Kerbal Shuttle Challenge

[Raven.]

This is a challenge that I've been carefully designing for a couple of weeks now. This challenge is to design, build and launch a multi-mission shuttle that meets certain requirements (detailed below).

Scoreboard

Specifications for your Shuttle design.

-All shuttles submitted must be capable of delivering at least a small 1 ton payload to LKO.

-All shuttles must be able to achieve, at the very least, a circular orbit of 70 km.

-All shuttles must be capable of atmospheric flight after re-entry.

-All shuttles must land at either the KSC runway or the island runway horizontally. Drogue chutes, drag chutes, and airbrakes are allowed in order to help control airspeed, so long as the shuttle is still landing horizontally.

-Because this is not necessarily a space-plane challenge, only shuttles that launch vertically will be accepted.

Qualifications for an entry:

All entries must meet the design specifications listed above.

-In order to qualify for the “Stock†category, the shuttle must be completely stock with no mods.

-If a shuttle uses a mod, it is automatically placed into the “Mod†category.

-If FAR is used, then it is automatically placed into the “FAR†category, regardless if other mods are used or not.

-Balanced mods are allowed. Examples of balanced mods are B9 Aerospace (with the 0.23.5 patch), Space Shuttle Engines, KW Rocketry, AIES Aerospace, Infernal Robotics, DROMOMAN, Real Chutes, and Interstellar. All mods used must be listed with the submission. If this is not done, the entry does not qualify. You only have to list the mods for the shuttle itself; listing mods for the payload is not required.

-Because this is a design challenge, pre-built shuttles provided by mods such as KSO are not allowed.

-Multiple submissions are allowed. Each submission is scored independently. This is so that people have a chance at getting every award listed below, since it’s impossible to achieve all of those awards with a single design.

-Kraken drives are not allowed for the time being.

Submitting your Shuttles

Each submission must have a screenshot of:

-The Shuttle on the launch pad/runway before launch.

-Map view with of the shuttle’s final orbit with both the periapsis and apoapsis heights shown. Alternately, you can use MechJeb to display the periapsis and apoapsis or the semi-major axis.

-Your delivered payload after finalizing orbit. Must state the weight of the payload.

-Your shuttle landed at the runway.

-The shuttle must complete the challenge in a single mission. Refueling at a fuel depot is allowed only for missions whose target location is outside of Kerbin SOI.

-(Optional) Your shuttle in orbit of another celestial body. Must show circular orbit with Periopsis in map view.

-(Optional) Any other screenshots you want to showcase. I personally enjoy looking at screenshots of stuff that people come up with.

Scoring

-1,000 points are automatically awarded for completing the challenge. That is meeting all specifications listed above.

-The Final score is a summation of three different sub-scores and a completion score: the altitude score, the payload score, the SOI score, and 1,000 points that are awarded for completing the challenge.

-The altitude score is based off of the final semi-major axis of the payload your shuttle delivered.

--For payloads delivered to Kerbin orbits, the altitude score is the semi-major axis multiplied by 0.1.

--For payloads delivered to the Mun, the semi-major axis used to score is 12,000 km.

--For payloads delivered to Minmus, the semi-major axis used to score is 47,000 km.

--For payloads delivered to locations outside of Kerbin’s SOI, the altitude score is 84159.286 (Kerbin’s SOI radius in km) times 0.1.

-The payload score is the weight (in tons) of the payload times 100.

-The SOI score only comes into play if you deliver a payload to another celestial body. This score is based on the delta-v required to reach the target celestial body. A higher score is awarded if you can deliver your payload to the surface of another celestial body, though you still need to get the shuttle back to the KSC runway. The scores rewarded for visiting other celestial bodies is listed below:

Mun: 1070

Mun – Landed: 1710

Minmus: 1000

Minmus – Landed: 1240

Sun: 950

Moho: 3880

Moho – Landed: 5280

Eeloo: 4200

Eeloo – Landed: 5040

Eve: 2340

Eve – Landed: 14340

Gilly: 4200

Gilly – Landed: 4235

Duna: 1430

Duna – Landed: 2810

Ike: 1810

Ike – Landed: 2345

Dres: 2100

Dres- Landed: 2655

Jool: 4545

Laythe: 6925

Laythe – Landed: 9725

Vall: 7305

Vall – Landed: 8485

Tylo: 7675

Tylo – Landed: 10745

Bop: 7945

Bop – Landed: 8201

Pol: 7945

Pol – Landing: 8125

-Submissions are set into one of three categories: Stock, Mod, and FAR. Stock is absolutely no mods allowed at all. Mods, is open to balanced mods. FAR, is those submissions, whether they use stock parts or mods parts, that are using Ferram Aerospace Research (FAR).

-In order to help myself with this scoring system, and to score everyone fairly and evenly, I have created a Google docs spreadsheet that has the scoring system programmed into it. That spreadsheet is located here. When you submit a shuttle, your username and the craft name are entered into the spreadsheet.

Awards

The Piggyback Distinction: Launch a shuttle that is “piggybacked†onto a fuel tank, rocket booster, or other craft. An example is the STS shuttle program.

The Jebidiah Distinction: Launch a shuttle that is attached, quite literally, to the top of a rocket.

