Mars-Bound Hokie

STARDATE: Y4-D359-1H00M Bruce, Lizard, and I made it back to the Defiant with no problems. Doctor Chyna checked us out one-by-one for any health issues we may have unknowingly come across on Dres' surface (saving me for last, ). We then sent an ore transport probe for another run to Rosly's Whim, where the fuel truck loaded it up with ore for conversion on board the Defiant. I tell you, that station is in serious need of a power boost. Maybe the next additional module Mission Control sends should be nothing but A LOT of batteries, panels, and RTGs (and monopropellant for docking, of course). While Mission Control dealt with the fallout from rescuing Michael - and I'm damn sure they're the ones who need a court martial (not Alex and Michael) - three more crewmembers were sent to Colorado Base located at the foot of Dres Canyon. Andrew and Kyle flew via jetpack from their lander to the base, while Jayme stayed with the lander to ensure the refueling process worked well. In the following picture, you can see the three-man lander attached to a mini-bus while it's getting refueled. We unanimously agreed that we would prefer our landers gassed up via refueling truck since the process is SO DAMN SLOW with a mini-bus. Even if the mini-bus was at full capacity by touchdown time, it would run out of gas and ore in minutes and still not be able to refuel the lander. So, we kept the rover docked with the lander and mined ore while converting it at the same time. We were lucky the rover is loaded with RTGs, otherwise it probably would have run out of batteries when the sun wasn't shining on there. Fully loaded refueling truck --> less than 5 minutes. Fully loaded mini-bus --> about 4 days (depending on power availability and ore concentration). Additionally, Jayme noticed that the ablator on the lander's heat shield was dropping. In case whoever's reading this report isn't aware, the three-man Dres (originally Eeloo) lander is just a Mun lander that was slapped onto a new delivery rocket. After Jayme notified me about this, I did some math about what this means for future use of the three-man lander. 1600 (originally) - 1582 (after landing) = 18 units lost 1582 left over / 18 lost per mini-bus refueling ~= 87 more uses. If the mini-bus is used to refuel the lander. To sum up, we can't keep using the mini-bus too many times to refuel the three-man lander or else... something bad may happen that's caused by a depleted ablator. Additionally, we need to remove the decoupler, heat shield, and parachute from the Eeloo lander's design since they're completely useless here. Meanwhile, Jayme accessed Andrew's and Kyle's suit cams to see how things were going in Colorado Base. For parts of the inspection checklist that needed an engineer, they relayed their camera feed to her and she told them what to do and check off. All systems are perfectly operational in the base (except we have a lack of action group labels, but Mission Control can just email us and we can write that on a sticky). We even get a nice view of the canyon from the bottom while sitting in the front cupola. Back in orbit, Chyna's still monitoring Lizard, Bruce, and I for any long-term health consequences the elongated stay in Dres had on us. To be honest, Chyna's spending a little too much time monitoring me. Yes, we're boyfriend and girlfriend (and even if we weren't, I'm the captain), but I don't want either my rank or my relationship to potentially jeopardize the health of my crew. She will have all the time we need to monitor me when we're in transit back home. Well, time for me to go to sleep. To test Colorado Base's remote control capabilities, Andrew will be piloting the ore transport for another run to Rosly's Whim. I have full confidence he can do it.

Well, my first idea of a Moho Space Station failed miserably. But I didn't give up. I realized that, to build a space station above Moho, I needed to do it in pieces - which means I needed multiple launches. The screenshot below slows what I have so far (yes, it's incomplete and unoccupied at the moment, but that will be fixed in time) Only three launches left before Moho Station's complete. With batteries, solar panels, and RTGs everywhere, I seriously doubt it will run out of power anytime soon - even if the ore converter's running. Moho Station also has empty fuel and oxidizer tanks for when I finally get ore - and, eventually, refuel craft that come here. It may take a while to make the rest of the Moho fleet (lander, return pod, ore transport vehicle, et cetera), but at least I got the station piece delivery crafts down. What do you think?

