Satellite Launch Challenge

[AlamoVampire]

Hello and welcome to my challenge.

The title is a touch misleading. What challenge is there in putting up a satellite Alamovampire? I have put up many satellites and visited many planets, this is a cinch! Okay, on the face of it, there is NO challenge right? Well, there is. This challenge is for those who call into question why players use MechJeb. This is a satellite, I have in orbit in my Sandbox mode, and it was a pain to launch. I will include the craft file in this challenge twice. Once here: http://www.fileswap.com/dl/iDgkpQs4C5/ and then once more at the bottom of the post.

NOTE: Required Mods for challenge participation:

Procedural Fairings and NovaPunch

*****Special Note: Unless you want to strand a kerbonaut in orbit, make sure you pull them from the lander prior to departure from the VAB.*****

Okay, so, here is the challenge. I have given you a craft file, for this with 1 small tweak MechJeb has been removed from the craft file for this challenge:

Okay, that is what it looks like in orbit, and that is ALL I am giving you for this challenge, as far as a craft goes.

Your goal, to get this satellite into orbit. Again, not much of a challenge right? Well, let me complicate it. Your objective is THIS orbit:

As you can see, this is a large orbit, outside Jool's orbit. Okay, here are the rules:

1. Build any launcher you wish to hurl this puppy into the prescribed orbit.

2. Picture evidence must be provided and must include the following images

2A: On the Launch pad with Launcher

2B: During Ascent at the following Altitude Window: 32KM-36.5KM

2C: Orbital Insertion above Kerbin between 75KM and 150KM

2D: Orbital Insertion at the above prescribed orbit above these rules.

3. Use of save file editing or hyper edit NOT allowed.

4. Any other mods are permitted aside from MechJeb, because hey, THAT is the challenge, to do this with OUT MechJeb.

That is your challenge. I place this challenge out here, because of the constant debate between the two camps <PRO MechJeb and the ANTI MechJeb camps> has gone on for a while. I figure, I may as well, illustrate one of the reasons why I think MechJeb is a valued asset in this game. I hope you enjoy this challenge! As stated above, here at the bottom is your challenge craft, craft file:

Craft File here: http://www.fileswap.com/dl/iDgkpQs4C5/

Edited February 23, 2014 by AlamoVampire

[Kasuha]

Mods are a showstopper for me, I'm not going to install them just to participate in some challenge.

Unbalanced? Pack enough torque. Stick a radial decoupler with counterweight to it. Or send two and discard one. I don't see a problem, MechJeb or not.

To get the trajectory, Jool slingshot would probably help.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Kasuha

[AlamoVampire]

Kashua, I respect your opinion but launching 2 of them at once defeats the point of my challenge which was to get just the one in orbit.

[Kasuha]

Kashua, I respect your opinion but launching 2 of them at once defeats the point of my challenge which was to get just the one in orbit.

Does it breaks any rules? No. So what's the point?

Sending two is just that kind of lazy approach where you don't need to think about it too much. Similar to using MechJeb to do the thinking and steering for you.

Besides, there are other options and I even mentioned them before the "send two" option. Funny you did not notice them.

There were challenges to get worse things to orbit than your satellite and they all were stock, no MechJeb. If your point was that it's impossible without MechJeb then you lost before you even started.

Now, I'm not saying MechJeb is bad. There sure are ships that I'd fail to get to orbit which MechJeb can put there routinely. It helps you build ships that don't carry unnecessary weight. It tells you a lot of useful information. But the game can be played without it without problems and everything that doesn't require 100% efficiency can be done in it manually, too. If you like MechJeb, it's okay if you use it. Just don't tell me it is necessary. I know it is not.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Kasuha

[AlamoVampire]

Kashua for someone not interested in taking on my challenge you are rather vocal in it. I dont appreciate such negativity. Or rudeness or the insults.

[cyberklad]

Kashua for someone not interested in taking on my challenge you are rather vocal in it. I dont appreciate such negativity. Or rudeness or the insults.

From what I can see Kasuha was adressing a couple of possible solutions for this chalenge when you go out and rant at him. From my point of view that puts the rudeness and insults in your corner.

If one skips kerbin orbit and justs burns into an escape trajectory. Furfilling the screenshots rules would be quite hard. Burning directly into a escape trajectory takes quite a bit less delta v then first getting an orbit and then escaping. Are we allowed to do that ?

It would allso be nice if you could make a stock version of the satelite you want launched. I'm not going to install the mods to do the challenge.