The SSTO Distinction: Achieved orbit with a SSTO craft.

The Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot Distinction: Successfully launch a shuttle whose launch vehicle by all means should had crashed and burned.

The Squad Distinction: Complete the challenge with a shuttle made from absolutely no mod parts.

The Highflier Distinction: Achieve a circular orbit greater than 250,000 m.

The Ares Distinction: Achieve a circular orbit around a celestial body other than Kerbin

The Constellation Distinction: Land on another Celestial body.

The Aerospace Engineering Distinction: Complete the challenge with FAR and Deadly Re-entry.

The Predator Distinction: Complete the challenge with an unmanned shuttle.

The Ace Distinction: Complete the challenge with a manned shuttle.

The Eve Distinction: Deliver a payload to the surface of Eve, and return.

The Certified Badass Distinction: Have your shuttle perform some act of pure, unadultered insanity and succeed.

The Sparky Award: Launch a shuttle that crashed and burned.

Example:

The following is a sample submission, the Martial A5 Shuttle:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Mods for the shuttle used are:

FAR

Mechjeb

B9 Aerospace

KW Rocketry

Space Shuttle Engines

Universal Docking Port Set from Kip Engineering

The example shuttle delivered a 1.26 ton payload to a 1497x1500 km orbit. It did not visit any other celestial bodies, so its SOI score is zero.

The shuttle had a Periapsis of 1497.43 km and an Apoapsis of 1500.92 km, so its semi-major axis was (1497.43+1500.92)/2 + 600 = 2099.175 km. So the Altitude score was 2099.175 *0.1 = 209.9175 points.

The payload was 1.26 tons, so the Payload score was 1.26 *100 = 126 points.

So the total score was 1000 (awarded for completion) + 126 (payload) + 209.9175 (altitude) + 0 (SOI) = 1335.9175 points.

The shuttle was piggybacked off the back of an external fuel tank with boosters, so it gets the The Piggyback Distinction.

The shuttle achieved an altitude higher than 250 km, so it gets the Highflier Distinction.

The shuttle completed the challenge with FAR, but did not complete it with Deadly Re-entry, so it does not receive the Aerospace Engineering Distinction; that distinction requires both mods.

The shuttle does, however, get the Ace Distinction, as it is a manned shuttle. A drone would received the Predator distinction instead.

Scoreboard (Mod Category)

Darren9 - Porkshuttle 7: 9830

Piggyback, Highflier, Ares, Constellation, and Ace distinctions.

Mazlem - KSS Benign: 3467

Piggyback, Highflier, Ares, and Ace distinctions.

Northstar1989 - KSS Nyrmidon: 3770.5

Jebidiah, Highflier, Ares and Ace Distinctions. Also a Sparky Award recipient.

Sensi - Laythe Shuttle: 30790.9286

SSTO, Highflier, Ares, Constellation, Ace, and Certified Baddass Distinctions.

Scoreboard (Stock Category)

diamond2a - Shuttle3: 1601

Jebidiah, Squad, and Ace Distinctions

NavalLacrosse - Shuttle 2: 9446

Piggyback, Squad, Ares, Constellation, Ace, and Certified Badass Distinctions.

mpink - HLS Tweed: 4678.5

Jebidiah, Squad, and Ace Dinstinctions.

Kadrian - Kwitsatz: 18266.9286

Piggyback, Squad, Highflier, Ares, Constellation, and Predator Distinctions. Also this shuttle earns the Sparky Award.

Valley - Focus Future Shuttle Ver 2.0: 1186.9174

Jebidiah, Squad, Ace, and Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot Distinctions

Mark Nutt - Hawking Shuttlecraft: 11866.9286

Jebidiah, Squad, Highflier, Ares, and Ace Distinctions

palioxis1248 - Betelgeuse: 3185.4921

Jebidiah, Squad, Ace, and Certified Badass distinctions. Also a Sparky Award recipient.

Scoreboard (FAR Category)

Itoum - Kolombia: 1543.2497

Piggyback, Highflier, and Ace Distinctions

Edited June 15, 2014 by Raven.
Added a submission score

[TJPrime]

Interesting challenge. I recently did a challenge similar to this, but I'll re-do it because this is slight different.

[Kasuha]

There are a few things unclear to me:

First:

This challenge is to design, build and launch a multi-mission shuttle that meets certain requirements (detailed below).

I really wonder how a shuttle on top of a large rocket, or using SRBs to get to the orbit fits with the "multi-mission" idea. Do you expect us to actually perform multiple missions and solve problems with attaching new boosters and rockets to it on the ground? If not, how can we tell a multi-mission shuttle from a winged return module?

Second:

Since the shuttle can be on top of a big rocket, how can we tell that the payload was delivered to the orbit by the shuttle and not by the rocket?

Third:

I understand the base scenario is to launch, reach orbit, release payload, deorbit and land on KSC.

What is the scenario when visiting Mun, Minmus, or other bodies? Again, how do we distinguish a shuttle from winged return module?

[Raven.]

There are a few things unclear to me:

First:

I really wonder how a shuttle on top of a large rocket, or using SRBs to get to the orbit fits with the "multi-mission" idea. Do you expect us to actually perform multiple missions and solve problems with attaching new boosters and rockets to it on the ground? If not, how can we tell a multi-mission shuttle from a winged return module?