STARDATE: Y4-D352-1H25M After collecting a surface sample and compiling our EVA reports for the ascent, we were given orders from Mission Control to check out Dresden Base, located 9.4 kilometers from the landing spot. Since nobody was going to be landing in Rosly's Whim while we were there, we took the fuel truck there. Except for a few seconds of it tipping over the side (thank God it has stability control and reaction wheels to prevent it from getting completely tipped over), the drive there was good. I would have preferred that we drive during the daylight, but Lizard got sleepy and wanted to sleep in more comfortable settings besides "an oversized car." So, I drove us to Dresden base in the dark. Hopefully, the lander didn't tip over while we're gone. * Dresden base, with the fuel truck parked close to it. It's aimed away from the back in case the brakes fail. When we arrived, we found some missing kids' skeletons in the EVA suit closet. Just kidding. Everything was running fine, except for the fact that the drills had been shut off. Bruce and I agreed that it was due to the base not having sufficient power capacity to run the drills in the dark, not to mention the chance that the radiators are blocking the solar panels for a good portion of the day. Now that Bruce brought it up, I don't know why the fuel truck has a significantly higher power capacity and better drills than the base. I'm guessing it's because the rover needs power to move as well as harvest and convert ore, not to mention it's higher off the ground than the base (reducing the chance of bouncing). Everything's full now, and all systems are operational. When the second crew gets here, they will spend some time in Dresden conducting surface operations Next time, before you send one of these bases, please install some fuel cells. If a small delivery rover needs it, then just switch off the fuel cells. Also, please label the action groups. Just like with the fuel truck, I had some trouble figuring out which button was for the solar panels - ended up deploying ladders instead. You're probably wondering why I'm writing after 22 days. Well, in the meantime, someone allegedly gave Michael instructions on how to hack a Mun lander and remotely send it to Minmus. I don't exactly know the specifics of this mutiny, but I don't care since Michael's back home now. Bruce, Lizard, and I wanted to do some things in the base while watching how Michael was doing - and so did the rest of the Defiant crew, from what I heard. I also heard that the Moho Station is undergoing some progress in its construction. It would be constructed in eight pieces: parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 are all attached, 5 is in Moho Orbit, we forgot to make the transfer for 6, and Mission Control's waiting until the Moho crew is ready for Part 8. Anyway, we're about to leave Dresden Base to return to the Defiant. Now that Mission Control knows Dresden Base works, Dres colonization can officially begin. Good luck, Mason.

STARDATE: Y4-D330-2H20M Well, we did it. Took a lot longer than we thought, as the fuel truck took longer than expected to fill up the ore delivery probe, but we finally landed in Rosly's Whim. Lizard and Bruce were too nervous to go out first, so I volunteered to "step my toes into the pool;" or in this case, step foot on Dres' surface to see if it's safe. After planting a flag on it, I signaled Lizard and Bruce to come down and take a photo with me. Below is a picture of the three of us standing in front of the three-man Dres lander, around our flag. * (from left to right) Lizard, Red, and Bruce While on the surface, we will collect some data and a surface sample while we wait for daylight. During that time, the refueling truck will gas up the lander for the trip back to the Defiant when we're done. Good thing we have boots on the ground in case of a signal loss. Speaking of which, several of our probes have been getting a lot of signal losses lately - particularly when they're on the dark (non-sunny) side of the planet. As soon as I'm back in the lander and en route to the Defiant, I'm writing Mission Control to send more relays to Dres. Yes, I'm the pilot, but these days all you have to say is "MJ, do this," and the autopilot will do my job for me. If Lizard and Bruce give me crap about "writing text-based communications while piloting," I can wait until getting back with the Defiant - or better yet, have someone else do it on my behalf. Aside from relays, the Defiant seems to be running low on batteries rather quickly. Meanwhile, my crew has heard rumors of a "mutiny against Mission Control," soon after Mason was denied a (cheap) rescue mission to get Michael. Unofficially, I'm glad somebody decided to break red tape and get him back home. If such a mutiny exists, however, I know for sure Mason's NOT GUILTY; he has too much to lose if he got caught, including his command of the second Dres crew. If I get blamed for it, I can assure Mission Control that I had an alibi - aside from my interplanetary communication log. Chief Engineer Bruce's second-in-command, Jayme, was with me the whole time when I was remotely piloting the probes and rovers - and so was Doctor Chyna (my girlfriend). I also bunked with Sergeant Andrew, the Defiant's second pilot, during lights-out, so they can all vouch for me. That leaves out Science Officers Lizard and Kyle, but I seriously doubt they're even capable of hacking Mission Control all the way from Dres - or even remotely piloting a lander to and from Minmus without wrecking it. And even if they were, I'm trying to save power on the Defiant now.

