Reynard Rockets Rockomax Jumbo Spaceplane 64 Challenge

[Blaster]

This is not my entry, yet, as the ship still has 5.6 km/s dV to play with, but I will show off how my challenge is going so far.

(3570 LF + 4140 O)/(4320 LF + 5280 O) * 100=80.31

Not bad, but I think I'll take a trip out to jool and perhaps land on Laythe and the smaller moons before I'm done.

Also, I'm using MechJeb, FAR, KSP Interstellar for the intake precoolers, and I've clipped 4 ram intakes together at the front of each of those engine cylinder things.

And for scoring's sake, if I tweaked oxidizer out of some tanks, should that whole capacity count against me, or should it just be liftoff capacity?

Total capacity. The reduced fuel load should improve dV, so it's a gamble to reduce fuel deliberately to lighten the load to get a better score.

However, 4x clipped intakes does put it in the Exploiters category. You can still win that category if you manage to do a "land and return" mission or the Kerbin Rally mission.

Will be drafting the categorization for "Exploitational" category.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Blaster

[SuperBigD60]

Total capacity. The reduced fuel load should improve dV, so it's a gamble to reduce fuel deliberately to lighten the load to get a better score.

However, 4x clipped intakes does put it in the Exploiters category. You can still win that category if you manage to do a "land and return" mission or the Kerbin Rally mission.

Will be drafting the categorization for "Exploitational" category.

I'm completely ok with that, considering this is just a craft I had lying around

[SuperBigD60]

I do think that Kerbin Rally ought to be worth a little more, if you ask me. Maybe just double, I guess cuz gravity assists could make it easier, but even so, it seems like a tall order to me for an SSTO to do a grand tour without refueling. Hard enough that it should be worth more points, anyway.

And the points for landing and returning, is that per world?

And the fuel remaining, is that only once you make orbit or is that once you're done with your trip?

Sorry for the 20 questions.

[Blaster]

This challenge is "make orbit with most fuel percent remaining". If you can do a grand tour without refueling, you don't need bonus points, but a medal of honour. Challenges based around the Bonuses will come another day.

[SuperBigD60]

Alright, sounds good.

I guess I'll just have to settle for personal brownie points or something, cuz the best I'll be able to do is land on more than one body.

Hats off to anyone who can round trip without refueling, though.

[Pds314]

We are allowed Solid boosters? that doesn't sound like an SSTO to me.

[numerobis]

If it's a single stage and it gets to orbit, you've built an SSTO.

[Damaske]

Solid Rocket Boosters as long as they are not dropped, it will count as a SSTO as they are refilled and able to be used once more. Its just they are heavy as hell, even when empty.

[jacobgong]

http://s7.postimg.org/5c7hx2off/ksp7.jpghttp://s22.postimg.org/xuqrng4qp/ksp8.jpg

With (2287LF + 3464OX left / 3480LF + 3520OX max ) * 100 = 82,17% fuel carried into a 100x100KM orbit.

Will see if I can't get a better version made. But at least it's a half decent first attempt.

(stock + mechjeb.)

smaller screenshots pls, those are too huge I can barely see past the clock on the corner.

[Mobjack]

Here is my latest attempt with major improvements in both efficiency and style.

I call it the Angry Beetle.

16 Intakes, 5 Turbojets and 4 RAPIERs.

((1659+2695) / (3240+3960)) * 100 = 60.5

[capi3101]

Alright - an entry: the mighty Auk VII!!

Taking my score from the final screenie...((2013+2628)/(4220+3960))*100 = (4641/8180)*100=.56736*100 = 56.736. Not a great entry but not bad either.

Except I forgot to provide a screenie of the plane on the runway. D'OH!!! Well, I can do that later. Formal entry pending.

EDIT: Here we go:

Edited February 6, 2014 by capi3101

[Blaster]

Scoreboard Populated. Let's see some more attempts!

[cyberklad]

I made one that I think should fin in your non exploit category. Pretty much the same as the airhog. But all the air intakes has free line of sight to the air. None of them are stacked behind eachother.

(2145 + 3103) / (3480 + 3520) = 5248 / 7000 = 0,75

75 points.

I guess we can call this one Jeb's air plow.

[Mobjack]

Why was the Angry Beetle in the exploitation category?

My design had two air intakes in front attached to each engine with a bi-coupler. The intake to engine ratio is less than 2.

Here is a better look of the setup:

[Odielthen]

A very, very long video. This thing was not good to fly!

(433+288)/(4200+4400) * 100 = 8.38 + 10 = 18.38 points

After reviewing the video, I realized that I hadn't mirrored a canard. v0v

This was 100% stock, and there was no clipping of any kind used.

Lessons learned:

-Add more intakes so that air breathing engines can be used up to a higher orbit.

-At least 8 Ramjet engines are needed to get this thing off the ground.

-There is a drop at the end of the runway. This helps during takeoff if the aircraft is very heavy.

-Don't have so much monopropellant for a craft that just needs to make orbit.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Odielthen
Additional Details

[Blaster]

Got it. From the angle of the pics, it looked like circulars behind rams.

[Blaster]

A very, very long video. This thing was not good to fly! http://youtu.be/B73a9AbEAXc

Another Michael Bayman award plane. I'm considering upping the bonus for the Cupola, unless someone else can beat the Angry Beetle - AND do it with a Cupola.

I need the numbers, though. Can't see them in the video.

[Mobjack]

I would say that even if my design wasn't exploitative according to the rules, I did exploit every advantage I can get.

When going up at a high attitude, I start shutting down engines as they run out of air, which sends more air to other engines in an unrealistic manner. You can still do some air hogging, but it is not quite as exploitative.

A neat trick with the RAPIER engines is that when you run out of air, you only switch two of them to a closed cycle. This sends more air to your air breathing RAPIER engines so you don't have to run a 100% closed cycle.

Squad really needs to balance the air intakes better in KSP to make the challenges more fair. I like making efficient vehicles, but with SSTO challenges, it just becomes an exercise of adding as much intakes as possible which takes the fun out of it.

[cyberklad]

Squad really needs to balance the air intakes better in KSP to make the challenges more fair. I like making efficient vehicles, but with SSTO challenges, it just becomes an exercise of adding as much intakes as possible which takes the fun out of it.

I agree with that. Getting enough air should not be a problem. It's just too bad that they have not counted a air temprature requirement. And made their precooler part actually do something.

[Blaster]

What I will do is add a bonus for 1:1 or less Ram-Air to engine ratio.

[SuperBigD60]

I've almost returned from Laythe.

Once I get a spare couple of hours tomorrow, I will have a video to make an official entry into the mod category.

Until then, I straight up love this pic from Laythe orbit as a teaser.

[SuperBigD60]

Gentlemen, I present to you the Mud Skipper.

I used mechjeb, FAR, and KSP interstellar for the precoolers. I've also clipped 4 intakes together at the front of each engine nacelle.

(3575 LF+ 4283 O)/(4320 LF + 5280 O) *100=81.85

and depending on your definition of return, I'll grab another 100 points for going to Laythe and back.

181.85

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDP5zl1CEaw

Please note, I do crash once I'm back to Kerbin, I don't know if that disqualifies this or not.

Edited February 9, 2014 by SuperBigD60

[Blaster]

If the Kerbals survive, it counts. The only one that requires landing back at KSC is the Great Kerbin Rally. Hope you had a quicksave

Edited February 9, 2014 by Blaster

[SuperBigD60]

Alrighty, sorry for being difficult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rWDMs6TLAE

Here's the proper landing