Eeloo Fleet

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

I'm planning on flying to Eeloo, landing there, and coming back home when the next launch window opens. I realize that I cannot send just one ship if I am to leave my mark and return; after all, I plan to leave some things in orbit before I leave, like:

• A space station
• A weather satellite
• An "Ultimate Relay Antenna"

Below is a list of items I will send at the next launch window. I consulted this website and this one after I got my ships into orbit, checked my "Delta-V Gauge" with MechJeb, and I can reasonably say that the ships in these photos are gassed up and ready (except for one - the rover). As for the nuclear-powered return pod, my space station has plenty of plain liquid fuel in reserve just to fill it up. 

 

• U.S.S. Defiant: (Yes, I'm aware that's it's not loaded with crew yet - that will come later). It can hold up to 7 Kerbals at once {1 viewing cupola, 1 lab (and I also carry all science but the telescope and ore scanner), 1 hitchhiker}, has 12 Mk. 2 docking ports and 12 Mk. 1 docking ports, 8835 charge, and ~4,216 m/s worth of Delta-V in the tanks when I get to 92 km above Kerbin. Signal coverage won't be a problem, as it has 4 RA-100 relay antennae. I also have 7200 units worth of pure liquid fuel in reserve for when the return pod comes by to pick up the crew.
• 

(Note: Crew will consist of 2 pilots, 2 engineers, and 3 scientists)

 

• Interplanetary Weather Satellite: Will put up in polar orbit around Eeloo 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.

 

• Ultimate Relay Antenna: Originally intended to be left in Kerbol orbit (honestly, I don't care if it gets to Eeloo as long as the relays work), it has 1 RA-100 and 4 RA-15 relay antennae. The final stage has 3 ion engines and 11,400 worth of xenon (and over 8,000 m/s worth of Delta-V), so I think it's good for Eeloo. What do you think? 

 

• Interplanetary Moon Lander: Capable of carrying up to 3 Kerbals at a time, has some science on board, and 5,180 m/s worth of Delta-V at the time of LKO. I plan to rendezvous with the Defiant when I arrive at Eeloo, then pick up three Kerbalnauts (pilot, scientist, engineer) before sending it down to a designated landing spot. Then, I shall refuel the ship using a small rover and send it back up to the Defiant.

Note: Be sure your spot is rich in ore deposits BEFORE landing

 

• Return Pod: A nuclear-powered beauty, driven by pure liquid fuel (main stage has 6,400 units of it), designed to follow the fleet unoccupied to Eeloo and remain in a standby orbit. When it comes close to the return window, I shall rendezvous the pod with the Defiant and pick up the crew - and not forgetting to refuel it. After the window opens, I will launch the pod out of Eeloo's sphere of influence on a return trajectory to Kerbin - leaving the Defiant unmanned until the next crew arrives. 

 

• Mini-Bus (PENDING REDESIGN): Capable of carrying five Kerbals at a time (but will send unmanned), it will carefully land on a spot along Eeloo'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 Defiant.

DISCLAIMER: This video (that I made all by myself) is just a demonstration of what the rover is capable of when landed. I currently don't have Delta-V to get to Eeloo's surface.

 

What do you all think? Do all my ships have enough Delta-V to get to Eeloo safely? Am I good for the first Eeloo fleet, or am I missing something besides the rover? Speaking of which, any ideas on how to get it all the way to Eeloo?

 

Your input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[obney kerman]

You might need more relays. I recommend sending a relay carrier, with multiple powerful antennae to be placed in varying orbits.

[Kerbalstar]

I've never been to Eeloo, but it all looks good to me! Be sure to keep us updated! @Mars-Bound Hokie

Edited December 10, 2018 by Kerbalstar

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

5 hours ago, obney kerman said:

You might need more relays. I recommend sending a relay carrier, with multiple powerful antennae to be placed in varying orbits.

@obney kerman I'm glad you addressed the relay issue. I'm already sending a couple of vessels with powerful relay antennae - the ion-powered satellite, and the Defiant (it has three RA-100s already on it). The weather satellite and the munar mini-bus (at least when the rocket is complete) also have some relays on them, but they don't have the range to go all the way to Kerbin by themselves; at least they can connect to the big relays - just like the moon lander with its 2 Communotron DTS-M1 antennae.

However, I am aware of the possibility of temporary blind spots as a small relay (or something with a small antenna) can go without connection to a big relay for a while - which is why I drew this diagram for you (please excuse the bad artwork)

• Small Relay: not capable of reaching Kerbin by itself (no RA-100s)
• Large/Big Relay: capable of reaching Kerbin (at least one RA-100)

 

You will notice that one of the small relays is going in a retrograde orbit while everything else is either prograde, going in a polar orbit (the weather satellite), or on the ground. Which brings me to two more items to send to Eeloo (Mini-bus still a work in progress)

• NOTE: If you do this in career mode, be sure you have LOTS of money to finance all this (or at least the important stuff). If not, then you can at least send smaller budget-friendly fleets one launch window at a time --> but if you send the Defiant with a full crew, be sure to bring a return pod with you.

 

• Infrared Telescope Carrier: Will put in circular retrograde orbit once I arrive at Eeloo's sphere of influence, at an altitude between the Defiant and the ultimate relay. Though it has only 4 RA-2 antennae, there's a good chance it will connect with at least one of the large relays. The reason that I am sending it retrograde instead of prograde is because there will be a higher rate of being in range of the large relay/s - or at least have a connection to one. Anyway, once in orbit, I will activate it and map out incoming asteroids and other celestial bodies near Eeloo.

 

• Ground Relay: After I pick a landing spot for my Mini-Bus (whose delivery rocket I need to work on within 28 Kerbal days), I will land this ground-based large relay on the opposite side of Eeloo from that landing spot. The reason I say "opposite of" instead of "close to" is because, while the two large relays in orbit may be on the same side as the rover, that leaves the other side of Eeloo a blind spot - increasing the chances that the two large relays may be useless (for a while). If that was the case, at least they can connect with the smaller relays and transfer the signal to the ground-based large relay on the other side
  • Think of it as shining a flashlight on a basketball - there will be one side that will remain dark. If that darkness reaches Kerbin, no signal can be sent or received to the space center. Thanks to the ground relay (and other, smaller connectors), I got that covered.

 

• Munar Mini-Bus: (REDESIGN IN PROGRESS)

 

@Kerbalstar, click on the YouTube video above to see the mini-bus in action. Though my current rocket design does not have enough delta-V to get to Eeloo's surface, at least it has enough gas to get to the Mun or Minmus (I prefer the Mun, as Minmus is bouncy). Feel free to address any questions/comments/concerns you may have about the rover; after all, the mini-bus will go a long way to colonizing other celestial bodies.

• Though originally designed to rescue stranded tourists from a wreckage - whose craft file I borrowed from @Matt Lowne - it was great at remaining stable and transferring crew/fuel/monopropellant to incoming landers. It also comes with its own reusable science and an RA-2 relay
• If you got any ideas on how to get a mining-and-refueling-capable rover to Eeloo, I'm open.

 

Above: Speed test for the mini-bus on Kerbin, clocked at 40.1 m/s (~89 mph) before the driver got arrested for reckless driving 

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

I think I got it.

 

You think my Mini-Bus, or the rest of my Eeloo fleet for that matter, is ready for the next launch window or am I missing something (craft/insufficient Delta-V)?

 

P.S. I was going to send this big-ass refueling truck, but then I thought "nah, start small."

[Mars-Bound Hokie]

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?