A little help with Eve Ascent Vehicle

[Himynameisjake]

Hi all!  

I've been slowly chugging along for a while now on trying to figure out how to get two kerbals off the surface in the smallest lander possible that can still dock at the end of it's journey to orbit for recovery.

I don't want to be burdened by the requirement of a pilot, so I also included a probe core and some batteries and solar panels, and this is the end result.

The problem is, I can't for the life of me come up with something I can send on a landing trajectory with a tug, and then return to orbit.  If it has the brass to ascend, it burns up during the landing phase, if it can survive landing, it doesn't have the oomph to reach orbit.  I would happily take any advice or help on trying to get this little guy to orbit. Attached below the service bay in the craft file, you will find a Mass Simulator with the equivalent mass of a kerbal, something I've found necessary for accurate design.  Manipulate it from the octagonal strut, that's the base piece.

 

Craft file here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2nQsVJsiEkNVTJJX2dBTTF0dGM/view?usp=sharing

[Foxster]

Eve landers are almost a sub-game because of the difficulty in making them - or at least making them in some useful size. 

Here's my latest one that you could take the capsule off and add your homespun capsule & probe core to. 

Craft file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5nmj3q221gbt0u7/Eve lander v4 7.craft?dl=0

I'd suggest adding an Advanced Inline Stabiliser (and a PB-NUK) though because that probe core doesn't have much torque from its reaction wheels.  

Oh - just thought - do you really need to dock this after returning to orbit? It will get to orbit with less dV if you could use a nosecone instead of the docking port. Then just EVA over the Kerbals when near the mothership. 

Edited June 5, 2016 by Foxster