Orbiter Flag Challange - "Grand Tour" style

[EliNaut]

Greetings everyone - just a quick idea I had.

A challenge utilizing a DGIV or like an XR2, and the Orbiter Flag addon.

It would consist of:

1)Takeoff from Earth
2)Visit each planet and x number of its moons (heck, all of them if your feeling lucky)
3)Plant the flag of your home country on each stop
4)Return to Earth

>>Refueling at each body is allowed, for both life support and fuel
>>You may take a life support or fuel payload with you if you need it.
>>Any navigation tool may be used

A logical path would probably to obviously start with our Moon, then either head to Mercury or, say the last gas giant (or pluto) that your solar system has. This way, you can go straight up the line, and end up close to Earth's orbit.

I figure a scoring would be based off of a point for each flag planted on each body (1 per body, for those of you who are getting ideas ). And, say, 2-5 points for returning to Earth safely. To break any ties, we should record our launch and landing dates. Whoever came back first shall win the tie.

Let me know what you think! I know its a long voyage (one hell of a scrapbook too), but I'd do it just to say I did it . I am writing this at about 10 of 6am so feel free to make suggestions for revisions if your as nuts as I am to try it.

Good luck, comrades.

~EliNaut

 

[T.Neo]

I like the idea. I might give it a try.

 

[EliNaut]

I should also mention that the flag can be of your own design as well - not just of your home country. I'm working on one in gimp at the moment

 

[T.Neo]

Can I add the flags with the scn editor once I get to the destination, or do I have to carry them with in the XR2's bay?

 

[EliNaut]

Scenario editor is fine. Long as they get there

.

 

[T.Neo]

I'm having trouble with getting the SA flag into Orbiter. I followed the directions, but the flag just turns out grey. :compbash2:

EDIT:
Here is my mission plan so far:
Payload in XR2 bay is a CHM, and a DGIV inflatable module.
The inflatable module will be used as a habitat and to generate oxygen for the trip.
I also plan to do a refueling at kulch's FSS alpha.
I'm still not so sure on when to leave for the Moon, etc.

 

[Whatu]

Seems interesting, might give it a try after I complete the chapman challenges...

Do we have to complete this in a "lifetime"?

And I think you could only refuel where there is a Fuel-Station (Grounded or on orbit), so if you wanted to refuel in every planet, youll have to add fueling stations to them,..

Nice Idea

 

[T.Neo]

Do we have to complete this in a "lifetime"?

Well, I'd try to do it as fast as possible, weather in a lifetime or not.

 

[Woo482]

I think I will have a try now that I can reach Mars with IMFD I should be able to go to the other Planets

 

[T.Neo]

XR2-01 is now docked to the FSS and has refueled, and replenished oxygen. It will make it's way to the Moon shortly.
I made a critical mistake of not recording my launch date, but after careful calculation determined it was at seven seconds after 23:00 on the 17th of march 2001.

And I think you could only refuel where there is a Fuel-Station (Grounded or on orbit), so if you wanted to refuel in every planet, youll have to add fueling stations to them,..

I'm planning to use my super-duper XR2 ISRU kit, but if the rules change I'll have to dump the thing overboard.

 

[flytandem]

I've done a few trips to outer planets and the long wait even with warp 100,000 is tiring, sometimes leaving it for hours at max warp while it slowly transfers across large distances. I have no idea how much oxygen the DGIV has but here's a thought that could address the long wait and make it more for the challenge of the trip execution instead of the craft issues.

Suggestion... start in the early 70s so that you get the inner planets done in time for the alignment of outer planets used by the Voyager missions. Then Jupiter Saturn Uranus and Neptune will all be on the same side of the solar system to make transfers more timely.

Mercury is tough to land on so you could start there (on the bottom rung of the ladder) and work your way up hitting each planet in order plus making landings on the moons. For Jupiter and beyond just land on each moon in the system before heading out to the next planet. The finish would be to make landing on the moons of Neptune.

Here's a sample scenario all set up with a date that is perfect for a departure from Mercury to Venus. Copy past and change the stock DG to whatever ship you liked. Or change it to starting at Earth with scenario editor if you like.

