Team Titan hard mode

[Marmilo]

So, I decided to do/redo every single rankup mission (included the ones I haven't done yet) but with a twist that makes it more difficult.
So I'll start with team titan ofc. Because It's a trivial mission, there isn't much to complicated. So I tried a single stage to moon rocket, but it got rekked by reentry heating. So, It'll be a simple weight limit. I'm going for sub 40t ATM, confident I can do it cos I've succeeded a 50t moon mission with like 20% fuel left in the upper stage.
Here's screenshots of the single stage attempt and the 50t mission, I'll be done with the 40t soon I hope.
SSTM:

Spoiler: Screenshots up to first reentry

 

[Marmilo]

50t to moon and back:

Spoiler: Way too much margin, also capsule instead of probe is too much dead weight, I'm bad...

Ions so broken

 

[Altaïr]

Ions so broken

Then forbid ion engines

Nice challenge. My way to make it hard was to use an increased solar system, but forcing yourself to go small is a good way too.

 

[Marmilo]

Then forbid ion engines

Nice challenge. My way to make it hard was to use an increased solar system, but forcing yourself to go small is a good way too.

Oh yes, I am going to get rid of the ion engines cos they are STUPID broken. I knew this for a very long tome, but only now realised how bad the issue is. I mean, I pulled off a moon return burn using like <2% of fuel lmao. It will prob be above 50t, but i mean If not for reentry I wouldve done it with a ~80t ssto

 

[Marmilo]

Yeah... Ions are unbelievably broken. Turns out a 40t rocket is legit overkill for a moon mission, like WTH?!
Anyways, enjoy my ugly rocket

Spoiler: Quasimodo rocket

The ion stage is obviously carrying this rocket, i mean... 87% in LEO, 76% after moon transfer, 59% in LLO (after landing?!) 56% left when I discard the stage. I could halve the fuel on that stage and still EASILY do this. Also then I could also cit some weight from the first stage and get rid of the kolibri. So, ig 30t is feasible...
Also those 4 reentries hurt my eyes lol

 

[Marmilo]

Welp, 50t to moon no ions, I think this is an acceptable size for a moon rocket.

Oh no, it's missing .42 tons to exactly 50t? Too bad.

Spoiler: Achieving leo

Sorry for no first stage pics, was meant to be a test flight originally but succeeded

Spoiler: My fuel at leo

Spoiler: TLI, sorry for no burn pics

A double encounter, as usual

Spoiler: My fuel after transfer burn

31%

Spoiler: Moon landing

The capture burn and deorbit burn were one burn

So yeah, I landed with 15%
Before I did a mission with a near identical rocket, except the engines were further from each other, which resulted in a bit more drag. In that mission I had 52% at leo, 10% on moon surface and ran out of fuel with just 50m/s left on the return burn. So at this point I realized that with the 15% I have I can confidenty do this.

Spoiler: Return

On moon I do an instant gravity turn (after like 1-2s of going up)

6.3% in moon orbit, this gonna be easy

Return burn completed

Discarded the stage with ~2.5% fuel, that's basically how much I had for the return burn in the return mission lmao

Spoiler: Recovery

My orbit after the first reentry

Second reentry turns out to be the last one

Parachute deployed, HS ejected

Let's go, 50t moon mission, Frick IONs

 

[Altaïr]

Not bad. It will be hard to beat