The Versatility Marathon Challenge

[700NitroXpress]

2 in 1? How is the point?

If your asking, what points would you get for this. You would get +20 points because your payload is both shuttles. 1 launch = 1 payload. No matter how many craft are attached to it, the payload is the sum mass of everything that's getting lifter into orbit. Even if you had 4 shuttles on one launch, that's still all one payload for the launch vehicle. If you launched them separately then you would get 20 points each.

The NASA Knows Best points are to encourage people to learn about NASA launch vehicles and recreate them to see if they can be used just as effectively here in KSP. So these are easy points that everyone can earn and they're meant to give a point buffer for garbage left in space, in case you have a lot of it.

[Hodo]

All times actives rules.

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.

I doubt I am going to replace the ship, but the thought is really crossing my mind. It isnt because of the slow speed of the ion powered ships, actually that is fine to me. It is the lack of real versatility in the concept of a space only ship design. I have far more experience in SSTO space plane designs and most of my SSTO space planes would excel at this challenge. Currently the XI-2 and XI-3 have the most d/V out of any of my ships in active service, the third most is the SP-301D "Orca", as it has just under 7000d/V but is not a VTOL but is a SSTO space plane and the first one I made that worked.

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.

I am considering it, but I may just take a second ship and run all the challenges with that one to see how my SVO line does when compared to the XI line. After all the XI line is an eXperimental line.

Also I am trying to figure out why my XIs are having parts count problems. I tested a couple of my SSTOs and one of the largest ones, the SP-401 pictured previously, is over 100parts, and has loaded an additional 100 parts in it previously. So I loaded it again with that same subassembly it worked all they up to 300 parts.

[Sirine]

If your asking, what points would you get for this. You would get +20 points because your payload is both shuttles. 1 launch = 1 payload. No matter how many craft are attached to it, the payload is the sum mass of everything that's getting lifter into orbit. Even if you had 4 shuttles on one launch, that's still all one payload for the launch vehicle. If you launched them separately then you would get 20 points each.

The NASA Knows Best points are to encourage people to learn about NASA launch vehicles and recreate them to see if they can be used just as effectively here in KSP. So these are easy points that everyone can earn and they're meant to give a point buffer for garbage left in space, in case you have a lot of it.

Nope. According to your rules, it is +50. It is a Shuttle Launch.

And since you are not admit to your flaw in the rules, I will now consider launch the remaining fuel, via NASA-Style Launcher +20 each launch, and I got 2.75 orange tank to fuel up...or perhaps, +50 (Min 15 tons) for the shuttle launch....

Another 1 crew in, 5 to go.

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4 more to go.

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3 more to go.

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2 more to go.

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Edited November 29, 2013 by Sirine

[700NitroXpress]

Nope. According to your rules, it is +50. It is a Shuttle Launch.

And since you are not admit to your flaw in the rules, I will now consider launch the remaining fuel, via NASA-Style Launcher +20 each launch, and I got 2.75 orange tank to fuel up...or perhaps, +50 (Min 15 tons) for the shuttle launch....

You get 50 only if the shuttles land on the KSC runway. For using a NASA launcher to get them into orbit, it's 20 points. So if they both land then the total for that launch would be 70 points. If they fail to land, then it's worth only the 20 points for the launcher used to get them into orbit. The payloads that they are carrying have to be added to the core craft.

Crew are not payloads, they're crew. So lifting crew into orbit is worth nothing. The same goes with the fuel. Refueling missions are not adding mission payloads to your craft, you're just refueling it.

The bonuses are only for the mission payloads themselves being lifted into orbit.

[Sirine]

You get 50 only if the shuttles land on the KSC runway. For using a NASA launcher to get them into orbit, it's 20 points. So if they both land then the total for that launch would be 70 points. If they fail to land, then it's worth only the 20 points for the launcher used to get them into orbit. The payloads that they are carrying have to be added to the core craft.

Crew are not payloads, they're crew. So lifting crew into orbit is worth nothing. The same goes with the fuel. Refueling missions are not adding mission payloads to your craft, you're just refueling it.

The bonuses are only for the mission payloads themselves being lifted into orbit.

