Completing the "BTSM Career Challenge"

[Death Engineering]

This thread documents the efforts to complete "The Better Than Starting Manned Career Challenge" to complete the tech tree in the Better Than Starting Manned mod.

News from the OP submission to the challenge is proud to report a successful tier 6 A-style Mun landing. All Three Amigo crew were returned safely, paving the way for continued Munar exploration.

However in sad news, Jebediah Kerman was later lost on a high-speed re-entry test of the Minmus CM. Steep re-entry angle and poor attitude control were blamed. He will be remembered for his contributions to high-altitude test flights, seen here in this photo after an early science achievement. This once revered image now stands in memoriam of brave cries for.. MOAR BOOSTERS!

While doing an OP submission to the challenge, a robotic goo-return mission failed on the first Duna window due to lack of probecore on the return vehicle, rendering it inert and unrecoverable. Surface science and atmospheric science captured will simplify the next landing, but fuh-shnizzled about missing the first low D-v window.

As a result of the design error which caused the loss of the Duna goo-return mission from Tech Level 7, added Kerbin SOI departure clarifications for Duna Dominance I Prime and Backup:

Duna Dominance I - Prime (4):

Launch a robotically controlled mission which scores Goo science from Duna's surface. Must leave Kerbin SOI before any Tier 8 nodes are unlocked.

Duna Dominance I - Backup (3):

Successfully return a kerbal from Duna's surface back to Kerbin. Crewed vehicle must depart Kerbin SOI before any Tier 9 nodes are unlocked.

For my OP submission, still really chuffed about botching the robotic goo return from Duna. Going to try again on the next high ÃŽâ€v window - really want to complete Duna Dominance trifecta! Hopefully between that and using a "disposable" orbiting Mun platform to get every science point from there, I can make up some late-game ground...

For no particular reason other than I like the shot...

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Death Engineering Presents..

Unlocking BTSM's Tier 1 - 7:

Since the botched Duna sample return mission cost many days, its going to be hard to get back on track by late-game. Currently, I have enough science points to unlock 4 nodes in Tier 8, but holding back on that until I can get another Duna sample return mission underway. By then, Gilly and Eve missions will be complete and should be able to unlock most of Tier 8 in one swoop.

Sending a probe down to Kerbol low-space and harvesting Mun and Minmus surface samples have helped a lot with stockpiling science points, as did a rather bold move to launch a single Kerbal on a Minmus flyby (prior to the landing and before life-support recycler was unlocked) which also dipped, albeit briefly, into interplanetary space before turning back and heading home.

Tier 3 rocket getting Biome Hunter I

This rocket is capable of getting into space, barely, in order to earn enough points to get "Biome Hunter I".

Direct-ascent Minmus Landing

Didn't need to bring three crew along, but helped make the mission interesting.

Reusable Mun Lander and Mini Space-station

Lander and mini station are launched ahead of the crew. With a crew of two Kerbals in a CSM on a separate launch, the lander can support at least 5 landing and return missions to the Munar surface before exhausting supplies on the station.

Tier 1 - 7 Highlight Album

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First interplanetary steps

Hoping to play this challenge as "the long game", earning as many points as I can with an eye to sustainable missions and spacecraft. Finally got a Duna sample return mission home, but was a little bit anti-climactic since I'd been sitting on so many science points awaiting a second run at the "Duna Dominance I" sub-challenge.

Just about cleared out Tier 8 with these missions, but now that the green glowing stuff all around KSC has a use in the NUK-NUK, its time to push towards Jool!

Duna Goo Sample Return Mission ready to head home

45-day Duna Lander heads out uncrewed

Challenge progress details - 51 points so far

Tier 1 - "Ahh, balance.. I get it now" (1)

Tier 2 - "Bird's eye view" (2)

Tier 3 - "Taking it slow" (3)

• Biome Hunter I (1): Score Tier 3 SCIENCE! on at least 3 biomes on your first Tier 3 launch.
  

Tier 4 - "Spudnik" (3)

• Survivor I (1): Unlock all Tier 4 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  
• Biome Hunter II (2): Score Tier 3 science on all Kerbin biomes
  

Tier 5 - "This land is your land, this land is Badland" (4)

• Survivor II (2): Unlock all Tier 5 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  
• Goo hunter I (2): Retrieve Goo canisters from Mun's high and near space.
  

