Shortest Possible Space Mission Challenge - Kerbal Space Program 

"Oh, 8 boosters, yes, that's even better." Only in Kerbal Space Program, ladies and gentlemen.

So here's an attempt from me just so you know that I can in fact go fast.... Shortest Space Mission Attempt - 2:27 Can I go faster? find out soon.

4 words not to mention at NASA: It worked in KSP.

Scott, at 26:19 I'm not sure what you're talking about... "Ah yes, I see a great future, you have a great future young man. If you can hold yourself together while thrusting at maximum speed, then you'll be a man, my son"

"faster, cheaper, spread over a wider area program" sounds like "build it quickly, cheaply, and make sure that when it blow up, it blows up big"

Ah, back when the atmosphere was a brick wall XD

"You have a great future, young man. If you can hold yourself together while thrusting at maximum speed, then you will be a man, my son." The. Best.

At 8:28, even I tried to press X.

Suggestion for possible future challenge. For me one of the main difference between real spacecrafts and these we see in works of science fiction is that our crafts are always purpose build, designed from the ground up to go to given place, and often, maybe not straight useless, but definitely less suited for other applications (for example Skylab missions utilizing Apollo hardware I believe never actually needed main engine of the service module to be as powerful as as Moon missions required it to be, to make both lunar insertion and departure burns). Science fiction spacecrafts are generally "universal" as in they can go basically everywhere. So would it be possible to build in KSP an "universal" craft that could go anywhere in the game world and back to Kerbin and then be used again for another trip to other place? So the implication here is that it needs to be a single stage design, as it returns to Kerbin and possibly after just refueling is able to go somewhere again. There is small reservation though, craft can be "refueled" for the return trip once it gets to its destination. What I mean by "refueled" is either using some mod like KES to physically refuel it, or spawning a copy of the craft on destination planet with full fuel, which, I believe is possible in vanilla game. Hard mode is to get to destination and back without midway refueling.

I really love your KSP videos Scott! I watch every day!

26:24 Thrusting at maximum speed. gigity

When Scott starts saying he has a crazy idea, we've left the realm of experiments it's good to watch firsthand

You have a way with words SIR! that and your videos are pretty good.

the rocket separation at 9 minutes reminds me of the dragon balls being scattered around the world

31:25 Scott Manley's perpetual motion machine.

Good first few, too many pieces to go wrong on the last ones Need just 1 big kerbodyne tank and the mark 2 lander can, maybe the radial reentry engines and a parachute.. If the TWR is good enough you can go up and back down using 1 big engine.. Basically the first design, but with a giant setup Awesome videos Scott, keep up the good work.. And... Fly Safe!!

'If you can keep thrusting at maximum speed, you will be a man my son' ...Indeed

everybody don't tell danny2462 about this challenge...

a half hour of Scott Manly geeking out on what he does best. this is great, i love knowing people are enjoying what they do

Great video and great challenge!

As much as i love the normal series and stuff. Seeing him to wacky stuff and challenges like this, is always very awesome. Wish it would happen a bit more :) its a nice way to spice up the KSP stuff as well.

Hell with "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger", we're going for "Smaller, Cheaper, Faster, Harder landings"!

Scott, I would totally watch one of your whiteboard videos where you show some basic calculus computing the perfect altitude to reverse thrust in order to minimize the time function.

Hi Scott, I really like these videos, unfortunately my PC is in no state to run the full KSP so I'm only playing with the demo. Here's a silly game I've invented that should have WAY more potential with the full range of parts: KSC Parachute Display Team (how the boys spend their Sundays...). The objective is to get as many parachutes in the air AND in the same camera view "frame" for a "beauty shot" as possible. Things to consider: 1. The modules need to separate cleanly but as close to each other as possible: interesting stack design issues (particularly with the demo range of parts!). 2. The individual modules have to fall at about the same rate so they need the same 'chute:mass ratio. 3. The camera view is tied to the command module so that has to come down first, off to one side (to get all the 'chutes in shot) but not too far away. It's an interesting tech challenge, gets you lots of pretty pictures, and decorates the landscape with amusing circular "high-tech stonehenge" debris fields. I've managed about 38 'chutes in shot so far, but with the full range of parts and controls, WAY more should be possible.

If there were multiple people attempting this at the same time, then it would be a proper space race

Not sure if Scott mentions this later on but during the race for the moon landing the russians did not have the infastructure in place to develop large engines so decided to use many of them. While the USA had 2 teams one design and the other to build, The Reds would build a design, test, destroy them and then fix what ever failed. They would then test again and repeat the process. The engines they built, the closed cycle system was years ahead and if I remember correctly was purchased and built apon by NASA because nothing they had even came close. Soviet N1 Moon Rocket Documentary Part 1 That documentry follows the story and I think the Reds embraced kerbal years ahead of us.

