Cassini-Huygens using a shuttle, rejected attempt but successfull mission :D

[Kerbolitto]

Here is my rejected attempt at STS 3T Cassini-Huygens around Jool. It was a failed attempt because I put too much doughnuts around the probe. I'd like to show it there and keep this mission alive because it took me a lot of time to figure how to pack all that stuff in a long cargo bay, and as always, because I want to share all the beauty-shots taken during this challenge ! I hope you guys will appreciate this report, even if it's a failure in regard of STS challenge, I'm quite proud of the mission

 

Cassini-Huygens injector stage :

It's made of 6 Hammers docked on a structural plate and it has 1919dV. Engines are set at 20% thrust only because the probe is a bit ... asymetrical , burn time is almost exactly 2 minutes.

Cassini :

The probe's weird shape was dictated to minize torque because of the electrical boom, with an RTG at the top. It features a probe control, Communotron 88-88 (would have love to use the big relay instead ..!), 4 Doughnut tanks, 2 Sparks, lots of batteries and a Science Experiment. Don't know the exact dV, I'd say 800m/s maybe.

Huygens :

Huygens is a buyoant lander, it has a big heatshield, 2 Science containers for buyoncy, and every experiments that could be fitted under the service module. It is also devoided of engine and was designed to be set on a crash course with Laythe (for fun).

 

Part 1 : Launch

 

Nothing special here, engines were lit up, and at some point it went into space ! I used Nervs to raise orbit at 110x110 before openning the bay.

 

Spoiler

Shuttle stats :

 

Part 2 : Assembly

 

Valentina goes to the RCS bike after openning the trunk

Cassini-Huygens is detached before being repositionned on the shuttle to facilitate assembly

Hammer free to go, one after the other

4 .. 5 .. 6 .. Nothing's missing !

The RTG boom is assembled before detaching the probe, then docked on the remaining port

 

Part 3 : Artisan's landing

 

 

Spoiler

Deorbit maneuver :

Getting a bit hot at low altitude :

 

Part 4 : Jool injection, capture, Huygens drop

 

 

Spoiler

Planned maneuver :

Deep space maneuver : the probe is set on a crash interception with Laythe

 

 

Part 5 : Huygens goes in the water

 

Huygens experimented a harsh re-entry, its trajectory was leading almost to the moon's core ! It is now a happy buoy.

 

Spoiler

Re entry performances : just a bit above 100G

Few meters before splashdown :

 

Part 6 : Cassini goes everywhere !

 

Doing flyby around Jool does not require lots of dV, it's just a bit of acrobatic maneuvers to fly from one moon to another ! The probe had lots of fuel so I forced things a bit instead of waiting years for a perfect encounter.

 

Spoiler

Capture correction after detaching Huygens !

First maneuver : almost perfect here. Passing Vall at 12k meters, change of inclination later to meet Pol a few orbits later, then a normal burn which set a direct encounter with Bop ! Only problem was that 2 encounters with Laythe did not appeared, so I had to modify things a little.

This is the correction maneuver after passing near Vall : It's a bit more costly than what was planned above but I was able to meet Bop using the same technic.

 

Part 7 : End of the mission, using Jool surface

 

 

Spoiler

Crashing on Jool required 2 Tylo's flyby : Second pass happenned below 3000m.

 

 

[Kerbalstar]

I really like it @Kerbolitto! Why was it an STS Challenge Failure?

Edited October 10, 2018 by Kerbalstar
Autocorrect!!!!!

[Kerbolitto]

36 minutes ago, Kerbalstar said:

I really like it @Kerbolitto! Why was it an STD Challenge Failure.

Thanks, glad you like it :)

It was a failure because Cassini must have only 1 doughnut fuel tank, and 1 oscar for Huygens. I thought that only the type was important, did not pay attention that only a single tank was allowed.

[Kerbalstar]

27 minutes ago, Kerbolitto said:

Thanks, glad you like it

It was a failure because Cassini must have only 1 doughnut fuel tank, and 1 oscar for Huygens. I thought that only the type was important, did not pay attention that only a single tank was allowed.

You're welcome!

I see. Also, autocorrect!!!! 

[sturmhauke]

Too many donuts?! No such thing!

[Kerbolitto]

Doughnuts fuel tanks with added butter mixture.