The idea that I had was that a submission covers one mission; I guess a better term to use was "multipurpose." There's no need to perform multiple missions. I probably should had communicated the concept a little bit better. A shuttle for this purpose is any rocket launched spacecraft, that lands like an aircraft. In my example, once landed, I simply hit the recover button to end the mission. So yes, a winged return module would be considered a shuttle in this challenge. The specifications were written in such a way in order to allow submissions that deviated from the traditional idea of a space shuttle.

The example that I had in mind for the case of a shuttle on top of a rocket was the Boeing X-37B:

Second:

Since the shuttle can be on top of a big rocket, how can we tell that the payload was delivered to the orbit by the shuttle and not by the rocket?

In my example, the shuttle itself was the component that delivered the payload, not the boosters. Meaning that the part that delivers the payload needs to land at the KSC.

Third:

I understand the base scenario is to launch, reach orbit, release payload, deorbit and land on KSC.

What is the scenario when visiting Mun, Minmus, or other bodies? Again, how do we distinguish a shuttle from winged return module?

Same basic mission. Using the Mun as an example: launch, reach orbit, transfer to Mun orbit, release payload, transfer back to Kerbin, deorbit, and land at KSC.

[ihtoit]

in answer to the delivery question: on the RL STS, the external fuel tank does not actually go into orbit. It is jettisoned before orbital insertion (ie it follows a suborbital trajectory). The orbiter (spaceplane, whatever you want to call the winged payload shroud and crew capsule) is the only stage that actually enters orbit. A booster delivery means that the booster enters orbit with the payload and is jettisoned at some point after entering stable orbit (maybe even itself being deorbited remotely or during vehicle re-entry - used as a heatshield?).

[diamond2a]

I'm not going to get the high score with this one, but this challenge was a great excuse to build something cool. The creatively-named "Shuttle3" is designed to deliver a variety of 1m payloads in a fully enclosed bay to LKO. The mission below shows delivery of a 5T resupply probe to a 120x120 orbit and safe return.

The shuttle uses a small solid and liquid fuel booster package to reach ~35km, then continues to orbit on internal fuel stocks. A single jet engine is equipped for post-reentry maneuvering and assists on takeoff.

Fully stock.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[CaelumEtAstra]

Can it be a lifting body vehicle like the X-40 or Dream Chaser?

[Raven.]

I'm not going to get the high score with this one, but this challenge was a great excuse to build something cool. The creatively-named "Shuttle3" is designed to deliver a variety of 1m payloads in a fully enclosed bay to LKO. The mission below shows delivery of a 5T resupply probe to a 120x120 orbit and safe return.

The shuttle uses a small solid and liquid fuel booster package to reach ~35km, then continues to orbit on internal fuel stocks. A single jet engine is equipped for post-reentry maneuvering and assists on takeoff.

Fully stock.

http://imgur.com/a/iCGGq#0

Good job! Here's the score breakdown:

Altitude Score = (600 + (120.105 + 121.828)/2) * 0.1 = 72.09665

Payload Score = 5.29 tons * 100 = 529

SOI Score = 0 (Payload was delivered to Kerbin SOI)

Total Score = 1000 + 72.09665 + 529 + 0 = 1601.09665

In addition, the craft earned:

The Jebidiah Distinction, the craft launched atop a rocket(s).

The Squad Distinction, as the craft is 100% stock.

The Ace Distinction, the craft is a manned shuttle.

Can it be a lifting body vehicle like the X-40 or Dream Chaser?

Yup, both are fair game.

[CaelumEtAstra]

Good, Because I have a kerbalized X-20 Dyna-Soar(technically it has wings) and a lifting body named the LBS-54 "Trailblazer"(WIP) that I might submit sometime.

[NavalLacrosse]

For the record, http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/78527-Create-a-working-Space-Shuttle%21/page3 existed before this one. However, This page is seemingly more well-maintained so I'll post my ship here as well.

I've taken this thing out past the two moons after docking with the station before. This mission however is just a crew exchange at the local interplanetary gas station, The 'Super Fueler Space Station'. A rather uneventful trip. This ship only completes the 'mission attempt successful' scoring criteria.

Behold.... "shuttle"!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Raven.]

For the record, http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/78527-Create-a-working-Space-Shuttle%21/page3 existed before this one. However, This page is seemingly more well-maintained so I'll post my ship here as well.

Yup, which is also a perfectly good challenge to complete. In fact I got one shuttle that is a station construction vehicle that I have slated to submit to that one. There are some differences between the two challenges though.

I've taken this thing out past the two moons after docking with the station before. This mission however is just a crew exchange at the local interplanetary gas station, The 'Super Fueler Space Station'. A rather uneventful trip. This ship only completes the 'mission attempt successful' scoring criteria.

Behold.... "shuttle"!

http://imgur.com/a/guOOK

This is a nice shuttle. However it does fall short on one point. I stated that in the design specifications that the shuttle must be capable of delivering at least a one ton payload to LKO (low Kerbin orbit). This payload can be anything from a satellite, to a probe, to a station core, or even a simple fuel tank (hint: fuel tanks score high because of their weight). Your shuttle meets every design specification except this, as I do not see how your shuttle can deliver even a small payload. If your shuttle can demonstrate this, then I can award the 1000 point completion score.

