[0.23.5] High Sci Challenge

[ThreeMartiniLaunch]

TL;DR version:

Watch the videos

My buddy challenged me to get as much science as possible from a single launch.

We took a virgin persistent.sfs file and doctored it so all science was unlocked, but no experiments were performed.

I do not know if he will post his results here, but I will post mine.

The rules were simple: A single launch; only "partless" mods (Alarm Clock, Precision Nodes, MechJeb, etc.); all Kerbals must be returned safely to the surface of Kerbin.

Here it is on the launchpad:

Here it is without the lifter:

My launch consisted of the following components:

Two "light" single use landers - one each for the Mun and Minmus. I did not include SciJr or Goo, sacrificing those experiments for weight. These landers were able to collect a great deal of orbital science and landed once on the Mun and in five biomes on Minmus.

Two "heavy" single use landers - one each for Duna/Ike and Eve/Gilly. They each returned significant science landing on all but Eve.

One MPL for the Jool system. This was to reset the SciJrs and Goos on the Jool system lander. It also includes return capsules for the Kerbals working in the Jool system.

Two parachute probes to radio scientific data from the surface of Laythe:

One reusable lander for the Jool system. It landed on Vall, Bop, and Pol and collected orbital science from Tylo, Laythe, and Jool. The total science was significant.

A pusher to push the lander around the Jool system. It was also used to push the return capsules back to Kerbin.

I wound up collecting a great deal of science orbiting above the various biomes of the Mun and Minmus. I completed a single landing on the Mun and five on Minmus.

I collected orbital science from Duna, Ike, Eve and Gilly. I landed for surface samples on all but Eve.

In the Jool system, I landed on Vall, Bop, and Pol and got orbital science from the rest.

On the way home, I landed the entire science station on Eeloo. Unfortunately, this was not planned and I had no experiments to perform - Just Crew and EVA reports and Surface Samples.

I was also able to land on Dres for the same science.

If you want the details, you'll have to watch the videos.

Were I to do it again (and I may very well do it again), I think I can get much more science. I've got a lander design that can land on Laythe and Tylo for surface science and I think I can get probes with more science capabilities to the other bodies in the Kerbol system.

Edited June 10, 2014 by ThreeMartiniLaunch