.23 Tier 0 Science Challenge!

[Jodo42]

With the .23 update, there's been some major revisions to the science system. Science transmission has been nerfed significantly, but there's now 8 new biomes on Minmus to get extra juicy samples from. The goal here is simple, and has been done before, but the game has changed (literally). Let's see what you gents (and gals) can do.

The .23 Tier 0 Science Challenge!

Rules:

1. This is a stock challenge. Only stock parts, with KSP .23, may be used. The only mods permitted are information providing ones, such as Kerbal Engineer Redux or Mechjeb. The autopilot features of Mechjeb are not allowed - this is as much a piloting challenge as it is an engineering one.

2. The F12 menu, or any other cheats/bugs, are forbidden.

3. Only tier 0 parts, the ones available at the very beginning of a career game, are the only parts that may be used.

4.To prevent abuse, EVAs must last less than 10 minutes.

5. Please provide screenshots or a video of your final recovery screen showing your total recovered science. If you have multiple objects to recover (eg. a Kerbal you sent out on EVA of the KSC to gather science), please post all of your recovery screens. Your score is your final amount of science recovered.

Feel free to post screenshots of your craft at various points during the mission as well. Just a recovery screen is boring Good luck everyone!

Winners!

1. Lions - 1194

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63305-23-Tier-0-Science-Challenge%21?p=869606&viewfull=1#post869606

2. Clockwork_werewolf - 39

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63305-23-Tier-0-Science-Challenge%21?p=869370&viewfull=1#post869370

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Edited December 26, 2013 by Jodo42

[Pds314]

How does one even manage to stage a rocket with Tier 0.

Also, while not expressly asked for by the challenge guidelines (which are guidelines, not rules, anyway), for this particular challenge, your attempt would probably be of significant use.

[barrenwaste]

Well, the only way I know of to stage tier 0 rockets involves an exploit. I would suggest you use tweaked engines to reach orbit instead of staging. It will likely be an ungainly craft, requiring something like asparagus staging without decouplers or fuel lines because of the need for multiple parachutes and engines.

[Superfluous J]

How does one even manage to stage a rocket with Tier 0.

The trick is, you have an SRB above your lower stage, and before it burns out you trigger the SRB. If you're lucky (or more accurately if you time it right, so the SRB is going while the other thing is still running) It'll overheat and blow up the below part and the rest of your rocket can continue.

It's not the easiest trick to pull off but it works. I'm considering the possibility of trying something crazy like 4 craft, 1 each to send to Eve and Duna and 2 to send to Jool. I seriously doubt it'll work but hey.

Update: After an hour or so of work, I'd like to tell you I was totally right. It didn't work.

Edited December 26, 2013 by 5thHorseman

[SRV Ron]

A cluster of three SRBs will stage themselves when attached to a core SRB. Tweaking the thrust can change the timing of the overheat to explode just prior to running out of fuel. The trick then is to achieve orbit with SRBs, get them to blow up at the right time, and be left with the liquid fuel engine with at least two fuel cans full for the Mun flyby and return.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

I'm not going to call this a resounding success, especially as I had a technical problem that meant the liquid rocket never fired, but it is a start. Also I didn't kill any Kerbals and this is on a very slow laptop because I am at my parents for Christmas.

39.2 Science! Insane I know

Gah how do I link an Imgur album so it shows in the forum?

http://imgur.com/a/xcltx

Edited December 26, 2013 by Clockwork_werewolf

[Bobnova]

[noparse]

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[/noparse] would post your album.

I'm going to give this challenge a whack when I have a chance, looks fun.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

thanks bobnova

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[Lions]

Hi

Here is my .23 tier 0 try, landed on Minmus and the Mun

Javascript is disabled. View full album

1194 science

[Jodo42]

Updating the OP. I'll try and have my own entry up later today I suppose. Those larger rockets like the one Lions built always tend to fall apart on me. Rather difficult to build a steady one, but I think I've got a decent design that'll put me in a solid second.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Jodo42

[Bobnova]

I managed 50odd points earlier with a fairly simple rocket that does a free return Mun pass. I can get more though, and I intend to

[Superfluous J]

http://imgur.com/a/DB9gT

1194 science

Wow! Nicely done! Anything I built with any radialness to it at all ended up spinning around in circles until it flung itself apart. 3-6 solids radially attached would not fly apart, they'd simply spin the craft so fast I couldn't control it. The last time I tried this sort of thing (when 0.22 came out) I gave up because of it and I apparently forgot when I tried again this time.

[Clockwork_werewolf]

I'm glad I never said my score was good, but by Jove that's a high science score.

I think the real key to his success is that he is using capsules (hopefully empty!) on top of each stack in order to control them like a Reaction wheel. They are then dumped with the excess weight. My real question is how the bottom parts don't explode under the weight like mine did when I tried to add more parts. I would love to add another score when I get back to my desktop and not this 6 year old laptop but I doubt it would beat 1000

[Bobnova]

My first radial thing broke and spun.

It was only a success in that Jeb lived.