Sub-Orbital Docking

[Souper]

Simple rules. Kind of hard to do.

Launch 2 docking-capable vehicles into a sub-orbital trajectory with an apoapsis of up to 150 km....rendezvous and dock.... and find a way to safely land back at Kerbin!

( It must be done in at least 2 launches.)

Lowest part count on docking ship(s) wins.

NO MODS. NO CHEATS.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Souper

[Pecan]

Ok, how does 2 parts grab you? 5 parts if you count both vehicles being docked. Or 8 parts at launch/in VAB.

From top to bottom:- parachute, okto core, small docking port, small docking port, okto core, decoupler, fuel tank and engine.

MJ used to launch towards a 150km orbit but it runs out of fuel with a 118 - 119km apoapsis anyway.

SAS engaged once engine burns out.

Once out of atmosphere parachute deployed as there isn't enough electricity to do it at re-entry.

Docking ports uncoupled - forward vehicle advances slowly.

Separator, er, separated - rear vehicle accelerates quickly, catching-up to and docking with forward vehicle.

Together they fall back into the atmosphere and land under the parachute.

Incidentally - I tried it with no core on the rear vehicle but, as 'debris' it wouldn't dock with the forward vehicle, even though it appeared to (they fell apart again on re-entry).

Someone may like to try this with no core on the forward vehicle to see if it works with one less part.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Pecan

[Souper]

Sorry. I meant to have the challenge to be done in 2 seperate launches. Above posy DQ'd. Sorry.

[Pecan]

Hehe, I thought you might *grin*

I'll be back.

[Cmdr. Arn1e]

A similar challenge was done in the past... with as flimsy rules!

You haven't barred the use of infinite fuel, or anything in the dev console, for starters, and you will have a whole load of people along soon to mention various mods and other bizarre craft designs...

[Souper]

Flimsy rules? not for long.....hehe...(1 OP edit later)

[Souper]

This thread died for no reason.

[xrayfishx]

One day doesn't mean a dead thread (even a week doesn't - I considered my first challenge dead after no one replied after a few days, only to find a few submissions when I checked weeks later). I would try this, but I am not going to remove all my mods just for that. I have some good ideas for this that I'd like to try so I might submit an example mission for others that does use mods, but probably I'll be too lazy for that.

[Souper]

Well actually you can have mods installed in KSP, just don't use them.

[xrayfishx]

Well actually you can have mods installed in KSP, just don't use them.

That only goes so FAR.

[TJPrime]

That only goes so FAR.

I see what you did there... Also, did anyone manage to drink a whole Champagne Bottle on friday?

[Mathman]

Simple rules. Kind of hard to do.

Launch 2 docking-capable vehicles into a sub-orbital trajectory with an apoapsis of up to 150 km....rendezvous and dock.... and find a way to safely land back at Kerbin!( It must be done in at least 2 launches.)

Lowest part count on docking ship(s) wins.NO MODS. NO CHEATS.

Some questions:

After docking does the combined vehicle have to land? If only one, which one? (I could send up a very simple target and let it land after undocking) Is parts count for whole launch vehicle or only what hits the ground. Or is the parts count for the docked configuration? (In short, the rules are very loose)

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For me, I am assuming these until clarified:

a) No mods, no cheats.

2 launches (no more, no less), each sub orbital, max apoapsis of 150km.

c) Rendezvous and dock before burning up.

d) Entire docking package to safely land (i.e. no explosions, parts falling off, etc) on Kerbin. (land or sea)

e) 5 pictures minimum (UT time visible in each) - takeoff of each element, rendezvous configuration, docked , landed.

Lowest part count docked, wins (landed configuration can not have more parts than docked)

My rules for playing with myself. Moderator (OP) can accept, modify, add to, or throw out.

[Mathman]

A similar challenge was done in the past.....

Easy, it is not. At least with stock parts. I've managed to get my interceptor to rendezvous (0 m/s relative, 500m distance) but was not able to move in quick enough to dock before hitting the atmosphere. This is more like shooting a satellite with an anti=satellite interceptor than a docking. I'll try again this weekend.

[Mathman]

Did it. It can be done. 100% stock. No cheats. Took a few tries, but did it. Even made a safe re-entry with deadly reentry mod. Then found that I had forgotten to activate the parachute. Hard touchdown. No go for contest. I wonder if this would be easier or harder with the FAR mod?

[Mathman]

Simple rules. Kind of hard to do.

Launch 2 docking-capable vehicles into a sub-orbital trajectory with an apoapsis of up to 150 km....rendezvous and dock.... and find a way to safely land back at Kerbin!

( It must be done in at least 2 launches.) [We assume 2 launches at different times, not two vessels launched at the same time - co-joined or not]

Lowest part count on docking ship(s) wins.

NO MODS. NO CHEATS.

OK, been there, did it. Here are the picks

Launch vessel 1 - 16 parts. Launch vessel 2 - 32 parts. Docked and recovered craft - 15 - including heat shield and parachute.

Vehicle One (target)

Vehicle Two (interceptor)

Docked target and interceptor

Orbital data, docked elements.

Back on Kerbin (floating quietly)

Edited July 22, 2014 by Mathman

[Mathman]

That only goes so FAR.

While I don't have your huge number of mods installed I have a few. I found it easy to just .zip compress each mod folder in place and restart the game. When I want the mod on again, I unzip it in place (no new downloading, no moving files around) and voila!

I still don't see why you couldn't do a clean install in a new folder (say KSP_Win_Clean) for a clean version of the game. After all, the game is not installed into the registries of the OS - one CAN have multiple versions installed. no?