Ultimate (Stock) Lifter Challenge

[Bioman222]

CHALLENGE

Your objective is to manufacture THE best (stock) lifter. Ever. Simple enough, right?

RULES

-Stock Rockets Only

-No F12 menu (duh)

-Aside from mods used to tell you the specs of your rocket and mods used to change how the terrain looks, no mods.

RANKING

Your rocket will be ranked in the leader boards for the following attributes. Those are:

-Speed (during a regular ascent)

-Weight (least)

-Delta V

-Maximum Cargo (maximum weight it can put into a stable orbit)

-Cost

-Aesthetics (will be voted on)

SUBMISSION

To submit a rocket, use this form:

Name of Rocket:

Username:

Company Name (optional):

Maximum Speed:

Weight:

Delta V:

Maximum Cargo Weight

Cost:

Screenshots:

.craft file download (optional):

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Happy flying.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Bioman222

[Xeldrak]

Well, this is basically a very interesting challenge. But I see a few problems.

What do you mean by fastest?

Do you mean maximim velocity in a standard ascend?

Or do you mean fastest time to orbit?

What kind of orbit?

With cargo or without?

With what kind of cargo?

Maximum Cargo

Maximum cargo the rocket can lift at all?

Maximum cargo it can lift into orbit?

What kind of orbit?

Best Lookin

Will you decide wich rocket looks best?

Will there be a vote?

Are there any guidelines?

[Bioman222]

Sorry for my lack of clarification, Xeldrak.

By fastest I mean fastest the lifter can travel in an ascent

By Maximum cargo I mean the maximum weight of cargo it can get to a stable orbit

Best looking will be decided by a vote.

I'll add this to the OP. Thanks.

[Tsevion]

Is there any sort of combined score, and if so how is it weighted? If not, isn't this essentially 6 separate challenges?

[Wooks]

Is there any sort of combined score, and if so how is it weighted? If not, isn't this essentially 6 separate challenges?

I don't think it means 6 separate challenges, any individual submission can be measured against those standards and win at least one. You can be the best looking but suck at speed, or deliver the heavier payload but at the worst cost possible.

[Bioman222]

Well, I just rank all entered lifters into all categories. So you can win one and lose another. It's all about design.

[GregA]

I thought this was science and we already knew the best possible lifter?

[TJPrime]

Nobody has yet given an actual entry for anything yet. So I'll come in and give an entry. And here are the details:

Name of the rocket: Wobbler I

Username: TJPrime

Maximum speed: 2056 m/s (orbital velocity at 240km)

Weight: 312.58t

Delta-V:enough to reverse it's 240km orbit

Maximum cargo weight: ~50t

Cost: 132,018 funds

And now for a screenshot or two... or lots... along with a gif....

Javascript is disabled. View full album

And because I'm entering for the 'best looking rocket' above everything else (even though I'm in everything for now)...

Sub-assembly download, if it wishes to work:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B44QK57vx5oCX0VQX3RwSF94dHM/view?usp=sharing

Edited October 24, 2014 by TJPrime

[Pecan]

Twubble is - a stayputnik, FL-T200 fuel tank and 48-7S engine wins in almost all categories. Three, light, cheap, parts that will go very fast if one insists on flying it that way. The only places it doesn't win are payload mass and, in a sane world, aesthetics.

[Wavechaser]

Does speed really matter? Since the ideal condition is following the Vt.

Plus, the "best looking" really varies by people, so you can't just say that.

And also, how about the informational mods? Like engineer, MJ, etc. Or those like FAR, NEAR??

Then cost, if the craft components are recyclable, they will that reduce the final cost?

Edited October 24, 2014 by Wavechaser

[SRV Ron]

Twubble is - a stayputnik, FL-T200 fuel tank and 48-7S engine wins in almost all categories. Three, light, cheap, parts that will go very fast if one insists on flying it that way. The only places it doesn't win are payload mass and, in a sane world, aesthetics.

And, a couple of more will fulfill returning data from orbit contracts.

With a little more fuel;

[rtxoff]

Here's my entry:

Name of Rocket: LogosXL

Username: gpisic

Weight: 1028.1 t

Delta V: 4646 m/s

Maximum Cargo Weight: 200 t

Cost: 402,008

part count: 57 without payload

Configuration: Asparagus staging

Simple and efficient 200t LKO lifter. Only 57 parts. The test weight on the top is from the NRAP mod.

