Challenged! The Arkingthaad Nadir.

[Retread]

Ring math:

Kerbin Radius: 600,000 m

75 km Orbit Radius: 675,000 m

75 km Orbit Circumference: 4,241,150 m

Modular Girder Segment XL estimated length: 3.5 m (couldn't find an actual length, guesstimated by comparing length to diameter of 2.5 m tanks)

Number of girders required for a ring: 1,211,757

Estimated frame rate: one every 4.5 x 10^5 x estimated age of the universe...

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

I have docked 2 craft together so that they are longer than 2.5km.

I believe that is the way to summon the monolith creators and gain spiritual immortality, whackjob would agree (he has also done it [of corse!])

[Tw1]

And if you meant one circumventing Kerbin, then I have to say it isn't possible.

I came up with a hypothetical method of doing it (around Gilly maybe) a while back. Basically, you have to keep the center of mass outside the planet, and do all docking operations near the center of mass. Though I was assuming modded weight parts, a huge clump of stock parts would have the same effect maybe.

Might try to recall the scheme in more detail when I'm not trying to get to sleep.

[LethalDose]

http://i.imgur.com/LJt1HXT.jpg I would have used the MOAB, but I couldn't find an image with a human reference.

Found one! But it's the prototype, not the final munition

[The Jedi Master]

I feel a disturbance in the Force, like a thousand computers cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced...

[Geschosskopf]

Oh geez, Whackjob, may you live 1000 years. It's a good thing Kerbin moves on rails or you'd have kicked it out of orbit by now.

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

Oh geez, Whackjob, may you live 1000 years. It's a good thing Kerbin moves on rails or you'd have kicked it out of orbit by now.

Legend tells of whackjobs fall, when kerbins atmosphere contains so much rocket fuel it stretches to the SOI, nothing gets in, all surface vehicles destroyed by the kraken, Minmus and the Mün falls into kerbin, causing it to turn into a gas giant, the atmosphere collects into 3 moons in a 1:2:3 resonance, if one lands on all the poles of the moons and uses the whackjob sun focuser and point it at Jool. It will summon the kraken, he will guide you to spiritual immortality.

[spyker92]

It's always good to know just where your limits are. That's why Whackjob is so helpful.

I see you've taken the docking ports in stride... Sheesh. Never actually stress tested them connections myself. Good sciencing, indeed. I feel like it's almost inevitable that we'll someday see you attempting to build a giant ring around Kerbin... out of the Arkingthaad modules you'll probably be buildi-- no. Don't do that. Nope. Nope. Nope. I don't think my brain could handle it.

I doubt thats possible around Kerbin.... but what of gilly?

[Tiakatt]

Aha, so I indeed did not quite understand correctly (figured that might be the case). Sorry about that. Glad to see Vexx was able to provide actual, useful help! Very cool

[Whackjob]

Neatest part is I can theoretically build a monster without using even a single strut.

[Whackjob]

Progress continues. I am testing out various form of superstructure. I want something rigid enough to withstand the weight of a superbehemoth.

The advantage to doing dock port arrays in this manner to link pieces instead of struts is... wait for the surprise... part count. By omitting struts completely, and using these instead, the sections come in almost half the part count as my usual fare. And I think it may even be MORE effective.

Time well tell.

[panzerknoef]

Nice work whackjob! But I saw you saying kraken attacks everything over 2.2 km, right? So what if you build a giant ring of 2km long pieces around kerbin that are not docked together, but whose end are still relatively close to eachother... (Probably the same result, and something tells me you have already tried this)

[Whackjob]

I'm sure the Kraken would attack anyway. Just as a matter of form.

Work continues apace, and I've made another mild advance. The problem with a four-by outside tank cluster is the proportions immediately go out of kilter. You can see the silly kethane coupler system I used to try to make it match. It just doesn't work.

Suddenly, basic geometry strikes! I facepalm when I realize how much of an idiot I'd been. Clearly, the way to go is with a hexagonal Arkingthaad. That way, each flat side is the exact same length as the radius!

The solution is so obvious in retrospect, I can barely stand it. Equilateral triangles for the win! And I fully expect this layout to be seriously robust.

[Rakaydos]

I'm sure the Kraken would attack anyway. Just as a matter of form.

Work continues apace, and I've made another mild advance. The problem with a four-by outside tank cluster is the proportions immediately go out of kilter. You can see the silly kethane coupler system I used to try to make it match. It just doesn't work.

Suddenly, basic geometry strikes! I facepalm when I realize how much of an idiot I'd been. Clearly, the way to go is with a hexagonal Arkingthaad. That way, each flat side is the exact same length as the radius!

The solution is so obvious in retrospect, I can barely stand it. Equilateral triangles for the win! And I fully expect this layout to be seriously robust.

So you're saying that, when building a 4 stack behemoth, larger than any other rocket to be launched from kerbin, had structural problems...

Your solution was to add MOAR BOOSTERS!

[Whackjob]

Side note... second picture same-plane multiport does not work well. The top side tank-spanning bridge gap appears to do far better.

[Whackjob]

i has a test thing

...

NOES teh Kraken be takin mah thing!

[Whackjob]

Superstructure test.

You can see from this picture that, while I have retained the hexagonal approach, I have discarded the multiport system. For now. You can also see the outer ring that provides excess fuel, and functions as a sort of odd flying buttress for the inner column. If you'll look closely, you'll see that trusses and struts are at a bizarre minimum. Yet this picture is taken after physics has taken effect. It is pleasing to me, to see it function so well without clamps holding up the sides. There will be for launch, of course.

Next steps: Engine clusters, crew compartment, lander legs, and the upper half of the rocket where it will taper to one column.

[Madrias]

I'm scared to say it, but what day are we going to see 7 of those coupled to each other hexagonally?

Actually, no, I'm afraid my computer will melt just from seeing images of something that crazy, so I don't dare challenge Whackjob.

[Whackjob]

Progress:

Legs done, fuel flow done, engine clusters done (but may need redoing!), lander legs done. Control systems done. Solar array done.

Now all that's left is a way of putting launch gantries on it all the way up to facilitate launch. After I can launch it until fuel's gone, then I can figure out how much, if any, booster I will need.

[problemecium]

I find a ratio of ~2.5 orange tanks (or 5 Rockomax-32s) per Mainsail provides the most Delta-V. Roughly. As a rule of thumb. In case you wanted my advice.

[Whackjob]

I call this one,

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"OH, THE KERMANITY!"

[Knobby]

love how those launching clamps stay up like an empty husk!

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

Dear god, if this works.

It will be the pinnacle of human achievement.

[Moar Boosters]

You know it's a good launchpad explosion when bits make it onto the dark green.

I love how you see the altitude meter go down as it's collapsing in the first few pictures.

[Whackjob]

The current issue I have is just the sheer sproingyness of the central tank columns. They compress. They compress a lot. I may have to wait for this next patch, maybe not. I've already got a handful of half-arsed ideas on how to combat the problem. You can see I figured out a way to get launch clamps up and down the whole length of that thing. For the sproingyness, if I have to, I can just add a whole bunch of microboosters within the structure that would burn hard for a short time to keep it from compressing while the lower engines slowly compress it to launch normal. The fun part of that will be lining up the seperatrons to kick them outside of the structure when done.

This build just gets harder and harder.