The Versatility Marathon Challenge

[Sirine]

Yes, this will work as long as it's launched from the launchpad and lands on the runway using rocket power.

Great..Thanks.

[700NitroXpress]

Here's my P.O.S. Space Shuttle and it carrying a little payload into orbit and back in Kerban airspace. Just a test flight and it handles like trash, but it flew. So that's good enough for my first one.

[Hodo]

There's just one problem... this isn't a shuttle. This is an SSTO cargo lifter equivalent of the Skylon SSTO. The difference is shown below. This craft takes off and lands on a runway like the Skylon SSTO. A shuttle takes off using rockets from the launchpad and then lands on the runway like a plane. So you would get the Master of Aerodynamics bonus points for this of +10, not the Shuttle Missions bonus of +50. Also, space shuttles shouldn't have any jet engines or air intakes at all. They're all rocket powered.

Skylon SSTO

I could actually build the Skylon in B9, it has SABRE engines in that pack and all the parts needed to achieve that look.

[Hodo]

@700NitroXpress You know what...a "rocket power" craft, with wings... That is much much easier to deal with compare with wings with Jet Engines. SSTO.

And

Please be more specific...Or better still I need to get your verification again...before launch?

Below image are the beacons...

If I may make a suggestion for your beacons. I used to have a pair on my airfield. The best way to put them is one on the east end (09) and the other on the west end (27). I named one 090, and placed a pair of white lights facing east, and red lights facing west. The west beacon I named 270, was white lights west and red east. They were placed about 500m from the ends of the runway, this way I wouldnt knock them over with any low landings or take offs.

On landing I would line up the beacons and that way even in the dark, before they added lights, I could land on the runway everytime.

[700NitroXpress]

I could actually build the Skylon in B9, it has SABRE engines in that pack and all the parts needed to achieve that look.

Yeah, you could. SABRE engines may be used when building SSTO's to carry payloads since I found this reference. For shuttles, there's shuttles like Sirine's and then there's NASA shuttles. The NASA shuttle get's the NASA knows best bonus along with the shuttle missions bonus.

[antbin]

9. Master of aerodynamics - Use an SSTO to carry the attachment payloads into orbit to be docked with your core ship = +10 points per attachment (attachment mass must be 5 tons or greater)

10. Use a space shuttle to carry attachments to your craft in orbit, the shuttle must land at the KSC runway = +50 points per shuttle mission successfully completed (payload mass must be 15 tons or greater)

Ok. Get the science rover to LKO. 50 points earn.

Credit to antbin for his amazing cargo lifter.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/45417-Space-Shuttle-SSTO-40-ton-cargo-to-LKO-30-payload-fraction-0-21-1

Thanks for the reference, nice payload launch! Good work flying it, fully loaded you definitely have to be a master of aerodynamics to get the SSTO U-Haul into orbit.

Also, I like your rocket-only shuttle design!

Sorry to see that the points structure combines cargo weight and lifting tech. I'd love to see more SSTO heavy lifters (they are a pain to engineer!)

[Hodo]

Yeah, you could. SABRE engines may be used when building SSTO's to carry payloads since I found this reference. For shuttles, there's shuttles like Sirine's and then there's NASA shuttles. The NASA shuttle get's the NASA knows best bonus along with the shuttle missions bonus.

That's good to know, I may have to use one of my other SSTOs that I know work for interplanetary work and give it a shot.

[Sirine]

16. NASA knows best - Use NASA style launch vehicles to get your mission payloads into orbit

Will the below craft meet requirement number 16.? Or please be more specific... I don't really know NASA.

[700NitroXpress]

Will the below craft meet requirement number 16.? Or please be more specific... I don't really know NASA.

Yeah, I used this NASA Delta IV design to lift my satellites into orbit.

[Sirine]

Yeah, I used this NASA Delta IV design to lift my satellites into orbit.

Can I have the definition for it?

1) Asparagus staging?

2) Center + Twin side booster (Solid/Liquid)?

[700NitroXpress]

Can I have the definition for it?

1) Asparagus staging?

2) Center + Twin side booster (Solid/Liquid)?

Center is double the size of the outer boosters that feed the center mainstall. Payload goes on top. This one would be a Delta IV Heavy. You can also have an additional stage after the main engines are done to finish the orbit of the payload.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV_Heavy

Edited November 28, 2013 by 700NitroXpress

[Sirine]

The (5,4) 11,474kg...It shows get 4 boosters...

So, these qualify?

Lifting 2 Shuttles (assume success landing back to KSC runway) at once 100points. + NASA style lifter 20x2 =40 points?

Or I have to get 2 launches? for that NASA style lifter?

Anyhow, lifting 2 shuttles in 1 launch is consider "harder" (heavier) compare with just lifting 1 shuttle.

Edited November 28, 2013 by Sirine

[700NitroXpress]

The (5,4) 11,474kg...It shows get 4 boosters...

So, these qualify?

Technically... no. But since we are limited on parts and fuel supply, I'll say that this is about as close as you can get to a Saturn V rocket, since that rocket has 5 mainstall engines. So this will be good enough to qualify. Your strapping a shuttle onto a Saturn V basically, so good enough. You'll get +70 points for this.