It looks ugly but it works ;-)

Enjoy.

Edited October 25, 2014 by gpisic

[KandoKris]

Name of Rocket: HVY Lifter V 05

Username:KandoKris

Weight: 4323.53

Delta V: ? m/s - I have no mods to tell me

Maximum Cargo Weight: 200 tonne to laythe, thats what is was made for and can do with approx 2000 ltr's spare

Cost: Astronomical $ 2,087,848.

part count: 464 without payload

Configuration: Asparagus staging

I've never built anything larger as this seems to do every job I've thrown at it in terms of lift capacity

For best launch stability skip stage 12 as there only lightweight boosters and sometimes hit other stages

I'm unlikly to use it in career thou due to the sheer cost

Craft File

[GoSlash27]

Mission example slideshow--> http://s52.photobucket.com/user/GoSlash27/slideshow/KSP/ULS%202_0

My not-so-humble submission for "greatest stock launcher ever".

Name "Utility Launch System" aka "the forklift"

Company Mainway Aerospace

Mass

-Dry 11.08 Tonnes

-Launch 21.3 Tonnes

-Gross 36.5 Tonnes (with payload)

Delta V : Just enough to do the job

Max cargo weight: 15 Tonnes

Cost: √66,898 dry, √67,989 with fuel, oxidizer, and monopropellant (doesn't include cost of payload)

Part count: 77 (does not include payload)

Configuration: high-yield fully recoverable RAPIER SSTO

This little puppy is devilishly simple and economical (less than 73 credits total expenditure per metric ton delivered), but it requires excellent pilot skills to complete the mission. It is not recommended for manned flight due to the tight margins and lack of abort options in the event of failure. It is also not recommended for use by inexperienced pilots.

WARNING: The launch profile must be followed exactly in order to place the 15 ton payload in orbit! Any deviation from this launch profile will likely result in the loss of payload. Mainway Aerospace is not liable for any losses incurred due to failure to adhere to this profile.

Launch Profile:

Engage SAS and throttle to full

Space bar to start

Fly vertical to 6KM altitude.

Begin prograde gravity turn, holding the heading dot on the nav ball at the edge of the prograde ring

Continue gravity turn until 20* pitch

Maintain 500 m/sec climb rate to 23 KM altitude

Adjust pitch to zero to null out climb rate at 26KM

Maintain 26KM altitude until 1.7 Km/sec airspeed is achieved

VERY GENTLY increase pitch to 30* and hold

Maintain 30* pitch until altitude of 31KM or engine flameout, whichever happens first

Press 1 to transition to closed cycle operation, reduce to 2/3 throttle, and pitch up to 45 degrees.

Maintain until 70 KM apoapsis achieved, then pitch to prograde

Throttle as necessary to maintain apoapsis, then circularize as desired.

This launcher is equipped with a clamp-o-tron sr. docking port for payload retention, full RCS and SAS systems, solar panel arrays, and staged parachutes for launch vehicle recovery.

(edit) It appears wikisend is down at the moment. I'll include the craft file here once it's available(/edit)

Best,

-Slashy

Edited October 27, 2014 by GoSlash27

[ionator]

do the rockets have to be recoverable? if so, just the pod? or can the unfortunate kerbals smash into the ground?

[purpleivan]

This is the largest launcher I've ever made which was for the "Eve Party Boat", my four kerbal Eve return lander.

Edited November 8, 2014 by purpleivan

[astrobond]

Hi All

Maybe the lightest KSP 0.25 stock "lifter" at this time ?

(if ok for the challenge of course ^^)

Name of Rocket: Ultralight I-Glider-Orbiter

Username: astrobond

Company Name (opt ional):

Maximum Speed:

Weight: 390Kg

Delta V:

Maximum Cargo Weight:

Cost: 8407

Screenshots:

.craft file download (optional): "Ultralight I-Glider-Orbiter 390Kg"

Fly safe with Jeb !

Edited November 9, 2014 by astrobond

[Jodo42]

Alternatively, if you don't like infiniglide, here's my arguably-just-as-exploitative Turbojet-powered ultralight lifter.

Name of Rocket: UltraLite

Username: Jodo42

Maximum Speed: 2400+m/s

Weight: 1,614kg (w/o payload)

Delta-v: Unknown; ~4000+m/s

Maximum Cargo Weight: Unknown; default carries a 220kg probe.

Cost: 11518

Screenshots: