24 Hour Spacestation

[TheGeoninja]

Situation:

According to Kerbal Geologists (a lesser known research group) KSC and the surrounding area will become flooded because its to sink or something like that (they seemed kinda panicked). No worries though because being Kerbals KSC has come up with the best solution imaginable they will begin to work from a space station because moving KSC would be too much paperwork

Challenge:

Using all of your skills you must construct a space station in one in-game day. This is based on when you launch the starting piece of your spacestation after which you will have 24 in-game hours to launch new things into space. This space station will have to be epic and capable of making of your mods, contain a munal lander, capable of carrying at least 6 Kerbals and must have storage space for Monopropellent, Oxidizer, Liquid Fuel, Xexon and Kethane if that is installed

Rules:

You are encouraged to use any mods you have except for hyperedit.

Scoring:

3 points for each module on your station

1 point for each kerbal at the space station

1 point for every 1k of each resource in your station (this includes electricity)

5 points for every docking without Mechjeb (I need a screenshot then)

5 points for the Mobile Processing lab

5 points for docking an SSTO with the station

1 point for a really cool space station name

1 point for each operation from the station after the 24 hour building period

1 point for each antenna (max 2 antennas per module)

Achievements

Clean Space Club! Finish the station with no debris in orbit. 50 pts

Its a Party. Finish with ten Kerbals in orbit. 10 pts

One step further. Move your space station to orbit one of kerbals moons

Come at me! Move your station to another planet excluding moons. 100 pts

Sorta clean. Less then 5 pieces of space debris in orbit. 20 pts

I AM KESSLER SYNDROME! More then 10 pieces of space debris in orbit. -5 pts

We hear you loud and clear. Have more then 5 antennas at your station. 5 pts

Please suggest achievements

Leaderboards

1. 1096bimu (4196 pts)

2. TheGeoninja (127 pts)

Changes

1/9/2014: Added antennas and made changes to scoring.

Edited January 10, 2014 by TheGeoninja

[700NitroXpress]

Challenge:

Using all of your skills you must construct a space station in one in-game day. This is based on when you launch the starting piece of your spacestation after which you will no longer be able to launch new things into space. This space station will have to be epic and capable of making of your mods, contain a munal lander, capable of carrying at least 6 Kerbals and must have storage space for Monopropellent, Oxidizer, Liquid Fuel, Xexon and Kethane if that is installed

If the core is launched and has an orbit within 1 hour, then we wouldn't be able to launch anything else? According to this, after the first launch we won't be able to launch anything else. So an SSTO launch and dock would be impossible, as well as docking multiple modules.

Clarify.

[1096bimu]

- It contains 6 kerbals with 1 lander can and 1 hitch-hiker

- It has storage space for all resources (my moded lander can contains Xexon)

- It is epic

- There was no resulting space debris as the last stage is attached to the station +50 pts

- It has 32 modules, 30 fully autonomous drones and 2 crew modules. +32 pts

- I docked 4,114 times without MechJeb in about 24 hours time(my moded lander can generates monopropellant). +20,570 pts

Total = 20,652 pts

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[sjwt]

A few calcifications may be required after looking at this one..

Total = 20,652 pts

I'm not sure, but I think each Module needs to go up on its own launch.

You do need a screen shoot of each docking, and I'd guess it refers to the original docking of each module not a disconnect and reconnect.

If the core is launched and has an orbit within 1 hour, then we wouldn't be able to launch anything else? According to this, after the first launch we won't be able to launch anything else. So an SSTO launch and dock would be impossible, as well as docking multiple modules.

Clarify.

I believe what the OP is saying is that all pieces of the space station must be assembled together within the first 24 hours game time.

1 point for each operation from the station after the 24 hours

This I believe refers to trips made from the station to the planet/moon you are in orbit around??

Maybe it should be scaled a little bit, after all trips to the mun are a bit cheaper then trips to eve and back

Edited January 8, 2014 by sjwt

[1096bimu]

I'm not sure, but I think each Module needs to go up on its own launch.

How about just 1 point for each launch then? Cuz you can't have more than 1 anyway.

You do need a screen shoot of each docking,

4000 screens?

5 points for every docking without Mechjeb

It says docking, not rendezvous.

[TheGeoninja]

What I meant was if you go into the tracking center you can see how long it has been since object was launched. For example I have docked a few objects at my station and it has only been 8 hours in-game and things have taken about 2 hours to get into space and dock.

[1096bimu]

What I meant was if you go into the tracking center you can see how long it has been since object was launched. For example I have docked a few objects at my station and it has only been 8 hours in-game and things have taken about 2 hours to get into space and dock.

docking is done without mechjeb because the docking module does not have mechjeb on it. Besides it would have taken longer than 20 seconds with mechjeb, and you can see the timer on the 5th screenshot.

