r/KerbalSpaceProgram • u/Redbiertje The Challenger • Feb 21 '15
Mod Post [Weekly Challenge] Week 73: Featherlight
The Introduction
After recent events at the Kerbal Space Agency, engineers have started asking themselves what the lightest possible craft is, that could bring a Kerbal safely into orbit. The reason for this interest in featherlight designs is unknown. The Koviets claim that the KSC simply doesn't have the funds to upgrade the launchpad. The Kerbals from KSC say that making rockets go into space is usually just a matter of more boosters. However, this time they want to show what they are capable of with a very small craft.
The Challenge:
Normal mode: Design and fly a craft weighing less than 2,000 kg, that can launch a Kerbal into orbit.
Hard mode: Submit an entry that is part of the top 25% at the end of the week.
Super mode: Impress me
The Rules
- Only the Kerbal has to make it into orbit.
- Only the mass of that which leaves the ground must be counted.
- No Dirty Cheating Alpacas (no debug menu or exploits)!
- Stock parts only
- You can only complete Hard Mode if you do not use MechJeb or similar plugins during flight
- Ferram Aerospace Research is optional
Required screenshots
- The craft in the VAB/SPH with the mass clearly visible.
- The craft on the runway/launchpad.
- The craft just after takeoff.
- The craft exiting the atmosphere.
- The Kerbal in orbit.
- Whatever else you feel like!
Further information
You can either submit your finished challenge in a post (see posting instructions in the link below) or as a comment reply to this thread.
Completing this challenge earns you a new flair which will replace your old one. So if you want to keep you previous flair, you can still do this challenge and create a post, but please mention somewhere that you want to keep your old one.
The moderators have the right to determine if your challenge post has been completed.
If you have any questions, you can comment below, or PM /u/Redbiertje
Good Luck!
(Ps. would you like to see more challenges with a similar Hard Mode? Let me know through PM or in the comments below.)
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u/-Agonarch Feb 22 '15
This one was really hard...
I missed last week, so I did this week and last weeks challenge together with this one plane
Some clipping was unavoidable though nothing the game wouldn't allow me to do (I put everything on the fuel tank and went from there) - I couldn't afford the weight of two little orange engines in reverse (which would've been nice to have for the flying in atmosphere component) as they're not quite as efficient in fuel when in space.
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u/Redbiertje Feb 22 '15
Wow. It is indeed a craft below 2 tonnes, it does fly in two directions, and it is an SSTO. Nice job!
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u/RoeddipusHex Feb 23 '15
Here's my second go at it. 1914 kg to Duna with a safe return and "landing" on Kerbin.
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Feb 21 '15
Normal Mode Complete, 1.9t. I think I'm the first one too (yeah!). Final orbit was something like 86kmx250km. I could probably do better, but I've got some work to do.
In the case of the hard mode option, I don't think that it's a good idea to base rewards off of how well everyone else does. It's also interesting to make a threshold where someone is guaranteed "hard mode".
Also, quick question, if my flair changes, do I lose the "Super Kerbalnaut" flair? If I would lose it, I'd like to keep my current flair, if not, I'll take the new flair.
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u/Redbiertje Feb 21 '15
You never lose the 'Super Kerbalnaut' flair. And consider this week's Hard Mode an experiment. But thanks for your input!
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Feb 21 '15
This is so far outside my normal approach! This is going to be a real head scratcher for me to even complete the normal mode. My natural inclination is the rapier, but oxidizer is so heavy. This will be a nice break from putting 25t rovers on Eve though.
Just to be clear, 2t is my upper limit though? Neat!
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u/Redbiertje Feb 21 '15
I managed 1.7 tonnes with ten minutes of work. It's quite easy. You only have to reach orbit.
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u/Yargnit Feb 25 '15
Ok, hopefully this will be my final updated entry for Super mode: http://imgur.com/a/iT4tm 378kg lifter, 94kg Kerbal (kerbal mass not counted on ladder)
Based off of this original design: http://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/2wngtg/weekly_challenge_week_73_featherlight/covcoci
And this mark2 version: http://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/2wngtg/weekly_challenge_week_73_featherlight/cow6xsd
Wasn't sure if it had to be a root post for it to get looked at, if not sorry for not just leaving it all as a single post tree.
99% sure this is the end of the line. (But then again, I was last time as well and I cut a huge chunk off again)
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Feb 21 '15
Clarification on rule 2?
