The Low-Tech SSTO Challenge! Safely return a low-tech SSTO without shedding parts.

[Camaron]

This challenge is inspired by the upcoming Kerbal update, version 0,24. As of last week, we now have a reliable look into how parts recovery and budgeting will work, and it seems that accomplishing a mission, and returning home with as little wasted parts as possible, will be a very important, or at least advantageous, part of the strategy of playing KSP's Career mode.

So I wondered: How difficult would it be to create a safely returnable SSTO craft which did not rely on Jet Engines, or any higher technologies at all?

So, here's the challenge - using ONLY the technologies in green in the photo below, no higher than the tier-3 techs, create a craft which can takeoff, achieve a full orbit, de-orbit, and return safely to the ground (or sea), without shedding a single part.

Now, before you exclaim "impossible!", here is my own craft which has successfully accomplished the challenge (barely), as proof that this can be done!

Triode's Dowload Link: http://www./download/hrv0sone0225gaq/Triode.rar

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As for scoring, this craft reached a maximum Apoapsis of 81,000m, Landed Safely, and consisted of 56 parts.

Rules:

1) All Stock Parts

2) All Stock Physics

3) Must be a manned craft

4) Use of stages is allowed for organizing things like how your engines fire, when parachutes deploy, etc.

5) Your craft cannot lose any parts at any point!

6) Your craft may utilize powered landing, but still must achieve a full orbit during the mission.

7) Crash landings that damage or destroy a few parts upon return will be allowed, but it will cost you on your score.

8) Show evidence, through pictures or video, that your stock Low-tech craft, actually accomplished what you say it did. Also, you must upload a .craft file of the ship you used, so that myself or others may verify that your ship is legit!

-Subject to change.

Scoring:

-Achieve Orbit: +2,000 points

-Safe Landing - 0 parts broken: +3,000 points

-Rocky Landing (less than five parts broken): +1,000 points

-For every 10m maximum altitude you achieve over 70,000: +1 point

-If you somehow reach Kerbin Escape Velocity, +5,000 points. Make sure you reel it back in, though.

-Every part beyond 25 will reduce your final score 1%

-In the event of identical scores, I will sort the tied entries based on style.

I hope you all have some fun with this! I felt like it was an interesting challenge. I will consider suggestions on more detailed scoring, if you have any ideas!

Rankings!

1) Camaron's Triode: 4209 points

2)

3)

Edited July 17, 2014 by Camaron

[Sirine]

SSTO is single stage to orbit, and it always refer to an airplane/spaceplane type of craft.

You might want to consider change it to. "Zero Disposed Orbiter and Lander."

[Camaron]

Nothing in "SSTO" refers to being plane-shaped. This is simply the easiest and most prominent way SSTO's are typically achieved.

This challenge is a Single Stage To Orbit challenge.

[Sirine]

Another question.

-Rocky Landing (less than four parts broken): +1,000 points

What rocky means here?

No part broken +0 points.

Broken part during landing, but not more than 4 parts broken +1000points? (1~4)

Or:-

Part broken: 0~4 during landing = +1000points?

[Camaron]

If you break 0 parts, you get "Safe Landing", right above Rocky Landing, for 3,000.

Rocky landing means you broke between 1-4 parts, and only get 1,000.

Break more than four, and your craft is out of the running.

[Sirine]

If you break 0 parts, you get "Safe Landing", right above Rocky Landing, for 3,000.

Rocky landing means you broke between 1-4 parts, and only get 1,000.

Break more than four, and your craft is out of the running.

Thanks for the clearification. Heading to VAB now.

Craft file -->> http://www./download/doe9dokkyb1v795/Simple_SSTO.craft

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Scoring:

-Achieve Orbit: +2,000 points = yes

-Safe Landing - 0 parts broken: +3,000 points = no (yes, if on land)

-Rocky Landing (less than five parts broken): +1,000 points = yes (if on water/land, Just retrieve on of the landing leg. And it will naturally fall down and break the parts.)

-For every 10m maximum altitude you achieve over 70,000: +1 point (I actually achieve 74x90km, but missing that screenshot, I will take that 74km.) +400 points

-If you somehow reach Kerbin Escape Velocity, +5,000 points. Make sure you reel it back in, though. = no

-Every part beyond 25 will reduce your final score 1% = Total parts 10.

Total: 2000+1000+400 = 3400

Update:-

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Scoring:

-Achieve Orbit: +2,000 points = yes

-Safe Landing - 0 parts broken: +3,000 points = Yes

-Rocky Landing (less than five parts broken): +1,000 points = No

-For every 10m maximum altitude you achieve over 70,000: +1 point (Achieve 71x90km.) +2000 points

-If you somehow reach Kerbin Escape Velocity, +5,000 points. Make sure you reel it back in, though. = no

-Every part beyond 25 will reduce your final score 1% = Total parts 14.

Total: 2000+3000+2000 = 7000

(Same craft just add in 4 batteries. For SAS "reaction wheel" control.)

Updates 2:-

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I have achieve Kerbin Escape Velocity. 3431.0m/s. With the same craft, remove SAS unit and add in another fuel tank. Thats all. Total points...well I'm too lazy to calculate the altitude marks. (Over 83547K). It took more than 141days (Kerbin times). With the auto parachute Pre-open back to 1st album. I have confident that I can land back to Kerbin 1 in piece.

Perhaps you should add a rules about "Manned mission only." Else I think I have already achieve you maximum points available.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Sirine
Here you go. + Update + Update2

[Camaron]

I had already intended to require The manned capsule. My mistake.

However, you seem to have accomplished this easily with three fuel tanks and an engine. Looks like this may not be such a challenge after all. Sorry.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Camaron

[Sirine]

@ Camaron Anyway thanks for the challenge hosted.

I'm having learning new things too. I will try the manned mission later if got some times to spare.

[Camaron]

I am considering turning it into a payload challenge by replacing the max altitude but with weight of a paylod.