Edited January 8, 2014 by 1096bimu

[capi3101]

Using all of your skills you must construct a space station in one in-game day. This is based on when you launch the starting piece of your spacestation after which you will no longer be able to launch new things into space. This space station will have to be epic and capable of making of your mods, contain a munal lander, capable of carrying at least 6 Kerbals and must have storage space for Monopropellent, Oxidizer, Liquid Fuel, Xexon and Kethane if that is installed

<snip />

Scoring:

1 point for each module on your station

1 point for each kerbal at the space station

1 point for every 1k of electricity in you station

5 points for every docking without Mechjeb (I need a screenshot then)

Uh...okay. I could use some clarification there. The way things have been worded, I can make a single launch (the space station core module) and that's it, right? Or did you mean I can't launch any new pieces into space after the first 24 hours? It becomes a tad difficult to dock things if you're only allowed a single launch (seeing as how a craft is not allowed to dock to itself and all).

[British_Rover]

You can make as many launches as possible in one game day. Once that single game day has ended though you can make no more launches.

Just launching a single station core with a bunch of probes docked to it then redocking them over and over seems to violate the spirit of the challenge even if the rules are not clear. The idea seems to be to launch a variety of individual modules and dock them to a core. The challenge being how many can you design and launch in one game day. Once a module is in orbit I would go back and launch another before docking. The docking and rendezvous parts will take the longest so best to launch as many modules as possible in one day then dock them all after your 24 hours have expired.

[capi3101]

^^^

See, this is how I'm reading it - though If you also had to have everything docked together by the end of the day, it would be more of a challenge.

This is starting to sound interesting.

[British_Rover]

^^^

See, this is how I'm reading it - though If you also had to have everything docked together by the end of the day, it would be more of a challenge.

This is starting to sound interesting.

I agree that it would be more of a challenge but realistically, well as realistic as you can get in a game, the idea is that the KSC will be lost after 24 hours so you need to get as much in orbit as possible. As long as you have a station core in orbit after 24 hours then it can act as a KSC to coordinate the docking of all other modules.

Maybe an amendment to the rule that all docking must be done in 24 hour unless the station core has mission control capability? Not sure how you define MC capability though maybe a lab module and X number of kerbals with comm gear?

Edited January 8, 2014 by British_Rover

[capi3101]

Probably antennas. Tonnes of antennas. So many antennas the core module looks like a porcupine...

I'm surprised there's no mention of antennas in the scoring rules, to be honest.

[TheGeoninja]

Probably antennas. Tonnes of antennas. So many antennas the core module looks like a porcupine...

I'm surprised there's no mention of antennas in the scoring rules, to be honest.

Adding antennas to scoring.

[1096bimu]

Adding antennas to scoring.

docking is done without mechjeb because the docking module does not have mechjeb on it. Besides it would have taken longer than 20 seconds with mechjeb, and you can see the timer on the 5th screenshot.

It should be 5 points each for a total of 20 thousand points.

[TheGeoninja]

I finished mine with 5 modules, 14 kerbals, 25k in electricity and the space around kerbin is completely clean. I would have another 20 points if I let mod resources count.

[MarvinKitFox]

Well, I like to THINK BIG, so this is right up my alley.

I figure: 24 game hours to launch stuff. It needs to be in orbit, and *capable* of docking with the main station, but not needed within this 24 hours?

The main limitation is you can only control one vehicle at a time. And you cannot swap out while in atmosphere, or under acceleration, but swapping out while in orbit or even a high suborbit is easy.

The solution? Lob as big a chunk at a time as you can!!!!

Early design concepts using pure stock parts did not go so well:

Here is an early design, staging. Even with SRB to retrofire the lower stage, the staging event is rather.....traumatic. Failure 98%++.

So, in desperation I allowed myself to resort to the KW rocketry pack, both for the bigger explosives(erm, rockets), and the stronger struts it supplies.

While I'm "cheating", I might as well load mechjeb as well.

Enter the new plan: StarCity

Nexus node: Solar and Power systems. Image below shows it on the launchpad, and on station at ~250km orbit.

Each node is based on a simple hex grid base, loaded with whatever tools & supplies it needs to fulfill its job.

Nodes planned:

Solar/Power - 1 : Batteries, Solar panels. Plenty of each.

Science Directorate - 1: This is the only manned node. Science station, all possible instruments, plenty of antennas (plenty is something more than 100). Housing for staff for the Science bay.

Launch Deck - 1? 2? : Minimal structure, multiple docking clamps on extended booms. Tugboats to facilitate docking. Ships dont dock to the station, they just come close then the tugboat undocks from station, flies to ship & clamps on. then returns to station and clamps on there, too. (obviously, each tug has 2 docking clamps. usually 4+)

Bowsers - many: These are just glorified fuel tanks.

Here is a bowser, on orbit and on track, although a bit lower on fuel than planned due to a lesser RUD of 7 of its first stage ascent engines dropping performance a bit.

The plan is to launch as rapidly as possible.

Each launch and basic orbit insertion takes 9m30sec

Pad operations, orbit checking, coffey breaks takes another ~5 minutes, thus we are good for 1 launch every 15 minutes.

Here are the first two, including circularization of orbits. 250 for the station, 240 for all subsequent modules, to allow easy but slow orbit synch for docking later on.

The Core of StarCity, the Power Nexus.

Here on the pad, and on orbit awaiting business.