STARDATE: Y4-D317-4H55M Colorado Base and the second mini-bus have landed past the Dres Canyon entrance. Since the ore concentration there is higher than expected, my crew and I - and, to no surprise, the guys back home - are debating on whether or not to send the first landing party to the canyon or Rosly's Whim. ROSLY'S WHIM (7.06%): Already have a large fueling truck ready - with the same crew capacity as a mini-bus - and located in the planet's equator, making a rendezvous with the Defiant much more efficient. Though I'm definitely landing an ore converter there, we're not entirely sure if we should send our first landing party there too (not at the same time, of course) CANYON (10.11%): Have a mini-bus in standby (no fuel trucks), and in visual range of Colorado base. Ascent out of the canyon, even near the entrance, may be tricky, though; not only because of the walls, but because of its position south of the equator. One time, I forgot to turn on the radiators for the base and the drills shut down. I really need to write down the action group numbers for the bases and trucks. To anyone who reads this log within the next 30 hours of this entry, where do you think I should send the landing party? Speaking of which, it will consist of one pilot, one scientist, and one engineer; myself, Lizard, and Bruce* respectively. The chief medical officer, who also happens to be my girlfriend, wanted to go with me, but I ordered her to stay in the Defiant in case one of the other crew got sick or injured. She insisted that she came in case someone in the landing party got injured, but... that's what return trips are for. Plus, all the mini-buses and fuel trucks are equipped with medical supplies, first aid instructions, and relays to talk to the nearest medical officer in case of emergencies. Aside from my Dres mission, I've been emailing my friend Captain Mason about what's going on back home; due to the long signal travel time and strength loss across planets, it's protocol that we send each other text messages or emails to each other. If we need to speak or show video, we attach it in an email; phone calls can get fuzzy or misunderstood. Anyway, he said that "those bureaucratic fools," still have no plan to extract Sergeant Michael from Minmus. I agree fully: it's not like we need to wait for a transfer window to get to one of our own moons, and we can send a Dres Mini-Pod to get him back home at almost two-fifths the cost of a Mun to Minmus lander. When Mason finally thought Michael's family would get him back, Mission Control launched two more relays to Jool and Eeloo. I get that they want maximum coverage when it's time to send people there, but why send them now? Don't we already have enough crap ALREADY en route to Jool and Eeloo just for standby? Mason then send me this meme he and Michael made, and I showed it to my crew. They didn't get it until I told them how long Michael's been on Minmus stuck in a mini-bus, and we all laughed. If you're reading this, Mission Control, well, you deserve it. A GOOD KERBAL NEVER LEAVES A TEAMMATE BEHIND. Any other day, I'd ask Alex to hack Mission Control and give total probe control to me so I can send a craft up to Minmus to get Michael, but I gotta focus on landing on Dres now. If you're reading this, Michael, we're not giving up on you. It shouldn't be hard, actually, since your mini-bus is fully loaded with ore and gas - not to mention you're sitting in an ore-rich flatland. * though "Red" is not my real name (it's my YouTube and GeoFs name), the names of my crew are nick/names taken from my friends in real-life. "Lizard" is a gag name one of my AOE classmates decided to go by on GroupMe, and Bruce, Mason, and Michael are other classmates of mine. Alex is my roommate's name, and he's awesome with computers.

I would think so; after all, you replied to some of my posts and reacted to more of them. You also suggested that I try and get more Commnet coverage in my Eeloo fleet - which later became my Dres fleet when the Defiant's Delta-V dropped. Because of you pointing out this flaw, my ground relay saved my mini-bus from dying while preparing to land near Rosly's Whim. * which reminds me, my Vall Weather Satellite died en route to Jool. Though its batteries are charged, it currently has no connections to KSC. If I'm lucky, it's antennae will get in range of an "Ultimate Relay Antenna" (1 RA-100 and 4 RA-15 put together) before hitting Jool's sphere of influence; I'm not counting on it, though. Odds are that it's done for, but that's another story. Thanks for the landing zone suggestion, by the way. I had originally planned to have Colorado base overlook Dres Canyon, but exploring the canyon itself will be a great thing for the Dres colonists to do there.

Oh, @obney kerman my friend, I'm just getting warmed up - and that's not counting asteroids and debris (that I'll have to clean up). Though I'll drop some of the items on the surface (Colorado Base near the Dres Canyon, MINI-BUS 002 in a location I have not decided yet) - and will frequently rendezvous landers and the ore transport with the U.S.S. Defiant - several more orbital craft will come as soon as the next Kerbin-->Dres transfer window opens. Follow this log for my next entry, where I will finally set foot on Dres. * you got any ideas on where to put MINI-BUS 002? I made it myself, by the way.