Nice Video as always :)

Someone should make a GIF of that spinning parachute and jet engine combo, I was mesmerized lol.

That parachute deploy at 2:50 was fucking amazing lmao

RCS Engines only one of the funnest challenges ive ever done. much better than i expected. !! 2:31 !! i think someone can do it faster. but im still going to say i had the most fun ksp shenanigans!! Scott Manly's shortest space mission race challenge !! 2:31 !!

Hello Scott Manley this is in regards to the Shortest Possible Space Mission Challenge. I just want you to know that first thanks for doing what you do on RU-vid I appreciate the time it takes to do these videos. I receive a lot of enjoyment out of your videos. Now back to the rocket, though I have some mods installed for my game, I only used vanilla parts and decided to include the rocket save file in this package. Landing safely at 3 minutes and 6 seconds I know that I messed up the entry a little bit on my video and there is room for improvement. The only thing about those solid fuel boosters is that they are used for balance so the rocket doesn't list to far East when taking off. Regardless of whoever bests my time I had a lot of fun building this rocket. It's been a long time since I have had the inspiration to build something really weird in Kerbal Space Program and I think that your challenge is a great idea to get the creative juices flowing. I am looking forward the crazy contraptions that people make in response to your video. Ciao. ComputerJunkie. Response to Shortest Space Mission Challenge.

Danny2462 I bet you could ROCK this challenge..

interesting challenge. i'll have to give it a go

Centrifugal force is a wonderful thing. No separatrons needed when done correctly

Nice video as always!(Fly Safe)! :)

Realism Overhaul version GO!

Thats been realy fast to the surface! ;D

it's basically a variation of the classical how-fast-can-I-crash-into-the-wall-challenge

Now these are 1st world problems... 'Oh no, the computer won't let me put 8 uneccessary rockets onto another rocket so that I can crash a (sort of) human being into the ground from SPACE for my own enjoyment!!!!!!' 'MURICA NASA SPACE

You sound sick Scott. Get well soon!

Insert Archer quote about huge Throbbing Erection here while you were building that one absolutely massive beast of a rocket.

Well, after seeing some enterprising Redditors, my entry seemed tame at 2:02, so I've decided to go for broke. Here's my latest entry: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6oQ-ZMhW6ho.html I come in at 1:30... the funny part is I think there's still room to milk a bit more out of it. I wouldn't be surprised at 1:25 or 1:20.

"if you can hold yourself together while thrusting at maximum speed, then you'll be a man my son..." that's, that's just the best thing iv'e ever heard out of context.

Scott Manley Your question at 25th min is easy to answer. It depends on which parent part you "touch" with your mouse first. You can either strafe over the central part, or the one you want to attatch it to. It´s a bit tricky, but if you think of maths (geometrie, vektors) all those strange habbits make a lot more sense :D

"If you can hold yourself together while thrusting at maximum speed, then you'll be a man, my son!" * cough *cough - Scott Manley 2014

Scott, you should have set the parachutes to deploy at 50m. Thats what I do all the time :)

I think my heart stopped when you deployed that parachute...

Great video, change things up a bit. Challenge accepted!

Scott, You should use your Fastest Ship to the moon Rocket (with infinite fuel) just to figure out what the fastest possible time would be, then you have a good target to shoot for.

Just nailed it in 3:00 with my 2nd prototype. No parachutes, rcs trusters poiting up, then i rotate, to make them explode before the pod and slow it down.

You can set parachute deployment altitude from 500 to 10 meters, so you can set lets say 50m and stage them at 100m and they are automaticaly gonna deploy at 50, i find 40 just enough not to kill anyone..

10:54 Bill Kerman now has Irreparable hemorrhoids!

hi everybody. i finally got the full version of this game last week. and something has been happening lately that i wonder if it happens to you too... when i am just browsing the web i find myself right clicking and dragging attempting to rotate the object... i do this randomly while watching youtube videos or photoes on FB for example. i cant be alone, right?

This can definitely be beaten, even with your own designs in the video. In the last two attempts you clearly started decelerating too late ... I might actually try this one. looks fun :D

Yay for a hilarious video :P

i used to give myself challenges like shortest possible mission to land on mun (without cheats), plant a flag, fly back to kerbin and plant the finishing flag

Just Cause 2 style parachuting there.

needs more space tape

use a set of those boosters pointing upward, "nominally", and then a set of boosters going down.

You gave Kerbin a nice little parachute-hat! Parachat? XD

Scott Manley Please make a top 10 of the submitted videos/solutions. Thanks, and keep up the good job.

Classic Scott.

