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Stow Away Duna Transfer - Get the hardware up and do it. (WIP Challenge)


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So, this challenge goes against the rules because I personally have not done it. Maybe it should be in player requests? 

New movie, Stowaway. Scott Manley talks about it in this video and at 9 mins 15 secs starts talking about the transfer mechanism to mars. In this case Duna. 
In short, there is a space station orbiting Sol/Kerbol, that is timed to intersect closely between the two planets. In theory, this can be done with any of the planets. 

Instead of needing a huge ship to support the passengers on the long journey between planets, they will take a smaller ship and dock with the space station, and live there for the time it takes to travel. After resupplying they will leave the station, explore the target planet, and then wait until it is time to return to the transfer station and go home.  Watch and he explains it really good.

Below the video is my musings for the challenge which I set myself

So, I guess the main purpose of the station would be food and oxygen - so you will have to either use a mod for ksp to put that element in - IF you are hardcore enough.  But the initial challenge is to first, in as many launches as you want, design, build and deploy the station. Maybe capture a 'stroid to go on there?

You are encouraged to go a bit Elon and launch a whole load of fuel tanks to go along for the ride if you want, like I say, as many launches as you like. 

Low tier prize, is to do it, with as little cheating as possible. 

Second tier prize,  do it absolutely no cheating, 

High tier prize, establish a system involving other planets and refueling missions the whole works. 

Scott Manley, do it with the added need to provide food and air for your kerbals. 

Bonus for the amount of kerbals that can transit at any one time. You can send 1 craft with lots of passengers, like a bus, or a fleet of small solo craft... 

Who will be first to make some sort of entry? 
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1) I am starting by dusting off and refining some launch systems to put modules in LKO.

2) I have no idea how to calculate the desired kerbin duna transit orbit for the station. Many, many kerbals will be given the joy of an endless journey through space to find this out. 

3) I have ideas on how to replicate some of the systems.  So I will post some sort of attempt soon. 

 

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On 4/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, jinnantonix said:

I'm a bit confused.  Is this an Aldrin cycler?  

 

Yes! That was the name (I think?) 

 

On 4/6/2021 at 2:20 PM, Single stage to ocean said:

@king of nowhere did it with his reusable grand tour mothership.

I will look it up. 
Anyone got any idea how to calculate the orbit needed?

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I plan to use USI-LS for life support, and a few part mods to create realistic looking habitat and a standard rocket for the launch systems.  I am assuming KAS will be required to simulate the cabling system.

This might be useful.  Two cycles will be required, one for Kerbin to Duna, and one for Duna to Kerbin.

 

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I have done some testing with KAS, and it looks like it will support a craft that is about 170m in diameter, connected with cables.  I have also done  a mock up of the Cycler habitat (minus cabling system), and it weighs about 110 tons, so is going to need a fair bit of dV to "spin up".  This doesn't include the Duna Lander, and I am still trying to work how to architect the crew transfers.  I am waiting to see the movie for hints, should be released today?  

B1DN2y7.png

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Ok, so I have seen the movie, here is what I discovered ...

SPOILER ALERT
 

Spoiler

Movie starts with the launch, filmed entirely from within the 3 seat launch vehicle capsule, no shot of the rocket on the launch pad   :(
Launch vehicle appears to be two stage to space, and then a hard burn of stage 2 from suborbital to Mars Transfer Orbit and rendezvous with the Aldrin cycler (referred to as MTS cycler)
The MTS (Mars Transit System) Cycler appears to be quite close to Earth, at an altitude of around 300-500km approximately.
Second stage booster is called "Kingfisher", a very large rocket utilising compressed LOX. 
Crew capsule (or "taxi")  is separated from the Kingfisher and docks with the MTS via a shielded docking port on the nose of the "taxi" capsule
The spent second stage is rotated 90 degrees and positioned as counter ballast for the MTS by docking to the solar panel platform

After docking, the MTS construct is spun up rapidly and then the MTS, solar platform and Kingfisher undock and extend on cables to a diameter of 450m
The MTS has one module that has radiation proofing to protect against solar flares, with a cupola
There is some hints that the cycler has done many previous missions.  The Commander has done two previous missions.  This mission is designated MTS 42.

Regrettably the movie plot does not cover the Mars landings and so there is no more information to be gathered about the mission architecture.

My thoughts:
The "taxi "  appears not capable of Mars landing, but is designed as a shuttle between the MTS and a Mars Lander in LMO.  Likely hypergolic fuelled.  The Mars Lander is likely a re-usable SSTO and would  be refuelled on the Mars surface by an ISRU refuelling depot.  At the end of the Mars mission, the Lander docks with the "Taxi" in orbit, and then rendezvous with a second MTS cycler for return to Earth.  The "taxi" would separate from the cycler, adjust for Earth encounter, eject service module, and directly re-enter the Earth's atmosphere with aerobraking and heat shielding.

Final comment:  The movie is rather grim, and not so inspiring as a basis for a KSP mission.

 

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