STARDATE: Y4-D303-4H25M The third Dres Fleet has arrived and are now captured in Dres' sphere of influence. So far, our Dres colonization fleet - whether they're orbiting the planet or already landed - consist of: The U.S.S. Defiant (and it's crew). Though it has plenty of liquid fuel left for the return pod, it has run out of fuel for itself and very low on monopropellant. That can be fixed. 2 permanent self-sustaining bases Dresden Base is within 10 kilometers of the designated landing spot (Rosly's Whim) for incoming landers, chosen for its rich ore deposits Colorado Base is in orbit. I have ordered it to wait until the Dres Canyon is in daylight to land it. 1 ore-scanning satellite in polar orbit 1 Interplanetary Escape Pod The next crew will come in another one, but I already have one stationed in Dres orbit in case of emergencies 2 mini-buses DRES MINI-BUS 001 already within range of Rosly's Whim and Dresden Base DRES MINI-BUS 002 in orbit, as I have not yet decided where to put it 1 large fuel truck in spotting range of Rosly's Whim. 1 surface relay, planted on the opposite side of the planet from Rosly's Whim 1 three-man surface lander, equipped with science. 2 one-man surface landers. Though they have more Delta-V than the three-man lander, they still need refueling after each use - not to mention I can only take one person at a time in them. 1 Ore converter module. I shall dock it with the U.S.S. Defiant so that the station can produce its own fuel. 1 Ore Delivery probe. It shall land in Rosly's Whim and collect ore to bring back to the upgraded Defiant for conversion. I made sure it had PLENTY of Delta-V ready so that it won't need to refuel itself once it reaches the Defiant. * screenshot of our progress. My crew has been itching to get down to Dres' surface and explore, and I assure them they will get their chance. But first, I need to: Dock the ore converter with the Defiant. Land the delivery probe at Rosly's whim to collect ore and take it up. Take the three-man lander (myself, one engineer, one scientist) down to the surface after the ore collector's clear of Rosly's Whim I don't want any incidents involving two vehicles in the same spot. Return to the Defiant with a surface sample and scientific data for processing. Either inform Mission Control that's it's more efficient to send three people at a time or one. Mission Control tells me that there's a fourth fleet coming to Dres in about one Kerbal year, and it involves a self-refueling ore delivery module and the Defiant's replacement crew. From what I hear, this crew will start living permanently in Dresden Base while finding other potential landing sites. Personally, I hope Mission Control finally figures out how to build an SSTO to send here; that way, we can explore Dres as we would Kerbin on a plane without the hassle of using a legged lander. I also requested Dres gets an ultimate relay antenna stationed there, as we had an incident where we almost lost our first mini-bus due to a signal loss. To anyone who reads this entry, let it be known that we're paving the way to plant Kerbalkind's feet on other planets - starting with Dres.

MISSION: ABORTED I realized that, though the MechJeb Delta-V calculator seemed to make the mission feasible, it was not with the way I was doing it. Worse, the U.S.S. Tarawa "got hit with an asteroid" some time after I "coincidentally" realized that not only were the nuclear engines too weak for it, all the fuel did was slow it down - even with the infinite fuel cheat, there was no way I was going to circularize my orbit in time to stay in Moho orbit. Sorry, everyone. Looks like the Moho show is cancelled (for now) And furthermore, since I got a good set of missions going to Dres, I figured I'd start establishing a permanent TWO-WAY presence there before I move on to other planets. Here's the list of planets I plan to start colonizing - IN ORDER Dres Eeloo * Jool (at least get one station in Jool orbit and good coverage before moving on to other planets) (I haven't decided an order for the moons yet, but I'm definitely saving Laythe for last) Duna Eve ** Moho * #2 and 3 may get swapped due to transfer window frequency ** 5 and 6 may get swapped too, since it is much harder to get out of Eve than Moho.

Same here, until my career save file crashed and over half my ships got wiped out. No matter. I'm using Sandbox to make cool ships and prepare for an amazing comeback. Not only that, I use Sandbox to film myself for my YouTube channel

Good luck with that, @Pecan. Do you plan on assembling a miles-long (oops, I meant kilometers-long) STRONG bridge in orbit before landing it across the canyon? I'll be sure to check out the canyons on the Mun and the Tylo cave, but I'm sure as hell NOT going down the Mohole. Anything cool to venture into on Duna or Eeloo (Eve's surface is a one-way trip with the craft I currently have )?