Tier 6 - "One small step.." (6)

• Team Effort I (2): Perform a joint orbital docking in Kerbin orbit (any altitude). This means that two separate launches will put at least two kerbals in space where they will rendezvous and dock for a photo op. Craft must then deorbit separately. All kerbals must survive.
  
• Survivor III (3): Unlock all Tier 6 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  

Tier 7 - "Minmus master" (6)

• Take a Breather I (2): On a single flight, score Atmospheric science on at least 4 biomes.
  
• Biome Hunter IV (4): Score crew report science over all Minmus biomes.
  
• Duna Dominance I - Prime (4): Launch a robotically controlled mission which scores Goo science from Duna's surface.
  
• I'm a Scientist! I (3): Score Science Jr. from Mun and Minmus
  

Highlights to Year 2 Day 138

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First steps to Duna colonization and a 'roid capture

Both missions in this update were things I'd never attempted before (aerocapturing a 'roid by itself and DOR with spacewalk rendezvous), but amazingly came off without a hitch. The Kerbal who would be first on Duna and would stay on the surface for 45 days, arrived around the red planet first. There was a lucky encounter with Ike for a good science boost and then a clean aerocapture around Duna.

The 45 day lander module arrived later and the tricky part was to not only match the orbit and inclination of the mission already orbiting Duna, but to also put it into a reasonably close orbital encounter with the awaiting crew, as life support supplies are critical on this leg of the mission.

On the first orbit after aerocapture, the lander and the interplanetary craft were only 300m apart. The plan was for a Duna Orbit Rendezvous but without docking, just a close encounter. I was hoping for closer then 300m, but that's all the fuel we had left so it made for a sketchy spacewalk on the dark side of Duna.

The asteroid capture, a class "C", was accomplished with two launches; both with crews of two. The first launch, sent out 10 days before the Kerbin encounter, met the 'roid and pushed it into a Kerbin aerocapture encounter. The crew stayed with the 'roid until nearing Kerbin then detached and landed safely.

After the 'roid was captured into a Kerbin orbit, a second crew was launched to intercept the 'roid and park into a stable orbit. Really only had one shot at launching the second mission to meet the "doomed" 'roid, but managed to catch up with it at around 350km. After a short burn to push the Pe into a safe altitude and several orbits to park it at 200km equatorial orbit, the second crew took the sweet 'roid science home.

Scored on this update:

• Rockhound II (4): Score science for a class C asteroid (or higher).
  
• Team Effort II (2): Earn "Rockhound II" or "Rockhound III" with a crew of at least two kerbals.
  
• First leg of Duna Dominance II - crew still on Duna.
  

Year 2 Day 226 Highlights

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Wrapping up "Normal Mode" entry - "Happy New Year!"

This post concludes my "Normal Mode" entry for this challenge, wrapped up on New Years Eve (year 2 day 364). Its been a real roller-coaster of highs and lows, making more errors this play-round than my warm-up. Oh well! Still playing the "long game" with hopes to bring together a better entry for "Expert Mode".

The keen-eyed observer may notice that I'd previously claimed "Rockhunter II" and "Team Effort II". Turns out, the asteroid I captured was a "B" class and not a "C" class! At least that gives me something else to shoot for in the "Expert Mode" entry..

Modifiers Earned:

• I don't need a slide rule (3): No use of any "engineering" mods (Mechjeb, RCS helper, etc).
  
• Tier 1 - "Ahh, balance.. I get it now" (1)
  
• Tier 2 - "Bird's eye view" (2)
  
• Tier 3 - "Taking it slow" (3)
  
• Tier 4 - "Spudnik" (3)
  
• Survivor I (1): Unlock all Tier 4 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  
• Biome Hunter II (2): Score Tier 3 science on all Kerbin biomes
  
• Tier 5 - "This land is your land, this land is Badland" (4)
  
• Survivor II (2): Unlock all Tier 5 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  
• Goo hunter I (2): Retrieve Goo canisters from Mun's high and near space.
  
• Tier 6 - "One small step.." (6)
  
• Team Effort I (2): Perform a joint orbital docking in Kerbin orbit (any altitude). This means that two separate launches will put at least two kerbals in space where they will rendezvous and dock for a photo op. Craft must then deorbit separately. All kerbals must survive.
  
