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

[Ziv]

Kind of, a pair of T400 tanks form they main spar with a couple of T800s laid horizantaly over the top of them. Oh and BTW, my Jool mission has come to an end, is there an after party? What's the dress code? Do I need to bring snacks?

You can see catch up with parts 1-4 here:

Enjoy!

Cupcake...

Congratulation Cupcake for finishing the JOOL-5 mission, and for the funny movies!! Wasn't your Kerbal afraid standing next to the launch pad? That's dangerous, didn't you tell him?

Very creative main ship, lander, piloted tug and rovers by the way. I loved to see them, this is why I started this Challenge.. to see and share great ideas!

Maybe you should have started with the smaller moons if you put the whole ship in and out of orbit every time.

I loved your little rover probes with the camera on the front too. What mods did you use for that and for the clip making?

And literally bombing off half of your main ship with the tug to save weight is just hilarious and awesome. The dresscode is Spacesuit, and no need for snacks, this party is on me! Great stuff!!!

Edited February 21, 2014 by Ziv

[Ziv]

Ziv, could you provide a ruling for providing "replacement landers"? I found out, far too late, that my mini lander was very poorly engineered. The weight balance issue I can deal with... what I can't, though, is the lack of probe core. Because my Kerbal is in an external command seat, the navball (and all-important blue maneuver node targets) orients to his "forward view"... and the docking port ends up "backwards".

http://i.imgur.com/EKCogf4.png

At this point, I am completely SOL, as my Tylo lander is discarded, and my Laythe lander will be useless once I rendezvous.

I could send a "refueling" mission out, without additional Kerbals, that only brings a little gas and a new, better engineered, mini lander. But I'll only do so with your OK. (I won't use the new transfer unit to travel between moons, simply to rendezvous with the old lander and replace with a new one. My previous mothership will continue to be the primary vessel, only docking with the "refueler" if needed.)

if you install enhanced navball it could help, did you try it? You may use the TAC Fuel Balancer too if there's balance problems... but OK, you can send an other similar lander with probe if you want it very much.

[LostElement]

Oh my. I can't tell you how many times I have done this. I have no pic. I usually forget about taking pics.

[SSSPutnik]

Hey Ziv, welcome back to the grid.

How you doing with the Kethane variant?

[zeppelinmage]

if you install enhanced navball it could help, did you try it? You may use the TAC Fuel Balancer too if there's balance problems... but OK, you can send an other similar lander with probe if you want it very much.

I have not had a chance to install the enhanced navball yet - this week's been busy on this end. But thanks, I'll make sure the lander is as similar as possible to the original. I'll also use the navball mod, just the maneuvers would still be extremely finicky and I'd just rather do it right.

Right now I'm finishing up an Eeloo mission, and after that I'll send my new lander up.

[Cupcake...]

Congratulation Cupcake for finishing the JOOL-5 mission, and for the funny movies!! Wasn't your Kerbal afraid standing next to the launch pad? That's dangerous, didn't you tell him?

Very creative main ship, lander, piloted tug and rovers by the way. I loved to see them, this is why I started this Challenge.. to see and share great ideas!

Maybe you should have started with the smaller moons if you put the whole ship in and out of orbit every time.

I loved your little rover probes with the camera on the front too. What mods did you use for that and for the clip making?

And literally bombing off half of your main ship with the tug to save weight is just hilarious and awesome. The dresscode is Spacesuit, and no need for snacks, this party is on me! Great stuff!!!

Thanks very much, I hope I didn't embarrass myself too much as I blundered from one to crisis to another! The mod I used for filming some of the shots is called Kerbcam, great little Mod. Apart from that it's just Fraps for capturing and Premier CS5 for editing. I also just wanted to say thanks for running such a cool challenge, its been fun.

Cupcake...

[Mr.Rocket]

Mr. Rocket: congratulation for finishing the JOOL-5 mission! Again.

- at first, painting the ships made this mission look very unique!

- I loved that moveable EVA light on Tylo!

- I enjoyed your approach with the numerous refueling missions... one or two made it anyway! And I'm sorry for the other ones...

Thanks Ziv, and also, if you want that EVA light, here it is It may require KAS though, i think it does.

For now, i'm trying to learn how to use Kethane in preparation for the kethane version, it's a little tricky

I never thought i would see that in my signature, but there it is

Edited February 22, 2014 by Mr.Rocket

[Björn Eberhardt]

Using xenon engines and tons of solar panels are actually a bad solution - discovered it the hard way after three earth days of construction and flying. As I need the research points, my last mission is to put the ship in a stable orbit and escort it with a backup mission...

