SSTKE - Single Stage to Kerbol Escape

[xrayfishx]

I think mods should go to a separate leaderboard simply because once someone comes here with the Interstellar's solar sail, all entries without it will become pretty much irrelevant. I'd have done it but I don't really know how to use that sail yet.

[cyberklad]

I think mods should go to a separate leaderboard simply because once someone comes here with the Interstellar's solar sail, all entries without it will become pretty much irrelevant. I'd have done it but I don't really know how to use that sail yet.

You allso have far that reduces the requirements to get into orbit by over 1k delta v.

[xrayfishx]

You allso have far that reduces the requirements to get into orbit by over 1k delta v.

Exactly. Although, about the solar sail, I now think anyone that reaches solar escape with it deserves a special prize because that stuff is unbelievably grindy. Currently my Pe is near Duna and Ap halfway to Dres and if I did it until I got a solar escape, I'd sit here until Monday. Not because I got there, but because I'd have to go to school.

[capi3101]

Cyberklad; I can't verify your entry. You got the first two submission guidelines down but there's crucial information you're missing on the last one:

A screenshot of the map view showing your Situation as ESCAPING and your Sphere of Influence as SUN.

Aside from verifying that you've completed the challenge, it also shows your final number of parts (verifying that nothing broke off during the flight) and your final mass (used to score ties if necessary).

I will go ahead and add a provisional score of 266 points for your entry (you have a math error - you forgot to list the Standard Control Surfaces, five points each).

[cyberklad]

Cyberklad;

A screenshot of the map view showing your Situation as ESCAPING and your Sphere of Influence as SUN.

Aside from verifying that you've completed the challenge, it also shows your final number of parts (verifying that nothing broke off during the flight) and your final mass (used to score ties if necessary).

.

You want a screenshot from just before it acheves an interstellar orbit ? Would it be oki if I I burned a bit retrograde, grab a screen of that and then break orbit again ? I should have plenty of delta v to do those two maneuvers.

[capi3101]

Shouldn't be necessary since it looks like the craft is on an escape trajectory...just pop open the info tab, take a screenie, and post it.

[cyberklad]

Shouldn't be necessary since it looks like the craft is on an escape trajectory...just pop open the info tab, take a screenie, and post it.

Here it is.

End weight is 8.547t

Edited March 2, 2014 by cyberklad

[mythic_fci]

Will a K-Drive ship count? I have a 45 part ship that can easily go interstellar because of the drive.

[capi3101]

Will a K-Drive ship count? I have a 45 part ship that can easily go interstellar because of the drive.

Sure, why not? I'm debating the merits of putting modded ships into their own leaderboards anyway; I could just add a category for K-drives too.

[capi3101]

Here it is.

End weight is 8.547t

I didn't explain what I needed very well...sorry. Lemme try again:

[cyberklad]

I didn't explain what I needed very well...sorry. Lemme try again:

Here is a picture of that bit.

[capi3101]

Alright, that works. I'll get your entry officialized and updated posthaste.

[nobbers12345]

Does using forced-overheats count as staging?

I can make a beautiful SRB SSTO using overheats.

[capi3101]

Does using forced-overheats count as staging?

I can make a beautiful SRB SSTO using overheats.

Yeah, unfortunately...I would consider that a violation of Rule #1. Basically, there's got to be the same number of parts when you launch as there are when you've gotten on an escape trajectory. So that's out. Only exception I'm allowing is rule 1A (launch clamps).

[capi3101]

Hallelujah, I finally have an entry:

Craft file

My entry counts 493 points:

6 Advanced Canards (x8)

3 Z-100 Battery Packs (x4)

2 FL-T800 Fuel Tanks (x4)

4x Mk1 Fuselage (x5)

1x LV-N Atomic Rocket Motor (x7)

1x Stayputnik (x4)

3x AV-R8 Winglet (x4)

16x Ram Air Intake (x7)

1x Inline Reaction Wheel (x4)

6x Small Control Surfaces (x5)

3x Small Gear Bay (x5)

3x OX-STAT Solar Panels (x5)

12x Struts (x4)

14x Cubic Octagonal Struts (x8)

6x Swept Wings (x5)

2x Modular Girder Segment (x1)

2x TurboFan Engine (x7)

Not exactly an impressive entry, but an entry nonetheless.