I'm about to start a "Kerbal Yandere/CSI" story right now. 25 years ago, Debra Kerman was killed in a rover crash on Kerbin's beaches. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the rover's brakes were tampered with. Though the police suspected Debra's science partner, Misty Kerman, of murder, she was acquitted in the following trial. Even though the killer was never identified, the Kerbal Space Program has flourished since. On Eeloo, Jebediah was teaching a cadet named Agaden how to use the suborbital moon SSTO - a craft designed to get up to six people anywhere on a moon (or at least a celestial body with no atmosphere) - when he lost control and crashed. Jeb survived, but Agaden died before the mountain rovers arrived. Initially, Jeb was blamed for it; the MechJeb module was tampered with, and everybody in the Kerbol system knew of Jeb's contempt for "that sorry excuse of a copycat." However, an autopsy of Agaden's body proved that she was poisoned before her SSTO training flight. Though Jeb was cleared of the murder, as Gus' statistics showed Jeb was most likely to kill himself and/or others via vehicle crash (and Agaden might have survived if she wasn't poisoned), he wanted to find out who killed his star student. Meanwhile, on Laythe, Sheri Kerman drowned near Froze-up Beach. Though her boyfriend, Bob, was suspected of the murder, he had an alibi for the time of her death; Bob was taking a surface sample up to the U.S.S. Oregon in orbit of Laythe (and several crewmembers vouched for him, and he was on the crew manifest for the ascent vehicle) and the launch site was five kilometers away from the crime scene (and the surface sample was taken farther away). He could not have used a rover to get there and back in time, as his driver's license was suspended earlier for speeding and the rovers were programmed to shut down and alert command if anyone with a suspended license tried to control it. Being a scientist who always asked questions, Bob contacted his three best friends - Jeb, Bill (in transit to Eeloo from Duna to test new skis), and Val (in the U.S.S. Zeus, orbiting Jool) - and asked them for help in hunting down the killer. The boys eagerly agreed; Val was reluctant at first, but eventually decided to help out the three. WILL OUR HEROES FIND THE KILLER? ON WHAT PLANET WILL HE OR SHE STRIKE NEXT?

Thanks. I'm definitely putting Colorado Base in (or near) it. Any other canyons I should know about?

I just saw @Matt Lowne's video on landing a single-launch Dres Canyon base, and it got me thinking about new spots for my second surface base there. Can someone please send me the coordinates for the Dres canyon/s. I would also like a canyon landing spot that: Has a resource concentration of 5% or higher (my drills won't work at 2.5%, but I just want to be safe) Adequate landing space, especially for rovers/landing pods. It's kind of hard to tell what spots are canyons on Dres map view, and I don't want to risk getting too low if I decide to do a recon orbit (which can be very difficult to plan and time, not to mention costly). If anybody has some coordinates of the Dres Canyon/s, that'd be awesome. If you recommend NOT going in there, please send me the coordinates anyway so I know which spots to avoid - I'll put up a "DO NOT GO HERE" or "HAZARDOUS" waypoint.

On what, the weather satellite? Though fuel-efficient as they may be, they are weak as hell; they may not do much good for the larger craft, like the Tarawa. I do plan on sending an ion-powered "Ultimate Relay Antenna" in the second fleet to strengthen communication (check my Eeloo Fleet post for a picture of it), even though the Tarawa has some decent relays already. That may also be the case for an infrared telescope carrier that I may send too. Even if the ion engines were powerful enough for the Tarawa, the leftover liquid fuel will be used to gas up other craft that swing by - like the return pod. Which reminds me, I'm working on an "Expansion Pack" for the second fleet - part of it involves a section with 2 small holding tanks and an ore converter (and thermal control systems and radiators). This means I'll need to work on an "ore carrier" with WAY more than enough Delta-V to make it from the surface to the Tarawa and back to a specific landing spot without refueling; if the net fuel gain is zero or negative, it kinda beats the purpose of "refueling runs," doesn't it? Even with four ion engines (2 kN * 4 ion engines = 8 kN total thrust) mounted on the lander craft, I don't think it's enough to get the lander pod off the ground (7.288 ton mass * 2.7 m/s2 on Moho = 19.6776 kN weight). To do that would require me to be on a moon with a gravitational acceleration of 1.097 m/s2. And furthermore, I don't know of any ways to convert ore to Xenon using only stock parts. Any other ideas?

IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THERE, YOU CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE That's what I say about Moho; if I have enough Delta-V to get to Moho, then I can sure as hell get to anywhere else in the Kerbol system (especially Jool's moons). Anyway, I'm preparing a fleet for a trip to Moho and I want your input on what I may be missing for the first wave - or if you think it's good for now. U.S.S. Tarawa*: Can hold up to seven Kerbals at a time {1 viewing cupola, 1 lab (and I also carry all science but the telescope and ore scanner), 1 hitchhiker}, has 32 Mk. 2 docking ports and 16 Mk. 1 docking ports, 4 RA-100 Relay Antennae and plenty of liquid fuel and oxidizer in the reserve tanks. After the boosters run out of fuel, the station will be powered by four nuclear-powered engines to a designated orbit around Moho and send the crew to a prograde equatorial orbit around the planet. I have plenty of spare pure liquid fuel tanks in reserve for the return pod (when I get around to sending it), and reserve tanks of liquid fuel and oxidizer ready for landers. I should have plenty of Delta-V to make it to Moho from here (after I jettison the ascent boosters, of course). * I named it the Tarawa because, before I was born, my dad was in the U.S.M.C. He served in the U.S.S. Tarawa aircraft carrier while stationed in Hawaii; Mom was waiting patiently for him for about a year. Now that Dad's retired from government (he was in the State Department after the Marines), I thought it would be a fun way to honor his service to his country. Interplanetary Weather Satellite: Will put up in polar orbit around Moho and scan for rich ore deposits around the equator. Once I find a spot with a satisfactory minimum concentration (let's say 30% cutoff), I will set up a waypoint there and put my rover and lander there. I also carry some reusable scientific instruments on it. Moho Lander: capable of sending one Kerbal at a time from the U.S.S. Tarawa to the surface of Moho and back up. Doesn't have science on it to save mass since, well, "I'm a lander pod, not a science ship." Which reminds me, I tested its rendezvous and docking capabilities after sending this bad boy up to the Mun and refueling it before ascent - everything worked PERFECTLY. In this screenshot, I'm pointing at the Terrier fuel engine for the final stage (7.288-t mass). Do I have enough thrust to ascend/descend safely? Mini-Bus: Capable of carrying five Kerbals at a time (but will send unmanned), it will carefully land on a spot along Moho's Equator that's rich in ore deposits and start mining ore. When the lander gets there, I will use the claw and dock the rover with the lander before refueling it - it may take a while, but I can't risk running out of fuel during the lander's return rendezvous with the Tarawa. Check out my YouTube channel to see it in action. Concerning landing spots, as Robert Eddison once said, "I must choose, but choose wisely." That's why I'm sending the ore scanner in a polar orbit - to find a good spot beforehand. According to the Delta-V gauge on MechJeb and the community map, I should have enough juice to make it to Moho's surface. I don't want to send too many ships at once, otherwise I may miss my burn window while distracted with one ship (since, you know, nuclear engines are slow with their Delta-Vs). It should still be satisfactory to start a decent operation there. I originally planned to send a permanent single-stage base there too, but then I thought "Nah, send it with the second fleet - after we get a good first peek of the planet. I'll also send the return pod with the replacement crew for the Tarawa along with the base in the second fleet. Questions/concerns/comments?

Here's the U.S.S. Tarawa at LKO, along with the Delta-V gauge (ascent boosters still have some fuel left over). It is currently set up in a parking orbit ready for a transfer burn to Moho in about 63 days. The best part is that it costs less than the U.S.S. Defiant (and the Enterprise + pre-burn refueling trips) Can I make it to low Moho orbit (honestly, I'm not getting too low) with 6380 m/s of Delta-V from 85 km above Kerbin's surface? If so, well... TO MOHO!! If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

@FleshJeb and @sturmhauke, I'll think I'll leave the Defiant's design alone and not bother transferring any fuel to it next time. After all, since I burned up some monopropellant on my way to LKO and I had a good Delta-V going for Eeloo BEFORE I tried refueling, I think it's best to say that I LEAVE IT ALONE. Anyway, I think I got another single-launch space station ready - the U.S.S. Tarawa. It's still under construction, but so far the total Delta-V seems good - good enough to reach Moho. If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere (did the math and saw that the delta-V required to get to Moho is greater than those necessary to get to Jool's moons) Picture of the U.S.S. Tarawa in the VAB (still under construction), along with the MechJeb's Delta-V gauge. I'm pointing at the four nuclear engines that will be powering the station itself to Moho (after Stage 2), and it seems like I have sufficient Delta-V to go straight to Moho at the next transfer window. What do you think? Am I good for Moho (which means anywhere, for that matter), or do I still have delta-V problems? Sure, it doesn't look structurally sound, but I will fix that later. Oh, and @Torn4dO, I have an entire fleet ready for Dres - check my Eeloo Fleet post for the crafts I originally planned to send to Eeloo but ended up planning for Dres instead.