[Ziv]

Using xenon engines and tons of solar panels are actually a bad solution - discovered it the hard way after three earth days of construction and flying. As I need the research points, my last mission is to put the ship in a stable orbit and escort it with a backup mission...

http://s7.directupload.net/images/140224/temp/ipgeoxrm.png

Hm, nobody used Xenon engines yet in any JOOL-5 mission so I'm very interested in your experiences! Can you tell us more with pictures too?

[Ziv]

Thanks Ziv, and also, if you want that EVA light, here it is It may require KAS though, i think it does.

For now, i'm trying to learn how to use Kethane in preparation for the kethane version, it's a little tricky

I never thought i would see that in my signature, but there it is

This lamp is cool, thanks! Yeah, I know I still owe you all a Kethane version... I was just too busy and cannot prepare it well yet.

[SSSPutnik]

I looked at using ion engines, or at least, ion assist.

The problem is Tylo, Laythe and Vall you need to haul a ton of fuel / heavy nuke for that which, with ion thrust, just isn't practical

[Phoenix2301]

Hello Ziv and all others.

I plan a mission to Jool too, so i thought, i could make it fit to this Challenge. But to do this, i have some Questions (maybe they are stupid):

1. Is Kethane Mining allowed to to the Challenge?

2. Do i have to bring the Mobile Science Lab back, or can i store the scientific data in a capsule?

3. Is Mechjeb only allowed for data readouts or can i use this mod to do the landings and so on too?

I hope my questions arent too silly but i havent read all 62 Pages yet.

Greetings Phoenix2301

Edited February 26, 2014 by Phoenix2301

[Ziv]

Hello Ziv and all others.

I plan a mission to Jool too, so i thought, i could make it fit to this Challenge. But to do this, i have some Questions (maybe they are stupid):

1. Is Kethane Mining allowed to to the Challenge?

2. Do i have to bring the Mobile Science Lab back, or can i store the scientific data in a capsule?

3. Is Mechjeb only allowed for data readouts or can i use this mod to do the landings and so on too?

I hope my questions arent too silly but i havent read all 62 Pages yet.

Greetings Phoenix2301

Hey, your question came in the best time because I'm planning to start a Kethane version in this challenge too (in normal levels Kethane is not present). For the Kethane version the Science Lab will be optional only (but for extra points). MechJeb is allowed in normal and Kethane versions too.

[JedTech]

THE ULTIMATE JOOL-5 CHALLENGE

Update for 0.23: you are allowed to bring a Mobile Lab if you want and that way you don't have to bring five of every instrument, and you don't need to bring them back to Kerbin, too. But you need to bring back all the scientific data (no transmitting!) and all the Kerbals alive, and you also have to bring five Kerbals on the mission (one Kerbal lands on one moon, at least).

Hey Ziv, I am currently planning my mission, but your requirements for the Jeb's level do not make sense to me. The Mobile lab allows you to process lab results in order to transmit them with a higher efficiency. But if data cannot be transmitted (per the rules) then a Mobile Science Lab is worthless. Please let me know if I am missing something?

[Phoenix2301]

Hey Ziv, I am currently planning my mission, but your requirements for the Jeb's level do not make sense to me. The Mobile lab allows you to process lab results in order to transmit them with a higher efficiency. But if data cannot be transmitted (per the rules) then a Mobile Science Lab is worthless. Please let me know if I am missing something?

Hey jmanidb,

Processing Data isnt the only use of the mobile lab... You can clean out the goo-container und science jr. with it, so you dont have to bring multiple units of them... and you can store data in it like in a Capsule.

@Ziv: You got my point 2 wrong. In the Jebediah level, do i have to bring the Lab back? I would like to land the lab and a habitatmodule on laythe and leave them there and just return with my main ship, so the laythe base could get manned later again. So i would have to retrieve the scientific data vie eva and bring it back in a capsule with the kerbals. Is this allowed or against the rules?

Greetings Phoenix

Edited February 27, 2014 by Phoenix2301

[Ziv]

@Ziv: You got my point 2 wrong. In the Jebediah level, do i have to bring the Lab back? I would like to land the lab and a habitatmodule on laythe and leave them there and just return with my main ship, so the laythe base could get manned later again. So i would have to retrieve the scientific data vie eva and bring it back in a capsule with the kerbals. Is this allowed or against the rules?