In addition, I do not see a periapsis and an apoapsis value, so I can't even give the shuttle an altitude score.

I can however, give you the awards. Thus far your shuttle has earned:

The Piggyback Distinction: The shuttle launched piggybacked on another rocket/tank.

The Squad Distinction: The shuttle is completely, 100% stock.

The Ace Distinction: The shuttle is a manned shuttle

All in all this is a nice shuttle. I think that once it delivers a payload it will score rather nicely, especially if you can get it into high Kerbin orbit; it looks like it can get a decent altitude score.

[NavalLacrosse]

I'll see to renovating it tomorrow! I'll post it here

EDIT: see my next posting

Edited May 18, 2014 by NavalLacrosse

[Redjoker]

Another mod that is fairly new that you may want to allow is gimbal auto trim by Sarbian, it adds a module to stock engines that allows them to automatically adjust their trim angle for the center of mass, similarly to the way the space shuttle engines mod works.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/77710-0-23-5-Gimbal-Auto-Trim-1-0-(April-24)

[NavalLacrosse]

It's done:

yeah there is a boat load of photos. A boat carrying boat boat load. 73 images. Much happened, but a lot of it is because i'm not sure which orbit you count as your scoring orbits so I kept track of all my maneuvers the best I could.

Awards are:

The Piggyback Distinction

The Squad Distinction

The Highflier Distinction

The Ares Distinction

The Constellation Distinction

The Ace Distinction

and up for debate.... The Certified Badass Distinction? I land at night at the abandoned airport.... not really bad-ass, but still not the most easy thing to do...

Ship is called "shuttle 2"

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Let me know what else it needs. For the mean time the shuttle will remain parked at the island.

Edited May 18, 2014 by NavalLacrosse

[Raven.]

It's done:

yeah there is a boat load of photos. A boat carrying boat boat load. 73 images. Much happened, but a lot of it is because i'm not sure which orbit you count as your scoring orbits so I kept track of all my maneuvers the best I could.

Awards are:

The Piggyback Distinction

The Squad Distinction

The Highflier Distinction

The Ares Distinction

The Constellation Distinction

The Ace Distinction

and up for debate.... The Certified Badass Distinction? I land at night at the abandoned airport.... not really bad-ass, but still not the most easy thing to do...

Ship is called "shuttle 2"

http://imgur.com/a/qls7p

Let me know what else it needs. For the mean time the shuttle will remain parked at the island.

All I can say is, Nice!!!

The altitude score is based off of the final orbit of the payload itself. Now, in this case, you have two payloads, and in the case of the Muns, the semi-major axes of the two muns are used. So..

Altitude Score = (12,000 (km, semi-major axis of the Mun) + 47,000 (km, semi-major axis of Minmus)) * 0.1 = 5900

Payload Score = 2 * 1.18 tons * 100 = 236

SOI Score = 1070 (Mun orbit insertion) + 1240 (Minmus landing) = 2310

Total Score = 1000 (Completion Score) + 5900 + 236 + 2310 = 9446

And the awards are:

The Piggyback Distinction: The shuttle launched piggybacked on another rocket/tank.

The Squad Distinction: The shuttle is completely, 100% stock.

The Highflier Distinction: The shuttle achieved an altitude greater than 250,000 m.

The Ares Distinction: The shuttle achieved a circular orbit around a celestial body other than Kerbin

The Constellation Distinction: The shuttle landed on Minmus

The Ace Distinction: The shuttle is a manned shuttle

The Certified Badass Distinction: For performing a direct transfer from the Mun to Minmus, balancing the shuttle like a pogo-stick on Minmus, using a gravity-assist around the Mun, aero-braking four times, overshooting the KSC runway, and landing at the island runway at night.

[Kadrian]

Hi,

I am currently testing an aerodynamically based craft that should be good for this challenge. It was originally meant to do (mostly) oxidizer-free single stage transfers to low orbits, therefore of course designed as a space-plane, and will require modification to do vertical launches. I am still a bit unclear about the "Jebediah Distinction":

The Jebidiah Distinction: Launch a shuttle that is attached, quite literally, to the top of a rocket.

Could you please define "rocket" in this context? Easy way out for me would be to strap on a tiny booster, shoot the plane up 200 m and call it a day.

Kind regards

[Raven.]

Hi,

I am currently testing an aerodynamically based craft that should be good for this challenge. It was originally meant to do (mostly) oxidizer-free single stage transfers to low orbits, therefore of course designed as a space-plane, and will require modification to do vertical launches. I am still a bit unclear about the "Jebediah Distinction":

Could you please define "rocket" in this context? Easy way out for me would be to strap on a tiny booster, shoot the plane up 200 m and call it a day.

Kind regards

Welcome to the official KSP forums!

An example of a craft that is attached to the top of a rocket is the Boeing X-37B:

Basically, the craft has boosters attached directly below the craft. There has been one submission thus far that got this distinction, and the player attached two boosters below below the craft and then jettisoned them once they ran out of fuel.

Hope this helps.