Achieved so far:

On orbit supplies:

Fuel: 77063+84084 = 161147

Oxy: 94188+102769 = 196957

Xenon: 21000

Monopropellant: 6440+6734 = 13174

Electric: 1320019+120015=1440034

Debris in orbit. ummm, errm... lots?

Each launch drops 6 or 12 spent stages in orbit.

Final station positioning tends to spill some docking clamps, rigging stays, etc.. Note the three cable anchors leaving the Solar Nexus above. Why cable anchors on a space station, you ask? Well, have *you* ever tried launching a solar boom with 88 Gigantor solar sails on it? It *needs* some cables to stabilize it, and obviously those cables need to leave before solar panel deployment. I do have plans for a grab-basket-equipped, xenon-propelled, debris deorbiting tug on the station, but that is far downline.

Kerbals: zero.

Landers: zero.

Science: zero.

These are still planned, however it may take some time for me to get around to it.

The problem is, *HUGE* launches like these are a bit of a strain on my pc. Thus, designing and getting just these two in to orbit took me more than 20 hours already. ONE LAUNCH (9m30 on the clock) takes just over an hour, assuming KSP doesn't crash to desktop.

Ok, final entry.

Here is my mun lander.. Just to show I was taking the specs serious. Its normal spot would be on launch pillar 3, node 2, north branch docking port.

This is the half (1/40th)- assembled StarCity base.

Currently contains 1 Bowser, 1 Launchpad

Currently docked 1 Fleet carrier (with 4 docking port converter tugs docked to it)

and 3 U-connector docking tugs linking the units.

A 4th U-connector is hovering just outside the traffic lanes, awaiting the arrival of the Solar Nexus.

Obviously, I don't try to dock 8000 ton behemoths. I attach one of my versatile tugboats, and use their *ample* RCS thrusters (118, if i read my blueprints right) to nudge the bigges station segemnts unto alignment, then act as a bridging clamp between docking ports.

Current resources on the station:

151135 electric

145727 fuel

178111 oxygen

21000 xenon

10157 monopropellant

Current resources en-route on the Solar NExus:

1320019 electric

77063 fuel

94188 oxy

6440 mono

This all achieved, including my *very* frustrating docking experiences, in game elapsed time of 8 hours 2 min. (launching to orbit took just 43 minutes!)

Unfortunately, at this point, the Kerbal scientists discovered a serious problem.

From their base on the Science Node (note its absence in the above images), they discovered that *all* the parts of a spaceship still count towards CPU load, even those in a spacestation loafing along.

Thus, when any ship enters a sphere of about 2.4 km around this spacebase above (4031 parts), it spontanteusly combusts/falls into a black hole/timeparadoxes itself out of existence.

As a result of this phenomemon, this spacestation is now unapproachable by any ship. In addition, the current concentration of parts, even though just more than the event horizon level, stll warps space-time to the extent that all mechanisms fail. Docking clamps cannot undock, thrusters wont thrust. So I have no way of disassembling the spacestation back into manageable chunks!

(I even tried whack-a-kerbal. one shot that hits the thing, and I get a message of "thermal exceed: shutting down" followed by bluescreen and a scorched hair smell.)

Alas, i must discontinue my foray into the world of ludicrously-large spacestations.

Hope you guys have as much fun with them as I have!

Edited January 15, 2014 by MarvinKitFox
Black hole discovered

[Epthelyn]

When a challenge allows mods, that's great.

But this:

(my moded lander can generates monopropellant)

I don't even...

What?!

[Jodo42]

When a challenge allows mods, that's great.

But this:

I don't even...

What?!

It's bimu being the typical over-analytic sarcastic person that s/he is. Because the OP didn't explicitly state "No OP Mods," and then define OP mods, and then list all mods s/he deems OP in alphabetical order in the main post, bimu assumed s/he could do whatever they wanted.

Bimu tends to ignore the part of the challenge submission guideline where it says:

No one likes a wiseguy!

Challenges work on an honor system, we can't check if you are cheating and even if you don't "cheat", if you deliberately misinterpret the rules of a challenge or its spirit in order to gain an advantage, you'll spoil the fun for everyone else.

So if a challenge says Stock Only, it means Stock Only, not near stock or mostly stock, and if everyone else has posted a stock entry and there's no modded leaderboard, assume it's stock and ASK the challenge poster if they will consider a modded entry before entering.

and simply makes some snarky, exploitative entry to the challenge instead of kindly offering some advice on how to improve the rules.

@OP: There's no point value for "One step further" atm. You might want to specify that we're not allowed to edit part configs or use F12. You might want to specify what

1 point for each operation from the station after the 24 hour building period

means.

5 points for the mobile processing lab might be a bit much. It's actually not all that heavy. 1 point for 1K electricity might be a bit OP as well, since you could simply put a lot of these on your station.

And it's "Munar," not "munal"

Edited January 12, 2014 by Jodo42

[1096bimu]

When a challenge allows mods, that's great.

But this:

I don't even...

What?!

Could've launched it without a launch vehicle by generating fuel and such, but I'm generous.