[Sirine]

Lifting 2 shuttles in 1 launch is consider "harder" (heavier) compare with just lifting 1 shuttle.

2 in 1? How is the point?

[Hodo]

Finally after 6 hours and 2 days of trying I managed to land my probe on Eve, using RemoteTech2 with a 35second signal delay!!! What that means is it takes 35 seconds before it accepts ANY of my actions which I have to program in advance, in some cases 25min in advance to take into account that it will lose communications on re-entry.

Last two shots show the science equipment attached to the craft.

By the way, I am NEVER doing that again.

[700NitroXpress]

By the way, I am NEVER doing that again.

Says you... JK!

Actually, for the next 2 missions that I have planned, I have built equipment for you guys so you'll need to use what's given to you by Kerbal Space Command HQ. You'll get a fun little break after the Eve mission.

Edited November 28, 2013 by 700NitroXpress

[ThreeMartiniLaunch]

As long as it's fewer parts

[Sirine]

Lifting 2 shuttles in 1 launch is consider "harder" (heavier) compare with just lifting 1 shuttle.

2 in 1? How is the point?

Eve Mission : Part 1 (Lifting Eve/Gilly Science module via Shuttles+Nasa Lifter). (Landing back to KSC Pending).

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Eve Mission : Part 2 (Lifting Hitchhiker Modules via Nasa Lifter). (Dock with Core-Craft due to they are near).

And made a mistake....forget to load crews.

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Eve Mission : Part 3 (Lifting Core module via Nasa Lifter). To be dock with Core-Craft.

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[Hodo]

In all honesty, when I get my two Ion powered ships back to Kerbin, I may replace them both with one of my older designs, the SVO-9A or even the SP-301. Both are capable of interplanetary travel. The only real difference is the SVO-9A can't carry any cargo but can refuel itself, and the SP-301 can't take off vertically or refuel itself, but can carry up to 25tons into orbit.

[Sirine]

Eve Mission : Part 4 (Lifting Eve Landing+Lifting module via Nasa Lifter).

1) The fuel are drain empty before sending up.

2) At the end, nearly run out of fuel, and have to use RCS to achieve orbit, and de-orbit.

3) Mission success. Later will need to refuel this....baby. 7920 units of fuel...that is a lot. (2.75 orange tank)

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[Hodo]

Eve Mission : Part 4 (Lifting Eve Landing+Lifting module via Nasa Lifter).

1) The fuel are drain empty before sending up.

2) At the end, nearly run out of fuel, and have to use RCS to achieve orbit, and de-orbit.

3) Mission success. Later will need to refuel this....baby. 7920 units of fuel...that is a lot. (2.75 orange tank)

I have a SSTO that can do most of that refueling... it can haul 2 orange tanks full to orbit.

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[Sirine]

In all honesty, when I get my two Ion powered ships back to Kerbin, I may replace them both with one of my older designs, the SVO-9A or even the SP-301. Both are capable of interplanetary travel. The only real difference is the SVO-9A can't carry any cargo but can refuel itself, and the SP-301 can't take off vertically or refuel itself, but can carry up to 25tons into orbit.

All times actives rules.

14. Back to the drawing board - Your core craft is unable to adapt to the mission and you have to make a different one = -25% of your total points

Already proven...LV-N x2, or x4, is the best for Interplanetary traveling engines. Ion engines are for small craft. The times need for it is just not worth it.

Here are the basic ideal:- (mass inclusive engines.)

For spaceships smaller than about 6 tons the LV-909 is more efficient than the LV-N

For spaceships heavier than about 6 tons the LV-N is more efficient than the LV-909

*Fuel+Engine > 6 tons = LV-N,

*Fuel+Engine < 6 tons = LV-909.

Ion engines... less than 1 tons.

[Sirine]

I have a SSTO that can do most of that refueling... it can haul 2 orange tanks full to orbit.

Thanks! Nice craft. But I don't play mods (Just yet, later I will play mod, but just not now).

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/57787-Jaekelopterus-Heavy-Lifter

This 100% stock can lift 6 orange tank to LKO...in very short times (real time) compare with the wings lifter...Much efficient for me.

[Sirine]

16. NASA knows best - Use NASA style launch vehicles to get your mission payloads into orbit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...aunch_vehicles) = +20 points (Not included on Mission 01)

I'm gonna send...crews (7 of them) using NASA lifter..so, there will be 20*7 = 140 point here, right? Kinda exploit the mission point a lot...but, hey, that's your rules.

1 down 6 more to go.

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Edited November 28, 2013 by Sirine

[700NitroXpress]

In all honesty, when I get my two Ion powered ships back to Kerbin, I may replace them both with one of my older designs, the SVO-9A or even the SP-301. Both are capable of interplanetary travel. The only real difference is the SVO-9A can't carry any cargo but can refuel itself, and the SP-301 can't take off vertically or refuel itself, but can carry up to 25tons into orbit.

If you're replacing your core ships, it costs you 25% of your total points to do so. The other time you had a Kraken attack so you get a free one.