Stupid things you've made to do missions in career mode

[mckamx]

I accepted a contract to test a LFB KR-1x2 Landed at the Mun without first researching whay the LFB KR-1x2 was. The payoff was big, and I had just researched the big SRB's, so I gave it a shot, and managed to pull it off. Doing a docking for Kerbin-orbit refueling w/o MechJet docking autopilot was a bear (my first successful manual docking), and landing the Moonar in the dark was no joke. It fell over after landing, but nothing broke, so I was able to conduct the test. I made it an un-kerbal'ed mission so I didn't have to worry about getting Jeb back home.

[NecroBones]

The good news, is that if they want you to test an engine, there's no requirement that it be fueled. I've tested engines with no fuel attached to them, and SRBs with only a small sliver of fuel, etc. This can reduce the weight (and other problems) when needing to test large, bulky things, such as the LFB.

[mckamx]

Yeh, I put the Moonar into orbit with the LFB KR-1x2 tank nearly empty, and tested it on the Mun with <20 units of fuel left. It didn't matter how much fuel was left, since you can test the rocket with the throttle set to 0. It did make the landing exciting, since I didn't know if I would run out of fuel and crash. I wanted to fuel the Monnar more before sending it off to the Mun, but didn't have the time to do another docking attempt with my tanker.

[Remkeau]

This little fatty was used to test the LES (>13.000m) which resulted in a violent spin, and then the kerbodyne 25x4 booster at 16.000, which resulted in an even more violent spin. Never got to testing those drogue chutes, I got tired of spinning around.

[KerikBalm]

This is the oddest for me so far. Company wanted the basic jet engine tested splashed down.

They were not, however, willing to give me any intakes.

I very much like the experimental contracts - I got an LV-N experimental contract that was much appreciated to put LV-Ns into use very early.

I then got an ion experimental contract, and was hoping to pump out some ion powere probes early too.

Then I realized they hadn't given me any xenon tanks... I stuck the ion engine on the nose of one of my SSTOs, fired it in space (I forget if orbit was needed or not), landed back on Kerbin. Oh well, the science helped me unlock it sooner.

I still have a turbojet test on the mun contract - I think I'll pass.

I also have a Rapier engine landed on the mun contract - this one interested me enough to make a tail sitter vtol rapier SSTO - its a bit light on fuel, and I already have to use sepratrons to get it to launch vertically from Kerbin (it also has a pair of chutes on the nose for landing - fly over the runway, cut power deploy landing legs, pop chute, land vertically)

Still, its my first SSTO that was designed to land on the mun and come back - my other SSTOs have the dV needed, but not the landing leg arrangement (i'm not going to try a horizontal landing facing retrograde on such an uneven surface)

[Franklin]

i wonder if squad thought we'd all just take contracts when they suited our previously-planned missions, rather than building all these contract-specific micro rockets that all look goofy as heck and live to serve one purpose.

right now it's new, so i'm enjoying the goofy part testing missions (and so far that's all i've been asked to do... test every damn part under the sun), but i imagine it'll wear thin and i'll refuse to test another damn rocket between slightly different altitude/speed requirements.

- - - Updated - - -

basically i'm approaching contracts like i approach work. grind em all out as fast as i can while i'm young, so i'll never have to do them when it's old and tired. like a rocket fund retirement plan.

[NecroBones]

A fun little test-rig I built last night, to test a bunch of different engines in orbit (I had 3 Kerbin-orbit contracts to do). To keep the costs minimal (and I'm not using recovery mods), the lower stages were just SRBs on two decouplers. The main stage above that, was recoverable.

[rodion_herrera]

This is a basic error for people who seldom venture beyond Duna. I again mistook Tylo for a "small" moon (it's roughly the size of Kerbin). So, I made a lander with too little fuel and too little thrust, for a Flag Plant Contract and WHAM. My first failed contract in my rather nice career. Oh well, has to happen every now and then in KSP. RIP Bob Kerman.

[mckamx]

A fun little test-rig I built last night...

Which cloud mod are you using?

[Ratata]

......rescued 21 kerbals from kerbin orbit to date, i now renamed that savegame into "Kerbin Bus Simulator"..........

[Chizbro]

well I had to test the Lv909 and the BACC SRB at the same altitude and speed so i decided to do it on the mission. Also I had to test a parachut moving below 300m/s at an altitude of 29000-32000 meters. That was very interesting.

I have this one. Lined up a couple of launch & orbital testing contracts along with this one for reentry, but didnt notice the velocity restriction.. wondered why I didnt complete the contract after engaging parachutes at over 1000m/s. D'oh! Got the rest of them though

Only just started my career, so the zaniest thing I've had to test was a inline separatron at launch. Just strapped it underneath my first stage and with the aid of launch stabilisers was away!

[magnemoe]

......rescued 21 kerbals from kerbin orbit to date, i now renamed that savegame into "Kerbin Bus Simulator"..........

If you are bored of the rescue missions send one of them on long mission like Eeloo landing. You will not get new ones until he returns or mission times out.

[ArchGaden]

Pro-tip: Those engine test missions that say you have to activate them through staging... you can just go ahead and use the engine and then right click on the part to select 'run test' when the conditions are met, no staging required. This only works for engines as far as I know though.

Figuring out the 'run test' option for engines has saved me a lot of money letting my test engines carry themselves rather than sticking around is dead weight.