Greetings Phoenix

yeah sorry, I didn't see the word 'back'. By the original challenge rules you had to bring back all the scientific instruments which required a lot of effort like placement, more fuel, parachutes and landing back them at Kerbin, and most importantly: lot of parts. So it was very hard to do and needed a lot of parts which could lead to bad lagging.

So I gave the opportunity to bring less scientific parts and a Mobile Lab for lower part count but yes, you need to bring back the lab to keep it in balance somewhat...

[dualmaster]

So is there any consensus on the most efficient mission plan for this? Is it best to work sequentially from the inside out? Are you better off using Jool to aerobrake or just going for a direct Laythe capture?

I took an initial crack at this but severely underestimated my fuel requirements for getting around in the Joolian system. I'm working on a second attempt but am trying to figure the best mission plan.

[Phoenix2301]

Hello Ziv,

Thanks for your Reply, this is just a small change in my plans. So i can plan my Mission now... I think i will make my entry at this weekend (at least the first part). This is a great challenge to participate in.

Greetings Phoenix2301

[teh_orph]

Hello guys

long time lurker, first time poster. After getting a bit bored and directionless this challenge inspired me to get back on it!

Here's my mission report for the "level 2" challenge. I landed on every moon in the system bar Gilly, where I made two fly-bys.

I built a two part ship - the first part was a fat liquid fuel tank covered by 96 small xenon tanks, four xenon engines and seven solar panels. The other part was a lander. This craft carried three guys in external command seats.

The combined craft would fly to Jool, aerobrake, ditch the atomic engine and get into orbit around Tylo. The craft would split, and the RAPIER would take the lander down to the surface. On the ascent it would ditch the external tanks, redock and travel to Laythe, parachute down, jet ascent. After a redock on they go to Vall, Pol and Bop. Then home.

Here's the craft on the launch pad.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-00%20final%20craft.PNG

Here's the whole album.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-

BUT! Of course things did not go to plan. My first entry into the Jool system was backwards, and I had to fight against moons going the wrong way. Several hours later I was in orbit over Tylo. I then realised there was only four solar panels, when I thought there was eight. 38400 units of xenon won't burn themselves! Four engines going full pelt will take 22(?) hours to expend this fuel.

So I relaunched with seven panels, got into the correct orbit around Jool, orbit around Tylo, undocked, landed (very painfully..took hours). The ascent was an "only just" as I spent far too much fuel getting onto the surface. So I did a manual orbit realignment with the mothership (no mechjeb) using just the ions. Hours later I was ready to dock. On docking, there must have been some clipping parts as all three Kerbols exploded out of their seats! On putting them back in, it was apparent two of the seats were blown off too.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-38%20major%20failure.PNG

I had to continue with just the one guy.

Entry to Laythe and jet flight around the poles was amazing ( https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-52%20down.PNG )...but I was worried about my poor lost Kerbols in Tylo orbit. So a rescue craft was sent ASAP from Kerbin.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-56%20rescue%20vehicle.PNG

This ship was of the same design but no Kerbols. I dropped the RAPIER leaving the atomic engine instead and three new chairs. The mothership section had no xenon but had three extending solar panels. As the orbits of the lost Kerbols were so eccentric a manual rendezvous and 'docking' was necessary.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-64%20rescuing%20second%20guy.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-66%20getting%20in%20the%20craft.PNG

Both craft then rendezvoused at Vall and docked. The team was back together again in the replacement lander.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-76%20get%20all%20the%20crew%20back.PNG

The extra mothership section with three solar panels was attached. Full power on the xenon!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-78%20all%20connected.PNG

However on extending the solar panels (again no trouble in the VAB) there were clipping issues. Whatever, they worked!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-79%20all%20guys%20in%20major%20solar%20panel%20clipping.PNG

Everyone landed on Vall together, with the two mothership parts docked in orbit.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-83%20the%20boys%20are%20on%20vall.PNG

On return and docking with the two mothership components, the docking port on the new section would not work - the retracted solar panels were in the way.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-86%20more%20problems.PNG

Even after smashing off those panels, the dock would no longer work.

