Space on a Bottle Rocket!

[Dres]

Since up-gradable buildings were added in 0.90, i thought of something... Could we try to reach orbit without upgrading anything? So I came up with this challenge.

The Challenge:

The main challenge is to reach orbit without upgrading any buildings or any science nodes. However, after many attempts, I have found it too difficult to get anything into orbit with the Level 1 launchpad (16 tons man, 16 tons...), so I am allowing a Level 2 launchpad, BUT NOTHING ELSE! Only stock parts are allowed, unless they are informational or autopilot parts (MechJeb). Along with this challenge there are some extras, which will all be explained in the points section. In each entry, please include at least one picture of the craft before take-off, and take as many other pictures as you can. Also, no copying is allowed at all. I understand that designs will be similar due to limitations, but I want some creativity. Also, I no cheating. If I suspect someone of cheating, I will build and test a replica of their design! You can cheat as much money and rep as you want, but no science!

The Points:

Suborbital Trajectory (out of atmosphere): +1

Part Count (less than 30 parts): +2

Orbit: +5

OVER 90,000! (both Pe and Ap): +1

Jeb Follower (over four boosters): +2

Jeb Himself (entirely booster craft): +3

Mix and Match (Both SRB and Liquid Engine): +2

Expert Technician (entirely Liquid Fueled craft): +3

Gemini (two Kerbals to orbit, both safely returned): +3

Safe Return: +2

SPEEEEEEEEEED! (Re-entry over 2000 m/s): +1

How? Just How? (Apoapsis over 500,000, must be in orbit): +1

Noodles! (Make a rocket more than six boosters high in the center): -1 (Please, it gets repetitive...)

Stage Performer (Get It? Have five or more stages): +1

BadS (Land with a BOOM! a.k.a a part explodes): +1

I claim this land... (Plant a flag upon your return): +2

Scientific (Bring a scientist along and do science after landed): +1

Extra Notes:

I have done this challenge myself, and have achieved all of the ones that don't contradict. However, I hove not achieved Jeb Himself or Expert Technician yet, and so I will give BONUS POINTS to whoever can get these done first!

Scores:

jwilhite: 18 points

Bluejayek: 16 points

Mesklin: Apparently you got Expert Technician, so you get to be on the list too!

Edited February 3, 2015 by Dres

[Slam_Jones]

LKO is easily achievable with Tier 1 buildings... unless you're using RSS.

[Dres]

It is? Oh no, I thought it was hard. I must be bad at this game...

Should I just stop it then?

[Bluejayek]

I don't think this is entirely trivial, some people may have fun with it! Only trouble is there are not many things available without any upgrades. The ships are going to be fairly similar.

Here is my entry, all non-upgraded, no science/parts unlocked.

http://i.imgur.com/nhkKBvt.png

I don't know how to post a craft file, but its fairly obvious what it is.

The launch screenshot is actually on a second launch (didn't take a picture on first).

I guess I would be claiming:

Orbit,

Part Count,

Mix and Match,

Safe Return,

BadS,

The last two I didn't actually do in this mission... But if I'm a little smarter about fuel and don't raise apoapsis above 80K it is easy to return to ground with a long aerobrake. Parachute lowers it down safely but the engine explodes, and sometimes one of the boosters.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Bluejayek

[SRV Ron]

This early two stage, 2nd stage uses an LV-909, made orbit and return on a 18 ton limit launch pad.

This two stage SRB, over 240,000 meters sub orbital

[Bluejayek]

Here is a better album, better launch.

http://imgur.com/a/MEj0P#0

No upgraded/unlocked parts, under 18 ton limit.

Single stage I guess in that there are no decouplers, but sort of two stage since the liquid engine mostly fires after the SRBs.

Suborbital Trajectory (out of atmosphere): +1

Part Count (less than 30 parts): +2

Orbit: +5

Mix and Match (Both SRB and Liquid Engine): +2

Safe Return: +2

SPEEEEEEEEEED! (Re-entry over 2000 m/s): +1

BadS (Land with a BOOM! a.k.a a part explodes): +1

14 points.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by re-enter over 2000m/s. Pretty much any re-entry will be over that. Screenshot I have shots 1960m/s at 35km altitude though (just missed the 2000m/s mark).

[MarvinKitFox]

This early two stage, 2nd stage uses an LV-909, made orbit and return on a 18 ton limit launch pad.

http://i.imgur.com/IblL5rt.jpg

This two stage SRB, over 240,000 meters sub orbital

http://i.imgur.com/J414vKk.jpg

very, VERY impressive, considering the challenge ruleset of

The main challenge is to reach orbit without upgrading any buildings or any science nodes

Just HOW do you manage to insert a stack seperator in there, without researching the node that unlocks it?

Unless you are cheating, that is?

[Mesklin]

On Tier0 you can easily achieve orbit, 5 or 6 tanks behind capsule with parachute and big engine

[Bluejayek]

On Tier0 you can easily achieve orbit, 5 or 6 tanks behind capsule with parachute and big engine

Can you show just 6 tanks to orbit? I don't think I could fly that up.

Also, about the stack separators... I am not sure how somebody is supposed to have 5 stages WITHOUT separators. Or how you could have a six booster high stack in the middle without separators.

[Mesklin]

My memory is not so good as I am thinking , you should use 9 tanks

[jwilhite]

On Tier0 you can easily achieve orbit, 5 or 6 tanks behind capsule with parachute and big engine

Yeah, I didn't think I remembered this being hard, but I tried it real quick just to make sure. It's just an Mk1 module with a parachute, 9 of the FL-T200 tanks, and the LV-T30 engine. There's even enough fuel left in the tank to bring it back down again.

You can also add one booster at the bottom and then use a little "thermo-decoupling" to overheat the booster and blow it up just before it runs out of fuel. That extra boost can get you over 500k Ap and 90k Pe to meet some of the other challenges.

I'm curious about a few things, though. How are you supposed to plant a flag without upgrading any buildings? You have to upgrade the astronaut complex in order to be able plant a flag.

Also, what counts as a "safe" landing? As far as I'm concerned, any landing my pilot can walk away from is a "safe" landing.

Also, do I get an extra point for flying the mission while holding a baby?

Suborbital Trajectory (out of atmosphere): +1

Part Count (less than 30 parts): +2

Orbit: +5

OVER 90,000! (both Pe and Ap): +1

Mix and Match (Both SRB and Liquid Engine): +2

Safe Return: +2

SPEEEEEEEEEED! (Re-entry over 2000 m/s): +1

How? Just How? (Apoapsis over 500,000, must be in orbit): +1

BadS (Land with a BOOM! a.k.a a part explodes): +1

Total: 16 points

[Dres]

Bluejayek: Actually you earned 16 points. When I said to plant a flag, I wasn't thinking about the other upgrades. I said that just to prove that you landed on land, but its okay.

jwilhite: Yeah, I meant that if you landed on land, as I already explained to Bluejayek. Also, yes a safe landing is anything your pilot can walk away from. I will be awarding you an extra two points as well because of that, bringing your score up to 18 points. Also, what baby? Sadly, I won't give you Expert Technician because that was really Mesklin's design on the entirely liquid one. Sorry.

SRV Ron: Yeah, where did those decouplers come from? And the LV-909? I meant only Node Zero parts and ONLY Node Zero parts...

Thanks all for the interest!

Also, jwilhite, be careful of the noodle! Its almost a noodle rocket at that height!

Edited February 3, 2015 by Dres