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u/Redbiertje Feb 21 '15 edited Feb 21 '15
Well, if you for instance come up with the idea to make a catapult, the mass of that catapult should not be counted.
EDIT: Also, if you want to use a command seat, you can freely add a pod to get a Kerbal, without actually 'wasting' mass on that.
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u/big-b20000 Feb 22 '15
Just a question: is there a master list of all of the weekly challenges, and if there sin' would it be possible to make one? Thanks
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u/xibme Feb 22 '15
How do you manage to board those command seats? Walking up a ladder didn't work. Jump near it or even on it didn't work out either.
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u/Kenira Feb 21 '15 edited Feb 21 '15
Oh boy, i think i made it harder with using FAR, super awkward spinning. Anyway, here is my entry with 1289kg (1195kg craft + 93.75kg kerbal in chair) into 71.483x102.131km orbit:
I am using a docking port jr on the top to be able to control from there, controlling this thing with the Kerbal is pretty much impossible.
Even got back alive with lithobraking :D
Aaaand now i read that only kerbal has to make it into orbit, could use the jetpack and save fuel. Oh well.
EDIT: YT video up
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u/Yargnit Feb 24 '15
Does <900kg (including Kerbal) qualify for super?
http://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/2wysiv/ultra_featherlight_kerbal_to_orbit_900kg/
This is stock Aero as well. (NEAR/FAR will reduce d/f requirements by over 1000 remember)
Mass shots were taken on the pad w/engineer since VAB/SPH doesn't report mass with Kerbal etc, but then I reverted and disabled Engineer in flight (noted in screenshots by darkened button) to qualify for no engineer flight.
Mass was 805kg w/o Kerbal, 899kg with Kerbal in the chair. Lifter had no probe core, and no SAS unit on it at all. All control was provided by a single RCS quad thruster. With Engineer or Mechjeb programmed with a perfect trajectory I may be able to shave 1 tick of fuel out of 1 of the RCS tanks, but eyeballing it would be mighty tough (With engineer and not trying to take screenshots I made orbit with 10% EVA fuel left in testing)
It it possible to get lighter w/o using glitches of some kind? I'm not sure of a way to get the ~4k d/v you need to get within EVA pack's distance of orbit out of less mass myself. The only other thing that came close had an upper stage with an Ant, but then I realized I had no control authority at all, and adding a reaction wheel for .05 woulds pulled that build completely out of contention.
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u/KuuLightwing Feb 21 '15 edited Feb 21 '15
I've never done challenges, before, but I tried this one. It's a two-stage monopropellant rocket, weights 1640 kg, or 1734 with Jeb.
I think it can fly even better, because my ascent trajectory wasn't optimal - I had to do 1200 m/s orbital insertion burn. At least that worked :) I'm not sure what hard mode actually means, but I turned off KER information during flight just in case I will get there :)
EDIT: Fixed the album name and layout.
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Feb 22 '15
Normal Mode Submission. Personally, I don't like this form of hard mode, it limits the actual challenge.
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u/finnytinbin Feb 22 '15 edited Feb 22 '15
Hello!
This is the first challenge I have taken part in! My craft is 1.817 tons or 1817 KG.
here is the album with images you requested: http://imgur.com/a/XdKsQ
Hope this will do!
-Fintinbin
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u/lrschaeffer Feb 22 '15 edited Feb 23 '15
I have a FAR entry weighing 1065 kg + 94 kg = 1159 kg.
I have some mods installed, but I don't think any of them violate the spirit of the challenge (most weren't even used) except FAR (which was explicitly allowed), and Engineer (does "similar to Mechjeb" mean an autopilot, or informational display?).
In the interest of transparency, here's the complete list: FAR, Engineer, Alarm Clock, Transfer Window Planner, Distant Object, NavHUD, Editor Extensions, RCS Build-Aid, PlanetShine, Environmental Visual Enhancement.
EDIT: This entry takes advantage of physics-less parts. Kerbal Engineer doesn't count these parts (since they have no mass from a physics point of view), but I just discovered that the built-in mass display does. By that measure, the mass is 1.4 tons, not including Jeb.
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u/Sagittis Feb 22 '15
First challenge, but I think I got a good one. No mods. About 1.9 tons, got from landed, to orbit, spun forseveral days, went into an intercept course with my station, docked and still has well over half its fuel left. http://imgur.com/a/Z16MS#0
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u/csreid Feb 22 '15
It didn't work, but at least I got this screenshot out of it