KREXUS
Build your own Payload!
The Mission
Inspired by the recent launch campaign, a few of us from team TRACER decided to start our own program. We spun off from Space Team Aachen, founded "Aachen Space Corporation Space" (ASC Space), and started the KREXUS program. It's a new flight platform built specifically for experiments that are just a bit too unconventional for standard missions. The only problem? ASC Space has zero funding, since all the budget was tied to TRACER.
Because of that, our hardware is mostly scrap parts and a bit rough around the edges. But this is also our biggest advantage. It means we can tolerate way more risk. We get to fly the kind of weird, out-of-the-box payloads that major space agencies simply can't afford to put on a rocket.
That’s where you come in. You are the Payload Manager. Your job is to figure out exactly which experiments will fly on the next KREXUS Rocket. The goal is simple: put together a payload that gets the maximum amount of science out of this flight.
The Rocket
• KREXUS deploys a Regressed ORION motor which has a 10% chance that the rocket destroys itself during the ascend phase.
• As Recovery System we use a budget Parachute with a 15% risk that its deployment fails.
• The Rocket has a maximum experiment payload capacity of 40 kg and an apogee of 90 km when flown empty.
• Every kilogram of payload will reduce the Apogee by 500 m to a minimum of 70 km.
• During the flight a phase of microgravity of 40 Seconds is expected regardless of the apogee reached.
• The nominal apogee is at t+60, touchdown time is t+120s.
Your Task
• Goal: Generate as many science points as possible.
• Choose out of the given modules to build your payload.
• Every module can only be chosen once, only one nosecone module can be chosen.
• The total mass of the modules shall not exceed 40 kg.
• Without payload the rocket reaches an Apogee of 90 km. Every kg of payload reduces the height of the Apogee by 500 m.
Payload Builder
Module Catalog
YEET
"YEET features a spring-loaded mechanical arm designed to eject a telemetry-equipped football at apogee, executing the world's longest sub-orbital pass. Tracking the ball's aerodynamic re-entry will yield unique high-velocity flight data, though the receiver will definitely need to be strong and fast to catch a pass coming in at terminal velocity."
Effects:
- ▹Pass: Will release the FFU at Apogee [t = 60 s] generating 150 SP for the throw and 4 SP additionally for every kilometre the apogee is higher than 70 km
- ▹Strong actors: reduces the usable microgravity by 10 Seconds
- ▹Early Pass: Over Ascend (t = 0s – t = 40s) there is a 7,2% chance risk of actuating to early which in 25% of cases will lead to a destruction of the rocket
- ▹Curve Ball: Over Descend (t = 80s – t = 120s) there is a 0.7% Chance of the football coming back, hitting the rocket and destroying it.
CHONKER
"The experiment CHONKER consist of a massive tungsten cylinder. What's its purpose I hear you asking, well that’s classified, but the added mass has the side effect of stabilising the rocket and improving the quality of the microgravity."
Effects:
- ▹Microgravity boost: increases the usable microgravity be 10 Seconds (up to a maximum of 40 Seconds)
- ▹--REDACTED--: generates 1 SP per Second
- ▹What could go wrong: imposes no additional risk to the rocket.
Death Star
"This module consists of a laser cannon in the nosecone that shoots at meteors and space debris. To avoid interference from rebel activists, all venting shafts have been closed. Though this might lead to a problem with the cooling system..."
Effects:
- ▹Vibrations: decreases the usable microgravity by 18 Seconds
- ▹Threat terminated: generates 100 science per shot
- ▹Overheating: each shot generates a considerable amount of heat which leads to failure of the module in about 50% of the time and in 12,5% to loss of the rocket.
Brrrum
"Brrrum aims to gather aerodynamic data on the behaviour of the rear wing of a Formula One car under extreme conditions. The rear wing is therefore mounted on the outside of the rocket and closely monitored by sensors on the inside. Sure, the stability of the rocket does suffer a little, but I am sure we can make it work."
Effects:
- ▹That’s a lot of drag: Reduces the apogee by 10 Kilometres.
- ▹And a lot of lift: Generates 2.5 SP during ascend (t = 0s – t = 40s)
- ▹Where did it go: During ascend (t = 0s – t = 40s) and descend (t = 80s – t = 120s) there is a 7.2% chance for the rear wing to break off. In 20% of cases this will result in a destruction of the rocket.
GambaExpress
"The Gamba Express experiment aims to validate a kryostasis capsula using 4 adventurous and brave shrimps. How many of them will wake up again, we are here to find out."
Effects:
- ▹DHL Delivery: The delivery of the payload should arrive on launch day; however, the chance of delay is 40% due to reasons. Should the payload be delayed the module will launch empty with 50% mass reduction.
- ▹Kryostasis: Each Gamba has a survival chance of 50% and yields 80 science.