[magnemoe]

Pro-tip: Those engine test missions that say you have to activate them through staging... you can just go ahead and use the engine and then right click on the part to select 'run test' when the conditions are met, no staging required. This only works for engines as far as I know though.

Figuring out the 'run test' option for engines has saved me a lot of money letting my test engines carry themselves rather than sticking around is dead weight.

The plane wheels also have a "run test", one of them is mounted on a SRB in solar orbit.

Got a nice one now, test the KR-2L landed on Mun, test escape tower landed on Mun, test LV-N on mun escape orbit, launched unmanned with help of 4 of the large SRB, picked up a kerbal in orbit who will plant a flag, should also test an ion engine suborbital however as I finished the gravity turn with LV-N and went for an 110 km orbit i was not able to test the ion so i take it during reentry.

Parachute test during decent.

[ArchGaden]

Got a nice one now, test the KR-2L landed on Mun

I love those 'test huge thing on Mun' contracts. I've had the KR-2L and advanced kerbodyne engine in the huge catagory along with a wealth of small part tests. The huge thing on Mun tests tend to give me ~750,000 and 120 science...very profitable!

If/when they start wanting me to run those tests on Tylo, it may not be so profitable... Then again, the zany challenges make things interesting. I think contracts are off to a great start functionality wise. I hope they keep a huge degree of randomness to maintain the insanity level up.

[NecroBones]

Which cloud mod are you using?

That's Environmental Visual Enhancements with the Astronomer pack.

[magnemoe]

this thing is doing the circulation burn, you can see the ion engine I was suposed to test in an suborbital trajetory but was unable as my gravity turn was too good, the big engine and the launch tower is to be tested landed on Mun, the ant engine was tested during accent. The LV-N on munar escape trajectory, will pick up an pilot underway

Even after being shanghaied Kirmy Kerman ended up being the new hot shot pilot in the stall, first he saved the mission and probably his own life then an Kerbin ellipse made the rocket run out of power approaching the circulation burn, he activated the experimental nuclear engines on low trust to get power so he could not only restore life support but also turn the rocket and do the circulation burn. Second he did three landing aborts as the lander had easy to tip over, he showed how an experienced pilot can save the day but also how fast manipulation of the autopilot is vital.

After he officially joined the corps Jeb talked about having him land an spaceplane on Tylo.

[Eurojo46]

Killed Bob during a KPS (Kerbol Pass-By Survey) I never noticed my lower pass by was a bit too close. You can probably guess what happened next....

[kmMango]

I just don't accept anything involving testing parts unless it's landed at kerbin, or something without strange altitude and speed requirements.

[ninjaweasel]

I had a contract to test the big 3.75m engine landed on the Mun. The one with no attachment points on the bottom... although it was tempting, I passed on that one.

[Mister Kerman]

!!! I made the dumbest $#!+ yesterday. I had to test a LFB KR-1x2 splashed down. I used modular girder segments to make giant wheels on the top and bottom and flipped it on to it's side. I used single direction RCS thrusters to roll it from the launchpad to the sea shore. It was a bumpy bumpy ride.

It should be added to my research notes that the LFB KR-1x2 rocket engine doubles as a wheel axle in a pinch!

[Ruthgar]

Firing full thrust prograde while diving into the atmosphere. I got a parachute test where the velocity range for the test was about twice what terminal velocity was at the specified altitude range :-)

Yeahhh, I did those ones using a jet that could handle going up to those altitudes and maintain those speeds and payloads. Ever see a flying wing do end over end flips at a rate of 10 a second because you just fired one of those massive first stage liquid engines attached to a mini fuel tank mounted to the top of your flying wing? I HAVE!

Here's a picture of my glorious 'Wonder Thump' with that engine mounted on it.

Great thing about it is that even under the longest test it has done, the actual cost was only about 3-5k in the fuel it used after parts recovery.

[Ruthgar]

Killed Bob during a KPS (Kerbol Pass-By Survey) I never noticed my lower pass by was a bit too close. You can probably guess what happened next....

Ouch, yeah I've seen most of it myself. Jeb was otw back from a Duna landing and stepped outside for an EVA report at 65k above kerbin, and got ripped off the ladder. Managed to RCS back to the ladder and grab on, climbed up to the capsule and got in just as the flames started to appear (I've got to really rework my lander this happens a lot of the time)

[Ruthgar]

......rescued 21 kerbals from kerbin orbit to date, i now renamed that savegame into "Kerbin Bus Simulator"..........

I consider all my rescued Kerbins as welll 'volunteers' for my remote base monitoring program at various locations throughout the system.

[Mister Kerman]

Oh god. I didn't have a lick of fun in KSP today because of a BS contract I accidentally mis-clicked. I had to get a LFB KR-1x2 (again!! :'( ) to 6300 M traveling at at LEAST 470 M/s. It's impossible. I'd love to see one of tou guys do it. I tried all kinds of super expensive configurations of Radially mounted (using girder segments) LFB KR -1X2 engines and no matter how many I had going at once there was never enough thrust to get the payload LFB KR -1X2 up to speed in time.

So I used my magnificent brain and thought outside the box like a maverick genius, and instead launched it much higher than the 6000M mark and cut my engines until free fall. I then sped it up to speed on the way back down and as I got within acceptable altitude requirements, I staged the test.