(OLD) The Ultimate Jool-5 Challenge:land Kerbals on all moons and return in one big mission

[Ziv]

(May I suggest a new variant? If so, here it is. If not I will delete this post.)

As whoever is reading this may or may not know, Alternis Kerbol is a mod by NovaSilisko that moves the planets around. The most prominent movement is moving Jool to Kerbin's orbit, changing its color, heightening its atmosphere, and putting Kerbin in orbit around it. Now, this makes the Jool-5 challenge roughly ten times simpler. So I thought, "How about we have a challenge for Alternis Jool too? So here it is.

Hi, thank you for your idea, I think you should start a new challenge for this and link it to here. I love to experiment with new world mods, but my experience is that if your challenge needs installing mods it will seriously reduce the number of people interested in it. And otherwise this JOOL-5 challenge here is already very complex with a lot of levels and versions so maintaining it is already a serious work, I wouldn't have time for this mod too.

So I suggest you to start a challenge for your idea, link it here, and I will definitely be interested in taking a look at it, and very possibly participating too!

[Dentarg]

I'm trying to reach the first post goal in career mode and mine maximum science including Jool low orbit visiting. Anyone already has offered such challenge?

[Alchemist]

Damn Tylo... Even after full tests on Kerbin it's almost impossible to land normally. I just can't pilot a lander against such gravity. Only Jeb is crazy enough for that.

It took 2 reloads to land without breaking and get out with what fuel left...

Good side - at lest now my ship is reduced to sane size

[JedTech]

2 reloads is pretty good. Better than the 6 or 7 on my first Jool visit. Congrats!

[Alchemist]

If not for quite some spare delta v (which I managed to run out of - so that barely pulled the ascent with 2 tries) and TWR of twice the gravity this wild dance would result in 5 nose-down crash-landings instead of one broken engine case. It's a terrible situation to understand that even with RCS the lander has too low attitude control authority for efficiently canceling the lateral velocity that is too easy to get when thrusting against such gravity... and understand it several dozens meters above the surface of Tylo. The design needs some modifications.

[James_Eh]

Yep, I was a little uninspired in KSP recently but decided to try this challenge before the asteroid foolishness starts.

Initial testing went about as well as I could have hoped (http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/32027-You-Will-Not-Go-To-Space-Today-Post-your-fails-here!/page111), and I have now pencilled in the next 500 hrs for this challenge.

Thanks for the challenge, and for indirectly putting the final nail into my poor computer's coffin.

[SSSPutnik]

OK, after the initial attempt at a lower mass, land whole shebang mission failed. (Leaving Laythe got me).

I have decided, with inspiration from Speeding Mullet, (I think he said something like "Yeah do it" to stop this, feeble, wimpy, low mass business and go LARGE.

30+ Kerbals and points galore I think!

The Osperus III is coming.

[dualmaster]

I haven't conjured up the patience/time to complete my most recent low mass attempt - currently a 24.33 tonne ship that should have all the delta V to complete the mission. My first run with it unfortunately ended badly due to glitchy physics related to cubic octagonal struts (resulting in undesirable spontaneous disassembly). If I don't get around to fnishing it soon I'll at least post some pictures so others can glean some ideas.

[SSSPutnik]

Dual master, yeah it can get frustrating, I'll probably post some of my failed Kethane run too. I did manage to complete half the mission.

[Alchemist]

How could a Tylo-Vall tranfer turn into 3 crashes and work with screwdriver? Power source's fan got stuck - the PC just kept hanging until I disassempled almost half of it to put some oil in there. Also changed the thermogrease on the CPU - it was overheating, too. KSP is definitely a nice way to burn the computer.

[SSSPutnik]

I wouldn't trust the PSU fan after that...

[Alchemist]

Now that was some real fun

Precision Landin

[SSSPutnik]

Can you put a flag on top?

[Alchemist]

The flag is standing on the rectangular block closer to the center (it's just almost invisible from this angle). Even funnier, you can take surface sample from here.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Alchemist

[SSSPutnik]

@ziv Kethane, for points, does a big rover with habitat count as a base AND a rover or do you need both?

[Ziv]

@ziv Kethane, for points, does a big rover with habitat count as a base AND a rover or do you need both?

Yeah, a roving base is a creative solution, absolutely accepted!

[SSSPutnik]

And lastly - Can I edit max winch length in KAS? I'm looking to deep sea mine Kethane - if allowed.

[Ziv]

And lastly - Can I edit max winch length in KAS? I'm looking to deep sea mine Kethane - if allowed.

wow, what does that mean? Hm well yeah, why not? To a length still realistic....

[SSSPutnik]

I probably won't do it. I can't get the drill to sink to the bottom without adding like an orange tank to the end of the winch... Damn super dense water... I mean how can a Kethane drill float

[Ziv]

hehe... but creative idea anyway!!

[Pex-Corrh]

My will is broken, I now need to sacrifice my free time to this challenge.

I'm planning on trying the Jeb level with my current career. I am unlocking the 550 level nodes right now, and I've got the following mods running (mostly to add some variety): KW Rocketry, B9, Tac life support, Interstellar, FAS, KAS, and a couple others mentioned in the OP or not really relevant. The only thing interstellar definitely adds are magnetometers for more science and having to worry about waste heat. I wont use beamed power (feels a little like cheating) or the refineries, are the fission reactors or thermal & plasma engines okay? Any KW or B9 parts to avoid? Still close to cheating, but how about power generated by the main ship and beamed to landers?

Off to the white board!

[SSSPutnik]

Remember for a whole factory, you only need about 3000dV with a TWR on takeoff of +1.x on Tylo (roughly).

My ship worked well but TWR was too low. It got almost 7000dV by switching between nukes and chemical.

I could make orbit OK on Tylo, but drag and gravity got me on Laythe.

I may go back to the design in the future.

Edited March 31, 2014 by SSSPutnik

[SSSPutnik]

I think intersteller is not approved?

[Ziv]

Hi Pex-Corrh, welcome to the Challenge! The basic challenges (1-2-3-Jeb) are for almost-stock for better comparability so the Interstellar is definitely "cheating". We already had some discussion about this and I've decided to stick to the stock or only very similar mods (NovaPunch without the nuke engines, etc). So it's a really hard mission on all levels. Also double check the rules (for Jeb's level: one Kerbal pilot one landing on each moon, you need to bring back the Science Lab or if you don't bring a Lab then all the science instruments, so no transmitting, etc...)

So if you want to be an official contender then don't use any other part mods. Or if you would like to go with mods then go for it, and I will link your mission to the Mixed Solution section.

[Ziv]

Remember for a whole factory, you only need about 3000dV with a TWR on takeoff of +1.x on Tylo (roughly).

And don't forget that you will need about 1000dV to get a low orbit around Tylo after you entered it's SOI. You can choose to use your main ship for this (much more fuel), an orbital tug (best) or the lander itself (may be good too). So I think 4000 dV is better to design for. For a landing... if you want to go back, then it's an other 2500-3300 to orbit, and an other 900-1000 to High Orbit.