So I stole some fuel from the back port, and carried on with the original mothership section (but losing some fuel and the three panels)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-87%20let's%20lift%20the%20fuel%20from%20that%20part.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-89%20what%20a%20waste.PNG

On to Pol (the whole craft landed - TWR was fine with the atomic engine)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-95%20mild%20peril.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-97%20team%20talk.PNG

On to Bop

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-101%20landed%20on%20bop.PNG

At this point all five moons done, but plenty of xenon was left and a enough liquid fuel for a few landings. The atomic engine would work on the other few moons...hmm... Very little EVA fuel though.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-104%20a%20long%20ion%20burn%20to%20reach%20duna.PNG

Landing on Ike

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-110%20selfie%20time.PNG

On to Eve

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-114%20eve%20orbit.PNG

Two fly-bys of Gilly. There the SOI of Gilly is so small however, and the TWR was too low that I could never make the 575m/s breaking needed to get into orbit.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-116%20flyby%20of%20gilly.PNG

Returning to Kerbin's SOI a perfect aerobrake that made an orbit that dropped straight onto the Mun SOI:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-124%20aerobraking%20to%20the%20mun.PNG

Landing on the Mun

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-126%20landed%20on%20the%20mun.PNG

Landing on Minmus

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-132%20time%20to%20go%20home.PNG

Powered landing to KSC

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-134a%20aerobrake%20into%20ksc.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-135%20coming%20in%20to%20ksc.PNG

833 days of flight! Easy sixty hours of gameplay. A lot of them were ion burns.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-137%20stats.PNG

I used mechjeb, kerbal engineer and a docking plugin I can't remember the name of.

[immelman]

Hello guys

long time lurker, first time poster. After getting a bit bored and directionless this challenge inspired me to get back on it!

Here's my mission report for the "level 2" challenge. I landed on every moon in the system bar Gilly, where I made two fly-bys.

A mini grand tour! I could not use ion drives in this due to my lack of patience with the long burn times Nice

[SSSPutnik]

teh_orph: Amazing work, but, to qualify, you need a capsule... Not allowed to do the trip using just command seats...

[teh_orph]

Oh no, really?! Although I don't see that in the original description? Nuts.

In retrospect I would not recommend using external command seats for that duration. They don't charge electricity for their lights though!

[SSSPutnik]

Hmm, you're right. Ziv has stated elsewhere, but it's not in the Challenge Rules. You might get away with it, especially on such an epic trip!

[SSSPutnik]

So is there any consensus on the most efficient mission plan for this? Is it best to work sequentially from the inside out? Are you better off using Jool to aerobrake or just going for a direct Laythe capture?

I took an initial crack at this but severely underestimated my fuel requirements for getting around in the Joolian system. I'm working on a second attempt but am trying to figure the best mission plan.

It all depends on your mission configuration.

*Generally* speaking, if you aerobrake direct to Laythe, you save dV.

*Generally* get Tylo out of the way early, so you are not lugging Tylo landing/ascent fuel around the system. (Same goes for Laythe and Vall, but you might use a jet engine at Laythe, so don't have much fuel to carry).

It all depends, your ship may be designed to break up into smaller ships/landers on arrival etc...

Depending on how you do it, there aren't any "best" ways. It's a bit like "how long is a piece of string" type question.

[Ziv]

Hello guys

long time lurker, first time poster. After getting a bit bored and directionless this challenge inspired me to get back on it!

Here's my mission report for the "level 2" challenge. I landed on every moon in the system bar Gilly, where I made two fly-bys.

I built a two part ship - the first part was a fat liquid fuel tank covered by 96 small xenon tanks, four xenon engines and seven solar panels. The other part was a lander. This craft carried three guys in external command seats.

The combined craft would fly to Jool, aerobrake, ditch the atomic engine and get into orbit around Tylo. The craft would split, and the RAPIER would take the lander down to the surface. On the ascent it would ditch the external tanks, redock and travel to Laythe, parachute down, jet ascent. After a redock on they go to Vall, Pol and Bop. Then home.

Here's the craft on the launch pad.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-00%20final%20craft.PNG

Here's the whole album.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-

BUT! Of course things did not go to plan. My first entry into the Jool system was backwards, and I had to fight against moons going the wrong way. Several hours later I was in orbit over Tylo. I then realised there was only four solar panels, when I thought there was eight. 38400 units of xenon won't burn themselves! Four engines going full pelt will take 22(?) hours to expend this fuel.

So I relaunched with seven panels, got into the correct orbit around Jool, orbit around Tylo, undocked, landed (very painfully..took hours). The ascent was an "only just" as I spent far too much fuel getting onto the surface. So I did a manual orbit realignment with the mothership (no mechjeb) using just the ions. Hours later I was ready to dock. On docking, there must have been some clipping parts as all three Kerbols exploded out of their seats! On putting them back in, it was apparent two of the seats were blown off too.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-38%20major%20failure.PNG

I had to continue with just the one guy.

