Challenge Overton-Wideawake on low fuel

agentgonzo

Grounded since '09
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How good are you at conserving fuel?

Get an XR2 from Overton to Wideawake without refuelling. Your XR2 starts of with hardly any fuel at all. It is possible, but it is very hard.

Requires:
XR2
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4246"]Overton Island[/ame]
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3666"]Wideawake International[/ame]

Code:
BEGIN_DESC
How good are you at flying. Make it to Wideawake without refuelling
END_DESC
BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
END_ENVIRONMENT
BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship XR2-01
END_FOCUS
BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET XR2-01
  MODE Cockpit
  FOV 40.00
END_CAMERA
BEGIN_HUD
  TYPE Surface
END_HUD
BEGIN_MFD Left
  TYPE OAlign
  REF Earth
  TARGET ISS
END_MFD
BEGIN_MFD Right
  TYPE Map
  REF Earth
  BTARGET Cape Canaveral
  OTARGET ISS
  TRACK ON
END_MFD
BEGIN_PANEL
END_PANEL

BEGIN_SHIPS
XR2-01:XR2Ravenstar
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -99.9830000 3.0508300
  HEADING 77.00
  RCSMODE 0
  PRPLEVEL 0:0.035 1:1.000 2:0.500
  IDS 0:199 100
  NAVFREQ 588 466 84 114
  XPDR 193
  SECONDARY_HUD 3
  LAST_ACTIVE_SECONDARY_HUD 0
  ADCTRL_MODE 7
  TAKEOFF_LANDING_CALLOUTS 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
  APU_FUEL_QTY 0.988
  LOX_QTY 0.999642
  CABIN_O2_LEVEL 0.209
  CREW_STATE 0
  INTERNAL_SYSTEMS_FAILURE 0
  COGSHIFT_MODES 0 0 0
  MWS_ACTIVE 0
  COOLANT_TEMP 32.435
  DMG_0 1.000000 Left Wing
  DMG_1 1.000000 Right Wing
  DMG_2 1.000000 Left Aileron
  DMG_3 1.000000 Right Aileron
  DMG_4 1.000000 Landing Gear
  DMG_5 1.000000 Nosecone
  DMG_6 1.000000 Retro Doors
  DMG_7 1.000000 Top Hatch
  DMG_8 1.000000 Radiator
  DMG_9 1.000000 Airbrake
  DMG_10 1.000000 Left Main Engine
  DMG_11 1.000000 Right Main Engine
  DMG_12 1.000000 Left SCRAM Engine
  DMG_13 1.000000 Right SCRAM Engine
  DMG_14 1.000000 Fore Hover Engine
  DMG_15 1.000000 Aft Hover Engine
  DMG_16 1.000000 Left Retro Engine
  DMG_17 1.000000 Right Retro Engine
  DMG_18 1.000000 Forward Lower RCS
  DMG_19 1.000000 Aft Upper RCS
  DMG_20 1.000000 Forward Upper RCS
  DMG_21 1.000000 Aft Lower RCS
  DMG_22 1.000000 Forward Star. RCS
  DMG_23 1.000000 Aft Port RCS
  DMG_24 1.000000 Forward Port RCS
  DMG_25 1.000000 Aft Star. RCS
  DMG_26 1.000000 Outboard Upper Port RCS
  DMG_27 1.000000 Outboard Lower Star. RCS
  DMG_28 1.000000 Outboard Upper Star. RCS
  DMG_29 1.000000 Outboard Lower Port RCS
  DMG_30 1.000000 Aft RCS
  DMG_31 1.000000 Forward RCS
  DMG_32 1.000000 Bay Doors
  IS_CRASHED 0
  MET_STARTING_MJD -1.000000
  INTERVAL1_ELAPSED_TIME -1.000000
  INTERVAL2_ELAPSED_TIME -1.000000
  MET_RUNNING 0
  INTERVAL1_RUNNING 0
  INTERVAL2_RUNNING 0
  ACTIVE_MDM 3
  TEMP_SCALE 2
  CUSTOM_AUTOPILOT_MODE 0
  AIRSPEED_HOLD_ENGAGED 0
  SCRAM0DIR 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  SCRAM1DIR 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  HOVER_BALANCE 0.000
  MAIN0DIR 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  MAIN1DIR 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  GIMBAL_BUTTON_STATES 0 0 0 0 0 0
  ATTITUDE_HOLD_DATA 0.000000 0.000000 0 0 0.000000
  DESCENT_HOLD_DATA 0.000000 -3.000000 0
  AIRSPEED_HOLD_DATA 0.000000
  OVERRIDE_INTERLOCKS 0 0
  TERTIARY_HUD_ON 1
  CREW_DISPLAY_INDEX 0
  GEAR 1 1.0000
  RCOVER 0 0.0000
  NOSECONE 0 0.0000
  AIRLOCK 0 0.0000
  IAIRLOCK 0 0.0000
  CHAMBER 0 0.0000
  AIRBRAKE 0 0.0000
  RADIATOR 0 0.0000
  HATCH 0 0.0000
  SCRAM_DOORS 0 0.0000
  HOVER_DOORS 0 0.0000
  BAY_DOORS 0 0.0000
  APU_STATUS 1
  EXTCOOLING_STATUS 0
  TRIM 0.000
  LIGHTS 0 0 0
  XRUMMU_CREW_DATA_VALID 1
  UMMUCREW XI0-Lee_Nash-39-65-78
  UMMUCREW XI1-Kara_Miller-32-65-58
  UMMUCREW XI2-Sharon_Valerii-26-67-54
  UMMUCREW XI3-Cameron_Mitchell-36-65-77
  UMMUCREW XI4-Samantha_Carter-33-66-53
  UMMUCREW XI5-Daniel_Jackson-35-68-75
  UMMUCREW XI6-Teal_c-31-64-104
  UMMUCREW XI7-Vala_Mal_Doran-30-67-53
  UMMUCREW XI8-Elizabeth_Weir-36-68-56
  UMMUCREW XI9-John_Sheppard-34-64-77
  UMMUCREW XI10-Rodney_McKay-35-72-90
  UMMUCREW XI11-Teyla_Emmagan-27-68-57
  UMMUCREW XI12-Ronon_Dex-32-63-97
  UMMUCREW XI13-Carson_Beckett-38-74-95
  PAYLOAD_SCREENS_DATA 0.2 0 1 1
END
XR2-01_Bay:XRPayloadBay
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.7098293 28.6270272
  HEADING 149.98
  ATTACHED 0:3,XR2-01
END
XR2PayloadCHM-01-1:XR2PayloadCHM
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.7098140 28.6270040
  HEADING 149.98
  ATTACHED 0:0,XR2-01
  NAVFREQ 0 0
END
END_SHIPS
BEGIN_ExtMFD
END
 