[mpink]

Oh shuttles...... Can i play

Pnk Engineering proudly presents the HLS Tweed. A heavy lift shuttle that can place an orange tank into LKO and return return safely.

Its a bit lame not putting doors on or even a belly but what can i say.... i was having flashbacks of thunderbird 2.

Errr im not too sure how this scoring works yet but that is a 36.05T payload into an 86K-184K Kerbin orbit.

Do you expect us to actually perform multiple missions and solve problems with attaching new boosters and rockets to it on the ground?

LOL sounds like fun but i have a question 1st.

When i land my next shuttle and manage to get it back on the pad pointing at the sky with a new payload in it and new boosters strapped to it, Will you give me any more points for the 2nd payload delivery and how would the scoring for that work ?

[Raven.]

Oh shuttles...... Can i play

Pnk Engineering proudly presents the HLS Tweed. A heavy lift shuttle that can place an orange tank into LKO and return return safely.

Its a bit lame not putting doors on or even a belly but what can i say.... i was having flashbacks of thunderbird 2.

Errr im not too sure how this scoring works yet but that is a 36.05T payload into an 86K-184K Kerbin orbit.

Well, here's the breakdown on your score:

Your Altitude score is based off of the semi-major axis. Your semi-major axis was ((86+184)/2)+600 = 735 km. So your altitude score was 735*0.1 = 73.5 (The higher you fly, the higher the score). The payload score is a simply multiplier applied to the payload weight, in this case 36.05 * 100 = 3605 (The bigger the payload, the bigger the score). The SOI score is only if you deliver the payload to another celestial body, such as the Mun, and is based off of the delta-v required to get there (the more delta-v required, the bigger the score).

Altitude Score: 73.5

Payload Score: 3605

SOI Score: 0

Total Score: 1000 (completion) + 73.5 (Altitude) + 3605 (Payload) + 0 (SOI) = 4678.5

In addition, your shuttle thus far has earned:

The Jebidiah Distinction: The shuttle launched atop rockets/boosters.

The Squad Distinction: The shuttle is constructed from stock parts.

The Ace Distinction: The shuttle is a manned shuttle.

LOL sounds like fun but i have a question 1st.

When i land my next shuttle and manage to get it back on the pad pointing at the sky with a new payload in it and new boosters strapped to it, Will you give me any more points for the 2nd payload delivery and how would the scoring for that work ?

To be honest, I'm not sure. I designed the scoring system to score a shuttle from launch to landing. Most likely I'll give it a bonus score of a 1,000 points, and I'll likely add another distinction to the list of awards.

[mpink]

Well, here's the breakdown on your score:

Thanks. That is about what i expected its just the Altitude score i find a bit confusing.

To be honest, I'm not sure. I designed the scoring system to score a shuttle from launch to landing. Most likely I'll give it a bonus score of a 1,000 points, and I'll likely add another distinction to the list of awards.

i think ill have to collect all those distinctions just for the sake of it.

As for Relaunching, Well im 100% certain i can do it but ill probably take a week or 2 fiddling with things. I tested the HLS with a tailless configuration and a pair of quad docked top and bottom boosters. The fuel line system is something of a maze but all went as planed and seams to work.

Is there any rule against refueling ? Im assuming that i cant just refuel at an orbital fuel dump or else we could go almost anywhere with just a little planing ?

Then im wondering how this would relate to Relaunching as i could place fuel in the 1st launch to get the 2nd payload to the Mun but it would all be fuel from one single mission ?

Humm yeah well that sounds confusing .

[Kadrian]

Kerbin - Minmus - Duna - Kerbin - run

Hi there, this is my entry for this challenge. Let's see if the Imgur upload is done before I finish my writeup...

As mentioned before, this is more of a space-plane than a shuttle, mostly because I like the recoverable Single Stage idea, and the only way to do this is by using light and economical engines. This leaves Xenon and Turbojets. And 80 kN of 24-77 for when there is neither atmosphere nor time.

So in short, this craft should be able to get to about 30.000 m @ about 1600 m/s before having to use any "real" rocket engines. After that, it's smooth sailing with the ion engines, although some of the burns tend to get rather long (+ 20 min), especially when the craft is still full...

Let's get to the challenge:

To make the design fit for the challenge, I used 2x S1 SRB-KD25k as boosters for a vertical launch. One would have been enough, but the center of lift was too far off. I instead decreased the amount of fuel to 2000 kg each and started a horizontal acceleration on the Turbojet when these were jettisoned at about 13.000 m. At 27.000 m and about 1200 m/s surface velocity (when the Turbojet still outputs about 100 kN), I start the 24-77 stage to get an apoapsis around 75.000 m, after that I switch to ion engines and try to get a stable LKO by only adding short bursts from the liquid fuel engines. I use up about two thirds of my fuel, which is less than planned.

Some other details: It's an unmanned probe because of reasons. I used flight engineer during construction for some delta-v-calculations and forgot to take it off. I don't consider it a mod, but I realize that a purist might say that the shuttle is now both modded and non-stock. Please don't put me in that category, I'd rather do the run again. Anyway, enjoy the additional info you now have.

I used 2 x 505 kg rovers as payload. The first one was to be tested on Minmus, which is also a quite cheap (about 400 m/s delta-v) stop before exiting the solar system, so why not.