Edited March 3, 2014 by capi3101

[SlayerMcGee]

OK, I'm back, having read the challenge and with a new (non-winning, but ultra-small) entry:

I am keeping on the theme of ultra-light craft design, this craft has almost enough rocket

power to reach a 90km Kerbin orbit, I finish off the ascent with the ION thrusters, which

I also use to leave the Kerbol system. I use THREE gravity assists to leave the Kerbol

system (Mun, Duna, Jool), which save a lot of fuel, I had about 670 m/s delta-V left in the

tank on Kerbol escape.

Vehicle is 100% stock parts.

Vehicle total delta-V: 4509 m/s (rocket) + 4476 m/s (ion)

Vehicle total weight: 6.156 tons

Craft file is here.

Parts list:

2x FL-T400 fuel tanks - 4 points

1x FL-T100 fuel tanks - 2 points

3x cubic octagonal strut - 24 points

3x Rockomax 48-7S rocket - 15 points

1x Probodobodyne OKTO2 probe core - 7 points

3x PB-X150 Xenon Container - 21 points

1x PB-ION Electric Propulsion System - 7 points

6x OX-4L 1x6 Photovoltaic Panels - 36 points

Total: 116 points

Mission details:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[SlayerMcGee]

BTW, I tried to beat Alchemist's craft, but it seems to be the optimal (rocket) craft for this challenge. I couldn't find any way to do it with 5 tanks or one rocket, it seems that it takes two rockets to get an LV-N nuclear rocket into orbit and six tanks of fuel to do the full job. Nice work mate!

[jfull]

OK, I'm back, having read the challenge and with a new (non-winning, but ultra-small) entry:

This would actually qualify for a gravity assist challenge I posted a while ago

awesome work

[capi3101]

SlayerMcGee, nicely done.

Your craft file says 25 parts; you're missing 3 Cubic Octagonal Struts and 2 OX-4Ls from your parts list you provided in your entry for an additional 36 points, so your actual score is 152 points.

One thing...your entry is provisional at the moment; to make your entry official, I need...

I'll update the leaderboard.

Edited March 4, 2014 by capi3101

[cyberklad]

Messing around with a jet and ion powered little vehicle. This thing has more then enough delta v from it's ion engines to go interstellar. But it can be a bit tricky to time the jet part right. You need to hit high speed and a altitude where you can start your ion engines as you run out of jet fuel to keep the craft as light as possible for the next stage.

[SlayerMcGee]

Thanks for the feedback on my craft, BTW, I miscounted the solar panels, and I finally found the other 3 octagonal struts, they are embedded between the top T400 fuel tank and the middle T100 fuel tank. When I Alt-Left-Click copied the bottom T400 tank, it copied the three octagonal struts I used to mount the engines, so those three were just dead weight (albeit very little). No worries though, I'm happy with my current placement.

Unfortunately, I terminated my craft and reset the game clock, because I am off to my next challenge already (Duna for Less), so I'll have to stay provisional. But, thanks again for the feedback, and kudos on a great challenge!

[capi3101]

Messing around with a jet and ion powered little vehicle. This thing has more then enough delta v from it's ion engines to go interstellar. But it can be a bit tricky to time the jet part right. You need to hit high speed and a altitude where you can start your ion engines as you run out of jet fuel to keep the craft as light as possible for the next stage.

Neat looking ship. Are you still tweaking it?

[cyberklad]

Neat looking ship. Are you still tweaking it?

Not really. IT has a horribly high score for a VAB vehicle because of a pretty high part count for such a small vehicle and the tech is in the more advanced part of the tech tree. If anyone want the craft file I can post it.

[SRV Ron]

SlayerMcGee, nicely done.

Your craft file says 25 parts; you're missing 3 Cubic Octagonal Struts and 2 OX-4Ls from your parts list you provided in your entry for an additional 36 points, so your actual score is 152 points.

One thing...your entry is provisional at the moment; to make your entry official, I need...

http://i.imgur.com/mePoo3R.png

I'll update the leaderboard.

You should know that the Voyager probe you have used as an example is not a single stage to escape. It is from a multistage launch from one of my earlier versions of KSP. The Krackin has since ate the probe.

[capi3101]

You should know that the Voyager probe you have used as an example is not a single stage to escape. It is from a multistage launch from one of my earlier versions of KSP. The Krackin has since ate the probe.

Shush....

I was using it as merely as an example of what was needed for the submission guidelines.