Edited February 23, 2014 by cyberklad

[Kasuha]

Kashua for someone not interested in taking on my challenge you are rather vocal in it. I dont appreciate such negativity. Or rudeness or the insults.

The only thing I find insulting here is that you clearly don't care to read my nickname right. Maybe you could start with that if you require others to be polite towards you.

Yes, I don't see your challenge as very challenging. I've done harder things than that, all witout MechJeb. And the only reason I'm not willing to participate is the mods requirement. It is against my principles. Is that an insult? Sorry if you feel so.

[AlamoVampire]

Kashua get out of my thread. I love how you guys think this is sooo simple. Youd see it rather differently if youd man up and try it and get off your anti mod high horses. Gonna spoil my own challenge for others but that satellite is impossible to balance and nearly impossible to fly. But youd never know it staying safely on your ignorant high horses afraid to attempt my challenge because you wont install mods. To the both of you: either man up, install those 2 mods and prove me wrong or get the bloody booster out of my challenge thread savvy?

[Hodo]

Both of you two stop.

Kasuha, stop being a dick. If you don't like his challenge, have a Coke and smile and move on.

AlamoVampire, don't feed the trolls, I find it best to ignore people like that, if they continue to post, just report the posts and have them removed. Don't get angry don't fight them just exterminate them.

Good luck with your challenge.

[sal_vager]

All of you need to relax, Kasuha, this really isn't like you at all, Alamo, there's no need to keep responding when you know you two won't see eye to eye, Hodo, thanks, but don't forget backseat moderation is something we like to avoid here

If necessary I'll clean this thread and let Alamo start again, or you guys can try the challenge, or move on to harder things.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

You know what? I'll join this (the flame war, not the challenge).

A:

Kashua, I respect your opinion but launching 2 of them at once defeats the point of my challenge which was to get just the one in orbit.

I have to agree with Kashua, this is a perfectly valid means of completing the challenge, if not as efficient as some other methods. It doesn't really even count as a "spirit of the challenge" violation, since there doesn't seem to be any spirit of the challenge besides: "

B:

That is your challenge. I place this challenge out here, because of the constant debate between the two camps <PRO MechJeb and the ANTI MechJeb camps> has gone on for a while. I figure, I may as well, illustrate one of the reasons why I think MechJeb is a valued asset in this game. I hope you enjoy this challenge!

Basically, you openly admitted to making a challenge just to prove a point / spite the other side in a debate over a mod. This isn't particularly mature, and is likely to rub people the wrong way.

C: The vast majority of challenges posted here do not require mods. When they do, they only require mods that are relevant to the challenge.

Example: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/58068-kOS-The-Automated-Mission-Challenge requires kOS because the entire purpose of the challenge is to accomplish the coolest mission you can using kOS. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64506-Solar-Electric-Airplane-Speed-Challenge requires Firespitter because the whole point of the challenge is going fast using Firespitter propellers.

The purpose of this challenge is to launch an awkward payload into an orbit. NovaPunch and ProcFairings are not critical to the challenge; I doubt it would take you more than 15 minutes to rebuild your craft stock. It's silly to expect people to install unnecessary mods just for one challenge, especially with memory-eaters like NovaPunch.

Kashua get out of my thread. I love how you guys think this is sooo simple. Youd see it rather differently if youd man up and try it and get off your anti mod high horses. Gonna spoil my own challenge for others but that satellite is impossible to balance and nearly impossible to fly. But youd never know it staying safely on your ignorant high horses afraid to attempt my challenge because you wont install mods. To the both of you: either man up, install those 2 mods and prove me wrong or get the bloody booster out of my challenge thread savvy?

While Kasuha's second post was a bit excessive, this is a completely inappropriate way to respond to criticism. You've also pretty much guaranteed that nobody will take your challenge with that attitude. Take this as constructive criticism: insulting everyone who disagrees with you is a fast way to earn a bad reputation.

EDIT: For the record, I didn't see your post sal_vager. Should I leave this up?

Edited February 23, 2014 by Armchair Rocket Scientist

[sal_vager]

Actually, looking over this again, it's really not good to post challenges that have as part of their wording any anti-mechjeb sentiment, we've had quite a bit of trouble before when threads like this start degrading into pro and anti mechjeb arguments, and to be honest no-one needs that.

ARS, don't worry about your post, I've decided that this should be closed and AlamoVampire needs to rethink his wording on future challenges, by all means have a stock and modded leaderboard, but don't bait mechjeb users.

Closing now.