doing...: 5 points.

Historically Accurate: 25 points.

Result 5000 points.

[capi3101]

Okay. My attempt was less spectacular. I'm also pretty sure I cheated but I'll leave it open to interpretation by the peanut gallery here (technically, I launched from the runway...).

The Hound does have a KER flight computer, but I made sure to shut it off right away.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

I claim 40 points for the Hellhound run - 10 for getting airborne, 5 for using a BACC, and 25 for getting airborne without wings...

I claim the Hearse to be a miserable, computer-killing, worthless piece of crap.

Edited August 23, 2013 by capi3101

[Sopora]

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Solid_rocket_booster

-> all stock

[Xeldrak]

Well, here is my design: The ChemRock Jumper Two

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Adam Would Be Proud: Complete the challenge. 10 points.

There's Airborne, And Then...: Get more than 100 meters. 10 points for every 100 meters.

If It's Worth Doing...: Use the big solid rocket boosters. 5 points.

Jamie Don't Got Nothing On Me: Leave the atmosphere. 30 points.

Highest Altitude: 659,865 m => 65986 points

I therefore claim (10+5+30+65986)points = 66031 points

---

yes...no, forget all that above...I give you the ChemRock Jumper Two Mk. II (yes, I know, stupid name)

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Adam Would Be Proud: Complete the challenge. 10 points.

There's Airborne, And Then...: Get more than 100 meters. 10 points for every 100 meters.

If It's Worth Doing...: Use the big solid rocket boosters. 5 points.

Jamie Don't Got Nothing On Me: Leave the atmosphere. 30 points.

Highest Altitude: 4,169,327 m => 416932 points

I therefore claim (10+5+30+416932)points = 416,977 points

Might I also suggest a x2 multiplicator for...surviving the landing without a parachute (this wasn't even planned)

Edited August 23, 2013 by Xeldrak

[The Jedi Master]

Looks like I have some leaderboards to work out...

[Commander Wilmot]

If you put fins on to stabilize it like a dragster, do they count as wings?

[The Jedi Master]

If you put fins on to stabilize it like a dragster, do they count as wings?

I assume so...

[Commander Wilmot]

You are the one who wrote the rules. I keep having my rover pull to the side so I have been messing around with the fins that you put on rockets to try and keep in straight on the run way.

[Ivan Whackinov]

Here is my entry, click thumbnails for full sized versions:

[table=width: 600][tr][td]

Rover in the hanger. Note that the front portion is a fully functional rover on its own, but has a big-ass JATO attached to its butt

Four large boosters and one small, plus six Septratrons for launch orientation.

[/td]

[td]

Rover in front of the Astronaut Complex to prove that it can "rove"[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]

Rover after using nose mounted Sepratrons to stand itself on its butt.

[/td]

[td]

Rover after all stages are burnt, getting ready to head out of town.[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]

Final results, in stable solar orbit.[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

I think this makes my score: 1,734,468pts

Although, I feel like I didn't really stick to the spirit of the challenge, since I stood my rocket on end before igniting my boosters. So I should probably disqualify myself. It was still a fun challenge though!

-Ivan

[sweetpezak]

Well, since there is 10 top spots for this challenge I might be able to make the bottom half for a day or so lol... My new and improved JATO car weighing in at 88 tons (with the boosters), that can reach a whopping 1200 meters of height, so 120 pts. + 10 for getting airborne, and 5 for large boosters = 135 pts?

I didn't get any screens it was during a live stream, got vid, I would put on youtube but don't really upload to youtube with all the copyright bs on there: http://www.twitch.tv/sweetpezak/c/2806702

[The Jedi Master]

-snip-

We have a winner, and a new rule.

[Johnno]

and a new rule.

Another new rule could be to disallow decouplers/stage separators entirely.

[sweetpezak]

So with taking off horizontally, does that mean not putting any SRBs at an angle at all? even if its only 5 degrees to do a gradual horizontal take-off?

[The Jedi Master]

So with taking off horizontally, does that mean not putting any SRBs at an angle at all? even if its only 5 degrees to do a gradual horizontal take-off?

Why would it mean that? Of course you can do that.

[Xeldrak]

Well, my entry still counts

[technicalfool]

Okay, here's my attempt in the SPH:

And here's the video:

(Why does Youtube not like preserving 4:3 aspects?)

Achievements got:

Adam Would Be Proud

Well, it got up there.

There's Airborne, And Then...

Not sure how you're going to measure this one.

If It's Worth Doing...

And not just one.

Historically Accurate

Well, after a fashion.

Jamie Don't Got Nothing On Me

Just slightly.

Impossible? Myth Busted: Attain a stable orbit.

Well nobody said the orbit had to be around Kerbin.

Erm.. not quite sure what my points will be here. Anybody want to try and calculate that?

[YarTheBug]

Here's my entry. I didn't achieve Kerbol escape velocity or anything, but I still had a good time.

Video

[soranno]

Does it not seem that the point of this has been lost ... ? I`m mostly just seeing people making SRB powered airplanes and not even trying to make a rover, nevermind a car.

Some even refer to what they made as a rocket.. is it not supposed to be a rover at all?

[palker]

Does it not seem that the point of this has been lost ... ? I`m mostly just seeing people making SRB powered airplanes and not even trying to make a rover, nevermind a car.

Some even refer to what they made as a rocket.. is it not supposed to be a rover at all?

Agreed most of the "rovers" people build is just bunch of SRBs with a wheels I build a proper rover with rockets strapped to it.