Craft construction is another issue, and I just want a trajectory solution that works. I'm not going to do an Eve assist just for the heck of it (unless it serves a practical purpose). I take it you're saying I should just stick with a direct trajectory to Moho, then. Even if an Eve gravity assist is the most fuel-efficient solution, I still plan to have enough Delta-V for a direct flight in case I miss my Eve launch window - or if I mess up the trajectory somewhere in the middle. I already have a craft in LKO that's capable of getting this single-launch base to Moho's surface I think this weather satellite has enough Delta-V to make it to Moho (directly) and pick my landing spot for the base. Doesn't it? A ground relay that I will put on the other side of the planet from my base landing spot A xenon-powered "Ultimate Relay Antenna" that I will leave in Moho's orbit to maintain long-range communications to KSC. I just need to get a single-launch seven-man space station (with science) to Moho's orbit. It should also carry LOTS of liquid fuel in reserve for the nuclear-powered return pod. It should also have Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer left over for a two-way moon lander that I plan to send the crew in (I'm sending the permanent base empty) This five-man rover with refueling capabilities (and Bon Voyage) can be of some help. Does this satisfy your need for more information, @Foxster?

I'm trying to plan a mission to Moho. While I have MechJeb's Delta-V gauge to tell me if I can or cannot fly directly to Moho - fleet construction and organization is another problem - it does not tell me if I have enough Delta-V to do an Eve Gravity Assist to Moho. Here's the story. While planning transfer orbits for my Eve Fleet two months ago, I saw that the planned maneuver would have taken me in an escape trajectory out of Eve and into a somewhat low circular orbit around Kerbol - I forgot the specifics of the orbit, but it would have enabled me to put the crafts in some designated path for a contract. Now it got me thinking "Hey, maybe I can do that for a trip to Moho." If that's the case, here's my plan for a Eve gravity assist to Moho: Wait until the next Kerbin->Eve transfer window to escape Kerbin's sphere of influence (I have Kerbal Alarm Clock) As soon as I reach Eve's SOI, set my periapsis to 100-125 km and (possibly, it's been months since I was last at Eve) get in an escape trajectory out of Eve. Low periapsis requires less delta-V. Anything lower than 90 km will be dangerous (atmospheric burn-up, aerobraking messing up my escape trajectory, etc.) After leaving Eve's SOI (and in solar orbit), set up a Hohmann Transfer to Moho. On one hand, I get to do a really cool physics-based maneuver and (possibly) save delta-V (I don't say "fuel" since it's not the only factor used in MechJeb's Delta-V gauge) on my way to Moho. On the other hand, here are some numbers that may convince me that flying directly to Moho is just as good as using an Eve gravity assist. DIRECT FLIGHT LKO to Moho's Surface = 5490 m/s LKO to Low Moho Orbit = 4530 m/s EVE GRAVITY ASSIST TO SURFACE LKO to Eve Intercept = 1140 m/s Eve Intercept to Moho's Surface = 4350 m/s 1140+4350 = 5490 m/s TO LOW MOHO ORBIT LKO to Eve Intercept = 1140 m/s Eve Intercept to Low Moho Orbit = 3390 m/s 1140+3390 = 4530 m/s NO DIFFERENCE, IS THERE What do you think I should do to save Delta-V? Should I just stick with direct flights to Moho, or do you recommend I use the Eve Gravity Assist? If the direct flight is the best bet, fine. If the Eve assist is the best bet, then: How do I time it right to have the most efficient flight? Remember: I have Kerbal Alarm Clock. Any instructions for such a flight, or does my plan sound solid? Either way, off to the drawing board (I mean V.A.B.) for me. Your input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Like in real-life, it's about time to establish a permanent base on the Mun. The Blacksburg Aeronautics and Space Administration has decided to take on this task, and it is hosting a competition for ideas to accomplish it. SLPB (SINGLE-LAUNCH PERMANENT BASE) CHALLENGE As the name implies, you must get a base to the Mun in a single launch. To complete the challenge, your base must meet the following criteria: DO IT ALL IN ONE LAUNCH, DUH!!!! Stock Parts ONLY - NO MODS MechJeb's okay, as it's only a remote guidance mod. WorldStabilizer's also okay. Just no mods that come with additional base parts. Must hold ten or more Kerbalnauts. Must be able to generate its own power (e.g. solar panels/radioisotope generators) Don't forget batteries. You're gonna need them. Must have at least one antenna Relay preferable, but I'm also okay with direct Must have a probe core so you can work it while unoccupied. Must have science lab with instruments (you can't activate the "science farm" without data) Two-man lab will count when checking crew capacity for Rule 3 Must be able to penetrate the surface (e.g. need drill/s) and mine and convert ore (need converter/s) - which also means you need radiators/thermal control systems to cool them down. Be sure you land in a spot with a good ore concentration Don't forget the fuel and monoprop tanks +500 fuel capacity +500 oxidizer capacity +500 monoprop capacity You can't convert anything without ore tanks Must be stationary. I've seen WAY too many mobile bases on YouTube, and it's about time we have a "house to come back to" on the moon. Which means you'll have to pick your landing spot wisely. Besides, this will simulate the permanent bases we'll be getting in real life. Must have enough lights to be seen in the dark from a distance (at least in an incoming rover). HokieFarm Insurance won't compensate any losses suffered due to damage if our base is not designed to be seen in the dark. Additionally, we may be held liable for any accidents that happen if a rover crashes into it. Example: one night Jebediah crashed his rover into a base in the mountains. He was not held responsible for damages (despite him speeding), as his vehicle's lights were on but the base was practically invisible in the dark Your base must have docking capabilities with either: A docking port An open space for a claw to grab on to. Must be stable. Our insurance also won't cover losses due to damage if the base can easily tip over (except if the planet's acting glitchy/buggy/bouncy, like Minmus). We are also liable for motions sickness-related incidents if the base is not stable by design (upside-down, easily wobbles (assuming no game bugs)). Must have a plan to remove debris upon landing that does NOT involve hitting self-destruct in the tracking station. Must have a means of egress (getting out). Here's a screenshot of my base on the Mun to get you all started. Have fun, everybody. LET'S SEE WHAT YOU ALL GOT!