Ah, the good old skip maneuver. It's all about the accent and getting the most acceleration for the fuel you have. Will have to give it a go :)
 
Nice challenge, I'll have to try this one. :)
 
Woo, this will be like the old KSC -> WIN challenge that a bunch of folks did a bit back. Only difference, of course, is that we're going for fuel consumption, not speed. Still a great challenge. Thanks for posting, agentgonzo!
 
Aha! A flight profile performance challenge!

Will give it a try tonight before retiring. Results tomorrow.

(agentgonzo - I take it you have managed to complete the operation?)
 
Ok, I don't believe the trip is possible with the fuel given.

I have made several attempts. I have x-fed all the RCS fuel into the main tank. I have tried several different take-off profiles and I can't get even remotely close. There isn't enough fuel to bring the craft up to speed to use the scramjets. So what's the deal? Anyone have any better luck?:shrug:
 
(agentgonzo - I take it you have managed to complete the operation?)
I have, yes. I was hoping have the scenario possible starting with no fuel in the main tanks, but couldn't do that. This was about the minimal fuel that I could make it with.

---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------

Ok, I don't believe the trip is possible with the fuel given.

I have made several attempts. I have x-fed all the RCS fuel into the main tank. I have tried several different take-off profiles and I can't get even remotely close. There isn't enough fuel to bring the craft up to speed to use the scramjets. So what's the deal? Anyone have any better luck?:shrug:
It is possible, but it's not easy. The hardest part is of course getting up high/fast enough to use the SCRAMS. I don't want to give the game away, but it's not just a case of transfer all the RCS to mains and fly as normal. I'll give it a few weeks and then post the solution. If people do manage to complete it, it would be interesting to see how much fuel they can spare at the start of the challenge and still make it to WIN alive.
 
It is possible, but it's not easy. The hardest part is of course getting up high/fast enough to use the SCRAMS. I don't want to give the game away, but it's not just a case of transfer all the RCS to mains and fly as normal. I'll give it a few weeks and then post the solution. If people do manage to complete it, it would be interesting to see how much fuel they can spare at the start of the challenge and still make it to WIN alive.

Yes, it is possible! I won't spoil anything for anyone, except to say I stayed up quite late getting it to work. There is probably a perfect profile for it somewhere in there and you have to stay within very fine climb parameter limits. And use your PIC authority. No one said it was a commercial flight! (hint)

Nice one! Very entertaining. Thanks.
 
Yep I did it. After two failed attempts third was successful and I had a perfect landing at Ascension Island.
 
I still haven't managed it, but will keep working on it.

My question is, though, what's the fastest someone's made it from Overton to Wideawake? I imagine about 35-40 minutes (since it's about double of KSC-ASC)?
 
I have been attempting this for most of today with no success. I'm starting to get pretty darn frustrated. I have tried many different accent profiles. So without giving it away, what is the slowest speed the scram will engage?

---------- Post added at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 PM ----------

Ok, I finally accomplished the flight. I guess I was asking the wrong question. :cheers:
 
Now I landed at Ascension Island with 141 kg of main fuel still left. I think it`s also possible to reduce the amount of scram fuel because when I reached the destination I still was going at 2500 m/s.

---------- Post added at 03:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 PM ----------

Ha now I arrived with with 121 kg of main fuel and 167 kg of scram fuel left.
 
After many attempts where I didn't even manage to get above Mach 1, I finally found a good ascent profile and got to Mach 11. Unfortunately, I lost my speed too quickly and landed somewhere near the east coast of South America, 2800 km short of Wideawake, but I think I will be able to complete it if I try a few more times :)
 
After many attempts where I didn't even manage to get above Mach 1, I finally found a good ascent profile and got to Mach 11. Unfortunately, I lost my speed too quickly and landed somewhere near the east coast of South America, 2800 km short of Wideawake, but I think I will be able to complete it if I try a few more times :)


Tip: Be careful once you get the scram running. You need to act fast to avoid overheating the craft.
 
I have found that if you are in danger of overheating the craft, just pull back on the SCRAM level a bit until you've cooled a bit.

I tried a high lift/drag profile (AoA = 5° -> L/D ~ 8) and use the velocity autopilot to keep a decent ascent profile, but I did not get any useful result. I will try something else.
 
Question. What`s your top speed you have managed to achieve at scram burnout?
 
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