SSTI (Single Stage to Infrastructure) Challenge

[that1guy]

Okay, here is the challenge, using only SSTO space planes, you must build an orbital infrastructure. What is considered orbital infrastructure? Well, it is a way to replace one off missions like the N-1/L-3, or Apollo missions by having all of the equipment involved be reusable (much like Scott Manley's reusable space program). Therefore, the minimum requirements for this challenge are this, you must have at least 2 stations in orbit around different bodies (E.G. Kerbin and the Mun) and a way to get Kerbals from station A to station B (and back again safely). Okay, official rules and scoring

Rules:

1. The only craft allowed to take off and land on Kerbin are SSTOs

2. You may bring non-SSTO craft into orbit, so long as it is brought to orbit on or in an SSTO (for example, bringing an apollo style capsule craft into orbit for Munar transit is fine, so long as it remains off the surface of Kerbin and follows rule 3)

3. Landers and craft capable of landing on non-Kerbin bodies are permitted, however, unless they are intended as permanent structures, they must be able to return to orbit and dock with the nearest station.

4. Surface bases are permitted, however all parts (except adapters used to hold the base parts to the surface on a craft) must remain intact.

5. Accedents are allowed, however, in the event of a non-SSTO non-Kerbin impact, the structure may not have its flight aborted.

6. SSTO classes do not include the same design with different payloads (E.G. the Hellion III is the same weather it is carrying a station part or a buggy)

Scoring:

SSTOs

This is a running count, even if you downgrade from 2 classes to one at any point in your save game, the class count will still be at 2

>3 classes of SSTO: 1 point

3 classes of SSTO: 2 points

2 classes of SSTO: 3 points

1 class of SSTO: 4 points

Tourism capability

This is only counted as the maximum number of kerbals that can be taken up on one SSTO per flight (only 1 SSTO class will be counted for this, but it is your choice which one)

1 Kerbal to orbit: 1 point

2-3 Kerbals to orbit: 2 points

4-7 Kerbals to orbit: 4 points

8-11 Kerbals to orbit: 6 points

12-20 Kerbals to orbit: 8 points

>20 Kerbals to orbit: 10 points

Destinations

this is the total number of bodies that you have space stations orbiting and can support space tourism (E.G. you can fly Kerbals there with regularity)

2 bodies: 1 point

3 bodies: 3 points

4-5 bodies: 5 points

5-6 bodies: 9 points

>6 bodies: 15 points

Surface bases

Surface bases mus be able to be gotten to and from in order to count and any bases may not exist on Kerbin (one base per body will be counted as to prevent spamming the same body for points)

1 base: 5 points

2 bases: 6 points

3 bases: 10 points

4 bases: 11 points

>4 bases: 25 points

Bonus Points:

this category can and will be changed to reward those who I deem have done something truly challenging or impressive, but there will be internal logic to it

Vanilla (did not use mod parts): 100 points

Spumoni (SSTOs are vanilla, but stations or landers use mod parts): 50 points

Neapolitan (SSTO Engines, Wings (or other parts that generate lift), and fuel tanks are stock... mods can be used for everything else): 35 points

Welcome to the Hotel Kerbifornia (have a space station with over 100 parts and at least 9 modules): 25 points

Welcome to the Space Marriott (have Kerbifornia sized stations for every station in your save world, minimum 3): 100 points

Welcome to the 4 Planets Hotel (all stations and surface bases are Kerbifornia sized: minimum 3 stations and 2 bases): 300 points

Jeb's Spring break (take a pic of Jeb in, on, or near all craft type, stations, and bases in your world): 5 points

Oh, East? I thought you said Weest... (have your Kerbin space station orbit to the west): 40 points

BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME TO! (notify me that you will be attempting the challenge in this thread before submitting your entry): 1 point

Okay, so the best way to go about this is using a CLEAN save file and sandbox mode. In order to qualify, proof must be provided that the file is devoid of all flights (including flags) at the beginning of the challenge. Users can enter the contest more than once with the same file if they expand their infrastructure (the score will be updated). Imagur albums, videos, or other screenshot proof of missions are accepted (word of mouth alone is not... word of mouth will be judged on a case by case basis). The participants will have their names posted in this post, from highest score to lowest score. That said, have fun

Prize

Once you hit 30 points, you get the ICAR badge. ICAR stands for Institutium Caeli et Aetherei Romani (Roman Institute of Air and Space). Why Roman, because I wanted to. It is a smart looking badge. I have reasons for the way it looks, look out for it on the forums.

Score Board:

CakeNinjaProductions: 274.6 points (+10 points for very kerbal deployment of components)

Kokanee 15 points

Mecha Pants: 7 points

Uberlyuber: 1 point

Tarantulae: 1 point

My Attempt

This is not scored for fairness reasons

This is a test flight of the craft I want to use

This is the first station part put into orbit with the Hellion III

Edited June 14, 2014 by that1guy

[Uberlyuber]

Ok, im definitally doing this.

btw is B9 aerospace and kw parts allowed?

[that1guy]

yeah, they are, I think I will add some provisions to the rules, but they are allowed.

[Uberlyuber]

Thanks! Also, I didn't understand classes of ssto's. It said that for every class of sstos', I score more, but what do you mean by that?

[Mecha Pants]

I may try a single class run after I finish with the other challenges I'm working through. It depends on how sick I am of hauling parts into orbit 12 tons at a time.

I'll probably feel spoiled, being able to use the SPH to mount cargo.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Mecha Pants
derp

[that1guy]

okay, to Uberlyuber, a class of SSTO would be a basic design that the payload is attached to the ship... the different payloads would not change the design (or class) of the ship... however, if you had a payload baring craft and a different style (or class) of craft for hauling fuel up that would be 2 classes... the challenge is to use as few classes as possible

[Uberlyuber]

yeah i got the first ever point!!!!!!

dont gimme vannilla points btw, just got B9

Heres proof i did a new save

[that1guy]

you sir are needing imagur, I can not see the pics

[Uberlyuber]

Right click on them and click open picture in new tab.

And yes, I did use imgur.

[Mecha Pants]

Edit: Oh wait, IIRC moderators have to approve images until a certain post count. that might be the issue.

Edit #2: Going to go ahead and start my entry on this post with an Imgur album.

ALBUM GO!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Edited April 11, 2014 by Mecha Pants
Herp a Derp. Also, entry start!

[that1guy]

righto, everything is fine... I am a doof... you are clear to begin the challenge uberyuber!

[Mecha Pants]

I added an image to my last post to get my entry started. I do have a question though, am I allowed to use standard planes for kerbin only missions? I'd like to place some navigation flags on on the surface to mark KSC 1 and 2, the island strip, and maybe a few at the "cool" anomalies on kerbin. Launching a SSTO seems a bit overkill for that.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Mecha Pants

[that1guy]

to simplify the rules, if it goes to or is intended to go to space, it counts as a space plane class for the contest (unless it is a payload)... that said, HALO dropping flags with standard jets is fine... so long as that is all they are used for

Edited April 11, 2014 by that1guy

[Pecan]

I like the idea of the challenge because I like to build a 'permanent' presence in the system. Why only spaceplanes though? SSTO is perfectly understandable but vertical-launch can do that too.

[Uberlyuber]

Hey you know how I said to not give me any points for vanilla?

I take that back, because my flipping save file got corrupted, so i plan on doing a vanilla run of it this time, though i will have mods installed, i just wont use them.

[Mecha Pants]

Trying to weigh the Pros and Cons of bringing kethane into my save. Using the SSTO I want to use (~13t cargo capacity) will make getting enough fuel up for operations beyond LKO very tedious. Especially if I want to maintain off world bases.

[that1guy]

I like the idea of the challenge because I like to build a 'permanent' presence in the system. Why only spaceplanes though? SSTO is perfectly understandable but vertical-launch can do that too.

Because the Octopus in my head told me to run the challenge thusly... tbh, it is a more design and practicality focused limitation... it would be possible to load up an SSTO (like in Scott Manley's reusable space program) that took off from the launch pad, in my RP based mindset, it would be easier to maintain a plane like craft VS one that would *hypothetically* need a crawler to get to the pad... plus horizontal landings make for easier recover in real life (less resources expended).

Hope that answered my decision

[Mecha Pants]

Minor update to my entry, I feel like super thorough picture documentation is going to get boring to look through really fast. I'm probably going to limit it to a couple shots per event unless something cool or terrible happens.

Up to two station modules in LKO now, A station core with room for 8, and a mostly empty spare fuel collection tank for plain LF and LFO.

If I can come up with a proper interplanetary drive I can heft, I'll end up with a laythe mission at some point so having spare straight liquid fuel will be handy.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Mecha Pants

[that1guy]

righto, SSTOs vanilla?

[Mecha Pants]

Yep, at the moment everything is. There is a kethane miner in my future though, so not for much longer.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Mecha Pants

[Pecan]

Hope that answered my decision

Perfectly good answer, yes. Spaceplanes are such an unrewarding way to spend time for me though that I'll skip it. Look forward to seeing everyone else's hard work though, lol ;-)

[Uberlyuber]

wow, havent got much done.

i suck at building sstos'.

[vat21s]

I feel like entering I'll be using FAR though.

Edited April 17, 2014 by vat21s

[Captain Sierra]

Minor problem with the rules here. This limits us to SSTO spaceplanes, not just SSTOs. It's entirely possible to build jet powered SSTO rocket boosters that can take payloads up. More importantly, these types are much better to use for lifting large 2.5m stacks like most of my station parts. Give me that and I can do it with two crafts (or 3, and be able to fly a metric ton of kerbals at once). Meanwhile, I'll keep doing testing and working on my mission profile.

[that1guy]

This is just my personal preference, I feel space planes are easier to recover and refuel in an RP type situation