Kerbal Dynamics RT-2PM "Topol" Mobile Launcher challenge

[ihtoit]

Inspiration

The KSC Board of Directors have passed me this Post-It:

"We want a mobile launcher like the Red guys have!"

What, this?

(source: wikimedia)

Yup.

THE CHALLENGE:

Design and build a mobile launch platform capable of launching a deployable* probe to any sphere of influence other than Kerbin.

*read: radio comms via RemoteTech, or a science package.

THE RULES:

- The platform can be land, water or air based, however the actual launch *must* take place from the surface (land or water).

- ANY parts mod is valid.

- Usual "no exploits" rules apply.

SCORING:

Minimal Delta-V to each SOI (as far as you want to take it, multiple encounters score more!) according to the following Delta-V map:

(source: wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com)

(Note: there is NO SCORE for merely attaining Kerbin orbit nor for attaining Kerbolar orbit or escape trajectory)

+500 points for each successive encounter using the same probe on the same flight.

+1 point for each km from the KSC reference point you launch from (measured as surface distance travelled), to a maximum 1885 points.

LEADERBOARD:

1. Jasonden with an incredible machine, the LaME (Laythe Mare Explorer), 14272 (check my math ) for a soft landing! Such an awesome entry I'm going to relax the radio rule!

2. ihtoit with the Redneck Special, Topol-I, 8650 for a successfull Eeloo insertion.

Edited February 28, 2014 by ihtoit

[Fengist]

Well, I don't have time to go to all these wonderful places unfortunately. I'm about to be back out of the house and away from my main machine and my laptop sucks at KSP. So, rather than considering this an official entry as all I did was get into LKO, consider this a proof of concept.

Partcount: 85

Weight Fully Loaded: 175 tons.

You'll notice the robotic arm on the back. One of the problems I had was with those wheels, the ramp was too far off the ground for a Kerbal to get in it. Later you'll see why I wanted a Kerbal inside.

I didn't go very far, just far enough to prove that I can move.

Deploying a small Anvil rocket. I forgot to take a screenshot but it goes fully vertical. I started with a stock rocket but man, that Anvil fit so nicely and looked so good...

Liftoff. I launched a bit sideways because I didn't realize when I stopped I was on a bit of an incline.

And an argon powered satellite deployed.

And here's why I needed a Kerbal inside. At well over 100 tons, that rocket got pretty wobbly inside the cargo hold. I used KAS struts to duct-tape it to the insides before moving it.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Fengist

[ihtoit]

that is well gorgeous, makes me wish I'd installed IR before I started my proof... that said, here it is: it is a work in progress, and you'll see why in a minute:

Presenting, the "Topol-I"

Rather oddly, you'll see that the missile is in fact suspended from its nose rather than sitting horizontally in a bay or on a cradle. This precludes adding a nosecone (wait, I could have done it with a cubic strut and one of those tiny decouplers - D'oh!), so the thing wobbled like heckery in the lower atmosphere. I can assure you that the vehicle does move (slowly), I trolleyed it back and forth (not brave enough to try a turn!) just to prove it could actually move, then engaged the brakes, did some last minute tweaks and got ready for firing.

I bet you're wondering how I got it past that gantry arm?

Look toward the top, you'll see two mini decouplers: one 3/4 up the main gantry and one connecting the missile to the drop arm. In between on the hookover, you'll see two pairs of ullage kick motors. They're there to make sure the hookover gets out of the way as quickly as possible (they actually send it about a km down the runway). Contrary to what the staging indicator says, the ullage motors and the missile's main engine, and the decouplers, all fire at the same time (refer to the aforementioned "tweaking").

Both the platform and the rocket have radio gear, but since I forgot to install a mod that allows a comlink between probes and mission control, no such communications happen on this run hence it isn't an official entry. However, I will keep score.

All the fun animation out of the way, and one very scorched and annoyed Bill Kerman later, and I'm working my way up to LKO:

I'm not done yet! Plotting for Eeloo from KrO:

...546 days out, and I finally make a rather tight (but not minimum), almost perfectly polar orbit:

EELOO SCORE: 8650

I'VE GOT SCADS OF FUEL LEFT! HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED THE XENON DRIVE YET!

(I had intended it to fire using the Super Atomic then jettison that stage, however changed my mind when I saw how much fuel I'd actually used!)

I might turn this into the "Uberfailure" Grand Tour!

To Be Continued...

EDIT: or not. My installation fell over quite badly. I'm having to start it over and try and reduce the memory footprint - and do the lot without FAR, which I'm not used to anyway so I won't even miss that.

Edited February 23, 2014 by ihtoit

[panzerknoef]

This looks cool, might give it a try!

[Jasonden]

Here's my entry, the Laythe Mare Explorer probe ("LaME" -- after the real-life Titan Mare Explorer, TiME). It's kind of just a relatively small rocket with giant-ass wheels on it. And then a crazy rocket contraption to turn the thing upright before launch.

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