Don't count on that; I stink at SSTOs. I can't even get a full orbit ready in one, and not to mention I have trouble landing planes. Besides, I already have a craft that works. The embedded video is proof enough that I am more than capable of rescuing Bob and Val from Minmus with ease. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

I can rescue Bob and Val easily. I mean, I have a lander that's able to take THREE people to the Mun AND Minmus before returning to Kerbin - it's just not Apollo-style. If that's unacceptable, I just need to modify the craft design to have an orbiter waiting in Minmus orbit and then rendezvous the lander with that orbiter when it's time to return. Honestly, @PlatinumBlast, I don't even think Apollo-Style is necessary. Is the design in the embedded video okay ? It may not be Apollo-Style, but I guarantee you it will get the job done. As for the mission time, we'll have to assume that the lander is carrying the necessary resources to last the crew for the trip home. I mean, COME ON, you have to be dumb NOT to load that. Additionally, @PlatinumBlast did not specifically mention that the entire mission (to AND from Minmus) had to last ten days total. I can get to Minmus in way less than that, but once I reach Bob and Val in the Midlands they should be good for the trip back - even if the total mission time takes me more than ten days.

I only docked with the Defiant once, and that was to transfer a crew - since I plenty of fuel left in the pod, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Unfortunately, refueling the Defiant turned out to be a bad idea (probably for the monopropellant). - Are you also suggesting I remove the monoprop control engines from the Defiant as well for the next craft? If so, then I cannot use monoprop to turn the craft. For future missions, I'll probably do what you said and remove the monoprop tank and replace it with 2 large reaction wheels in its place (since it's close to the ship's center of mass upon that stage). As for refueling craft with monoprop, I'll put a few cylindrical tanks (how many specifically? Remember: 50 units per tank). Monoprop usage quantity for docking with the Defiant varies greatly depending on many factors. Since trying to refuel the Defiant is what got me into this mess in the first place, I won't do that again the next time I launch a ship of the same class. Ideally, the plan is to dock a lander with the station and send a crew of three to a planet/moon before launching it back to the station. When the return window is almost open, I shall dock a nuclear-powered "return pod" to the Defiant and gas it up with the pure liquid fuel I have in reserve. Then, I shall leave the station in orbit (in this case, it will be Dres*) and send the return pod back home. * Next time, Eeloo.

MISSION: POSTPONED Due to an unforeseen complication while refueling and transferring the crew, the Defiant currently does NOT have enough delta-V to get to Eeloo (now has 3570 m/s). However, I have my entire fleet already in LKO. After I told my crew the news, they started demanding I send them to another planet instead of just sitting there in LKO for the next Eeloo transfer window. Thanks to this site (https://13375.de/KSPDeltaVMap/), I believe I have enough Delta-V for the Defiant to make it to Dres. Why Dres, you ask. Well, I can establish a strong relay post out there in the middle of the Kerbol system for future missions. Since my fleet is already prepared to explore a moon (or at least a planet with no atmosphere), Dres can serve as practice for planets like Eeloo and Moho - that's also why I decided to NOT go to Jool, since some craft won't have enough Delta-V to make it to the moons - like the rover and the lander. Don't get disappointed just yet, ladies and gentlemen. At least I can prepare that same fleet (and have a space station with enough Delta-V that time) for Eeloo next chance I get. Aside from that, I will have great coverage the further out I go into the Kerbol system - thanks to the powerful relays already in orbit of Dres - as well as being able to map out more asteroids. Additionally, I would have already made some progress with Dres when I decide to establish a permanent base there. Questions/concerns/comments?