Duna One

[Watermel00n]

Here's my try at the Duna One Level 3!

Booster tests:

Spoiler

Side boosters: 36220

Stage 1: 17660

Stage 2: 12884

Launch total costs: 100806

Total costs: 23842

Max payload costs: ~75000

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by Watermel00n

[camacju]

Here's the rocket I'm going to be using:

The lower stage is a Clydesdale and the upper stage is a Wolfhound plus three of the 1/8 length 2.5 meter fuel tank. It can bring 40 tons of payload to orbit while expending 11015 funds of fuel. Both stages are fully reusable.

In practice I'll use a slightly higher fuel load and a slightly lower payload mass for some extra margin, but I don't expect the cost of any payloads to be over 80000 funds.

Edited January 30, 2022 by camacju

[camacju]

Launch 1: Duna advance team, return module

65492 funds in VAB
 

Spoiler

On pad

Liftoff

Gravity turn

Booster detaches

Booster reentry

Chutes deployed

Splashdown

Second stage continues

Circularizing

Second stage detaches

Reentry

Chutes deployed

Landed. Both stages recovered total 31494 funds, so the net cost of this launch is 33998 funds.

Duna transfer. The transfer stage is also the Duna return stage, and takes the Duna return module along with the forward operating base.

Spoiler

Correction burn

Aerobraking

In orbit

Detach the forward operating base; leave the return module and return stage in orbit

Descent stage firing

Aerobraking

Chutes deployed

Final descent

Descent stage flies away

Flag!

 

The base is lonely. Let's hope it gets some company soon.

An interior view. The four dunatians are having a fun time.

Bonus: My provisional design for a Duna ascent vehicle.

Spoiler

Low mass and cheap. Still very overengineered actually - this thing can be dropped off in Duna orbit, land like an airplane (except for terminal descent which is accomplished with parachutes), and take four kerbals all the way back to Kerbin.

It's a bit of minimalist accommodations but at least I made all the seats visually connect together

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by camacju

[jinnantonix]

Jinnantonix Duna One Level 3 - Mission Update: 

Phase 3 of the challenge is completed with 4 Kerbals returned to Kerbin from Duna.
 

 

[Watermel00n]

@jinnantonix you have earned the Duna One Level 3 Badge!

@camacju you don't have to return all 16 kerbals on the return mission. Just the first 4.

[Watermel00n]

I ve just realised some loopholes when using the latest usi life support (1.12 unstable 2) because it apparently had a deepfreeze function so i tweaked the rules to disallow that.

[AtomicTech]

4 hours ago, Watermel00n said:

I ve just realised some loopholes when using the latest usi life support (1.12 unstable 2) because it apparently had a deepfreeze function so i tweaked the rules to disallow that.

If I made a submission with Snacks-LS, would you accept it?

[Watermel00n]

hmmm, ok

but ive got to edit the rules first

[jinnantonix]

17 hours ago, Watermel00n said:

I ve just realised some loopholes when using the latest usi life support (1.12 unstable 2) because it apparently had a deepfreeze function so i tweaked the rules to disallow that.

I used USI-LS, but didn't use "deepfreeze", and was unaware of such a capability.  FYI  I launched with just enough fertilizer and solar power for the greenhouse(s) to generate sufficient supplies for the Duna Transit.  

[OJT]

Gonna give this a try, looks fun

Starting with Phase One. Here's the rocket that will send 4 kerbals to Duna

Spoiler

First stage is a Thoroughbred SRB, recoverable. Second and final stage is powered by Poodle engine, not recoverable. The living quarters have parachutes and side mounted engines to soften the landing.

Launch is rather trivial. Second stage is circularized at 72km orbit

Spoiler

10 minutes later, ship burns towards Duna. Maneuver was on the night side of Kerbin, so we can enjoy the stars (and the Mun) while we're at it

Spoiler

The burn puts the whole stack deep into Duna's atmosphere. That's right, there won't be any circularization burns, this will be a direct entry, sort of like NASA's missions

Spoiler

Leaving Kerbin

Spoiler

And approaching Duna

Spoiler

Second stage detaches from the lander, heat shield is inflated and lander enters Duna's atmosphere

Spoiler

Low into the atmosphere parachutes deploy, heat shield is jettisoned and lander slowly touches down on the surface

Spoiler

4 kerbals posing for a photo

Spoiler

Final location

Spoiler

The whole launch stack costs 50399 funds and recovered SRB was 9300 funds, bringing the total cost of the mission to 41099 funds

Phase 1 complete. Phase 2 will come soon

[Watermel00n]

Is this dead?

[Death Engineering]

Hi @Watermel00n how do you feel about TAC Life Support?

[Watermel00n]

Im not sure...

I might put you as a level 3 because TAC is harder, although it lacks the homesickness factor.

[Death Engineering]

8 hours ago, Watermel00n said:

Im not sure...

I might put you as a level 3 because TAC is harder, although it lacks the homesickness factor.

That's a good point. Consider my question revoked for my potential attempt, here. I need to embrace the 'homesickness' side in mods, since I build for it anyways. Thanks for the reply! 

[Autochrome]

So for Level 2, are information mods allowed, like KER and Trajectories, or is it just for Level 3?

[Watermel00n]

Yes

[Death Engineering]

Have started working on this challenge.    

Just to clarify, getting payload into orbit is only permitted using SRB's?  Or, can we have an SRB with a liquid insertion/Duna transfer stage? 

Thanks @Watermel00n

[Watermel00n]

SRB is for the first stage only.

[Death Engineering]

Having a very hard time fitting USI-LS/MKS designs into the 100k / launch limit and get the mission done.  lol!  Going to take another run this weekend and incorporate SSPX mod bits to get (totally admitting the truth here) the cheaty/undermass crew pods. Trying to stick with a common Duna lander that can drop crew modules, supplies or carry things back into orbit and just swapping out the modular bits that snap into the lander.

In theory/testing, it works great but the two designs (lander/RTO and resupply modules) are near 200k each at launch and over 40t per payload. Stay tuned!