TRACE
"The TRACE experiment. You don’t know what it does? Just ask Team TRACER, they happily tell you about it."
Effects:
- ▹Beautiful Ejection: reduces the available microgravity by 10 seconds
- ▹Terraforming: generates 240 SP at recovery (t = 120s)
- ▹Basket Failure: Until Apogee (t = 0s – t = 60s) there is a 10% chance for the ejection mechanism to fail, trigger early and destroy the rocket.
- ▹Telemetry Lost: There is only a 42% that the FFU is being recovered
AI
"Since RAM is now more expensive than a rocket start, lets just try it and see what happens. This module has a small chance to develop AGI during the flight; the chance rises with the weight chosen."
Effects:
- ▹AGI: This solves humanities every problem: 10000 science points, however what are the chances?
- ▹Intelligent Interference: The AI might try to gain control over the rocket to pursue its own goals and take the rocket with it.
Baconiser
"The Baconiser experiment was designed by a radical group of cooks. Feeling constraint by the framework of a kitchen they chose to revolutionize cooking like never before and look for new and innovative methods to perfect the breakfast bacon."
Effects:
- ▹Disturbed Airflow: Reduces the Apogee by 5 Kilometres
- ▹Culinary Research: Generates 0.1 SP per Second and 53 SP on recovery (t = 120s)
- ▹Fox Snack: At t = 120 s there is a 20% Chance that the Bacon will be stolen by the local wildlife.
CHEMTRAIL
"This geo engineering experiment aims to eject gasses out of two nozzles to the side of the hull. This produces a small amount of lift, but can also lead to critical failures."
Effects:
- ▹Unintentional Booster: Increases the Apogee by 5 Kilometres
- ▹Make it rain: Generates 0.2 * (Apogee – 70 km) SP per second, during ascend and descend
- ▹Conspiracy Exposed: Over the flight there is a 20% chance that the real purpose of the module is discovered by the wider public. Which will require an immediate abort of the flight.
SAM
"If you plan on building a rocket that could easily catch on fire you might want to bring this."
Effects:
- ▹Burnn't: Has a 50% chance to extinguish a critical failure
- ▹Data Saved: Each critical failure mitigated produces 80 SP
- ▹The tragedy of Darth SAM: There is a 10.6% for SAM to stop working all together. Ironic.
Showstopper
"Not so fast! This module is designed to deploy airbrakes for a controlled apogee goal."
Effects:
- ▹Stay down Mr. president: Apogee is reduced by 15km
- ▹Deployed: 40 SP on successful deployment at t = 25 s
- ▹Not Deployed: Small risk (4.54%) of not deploying.
- ▹Wrong Deployed: 10% risk of rapid unscheduled disassembly at deployment.
SCAM
"Now THIS is ridiculous! Rapid Prototyping in Space? Need a Part for something on your space station? Just feed it plastic and watch the magic happen. Need a wrench? Boom. Need a new nozzle? Boom. It's that easy!"
Effects:
- ▹Benchy: 0.8 SP per second of usable microgravity
- ▹Spaghetti: Risk of around 20% to fabricate trash
SUN
"In a world of clean energy the research of better solar panels is important. Also the deployment of the panels is part of the research for this module."
Effects:
- ▹Greedy module: Microgravity usage 30s
- ▹For science: Generates SP in microgravity in relation to time, 3 SP per second
- ▹Speedy Gonzales: Too early deployed, critical failure, 0,2631%
- ▹Going up, risk up: In ascend 10% risk of non critical failure
MÖRK
"This is what keeps engineers going and ensures good results for their research."
Effects:
- ▹Taste Test: On Successful recovery gain 15 SP and a boost of 10% on all other science gains
- ▹Too hot to handle: Over the flight there is a 20% chance that MÖRK stops to work.
- ▹Good things needs time: If the available microgravity is below 20 seconds, the effectiveness of MÖRK will be reduced accordingly.
BOMBAA
"For everyones safety rockets usually have flight termination systems (FTS). Now this module aims to test one of these. Perhaps at the expense of other experiments?"
Effects:
- ▹Bombo!: 130 SP gained by explosion or critical failure of the rocket. (The destruction, doesn't need to come from BOMBAA)
- ▹No boom, no gain: In case of a nominal (no explosion) flight 10 SP
- ▹Boom consequences: There is a 20% Chance for the system to be activated accidently.
Upper Stage
"An experimental solid rocket upper stage designed to push payloads even further into the mesosphere. It detaches at apogee and fires its own engine. However, the ignition system is notoriously unreliable."
Effects:
- ▹Ignition: Will ignite at Apogee [t = 60 s] to reach higher altitudes, generating up to 130 SP.
- ▹Ignition Failure: 50% chance of ignition failure causing catastrophic loss of the upper stage.
- ▹Ascend Risk: 0.18% chance of failure during main rocket ascend.