NASA's HAVOC Challange.

[SRV Ron]

The concept; send a manned mission to EVE, send down a manned airship to explore the planet upper atmosphere, and return the exploration crew safely back to Kerbal.

Here is the link to the actual proposed manned mission to explore Venus and return them to Earth.

http://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-wants-to-build-a-floating-city-above-the-clouds-of-venus/

Hoolgans Labs and Firesplitter mods will be needed for your airship.

Feel free to use KW rocketry, Nova Punch, or any other similar parts mods. No futuristic or exotic propulsion mods, and no cheats.

You may use KSP 0.25 for this challenge to be sure of compatibility of the mods needed.

The challenge, build a low cost spacecraft to fulfill the mission as outlined by the NASA proposal. If you want, assemble your ship in orbit. Otherwise, send a single ship to Eve from Kerbal orbit, place it into Eve orbit, drop its manned airship payload into the upper atmosphere of Eve, remain in orbit for the return of the exploration crew, and return them to kerbal. Optionally, you can design in a probe that can be dropped to the surface of Eve from the airship.

Lets see what the forum rocket designers can come up with to fulfill the mission requirements.

Edited December 23, 2014 by SRV Ron

[NeatCrown]

Read the submission guidelines! Where's your attempt?

Edited December 23, 2014 by NeatCrown

[SRV Ron]

Read the submission guidelines! Where's your attempt?

This is not an example of going the fastest, highest, lightest, most, least. This is a challenge to design something that can do that highly specialize mission as efficiently as possible.

Or, building the most efficient design, without using cheats or futuristic mods, that returns Kerbals safely back to Kerban gets the bragging rights.

This mission is not going to be the easiest or fastest thing in the world to complete. It is going to take some time to design, build, test, then actually do the mission.

Edited December 23, 2014 by SRV Ron

[NeatCrown]

This mission is not going to be the easiest or fastest thing in the world to complete. It is going to take some time to design, build, test, then actually do the mission.

Oh, sorry. It seemed a LITTLE unlikely. But, I forgot that people came back from Eve fully stock before. Sorry.

Edited December 23, 2014 by NeatCrown

[Cmdr. Arn1e]

So how is this scored? you have no 'rules' or 'scoreboards'... this reads more like a craft request intended for the Rocket Builders forum... which would return what you state you are looking for...

[RAINCRAFTER]

Awesome challenge, thanks for bringing this to life!

[SRV Ron]

So how is this scored? you have no 'rules' or 'scoreboards'... this reads more like a craft request intended for the Rocket Builders forum... which would return what you state you are looking for...

Details are coming.

Rules are simple, No futuristic Mods, No Cheats such as Hyperedit, parts altering mods, or the built in ones.

The two mods specified are required for building the exploration ship. The others are optional including visual and flight aids.

Scoring, Will likely be based upon project cost, total weight in Kerbal orbit of the assembled ship prior to heading for Eve, parts count of the mission ready ship in orbit, with the lower of all three being the better.

Given the busy Christmas season, the challenge will remain active until March.