• Survivor III (3): Unlock all Tier 6 nodes with no kerbal fatalities.. so far.
  
• Tier 7 - "Minmus master" (6)
  
• Take a Breather I (2): On a single flight, score Atmospheric science on at least 4 biomes.
  
• Biome Hunter IV (4): Score crew report science over all Minmus biomes.
  
• Duna Dominance I - Prime (4): Launch a robotically controlled mission which scores Goo science from Duna's surface.
  
• I'm a Scientist! I (3): Score Science Jr. from Mun and Minmus
  
• Rockhound I (3): Score science for any asteroid.
  
• Duna Dominance II (4) (requires completion of either Duna Dominance I Prime or Backup): Develop a Duna lander that can sustain a kerbal on Duna for at least 45 days. While there, transmit all surface transmittable science, including Biometric. After at least 45 days on the surface, the kerbal can return to orbit in the same lander or aboard a different lander, delivered to the surface robotically. The kerbal must make it back to Kerbin safely.
  

Scoring: 2 years 364 days = 1094 days * ( 1 - (60 modifier points * .001)) = 1028 points

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Update Year 4 Day 328

With two Tier 9 nodes unlocked, over 2000 science in the bank, and lots of science awaiting return-windows from crewed Dres and Laythe landing missions this play-through is getting close to the penultimate Tier 9 node.

This update includes an Eve landing mission with no intent to return the crew. However, to make the effort "worthwhile", the mission included a rover and landed near the beach. With all science instruments on the rover, the crew was able to get both land and water science! "Thank you for your sacrif.. effort!"

Steps towards the first permanent orbiting base also occur in this update. Laythe Station will serve as a resupply point for exploring the moons of Jool. The first module, a series of hubs and life support pods for visiting crew entered Laythe orbit. The two following modules, made possible by the second Tier 9 node purchase, add fuel and monopropellant processing.

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Challenge submission update Year 6 Day 10

Five years into the challenge, we've got all but one Tier 9 node unlocked and 2083 science points in the bank. There is a habitation study around Kerbin underway and a similar mission in enroute to Duna. Laythe Station is nearly complete, with fuel and monopropellant processing modules added and a lander awaiting its crew which will get pockets of dirt from Pol, Bop and Vall. A purpose built Tylo lander may be sent out if the science points are still needed after exploring the "easier" planets.

Might be one other update before I finally complete unlocking the BTSM tech tree.. hopefully I'm not necro'ing my own thread too much. As someone else noted, however, the amount of time involved in completing this challenge is not trivial.. hopefully, the thread will keep itself alive without too much necromancy.

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So I guess we're going to Eeloo...

It is currently Year 8, D 208 in my playthrough to complete the BTSM tech tree. In this update, finally starting to see some science points coming in! After about 10 launches without any science, its a relief to see the points coming in.. but at a trickle! Apparently, an Eeloo mission is unavoidable.. so that will be in the next update.

Debated on whether to post a challenge update, but decided to share the "mistakes were made" story: As it turns out, the craft that was sent out as the "taxi" to Pol, Bop and Vall was grossely insufficient in the ÃŽâ€v department. This required another craft and another crew (since life support on the station is timed fairly tight) to be sent out. The crew member on Laythe Station happily de-orbited his craft and grinned maniacally until Laythe's atmosphere cooked him. Rather hesitant to even look at how many Kerb's I've lost.. many many.. I'll include the dead-count on the final post.

Also had a problem with the Duna orbiting Hab Study design and wound up launching and sending another similar one out there. Basically, I figure I've lost about a year and a half while I send out replacement craft to Jool and Duna.

Lastly, made a mistake with the life support on the Kerbin habitation study (left the life support kegs "untapped".. or, disabled). After launching up a surface return craft to leave up for the crew to come back, when approaching the station, got the "Ran out of Life Support" and "Habitation Study Cancelled" messages.

After all the failures, botched missions and dead Kerbals, the space program was lucky enough to locate this Mun arch completely by accident. Never even been to this arch, so taking the late-game Mun direct-ascent lander up for the last two Mun biomes and seeing this was a nice find.

Basically, I've rather messed up this challenge attempt. However, at almost 9 years of game time, I'm not about to restart it now! Will try to wrap things up in the next post, which will probably be awhile as play time is cut for the next month or so. Thanks for tolerating my necromancy!

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