Near Space Race

[1eskimo]

This challenge is all about speed! Specifically, it is a challenge on how fast can you get Jebediah (or your victim of choice) to conduct an orbital flight from the KSC. There are two timed segments of the challenge and 3 classes KSP install states that you can enter with. The Mission Elapsed Time (MET) chronometer serves as the scoring timer which will be used for all of your deltas.

Vehicle Requirements

Your orbital vehicle must have at least 2 modules that can store Kerbals and you must carry at least one Kerbal with you on the mission. That's your only restriction, go wild! The classes mentioned above represent various mod states of the KSP installation to keep the playing field level for purists and modders alike.

The Flight

This flight contains two timed legs with a breather in between that you can use to collect your wits.

-Leg 1:

From launch, you must reach a stable Kerbin orbit in the shortest possible time. Eccentricities must be less than 0.1 to complete the leg. Record the MET when you reach your stable orbit for your base time. Then apply a time penalty based on your eccentricity (a perfectly circular orbit has an eccentricity of 0). Here is the formula for you leg 1 time with your (potential) penalty factor:

Leg 1 time= Your MET to orbit in seconds + (your MET to orbit in seconds)*(your orbital eccentricity)

A reminder, your eccentricity is calculated with the following equation:

e=1-2/((Height of Apoapsis/Height of Periapsis)+1)

-Transition Leg

This part of the challenge is not timed so sit back and enjoy the view. You must complete at least one orbit of Kerbin during this period and move a Kerbal from the module he launched in to another one before the start of the second leg. Failure to complete the transition leg will disqualify your run.

-Leg 2:

Leg 2's timer starts at the moment you begin your de-orbit burn. Use the MET value at the moment you light the fires for this. The clock stops when your Kerbal plants a flag on the surface of Kerbin. You get time bonuses for landing near Points Of Interest on Kerbin. One may call these "points for style". These POIs are defined as any structures or easter eggs in the stock installation of KSP. Your flag must be no more than 500 meters from the closest part of the POI to count. You can use your Kerbal to measure this after the second leg is finished.

Bonuses for precision landings:

Subtract 10 seconds for a landing at the Kerbal Space Center

Subtract 15 seconds for a landing at the Island Airstrip

Subtract 30 seconds for a landing at any other POI on Kerbin

Record your finishing time the moment your flag is deployed and subtract Leg 2's start time for your total time. Don't forget to subtract time for any bonus you earned for your Leg 2 total time.

The Classes

Class A: Unlimited

There are no restrictions on parts or mods used so long as they are listed with your time.

Class B: Restricted

Entrants in Class B are allowed to use any part and can use FAS and/or Mechjeb in their attempt

Edit, Class B rule change 3/12/14: Class B now includes within it any mod that is purely cosmetic or provides a calculator function. Modded parts, autopilots, or planetary edits other than FAS or MechJeb are not allowed in class B.

Class C: Stock

Flights in class C may only use a stock installation of KSP for their race.

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The Scoring

Post your times for Legs 1 and 2 as well as the class you are entering in. Your aggregate score is the sum of your two times for Legs 1 and 2. As with golf, lower scores are better. Screenshots are not required but people may not believe your awesome time if you "loose" the film. Happy Racing!

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Edit 1: Made some formatting changes but all the rules are still the same. Hopefully the challenge is more clear now.

The Results

[table=width: 500]

[tr]

[td]Entry[/td]

[td]Leg 1 Time[/td]

[td]Leg 2 Time[/td]

[td]Total Time [/td]

[td]Class[/td]

[td]Notes[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]MarvinKitFox[/td]

[td]170[/td]

[td]84[/td]

[td]264[/td]

[td]B[/td]

[td]Class leader[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]Capi3101[/td]

[td]737[/td]

[td]574[/td]

[td]1311[/td]

[td]B[/td]

[td]Mod exception granted for class B[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

Edited March 12, 2014 by 1eskimo

[capi3101]

Okay...I have an entry. Your rules are a touch on the vague side, but I think I've got them followed...

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Alright - so here's my score:

Leg 1: 735s + (735 * .002639) = 737s (I'm assuming the eccentricity should be rounded upwards)

Leg 2: 574s, with no bonuses for points of interest.

Total Time: 1,311 seconds (21 minutes, 51 seconds)

Class A I suppose...I did use KER for flight information and KAC to help set nodes but that was it mod-wise; could I make this entry for Class B?

Edited March 1, 2014 by capi3101
added up my score.

[MarvinKitFox]

Speedy Gonzalez goes to Orbit!

Mods used: MechJeb (but info only, MJ is too stupid to handle 23-g upside-down orbital insertions, or hypersonic staging in low atmosphere)

KW rocketry (because they make for bigger fireworks)

Strategy:

UP-> Moar boosters! Very early gravity turn (8800m, full horizontal), as the Speed Daemon has by then already got all the vertical it will need.

ultra-high (upto 15+) TWR on second stage for rapid circularisation, and even more rapid forced re-entry later

Circularization burn done mostly below 65000m, at a rather steep downwards angle, to result in a nice circular ~70km orbit

Down-> Aerobrake!

Don't burn retrograde and *coast* down, down straight down. Hit Air as soon as possible, and use friction to slow down.

Maintain 4G++ downwards acceleration to partially offset aerobraking.

fuel tweak to expire *just* above ground (1800m, 1.2 seconds)

Parachute to deploy at 50m

Impact ground at ~190m/s, use collapsing microstructures to absorb impact.

Times:

UP: orbit in 2min 48 sec. = 168 sec.

orbital eccenticity = 0.012, penalty = 2sec. total UP time = 170 sec.

DOWN: Ignition at 35:12

ground impact at 36:18 time = 66 seconds.

Then an agonizing 18 seconds for Jeb to collect his wits, climb out, drop to ground, and plan.the.flag.and.wait.for.it.to.unfurl.

Total DOWN time = 84 seconds

Speed challenge time = 180 + 84 sec = 264 sec.

(Class B, i think, by your rules.)

I was trying for a KSC landing, but missed the target by a good 15km.

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Edited March 2, 2014 by MarvinKitFox

[1eskimo]

That is a blazing fast time! My fastest to date is a hotrod version of my campaign planetary explorer.

Leg 1: 450s with an included penalty from an eccentricity of 0.020

Leg 2: DQ due to Kraken 297s down and 8km from the KSC but poor Geofner cause KSP to go bonkers when he hit the ground. I'm still trying to beat that time.

Class A: KSP Interstellar, Mechjeb, and TAC Fuel Balancer installed

On the Launchpad

Crew Transfer

De-orbit burn

Edited March 12, 2014 by 1eskimo