BEGIN_DESC
Enhanced Grand Tour... start Mercury, land on all planets and moons. Hint: start with going to Venus then land on Earth, moon, Mars and its moons, in time to get to Jupiter and the outer planets for the outer planetary alignments utilized by the Voyager missions.
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
  Date MJD 40932.
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship 1
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET 1
  MODE Cockpit
  FOV 60.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_MFD Left
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
END_MFD

BEGIN_PANEL
END_PANEL


BEGIN_SHIPS
1:DeltaGlider
  STATUS Landed Mercury
  POS -0.0002751 -0.0034891
  HEADING 90.60
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000 1:1.000
  NAVFREQ 402 94 0 0
  XPDR 2
  GEAR 1 1.0000
END
END_SHIPS

BEGIN_ExtMFD
END

 

[astrosammy]

Maybe I try it out tomorrow, but I'd really like to make it realistic, maybe dock some Interplanetary ships together to avoid refueling, take an unmanned probe for Venus, some Apollo LMs for all bodies without atmosphere, and some landers from the Mars Direct addon for bodies with atmosphere.

 

[T.Neo]

Maybe I try it out tomorrow, but I'd really like to make it realistic, maybe dock some Interplanetary ships together to avoid refueling, take an unmanned probe for Venus, some Apollo LMs for all bodies without atmosphere, and some landers from the Mars Direct addon for bodies with atmosphere.

I've always imagined making my interplanetary trips realistically, but I've given up on that for this mission. I can't seem to find an interplanetary mothercraft that fits my expectations.

EDIT:
Venus, though, is troubling me. I don't want to land on the surface with the XR2. Maybe I'll just put the flag on a reentry trajectory.

 

[Linguofreak]

If anything is to be planted on Venus, something other than an XR class will be needed for it. I'm pretty sure the XR series will suffer thermal failure if it has any doors open (such as airlocks or gear doors) on the Venusian surface.

 

[T.Neo]

If anything is to be planted on Venus, something other than an XR class will be needed for it. I'm pretty sure the XR series will suffer thermal failure if it has any doors open (such as airlocks or gear doors) on the Venusian surface.

Agreed. Is there any sort of unmanned "reentry capsule" that I could use for this?

 

[Woo482]

Use the Paracone addon with UCD to attach the flag then just de-orbit it

 

[EliNaut]

Well seems like you guys sure seem to be up to it.

@ T.Neo - ISRU? ( ____ refueling unit I am guessing)
The Descartes or Deepstar seem to be decent "motherships". Deepstar even has two landers, but there semi-apollo ish so don't expect to make many atmospheric flights. Mayby on like, Titan. Not much holding you back there.

@ everyone - About the lifetime question, I would say no, no time limit, other than your LOX which shouldn't become too much of a problem. Or if your really up to it, do the gas giants first, then return to the ISS on the way to the inner planets to swap crew, mayby? Even better - get a station up in lunar orbit. The "Blue Danube" ring should suffice, if there is not other ones available. Should be a nice fuel saver too, once you depart from the moon again.

@ Liguofreak - True, it is that venus is a true oven of our solar system. But remember also that it is a super refigerator at night. I wonder, though, if its too cold that is, if you could land at a sunrise/set area where temps are in the middle. Make a quick EVA and run for it! :rofl:

After some thought, you indeed may use any vessel within realistic limits. Basically, keep your hand off that warp drive, Mr.Picard. Although, those who "roughed it" more or less will be credited for their hard work.

This journey should put your piloting abilities to the test - nearly all of basic mechanics (transfers, plane alignment, rendevous, takeoff, reentry, flight on other planets, etc etc) are incorperated in this and is a clear mark of a true Orbinaut to whomever should take this on.

Good luck! I shall start my own trip this coming weekend, as I have exams this week. Just remember to have fun - and don't crash. That stuff is very very expensive! >:[

~Elinaut

 

[Linguofreak]

@ Liguofreak - True, it is that venus is a true oven of our solar system. But remember also that it is a super refigerator at night. I wonder, though, if its too cold that is, if you could land at a sunrise/set area where temps are in the middle. Make a quick EVA and run for it! :rofl:

Wrong.

The only really big temperature variation on Venus is with altitude. Because of the thick, CO2 laden atmosphere, there's almost no variation between the equator and the poles, or between the day side and night side. The entire surface of the planet is heated to about 465 C.


-----Post Added-----


I'd say for Venus the goal should be to drop a flag out the airlock from as low an altitude as possible without overheating or being otherwise unable to return to orbit.

 

[T.Neo]

I think I'll try the Deepstar as a mothership.

 

[EliNaut]

Wrong.
I'd say for Venus the goal should be to drop a flag out the airlock from as low an altitude as possible without overheating or being otherwise unable to return to orbit.

Haha yeah I figured as much. I belive I may have been thinking of Mercury...? Having a bit of trouble thinking back to the last time the solar system popped up in my ciriculum. Thanks for the correction!