Optimal Ascent with a Given Rocket [MechJeb v1.8]

[ferram4]

With the update of MechJeb to v1.8, we now have a built-in delta-V measure for exactly how efficient our ascents are (Yay ascent stats! ). So, let\'s try and do it as efficiently as possible. So using this ship (attached at bottom of post):

Insert into a circular 100km orbit using any ascent profile and options you like. You must use MechJeb\'s ascent autopilot to achieve orbit and it must be v1.8 so we have ascent stats, but beyond that, you can do anything else, just post a picture of the ascent stats, the ascent path, the orbital information and tell us what you did, like so:

I just put in the shown settings and hit spacebar. Nothing fancy.

Minimum delta-V to orbit wins. Happy launching!

EDIT: If you decide to take manual control of the ship during ascent, you should say what altitude you took control at and how you piloted it. Videos are preferable, but not mandatory.

LEADERBOARD

1. DonLorenzo - 4257 m/s expended

2. grovest4life / UmbralRaptor - 4309 m/s expended

3. togfox - 4313 m/s expended

4. ferram4 - 4322 m/s expended

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[grovest4life]

Here is my optimum DV orbit at this time.

[ferram4]

Nice job! I\'ve never gotten this ship quite that efficient.

[UmbralRaptor]

It seems like there are a fair number of ascent trajectories that use 4309 m/s ?V. I can\'t find anything more efficient, though.

[Saaur]

Grovest, I can\'t replicate your results. Best I\'ve gotten using your settings is 4321 m/s

[togfox]

4336 so far but I\'ve only just started ...

[DonLorenzo]

I went to manual control halfway through the ascent, the ascent stats stopped totalling the dV, but the individual components kept counting, don\'t know if that\'s still proper but adding them gives 4257dv

[togfox]

Screen shot show 3190 >

[Amram]

Screen shot show 3190 >

the screenshot also shows 4257, like he said, it stopped totaling, and that much is obvious even from the screenshot.

1125 gravity loss, 900 drag loss, 185 steering loss, and 2047m/s gain.

total those. he\'s quite right, the individual factors do add up to 4257.

[togfox]

Ah - I C. Thx.

I got 4313 dV with settings of 7 and 65. Similar to Grove but couldn\'t be bothered going to decimal points!

[ferram4]

@DonLorenzo:

I\'ll accept it, but I\'d like it if you can tell us about what altitude you took control and how you piloted it. That ascent is really, really good.

Rules have been updated slightly to cover manual piloting.

@togfox:

I\'ve put you on the leaderboard, but I\'d prefer a screenshot of the finished ascent. It allows a comparison of the path profile selected, which I think is where most of the change in dV comes from.

[DonLorenzo]

I used the settings as displayed on the screenshot, I took control just after the last staging event (I stage manually) when the turn was almost over. Burned horizontally at about 60-70km until AP = 100, waited until AP and burned untill PE was 100 (107, actually). That\'s as best I can remember it. I think the figures should be correct as all in-atmo burns where done with the ascent autopilot (so no more atmospheric drag in the manual piloting bit), I performed only prograde burns (no gravity drag.. right?) and steered only using the pod SAS, maybe a couple m/s steering loss due to gimballing while already on course but it can\'t be a lot.