Hey scott you have a pretty damned good PC yeah? How about a 10 stage rocket, should be able to get at least 3 stages into orbit without firing them, goal is to see how many stages of a rocket you can get into orbit without firing, or as a second challenge an SSTM space plane. Goal is to build a plane capable of getting to the mun without refueling then coming back to kerbin and landing using stock parts. (You need to build an engine first, the engine should be able to get into orbit firing like a rocket otherwise it will never make it to the mun and back once you add control surfaces, the bigger challenge is to make your SSTM a VTOL)

Put the capsules upside down and have and inverted rocket. Boosters take you up to 70. Stage and fire inverted immediately, and use the weight to assist.

I managed to get 2:45, though I did add the Klockheed Martian smart-parts to trigger events. -- I kept getting distracted by pretty sights and missing -- SQUIRREL! -- the time to trigger stage changes. Craft file available here: drive.google.com/file/d/0B2889vNnzpsTOUJJUGt3clJmcWs/edit?usp=sharing (And if you want to see something completely different from this challenge's "fast-as-possible", you can take a glance at my "Lazy Dragonfly": forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/92548-Lazy-Dragonfly-v1-00 It's a glider whose behavior lives up to it's name. Dropped from a few meter's height, it lazily glides down the runway at 3m/s, finally reaching the sea after 20min and keeps going...)

There is a rocket assisted takeoff/landing method for the C130 Hercules for the USAF ;)

6:25 i already knew what was going to happen next. XD

The trick would be more to start the deceleration well before 70km, so that you reach your highest point just slightly over 70km, instead of 24Km over as in your last attemps.

"We've had enough comedy out of this." NEVAR!!! XD

NOOOOOO you can't leave us hanging without a perfect run!!!

i used 50 or so of the big new solid rocket boosters but i was gaining so much thrust no amount of struts was keeping my landing car from exploding at about 9000 kilometers

That last one with the 4 giant rockets and the 2 solid busters facing down? it looks like a danny design

"I wonder how I can get Abyssal Lurker to do more videos" - Scott Manley, 2014

"how can that not be a thing of beauty"

Updated version: Add an element of precision, you have to get the kerbonaut back to the crew building as fast as possible without sending debris on a building. :P Like a triathlon, it ends with a run.

I tried this with far and deadly re-entry. I ended up splattering my kerbinauts all over the capsule :D

You can make another parameter for parashutes. High pressure and low altitude.

This would be a lot harder in 1.12, due to reentry heating, and something about parachutes: they open at 1000 meters . . . And take 500 meters to inflate.

You should try doing a Duna mission in less than a year, meaning you'd have to use way more delta v and wouldn't be able to rely on maneuver nodes

Scott, you should have used one of the major crash tolerant parts instead of a chute.

If you use the new stack decouplers TR-38-D you can get infinite energy because they are physics less so the speed depends on the computer you are using.

26:30 ONLY, in Kerbal guys, only in Kerbal is this a good idea

I think that Danny would win. That is, if he didn't need to keep the capsule intact.

MOAR BOOSTERS

My final 2:22 run: Final attempt at Scott Manley's Shortest Possible Space Mission Challenge I'm curious to see what the final record will be, and if it'll be some huge monstrosity or something really simple.

*The Bob Kerman Experience*

Hey, Scott, could you build a rocket with the stages in reverse order (meaning having the launch stage at the top of the rocket and the smaller stages below) and could you get it into Orbit (or maybe even to minmus or mün)?

NASCAR meets NASA. Oh SNAP!

Well, you can all guess what ablu444's next video is: "Kerbal Space Program - Gotta go fast... again" In which he is going to complete this challenge in 0.2 seconds or something.

Put struts and nose cones

Challenge accepted mate.

2m42 seconds. Timed the descent and got it at 70,100m and fluked the landing right on opening. Edit: landed on the runway. Should aim for the hills next (but no mods for surface-altitude)

Also I think a future challenge would be to set the land speed record

22:06 Should have used the inline air intakes, as they also contain fuel.

In the last flight if the boosters that were accelerating the rocket upwards had been shut down earlier (15 or so seconds?) the flight would have been faster.

I've been having an issue I think since .24 came out. I was playing with using jet engines to get to space. I used a command pod, a modular girder adapter, 4 modular girder segments sticking out, 4 tiny fuel tanks, 4 jet engines, some intakes. All is done with symmetry. I've redone it several times making sure it's perfect. It looks like an X with a command pod in the center. With only that it will shoot straight up to space just fine with no controls. If I start adding any weight, like fuel and an engine directly in the center underneath, it tips over in flight. The more weight added the more it tips over in flight. Why is this happening? It should be perfectly balanced.

DUDE, hold my beer. I got this!!!!

the shortest space mission could be done better. Full thrusters until you are almost there, then turn the ship around and thrust toward the earth while you are moving so fast that by the time you get to space, you were already thrusting to earth trying to stop your inertia. Next would be landing on the earth .... that would be the hard part.

at 31:12 Scott's Look at it go made me think of this dota song : Witch Doctor Sings a Song | hlgf

Does parachutes still work in vacuum? In past it was possible to launch parachutes in atmosphere and go with them into space.