Kerbal Space Race

[nadreck]

I am submitting what I just started as a challenge on the challenges thread, but I will track my progress towards my 3 goals in my second career session on a thread here.

So see: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/59004-The-Kerbal-race-to-space-Lap-1-science-Lap-2-bodies-Lap-3-ticker-tape-parades for more details on the specifics of the challenge

The Kerman clan's chief scientist has calculated the probability of an Extinction Level asteroid impact on Kerbin to be thousands of times higher than previously theorized and has convinced the government to back an accelerated space program with the triple goal of fully exploring the Kerbol system, colonizing the most appropriate bodies, and developing and refining the science and engineering needed to do that.

In a speech that moistened the eyes of the aspiring rocket scientists and pilots, Werner von Kerman himself instigated the Kerbal Space Race.

at 42m into the challenge I broke the 100 pt mark with my 5th sub orbital RIP Jeb, jumping on an untested rocket with poor stability and a badly attached parachute

by 1h 20m the first trans munar class vehicle is launched with Jeb' hoping to pilot it efficiently enough to have enough fuel to land on and return from minmus

by 2h in Jeb' is on an intercept trajectory with Minmus in a rudimentary craft with approximately 1000m/s delta-v remaining. He will be given a go/no go to land as soon as he reaches the Minmus sphere of influence.

at about 3h Bill Kerman is launched in an upgraded trans-munar/minmus craft in theory this craft is expected to have enough delta-v to land, though not necessarily take off from Mun - though the hope is that exceptional operational efficiency might

at about 3h 30m Bob Kerman bravely flew the mark 4 suborbital, actually it could orbit, but landing modes in difficult terrain were being experimented with as well as trying to access remote and hard to study areas of Kerbin geography/geology. This craft was equipped with the new materials bay and as it was parachuting into the north polar mountains, it scraped the side of a mountain and set off the parachute release mechanism then fell down to the next ledge exploding and killing Gillas.

by 3h 52m a total of 288 science points had been earned and Bill Kerman is on an intercept trajectory with Mun

at about 5h enough science had been earned to unlock the Stayputnik, the thermometer and the 48-7s engine a new orbital and an all over Kerbin parachute/gear/rocket landing craft is rolled out to continue testing and calibrating science equipment and flight/landing techniques while accessing some of the most remote Kerbin geography.

at 5h 15m a remotely guided vehicle with an empty Mk 1 command pod and much superior delta-v and science devices are headed for Mun, potentially to rendezvous with Bill and provide a return craft for him.

Edited November 20, 2013 by nadreck
add link for cross referenced post

[nadreck]

Oh and somewhere around 5h 30m Gillas 'poofed' to dust on Tundra for no reason. He went on EVA, fell off the side of the craft no more than 1.25 meters and just went 'poof'.

[nadreck]

Quick Progress Report: @ ~ 14h

Total science to date: 660

Flights in progress:

Manned: 4;

Jeb' on his way to Minmus in a minimal lander, almost 3 days away, he may be overtaken by a far more modern craft on a hyperbolic course after the initial Munar science results are tabulated;

Bill on a more extensive lander orbiting Mun batteries down to about 15% after doing and transmitting as much orbital science as possible given his fuel and power situation, Bill has decided to wait for an automated craft with more power and more fuel that is about 4 hours away to transfer to that for landing then hopefully rendezvous back with his original non automated craft to return to Kerbin with it's science while the automated one brings its samples back;

Bob' on a slightly better equiped (solar power) and better fuelled lander heading for Mun

Lodzer on an identical lander to Bob' to do science at a different surface site

Probes: 1 - a Kerbal Capable automated Munar lander on its way to rendezvous with Bill who will transfer to this vehicle for landing and take off and send his more primitive vehicle with it's science data and experience back to Kerbin

Fatalities to date: 4

Jeb - on an initial test flight with a badly attached chute - to date the only engineering fatality

Bob - his capsule and science equipment under parachute but with no manoeuvering capability scraped the side of the north polar mountains on a descent the chutes were dislodged and the capsule tumbled and exploded

Gillas - anomalously 'poofed' to dust on the tundra after falling a mere 1.25 meters

Gillas' - scraped the side of what seems to be an impact crater beside a lake in the badlands. He had erroneously deployed his chutes before being sure he was past the hazard. He did not have enough fuel when he cut the chutes to manoeuver away and land safely

Two more scientific instruments are in development and hopefully once the current wave of Munar exploration, observation, and experimentation are complete they, and a not insignificant amount of other technology can enable a 2nd wave of Kerbin centric experimentation, a 2nd Munar wave and an automated hyperbolic catch up launch to Jeb' on his Minmus mission before the first true interplanetary flights kick off with a flight to Moho in 4 or 5 days.