Two accelerations at the periapsis lead me there. Breaking to a somewhat stable orbit to find a nice landing spot on the sunny side (Xenon-engines) in one of the basins. The rover, although mounted with a bit of part clipping (ahem), decouples smoothly and flies nicely on RCS-thrusters. All systems go for Duna.

We are out of phase, but probes don't get impatient. I use the available time to correct the immense 0,1° inclination and find a cheap hop to duna orbit close to the periapsis.

Once in Duna system, I use aerobraking (radial burns shortly after the system entry to get the periapsis from transfer orbit at about 13.500 m usually does the trick) and immediately regret the last quicksave when I remember that I was planning to dock to one of my freight trains in orbit for refueling.

I end up with a 120° inclination to my target at a circular 80.000 m Duna orbit, which means delta-v of roughly 1200 m/s. So when I reach the apoapsis of my freshly aerobreaked orbit, I get the periapsis close to the ascending node and at about 80.000 m with some maneuvering node magic (basically just a normal burn) and then decide to risk an Ike encounter by pushing the apoapsis up by 100 m/s (burning on the periapisis, of course...).

This makes me slow enough on the far out apoapsis to tilt my orbit by 120° for about 100 m/s delta-v. Ike already wants to capture me on my way back, but I don't let him. Instead I break during the periapsises of 3 orbits and find a 0,4 km encounter with my "Eve or bust"-ship. After that it's standard docking, even though the delta-v between me and "target" require using the 24-77s again. Money well spent.

I decouple my ram-air-intakes and leave them floating around, then it's standard docking (although a bit high angled). I refuel both my liquid fuel tanks to 100 %, leave a surplus of 50 units jet fuel for landing on Kerbin and steal about 2000 Units of Xenon gas for the return trip. Before I land, i have to catch my ship's nose, otherwise i will not have anything to breath with. Pun intended.

It snaps on at an awkward angle, so I have to decouple again and tilt my ship. Next time, it will get a computer brain as well. But let's try landing first (still with the crooked nose).

I come in over duna on the poles and try to use aerodynamics for breaking, which leads to my first crash.

F9. Correct the nose alignment. The second landing works better because I treat my ship like a rocket and start breaking early, although I use up more fuel than intended.

Uncoupling of the probe works fine, but it ends up with busted tires for some reason. Maybe it has something to do with dropping it 5 m. F9, F9, F9, there we go. I drive around for about 500 m until the power is depleted, then I get bored. I wait until morning to have power for my engines, lift off using my mini-rockets until there is hardly any fuel left (30 ox for emergencies...), the rest works fine with ion engines.

I leave duna using the first Ike slingshot I can find, which leads me to a not really ideal orbit around Kerbol (considering I want to go back to Kerbin), but it doesn't matter, since there is plenty of Xenon left. It's about 2:00 in the morning, so I decide to call it a day.

When I start the next session, Danoroy Kerbin plants a homing beacon on the landing strip and shows that he has 100 % stupidity by making a stupid joke about the spelling of bacon.

I break for Kerbin and correct the approach for direct entry once I am in the SOI. I try to come in over the equator and set the periapsis to about 30.000 m.

The numbers look nice, but the ship is nearly uncontrollable. I start spinning a few times until, after some F9-ing, I decide to pump the remaining fuel to the front tank. This helps some, I can fly somewhat stable when going Mach 3 at 20.000 m, so I stay there for the time it takes me to reach the landing strip.

The decline is possible (F9 F9 F9) by keeping the nose directly on the prograde vector and using the thrust vectoring of the jet engine. This eats up fuel fast. Once I am below 5000 m and going about 300 m/s, I try to do some gliding and it works without major instabilities. KSC here I come. 1 L of fuel left, activate RCS, touchdown. I think about driving to the hangers, but my tanks are empty. That could have been planned better, but is not about bringing fuel back home, right?

Feels good to be home, even though I'm just the drone operator.

Here are some pictures.

 <iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550"  frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/ONw3T/embed"></iframe>

Things to be learned:

Will take even more Xenon with me next time.

Will test dry plane for flight characteristics next time.

Will add ram-air to better spots and leave docking ports open.

Will send out refuelling stations to all the major places. They are pretty neat.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Kadrian
Fixed a typo, tried to make the Imgur embed work...

[Darren9]

I've got a modified shuttle from another challenge that I'd like to enter here. PorkShuttle 7, uses Porkworks MK2, B9 (+D12 reskin/expansion), IR and Procedural Parts (0.75x10m LFO tanks + most of ascent stage) and MechJeb. I made it to LKO with around 3000 units of fuel in the main lifter tank and used that for 3/4 the burn to Minmus, made a Minmus high orbit and dropped off a 1.1T fuel can, proceeded to Mun and landed on the surface to deliver the second 1.1T fuel can, then back to KSC overshooting it and landing at Dirt Runway.

I think it could be the exact same mission as NavalLacrosse except Mun landing not Minmus, maybe 9846 and the same distinctions?

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Raven.]

Thanks. That is about what i expected its just the Altitude score i find a bit confusing.

i think ill have to collect all those distinctions just for the sake of it.

