PakledHostage Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Reading one of the threads over in the General Discussion side got me thinking 'what is the smallest rocket, made from standard parts, that can achieve orbit and still return to the surface?' I\'ve tried a few flights and have managed to get a LFE, 3 LFT, decoupler, capsule, chute assembly into a 75.3 km x 75.6 km orbit. But I can\'t claim it as the smallest standard part rocket because I used Nova\'s decoupler with its mass of only 0.25 (compared to 0.8 for the standard decoupler). Here are some screen shots of my 'proof of concept' rocket. I kept it up there for about 4 hours until I could splash it down in daylight in the ocean off the KSC:Is the 0.55 tonne difference in mass between the two decouplers enough to make the difference between being able to achive orbit and not? Maybe someone who\'s a better pilot than I am can do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyRender Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Pretty sure someone\'s done that, already: (No, that\'s not me.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Flixxbeatz Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Pretty sure someone\'s done that, already: (No, that\'s not me.)Welp, I was about to say that...and yea@OP: He has the same design as yours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Welp, I was about to say that...and yea@OP: He has the same design as yours!Thanks. But my question/challenge was whether it could be done with all standard parts? I haven\'t managed it myself because, as I said above, I used Nova\'s decoupler to minimize mass. And as you point out, it looks like the guy who made the video used Nova\'s decoupler too.I will try again with the standard decoupler, but I suspect it will take some precise flying to successfully achieve orbit. Maybe someone else is interested in taking on the challenge too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Thanks. But my question/challenge was whether it could be done with all standard parts? I will try again with the standard decoupler, but I suspect it will take some precise flying to successfully achieve orbit. Maybe someone else is interested in taking on the challenge too?It\'s been done with no decoupler at all (or parachute)-this saves enough fuel for a powered landing. I haven\'t seen it done in the latest version, but there\'s no reason to believe that it\'s now impossible, especially with the extra ~200m/s from Kerbin\'s rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_Barrett Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 alittle late, but coolThere are pretty much zero alternative designs for the smallest stock rocket, so that\'s why the community does not regard anyone to hold these type of records. Anyone can replicate from this from an infancy of experience.P.S. - You aren\'t above the atmosphere, challenge or no challenge, that probably won\'t make it as a real orbiting rocket. And kryten is correct, it is now far more easier to get around the planet now that it rotates. Just head west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 alittle late, but coolP.S. - You aren\'t above the atmosphere, challenge or no challenge, that probably won\'t make it as a real orbiting rocket.He is-it stops just before 70,000 metres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JupiterII Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 You shouldn\'t need a decoupler. Just try and land in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I did it;Orbit:Coming down:Semi-powered landing:Ran out of fuel about 20m up ;D-I could have landed that, were I a bit easier on the throttle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_Barrett Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 He is-it stops just before 70,000 metres.Regardless, a smaller ship made of stock parts is not possible until more stock parts are added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 I did it;Cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ping111 Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 I\'ve done it!ChutePodDecouplerSASTank (surrounded by 3 more tanks, connected with fuel lines)EngineGets ya to orbit with a tank to spare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggula Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 I\'ve got to orbit with 2 tanks, but the landing was slightly rapid ;P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Ivanovich Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Did you get to orbit on two tanks or just beyond the atmosphere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-20000 Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 This page is soooooo old. I accidentally found it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanamonde Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 This discussion is obsolete as both parts and atmospheres have changed since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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