Mun circumnavigation - all over the place

[VenDei]

While my circumnavigation of Kerbin was more or less "because we can", Mission Control drew up a plan for a circumnavigation of the Mun that serves multiple purposes.

• Make a comprehensive survey of the surface of the Mun, with the current scientific instruments at hand.
• Investigate all the anomalies that were found from orbital scanning.
• Plant flags at the highest and lowest point of the Mun, as per contract from JuggerNaug Mountaineering.
• Fullfill surface survey contracts as available and convenient (at planning stage, 2).
• Make a statement against littering by getting rid of the spent descent stages of the 4 prior landings on the Mun.
• Endeavour to leave no new waste behind.

All this should lead to a circumnavigation. The rover is to be left on the Mun as autonomous vehicle, and shall possibly be of use to a later base.

Since I am at this point not capable (or willing?) in my career to deliver an unwieldy monster like the Kerbin Explorer to the Mun, a new vehicle comes from the drawing boards at R&D: The A4 "Capra" Mun-Version. Shakedowns on Kerbin are promising, and fit the mission profile well.

Spoiler

The idea is a four-wheeled Rover with a Hextruss body structure (Near Future Construction). The crew of 2 will sit in the EAS-316 "Meadowlark" Observation Pod (SXT), additional guidance is provided by both the RoveMate and OKTO2-Cores. An SC-62-Container is meant to carry mission supplies. The rover carries a full complement of available science experiments (stock and DMagic Orbital Science). Energy will be provided by 2 PX-STAT 1x2 Photovoltaic Trusses (Near Future Solar?) and 6 OX-STAT Photovoltaic Panels, and is stored in the Probecores and Batteries, which will hold 3210 EC. Further 6000 EC are stored in 2 CAP-106 Capacitors (Near Future Electric?) to provide generous reserves.

The whole thing weighs 2220 kg and fits in width a Mk3 cargobay, so that it fits a manageable aeroshell.

(* SETI nerfs the reaction wheels somewhat, so this rover does not really have any meaningful torque.)

Including a delivery vehicle it is strapped on an Opal IIIb 4S (the current heaviest, noncustom launcher of this career) and sent towards the Mun. Pilot is Madi Kerman, Engineer is Verjorie Kerman, and last but not least, scientist is Gemline Kerman.

To the Mun

Spoiler

First leg - the first probe

Spoiler

Second leg - an arch of stone

Spoiler

Third leg - mountaineering in the south polar region

Spoiler

4th leg - down to the monolith

Spoiler

5th leg - long drive to the second probe

Spoiler

... that's it for now. It's ongoing, though!

Edited June 19, 2017 by VenDei
Repaired pics - why didn't anybody tell me they were broken?

[VenDei]

Some progress to report: The rover goes on, these were taken around the East Crater.

... and some not so nice news, the photovoltaic trusses are broken. They just don't look broken, but they are. Might as well take them down, and install some of the landing struts, should we go for another, hm, extended jump. Remember, this Capra has nearly no torque to control those. BUT the 6 roof-mounted small cells are quite sufficient during the day, if one doesn't always put the pedal to the metal.

The circumnavigation of the Mun goes on!

[Wallygator]

That'a pretty cool.  Nice rover.  Compliments to you for all the time it takes to run a mission like this.

[VenDei]

@Wallygator Thank you!

By the way, why didn't anybody tell me that the pics in my first post were completely borked? They looked fine when I posted them, and I tried to repair the emebedding just now, so that they should be actually visible.

[Wallygator]

15 hours ago, VenDei said:

@Wallygator Thank you!

By the way, why didn't anybody tell me that the pics in my first post were completely borked? They looked fine when I posted them, and I tried to repair the emebedding just now, so that they should be actually visible.

I have no idea. 

When I first looked at your post everything was looking fine. 

Regardless, a fine mission!

[VenDei]

Further progress to report.

A look over the Southwest Crater, where the brave women did some science.

On the way north to the Northwest Crater, an anomaly on the scans is revealed to be another monolith.

Speaking of anomalies, this monument of undoubtedly alien origin is at the south edge of the Northwest Crater.

Pretty much right in the middle of the Northwest Crater is another case of littering to clean up, the remains of the third and final probe-lander.

It is now the evening of the second Munar day, with the sun already quite low above the horizon. With only the roof-cells remaining for power-generation, that means they will have soon to call it a day, nearing 12 Kerbin-days mission time so far. Yet there is still enough energy left to make a start to the eastern edge of the Northwest Crater to another anomaly on the map, and maybe even to go further, which will turn the mission towards the Northern Basin.

[VenDei]

Before I forget to post the most recent progress:

A rock arch at night on the Mun doesn't look like much.

Current situation - not quite worthy of pictures is that we're on a heading of about 105° from this point about halfway to the next anomaly, and have just reached the Canyons biome. There isn't all that much on the list anymore, and an end to the not-road is now nearly within reach.

[VenDei]

Report from the Farside Crater:

 

 

Next up: an anomaly far to the south!

[VenDei]

The last stretch!

 

[xendelaar]

 very impressive