As for Relaunching, Well im 100% certain i can do it but ill probably take a week or 2 fiddling with things. I tested the HLS with a tailless configuration and a pair of quad docked top and bottom boosters. The fuel line system is something of a maze but all went as planed and seams to work.

Is there any rule against refueling ? Im assuming that i cant just refuel at an orbital fuel dump or else we could go almost anywhere with just a little planing ?

Then im wondering how this would relate to Relaunching as i could place fuel in the 1st launch to get the 2nd payload to the Mun but it would all be fuel from one single mission ?

Humm yeah well that sounds confusing .

Refueling is allowed if the final payload SOI is somewhere other than Kerbin.

Kerbin - Minmus - Duna - Kerbin - run

Hi there, this is my entry for this challenge. Let's see if the Imgur upload is done before I finish my writeup...

As mentioned before, this is more of a space-plane than a shuttle, mostly because I like the recoverable Single Stage idea, and the only way to do this is by using light and economical engines. This leaves Xenon and Turbojets. And 80 kN of 24-77 for when there is neither atmosphere nor time.

So in short, this craft should be able to get to about 30.000 m @ about 1600 m/s before having to use any "real" rocket engines. After that, it's smooth sailing with the ion engines, although some of the burns tend to get rather long (+ 20 min), especially when the craft is still full...

Let's get to the challenge:

To make the design fit for the challenge, I used 2x S1 SRB-KD25k as boosters for a vertical launch. One would have been enough, but the center of lift was too far off. I instead decreased the amount of fuel to 2000 kg each and started a horizontal acceleration on the Turbojet when these were jettisoned at about 13.000 m. At 27.000 m and about 1200 m/s surface velocity (when the Turbojet still outputs about 100 kN), I start the 24-77 stage to get an apoapsis around 75.000 m, after that I switch to ion engines and try to get a stable LKO by only adding short bursts from the liquid fuel engines. I use up about two thirds of my fuel, which is less than planned.

Some other details: It's an unmanned probe because of reasons. I used flight engineer during construction for some delta-v-calculations and forgot to take it off. I don't consider it a mod, but I realize that a purist might say that the shuttle is now both modded and non-stock. Please don't put me in that category, I'd rather do the run again. Anyway, enjoy the additional info you now have.

I used 2 x 505 kg rovers as payload. The first one was to be tested on Minmus, which is also a quite cheap (about 400 m/s delta-v) stop before exiting the solar system, so why not.

Two accelerations at the periapsis lead me there. Breaking to a somewhat stable orbit to find a nice landing spot on the sunny side (Xenon-engines) in one of the basins. The rover, although mounted with a bit of part clipping (ahem), decouples smoothly and flies nicely on RCS-thrusters. All systems go for Duna.

We are out of phase, but probes don't get impatient. I use the available time to correct the immense 0,1° inclination and find a cheap hop to duna orbit close to the periapsis.

Once in Duna system, I use aerobraking (radial burns shortly after the system entry to get the periapsis from transfer orbit at about 13.500 m usually does the trick) and immediately regret the last quicksave when I remember that I was planning to dock to one of my freight trains in orbit for refueling.

I end up with a 120° inclination to my target at a circular 80.000 m Duna orbit, which means delta-v of roughly 1200 m/s. So when I reach the apoapsis of my freshly aerobreaked orbit, I get the periapsis close to the ascending node and at about 80.000 m with some maneuvering node magic (basically just a normal burn) and then decide to risk an Ike encounter by pushing the apoapsis up by 100 m/s (burning on the periapisis, of course...).

This makes me slow enough on the far out apoapsis to tilt my orbit by 120° for about 100 m/s delta-v. Ike already wants to capture me on my way back, but I don't let him. Instead I break during the periapsises of 3 orbits and find a 0,4 km encounter with my "Eve or bust"-ship. After that it's standard docking, even though the delta-v between me and "target" require using the 24-77s again. Money well spent.

I decouple my ram-air-intakes and leave them floating around, then it's standard docking (although a bit high angled). I refuel both my liquid fuel tanks to 100 %, leave a surplus of 50 units jet fuel for landing on Kerbin and steal about 2000 Units of Xenon gas for the return trip. Before I land, i have to catch my ship's nose, otherwise i will not have anything to beath with. Pun intended.

It snaps on at an awkward angle, so I have to decouple again and tilt my ship. Next time, it will get a computer brain as well. But let's try landing first (still with the crooked nose).

I come in over duna on the poles and try to use aerodynamics for breaking, which leads to my first crash.

F9. Correct the nose alignment. The second landing works better because I treat my ship like a rocket and start breaking early, although I use up more fuel than intended.

Uncoupling of the probe works fine, but it ends up with busted tires for some reason. Maybe it has something to do with dropping it 5 m. F9, F9, F9, there we go. I drive around for about 500 m until the power is depleted, then I get bored. I wait until morning to have power for my engines, lift off using my mini-rockets until there is hardly any fuel left (30 ox for emergencies...), the rest works fine with ion engines.

I leave duna using the first Ike slingshot I can find, which leads me to a not really ideal orbit around Kerbol (considering I want to go back to Kerbin), but it doesn't matter, since there is plenty of Xenon left. It's about 2:00 in the morning, so I decide to call it a day.

