Destroying KSC with the least amount of effort [Stock]

[Gimbal]

The Challenge is to destroy one building from the KSC (except for the runway/Launchpad) using the least amount of effort (Mass, Cost, Speed).

You have to launch A vessel as cheap, light, and slow as possible, but still capable of destructing a building.

Rules:

-No mods

-You have to destroy anything you want but the launchpad and runway

-No Bugusing (infinity-glider, ladderpropulsion, etc..)

Score:

-Mass:

-<500t 1p.

-<250t 2p.

-<100t 5p.

-<75t 8p.

-<50t 12p.

-<40t 20p.

-<30t 40p.

-<20t 75p.

-<10t 100p.

Speed:

-<1000m/s 1p.

-<600m/s 3p.

-<200m/s 9p.

-<180m/s 17p.

-<150m/s 26p.

-<125m/s 37p.

-<110m/s 49p.

-<100m/s 61p.

-<80m/s 75p.

-<60m/s 90p.

-<45m/s 110p.

-<30m/s 150p.

Cost:

-<500000 1p.

-<300000 2p.

-<90000 5p.

-<65000 11p.

-<50000 15p.

-<35000 25p.

-<20000 40p.

-<10000 56p.

-<7500 74p.

-<6000 100p.

-<4500 200p.

-<3000 1000p.

- Any Kerbal dying in the process scores 10p.

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Of course it's impossible to gain all points in every category but a good strategy is to focus on one major category.. Have fun!

[ihtoit]

wonder how much this would cost?

(yes, I know it needs wheels!)

[Greep]

This'd be easier to try if I knew how building destruction is calculated :/ is it kinetic energy or momentum or speed + mass or what?

- - - Updated - - -

Turns out it's mass only. Hilarious entry coming right up.

Cost < 6000 (3 srbs, one capsule, fuel taken out of the lopsided srb to get in the point range and have the proper gravity turn)

Speed < 100

Kerbal deaths 1

Mass < 75t

points = 100 + 61 + 10 + 8 = 179

Fairly certain this could be done with a rockomax as the tipper and thrust limiting the s1 for a lower curve to compensate, pushing cost to <4500 but I don't really care enough xD

"Sir... Sir.. why is that SRB hanging on the west side of the rocket?!"

"WHO CARES! FOR SCIENCE!!!!"

"Well technically we're headed for R&D so that's science right?"

"BOOM"

Later scientific inquiries have confirmed that yes, mass is the only factor (~180 pointer, eventually used 3 s1-srbs KR-2L and fuel):

Even more science shatters the previous assumption, as this ~25 ton whopper smashes that baby to the ground. It appears to be momentum.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Greep

[Greep]

Further messing around reveals that angle of attack matters considerably... while straight downward attack takes 400 m/s, the last rocket could take it down going only 120 m/s when going straight sideways

[Captain Sierra]

Further messing around reveals that angle of attack matters considerably... while straight downward attack takes 400 m/s, the last rocket could take it down going only 120 m/s when going straight sideways

I love how destroying the KSC has turned into a full blown scientific inquiry as to the most effective methods thereof. I'm sure the KSC would approve this on the annual budget!

EDIT: and to assist the science, it is also possible to destroy facilities with high quantities of thrust. 4KR-XL engines (or whatever the big stackable 3.75s are) will take out anything and that is due to the building being blasted rather than the mass of the vehicle coming back down. I'll try and replicate this.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Captain Sierra

[Greep]

Okay, yeah so the best is hitting the VAB sideways with as much horizontal momentum as possible.

So.. anyways... having over 1000 points I think this kind of ends the competition :/

cost ~ 2500 (2 separatrons, 1 srb 1 command pod)

points > 1000

Incidentally, this proves it's momentum and not kinetic energy: Trying to do this with half the fuel should theoretically give about the same result but doesn't. It ended with double the end velocity, but about a third of the mass: surprisingly more energy but didn't topple the building.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Greep