So, If I got 2 shuttles, landed on runway, I got 50x2?

Crew and fuel are not payload? Tell me, what is payload, I will make sure I'll bring "payload" next time.

[Sirine]

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.

It seems that you tread me unfairly. You choose not to answer or ignore them.

After I've spend times on it then you reply with your decision. Thats no gentleman.

[Sirine]

Crew load completed.

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Next, assembler all module.

[700NitroXpress]

So, If I got 2 shuttles, landed on runway, I got 50x2?

Crew and fuel are not payload? Tell me, what is payload, I will make sure I'll bring "payload" next time.

No because you sent them both up at the same time. If they were sent up individually then you would get 50*2. If one lands and the other doesn't, then you get no points. They're both apart of the same shuttle mission since they were both launched at the same time, so they must both land in order to gain the points for that shuttle mission.

Payload for these points is: Mission Payload.

Mission Payload: Attachments to your core craft for fulfilling the mission parameters. Mission critical gear that is needed in order to complete a mission. (A lander, module, science gear, rover, satellite, probe, or other gear designated for the mission)

Crew and fuel are not mission payloads.

[Hodo]

So on this current mission, mission 2 that is, I am looking at what score? I have landed my probe down on the island, pretty close to the exact spot asked, granted that was an accident it was hard enough landing on that island using the flight computer in remote tech 2 to start with. I mean seriously you try programming in every event on a planetary landing 30 minutes before they actually happen AND try and hit that island, not exactly easy.

[Sirine]

No because you sent them both up at the same time. If they were sent up individually then you would get 50*2. If one lands and the other doesn't, then you get no points. They're both apart of the same shuttle mission since they were both launched at the same time, so they must both land in order to gain the points for that shuttle mission.

Payload for these points is: Mission Payload.

Mission Payload: Attachments to your core craft for fulfilling the mission parameters. Mission critical gear that is needed in order to complete a mission. (A lander, module, science gear, rover, satellite, probe, or other gear designated for the mission)

Crew and fuel are not mission payloads.

Thanks for the Mission Payload listing, I will make sure next times, I will split them to as many as possible.

[700NitroXpress]

So on this current mission, mission 2 that is, I am looking at what score? I have landed my probe down on the island, pretty close to the exact spot asked, granted that was an accident it was hard enough landing on that island using the flight computer in remote tech 2 to start with. I mean seriously you try programming in every event on a planetary landing 30 minutes before they actually happen AND try and hit that island, not exactly easy.

Did you do the rest of the mission to Gilly and then back into an Eve orbit briefly, then return to LKO?

[Sirine]

Seriously, Hodo, how is your craft look like? I saw 4 pics 'probe' which landed on Eve. Other than that, there is nothing.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Sirine

[Hodo]

Seriously, Hodo, how is your craft look like? I saw 4 pics 'probe' which landed on Eve. Other than that, there is nothing.

The XI-2 hasn't changed other than the probe it dropped on Eve. I hope you didn't want a play by play of every six seconds picture flip book of the event. Because I was busy enough programming in the flight computer and attempting that landing over 50 times before it FINALLY landed on the island and didnt break something on landing or burn up on re-entry. This challenge is hard enough, but it is harder with RemoteTech2+DRE+FAR. All B9 and KSPX do for me is let me cut down on part counts and give me some better looking parts to work with.

I have no additional pictures of the XI-2 returning to Kerbin because it hasn't happened yet. Waiting on the launch window.

In the meantime I am working on a new SVO ship, SVO-25, and using it to update my communications network in orbit around Kerbin.

EDIT: You wanted pictures here are pictures, I lumped them in with the rest of the album. But I also included pictures of the probe in the assembly building, and a few others from the decent down to Eve.

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Edited November 29, 2013 by Hodo

[Sirine]

Core-craft docked with hitchhiker-modules and Eve-transportation module.

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Next Eve-&-Gilly-Science-Rovers to Core-Craft.

[ThreeMartiniLaunch]

Sirine, I believe that 700NE is trying to preserve the spirit of the challenge rather than the letter of the rules.