Entry to Laythe and jet flight around the poles was amazing ( https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-52%20down.PNG )...but I was worried about my poor lost Kerbols in Tylo orbit. So a rescue craft was sent ASAP from Kerbin.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-56%20rescue%20vehicle.PNG

This ship was of the same design but no Kerbols. I dropped the RAPIER leaving the atomic engine instead and three new chairs. The mothership section had no xenon but had three extending solar panels. As the orbits of the lost Kerbols were so eccentric a manual rendezvous and 'docking' was necessary.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-64%20rescuing%20second%20guy.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-66%20getting%20in%20the%20craft.PNG

Both craft then rendezvoused at Vall and docked. The team was back together again in the replacement lander.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-76%20get%20all%20the%20crew%20back.PNG

The extra mothership section with three solar panels was attached. Full power on the xenon!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-78%20all%20connected.PNG

However on extending the solar panels (again no trouble in the VAB) there were clipping issues. Whatever, they worked!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-79%20all%20guys%20in%20major%20solar%20panel%20clipping.PNG

Everyone landed on Vall together, with the two mothership parts docked in orbit.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-83%20the%20boys%20are%20on%20vall.PNG

On return and docking with the two mothership components, the docking port on the new section would not work - the retracted solar panels were in the way.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-86%20more%20problems.PNG

Even after smashing off those panels, the dock would no longer work.

So I stole some fuel from the back port, and carried on with the original mothership section (but losing some fuel and the three panels)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-87%20let's%20lift%20the%20fuel%20from%20that%20part.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-89%20what%20a%20waste.PNG

On to Pol (the whole craft landed - TWR was fine with the atomic engine)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-95%20mild%20peril.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-97%20team%20talk.PNG

On to Bop

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-101%20landed%20on%20bop.PNG

At this point all five moons done, but plenty of xenon was left and a enough liquid fuel for a few landings. The atomic engine would work on the other few moons...hmm... Very little EVA fuel though.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-104%20a%20long%20ion%20burn%20to%20reach%20duna.PNG

Landing on Ike

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-110%20selfie%20time.PNG

On to Eve

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-114%20eve%20orbit.PNG

Two fly-bys of Gilly. There the SOI of Gilly is so small however, and the TWR was too low that I could never make the 575m/s breaking needed to get into orbit.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-116%20flyby%20of%20gilly.PNG

Returning to Kerbin's SOI a perfect aerobrake that made an orbit that dropped straight onto the Mun SOI:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-124%20aerobraking%20to%20the%20mun.PNG

Landing on the Mun

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-126%20landed%20on%20the%20mun.PNG

Landing on Minmus

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-132%20time%20to%20go%20home.PNG

Powered landing to KSC

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-134a%20aerobrake%20into%20ksc.PNG

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-135%20coming%20in%20to%20ksc.PNG

833 days of flight! Easy sixty hours of gameplay. A lot of them were ion burns.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6s6x5ei4qh3bncg/mJtmIaXyy-#lh:null-137%20stats.PNG

I used mechjeb, kerbal engineer and a docking plugin I can't remember the name of.

teh_orph: you long time lurker and first time JOOL-5 mission poster! Nice (and complex) job, you made me confused about my own rules!

Not only with the Command Seats but with the rescue mission too! I considered the rescue mission like a refueling with spare seats... and highly ethic that you didn't let your Kerbals float in the space helplessly!

And for the Command Seats, well... at first I would have said it's not too elegant to sit your Kerbals in the Space for 833 days without at least a little warm Pod (not to mention a Hitch-hiker Unit with Board Games and Toothbrushes)!

But the mandatory Command Pod rule is written only for the low-mass sub-challenge and anyway: this Challenge is about making this huge mission on low-budget and hey, you nailed that one out to the maximum! And the Kerbals knew this before assigning to this mission so I accept this solution.

But to put their head into the fuel tank well... you tortured them well.

I really like to see a version with ion engines! You are the first one. And this allowed you to have a small ship like this and visit other bodies too, pretty cool (and patient) solution. That was funny that you were not able to brake into orbit around Gilly! Yeah, deltaV is not everything, you need a reasonable TWR/burning time too.

I also saw your design flaws but it's usually like this: you only realize some things on the field only. Good job, thank you for participating!

Edited February 28, 2014 by Ziv