When I start the next session, Danoroy Kerbin plants a homing beacon on the landing strip and shows that he has 100 % stupidity by making a stupid joke about the spelling of bacon.

I break for Kerbin and correct the approach for direct entry once I am in the SOI. I try to come in over the equator and set the periapsis to about 30.000 m.

The numbers look nice, but the ship is nearly uncontrollable. I start spinning a few times until, after some F9-ing, I decide to pump the remaining fuel to the front tank. This helps some, I can fly somewhat stable when going Mach 3 at 20.000 m, so I stay there for the time it takes me to reach the landing strip.

The decline is possible (F9 F9 F9) by keeping the nose directly on the prograde vector and using the thrust vectoring of the jet engine. This eats up fuel fast. Once I am below 5000 m and going about 300 m/s, I try to do some gliding and it works without major instabilities. KSC here I come. 1 L of fuel left, activate RCS, touchdown. I think about driving to the hangers, but my tanks are empty. That could have been planned better, but is not about bringing fuel back home, right?

Feels good to be home, even though I'm just the drone operator.

Here are some pictures.

<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/ONw3T/embed"></iframe>

Things to be learned:

Will take even more Xenon with me next time.

Will test dry plane for flight characteristics next time.

Will add ram-air to better spots and leave docking ports open.

Will send out refuelling stations to all the major places. They are pretty neat.

Oh goodness, this one's gonna score high.

Here's the breakdown:

You delivered two payloads. Now I mainly work in tonns, so I converted 505 kg to metric tonns, which was .505 tonns. So the total payload weight that was used to score was 1.01 tonns. This means you had a payload score of 101. Your altitude score was just through the roof. Since you delivered two payloads, you had two altitude scores. The first was the altitude score awarded for delivering to Minmus. The second was for delivering to Duna. Same with the SOI score. So,

Altitude Score: (47000 (semi major axis of Minmus) + 84159.286 (Kerbin SOi radius in km) ) *0.1 = 13115.9286

Payload Score: 1.01 tonns * 100 = 101

SOI Score: 1240 (Minmus landing) + 2810 (Duna landing) = 4050

Total score: 1000 + 131159.286 + 101 + 4050 = 18266.9286

The awards your shuttle earned are:

The Piggyback Distinction: The shuttle rode piggyback with two solid fuel boosters.

The Squad Distinction: The shuttle was made from completely stock parts. The engineer mod is informational only and does does not effect the performance of the shuttle.

The Highflier Distinction: The shuttle obtained an altitude much, much higher than 250 km.

The Ares Distinction: The shuttle achieved orbit around another celestial body.

The Constellation Distinction: The shuttle landed on another celestial body.

The Predator Distinction: The shuttle was an unmanned drone.

The Sparky Award: The shuttle crashed and burned on Duna

I've got a modified shuttle from another challenge that I'd like to enter here. PorkShuttle 7, uses Porkworks MK2, B9 (+D12 reskin/expansion), IR and Procedural Parts (0.75x10m LFO tanks + most of ascent stage) and MechJeb. I made it to LKO with around 3000 units of fuel in the main lifter tank and used that for 3/4 the burn to Minmus, made a Minmus high orbit and dropped off a 1.1T fuel can, proceeded to Mun and landed on the surface to deliver the second 1.1T fuel can, then back to KSC overshooting it and landing at Dirt Runway.

I think it could be the exact same mission as NavalLacrosse except Mun landing not Minmus, maybe 9846 and the same distinctions?

http://imgur.com/a/2r2lY

Ok, two payloads, 1.1 tonns each. The weight used to score was 2.2 tonns. So:

Altitude Score: (12000 (Mun semi-major axis) + 47000 (Minmus semi-major axis)) * 0.1 = 5900

Payload Score: 2.2 tonns * 100 = 220

SOI Score: 1710 (Mun landing) + 1000 (Minmus orbit) = 2710

Total Score = 1000 + 5900 + 220 + 2710 = 9830

The awards earned are:

The Piggyback Distinction: The shuttle launched piggybacked to an external fuel tank and boosters.

The Highflier Distinction: The shuttle obtained an altitude high than 250 km.

The Ares Distinction: The shuttle achieved orbit around another celestial body.

The Constellation Distinction: The shuttle landed on another celestial body.

The Ace Distinction: The shuttle was a manned shuttle.

[Kadrian]

Thanks for the scoring and all the work involved. The challenge is well balanced and leaves a lot of room for different approaches, which is usually a good thing in this kind of games.

On a side note: How do imgur embeds work? HTML always gets rewritten...

Kind regards

Adrian

[NavalLacrosse]

I've got a modified shuttle from another challenge that I'd like to enter here. PorkShuttle 7, uses Porkworks MK2, B9 (+D12 reskin/expansion), IR and Procedural Parts (0.75x10m LFO tanks + most of ascent stage) and MechJeb. I made it to LKO with around 3000 units of fuel in the main lifter tank and used that for 3/4 the burn to Minmus, made a Minmus high orbit and dropped off a 1.1T fuel can, proceeded to Mun and landed on the surface to deliver the second 1.1T fuel can, then back to KSC overshooting it and landing at Dirt Runway

Thanks an awfully familiar looking ship... I would say It's the more versatile of the ships between your's and mine. It looks cool with the blue tanks!