Kethane Laythe Rescue Challenge

[codepoet]

For the kethane refinary to work there needs to be a fuel tank adjacent to the converter unit. On my rig I used a tiny torus shaped one on top of the converter. In KAS the winch needs to be "docked" to be able to transfer fuel through it. Once it is connected you can transfer fuel from the fueld tank next to the converter unit into any other tanks.

[Peppe]

Thanks,

Had fun trying this out. Don't think i will complete it. I think I am ~230 ton - 240 ton range. Have not used ION engines before and not running mechjeb right now.... ended up with a similar burn as you and don't want to see it through.

Lander was about 3.2 tons. ION stage was docked to the lander at launch... originally planned it to be a satellite scanner, but think i need more delta-v for that. ION section was about ~1 ton.

Re-used a 40 ton heavy lifter (gets 40 tons to 100k kerbin orbit) that got me a jool encounter, but would need to use the ion engine for final capture.

Thought the lander looked pretty cool in the end

http://imgur.com/a/Zebc7

Edited December 15, 2013 by Peppe

[Ziv]

I have sorted out and uploaded the images and wrote description under them. I had this ship on the launchpad. 82.03 tons, the Lander/Rover/Miner is 3.06 tons.

I used NovaPunch rocket parts because I'm bored with the stock parts and this mod is well balanced to the stock:

First Stage Main Engine: 4X-800 Liquid Fuel Engine

Power: 1850

Isp: 275/320

Mass: 6.5 tons

Main Fuel tank: HH 250-C (almost as big as an orange tank, little bit shorter)

Liquid Fuel: 2304

Oxidizer: 2816

Mass: 3.2 tons (Empty) / 28.8 tons (Full)

Second Stage Engine: SLS-250 Bearcat

Power: 1400

Isp: 290/335

Mass: 5.25

Second Stage fuel tank (two parts): HH-250B fuel tank + HH series interstage adapter (with some fuel inside)

Liquid Fuel:1152 + 288 = 1440

Oxidizer: 1408 + 352 = 1760

Mass (Full): 14.4 + 3.8 = 18.2 (same fuel as Rockomax X200-32 but 0.2 tons heavier)

All the others are stock/Kethane parts...

The landing was close to the sea but was on the land finally. Two little Ant Engines slowed it a little more, just for sure.

They Kerbals went crazy with the lander... check the full story here (read the conversations too!): http://imgur.com/a/ov8PA#0

Edited December 15, 2013 by Ziv

[codepoet]

Hillarious! I really enjoyed reading that. Unforuntaely you missed out on the 2t bonus for leaving a working kethane refinary on the surface as Jeb forgot to unplug it before lift off, however I suppose that means that you win the 2t bonus for leaving it on orbit instead. You definately get the 0.1t discresionary bonus for making me laugh, so that means you come in with a score of 79.93t - well done, you are top of the leaderboard.

[Ziv]

Cool, thank you! I enjoyed the stupidity of the guys so much that I didn't mind that the miner was broken... I guess it turned out so well that I will put this into a Mission Report post too, which will promote this challenge too. And I manage the JOOL-5 Challenge, maybe I will mention this challenge there too, this would be a great practice for those who are still planning the mission. I hope you are okay with that.

[codepoet]

Great stuff - yes do promote the challenge, it would be good to get some more competition on the leaderboard. I will have my own entry in soon. Having done that I might even take a look at your Eve challenge (I have never been to Eve).

Thanks for entring into the spirit for things

[codepoet]

I have finished my own entry. The boys did not make it back to the pad, so not really meeting challenge, but since I could use the work I did on mechjeb for this challenge to drop it straight into the launch pad from orbit, I do not want to be accused of showing off! I also rather prefer the ending this way too...

I did score bonuses for a fairing, scanning Laythe and leaving a working refinary on Laythe.