Please observe the spirit rather than the letter and we will all have more fun.

your friend,

TML

[Hodo]

Did you do the rest of the mission to Gilly and then back into an Eve orbit briefly, then return to LKO?

Ok I missed the part about Gilly, that is easy enough, I can do that and return to Eve before heading back to Kerbin.

It is a good thing I am using the XI-2, because I still have around 3000m/s d/V for fuel left. And it gives me something to do while waiting for the return window to Kerbin. Granted I may also just say skip Gilly and send a different craft later, depends on how I feel when I get back around to it.

EDIT- I wont be able to do the landing on Gilly, because of the glitch I had with the lander. That was the one part that I lost in the whole thing.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Hodo

[shael6636]

Just a quick question Nitro,

Can I start doing the 1st mission even though we are allready on the 2nd one? AS I ahvent had time as yet to do this challenge (too much time in career mode)

Additionally any bonus points for doing this challange in career mode?

[Sirine]

Sirine, I believe that 700NE is trying to preserve the spirit of the challenge rather than the letter of the rules.

Please observe the spirit rather than the letter and we will all have more fun.

your friend,

TML

Thanks. Acknowledge that.

[700NitroXpress]

Just a quick question Nitro,

Can I start doing the 1st mission even though we are allready on the 2nd one? AS I ahvent had time as yet to do this challenge (too much time in career mode)

Additionally any bonus points for doing this challange in career mode?

Yeah, anyone can start at any time. The first mission can be accessed by clicking on the "Here" link next to Mission 01.

As for bonus points... no, but I can put a badge next to your name that says career mode. I didn't have bonus points set up for career mode or for mods that add difficulty because those are personal choices and not part of how the challenge was designed. Especially since you'll need some advanced parts in order to complete the missions. I wouldn't suggest doing the missions in Career Mode unless you already have the entire tech tree unlocked.

[700NitroXpress]

New mission will be posted tonight, one day late due to Thanksgiving

[Hodo]

And back at Kerbin finally.

I am not creating a new album or posting every individual picture because I didn't take that many. I just wanted to get it back at this point.

I have one debris from the mission, failed to land on Gilly and didn't even attempt to due to the lack of a lander module that was killed twice by the krakken. No real loss there. Now XI-2 is standing by at a 45deg 150km orbit over Kerbin waiting on next mission and refuel.

Depending on how this SVO-25A tests out I may replace the XI-2 with it. So far the SVO-25A is testing out quite well and I am not even using the Kethane mining gear on this one. It has already been around the Mun, Minimus, and back to Kerbin, even used it to setup my new communications satellite network at 350km altitude.

This is what I may be replacing the XI-2 with.

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SVO-25A

VTOL SSTO space plane

[Death Engineering]

From the Death Engineering secret underground laboratory...

VIC-20 (Versatile Interplanetary Craft)

Docking: 3x Clamp-O-Tron Sr. Docking Port, 1x Clamp-O-Tron Docking Port, 2x Inline Clamp-O-Tron

Propulsion: 2x LV-N Atomic Rocket Motor, 4x RV-105 RCS Thruster Block, 2x Place-Anywhere 7 Linear RCS Port

Fuel: 1080 liquid fuel/1320 oxidizer, 750 monopropellant

Crew: 2x command crew, 4x support crew

Power: 2x Gigantor XL Solar Array, 23x OX-STAT Photovoltaic Panels, 2130 electric charge

Design: 123 parts, 30.2 t in orbit fully fueled

- Test Run Complete

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[ThreeMartiniLaunch]

@Death Enginerring

I am overwhelmed by the sheer apparent versatility of that craft.

Good luck in the challenge.

TML

[Death Engineering]

@Death Enginerring

I am overwhelmed by the sheer apparent versatility of that craft.

Good luck in the challenge.

TML

I guess we will see.. hopefully not too much "err"ing! And, good luck yourself. There will be many points I don't try for..

Pending approval of the "VIC-20", this is the mission package for the first challenge:

[Sirine]

I've a bug waiting for fix.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/60126-LV-N-Engines-no-fuel-after-attachment-on-top?p=811782#post811782

My mission can't proceed due to this bug. So, I might need to send another version of the interplanetary-traveler-module.