How far can you get using only R.A.P.I.E.R.'s?

[xoknight]

Pretty self explanatory, how far can you get using Rapier engines. You can use it in many ways, such as spaceplanes, a rocket, or a multistage rocket. The points will be scored on how far you get, the vehicle type (rocket or plane), the weight, the amount of kerbals on board, and if you landed it or not. Just remember to have fun and compete!

Scoring:

-Amounts of Kerbal +1 (for each kerbal on board)

-Weight +1 (for each ton on the launchpad, round to the nearest whole number) (AND NO YOU CANNOT HAVE TONS OF STUFF ON YOUR ROCKET AND EJECT THEM OFF ON THE LAUNCHPAD)

-Spaceplane +10/Rocket +5

-Return to Kerbin x2 total score

-Mun +10

-Minmus +20

-Duna +60

-Ike +45

-Eve+70

-Gilly +60

-Moho +110

-Dres +90

-Laythe +130

-Vall +110

-Tylo +160

-Bop +135

-Pol +130

-Eeloo +200

My attempt:

221 parts, 3 kerbals, a rocket, 270t on the launchpad, 33 engines in total

27 engines burning

Gravity turn

Mun encounter

Mun orbit

Sub-orbital

Touchdown

Huh, the flag actually has a name

Vehicle: Rocket +5

Kerbals +3

Weight: 270t +270

Destination: Mun +10

Total score: 288

SCOREBOARD

-Spartwo 106

Edited March 28, 2014 by xoknight

[HafCoJoe]

I like how you added the weight rather than subtracting it . That's just awesome!

[Kasuha]

So if I get to Minmus and it has 1000 tons on launchpad, I get 1021 points?

[pauix]

Looks like an interesting challenge. I'll give it a try as soon as I get home!

I like how you added the weight rather than subtracting it . That's just awesome!

That's the kerbal way. Why use only 30 tons when you can use 50?

[xoknight]

So if I get to Minmus and it has 1000 tons on launchpad, I get 1021 points?

Pretty much

[Spartwo]

53

You should double the scores for a return(just the body points)

[m1sz]

major fail with this. Start in the launchpad with TONS AND TONS of stuff. Start and eject everything. there you have your 10k points for the tons.. !

I would say, weight in LKO or so, otherway, you will have lots of fail entries

[zarakon]

xoknight, you could probably get drastically better performance out of that rocket by taking more advantage of the air-breathing stage. Try using a much more horizontal launch profile to maximize your speed/altitude ratio as you go

edit: just noticed you don't even have any air intakes on it!

Edited March 28, 2014 by zarakon

[Joonatan1998]

So I just build a huge pile of orange fuel tanks and then put 1 R.A.P.I.E.R on it?

It won't get anywhere, but the points for getting even on eeloo are insignificant compared to the 10000 points from 10000 tons of fuel/fueltank

(Also why does eeloo give more points than moho? getting to moho requires more delttav and the landing is harder,

And tylo is much harder than eeloo)

[xoknight]

Ok scoring has been updated.

[Bacterius]

Is it alright to use FAR with this? I have it installed currently - what are the rules for mods?

[ihtoit]

Kerbolar escape in airbreathing mode in a 12-ton SSTO (no oxidiser) do you?

(sorry, no screenshots yet. Going to run it again and try and get some.)

[MarvinKitFox]

Your current ruleset is.... very open to exploitation.

I can build a launcher massing 200tons, using only 46 parts, that orbits a "probe" capable of reaching MoHo. (thus, capable of getting anywhere)

Mun and Minmus can be reached, landed and returned to orbit using the same probe.

The can be chained indefinitely, for launch off the runway. (its a rocket, but it can get looong)

Realistically, with my part-count limit of ~2300, i could launch a 50-segment monster, orbiting 50 independent interplanetary-rated probes.

Total ground mass = 10000tons (plus about 130 tons of launch clamps)

Here's a 6-segment sample, undergoing launch tests.

(p.s. those orange tanks are the KW rocketry big units, not the measly 32-ton regulars units)

I think your rules need a bit of a rethink.

Edited March 29, 2014 by MarvinKitFox

[godefroi]

What if you divided launch weight by number of engines? That'd strongly favor planes over rockets, and you'd see much more interesting RAPIER-powered interplanetary plane designs, instead of Whackjob-style rockets (not that there's anything wrong with that...)