Manned mission to Moho!

[CobraA1]

So - I decided to go to Moho. This is the largest undertaking I've done so far, and it took a lot of botched launches, a lot of patience, a few redesigns, and two refuel launches that weren't really part of the original plan. The design for the craft involves a two-piece "mothership" that is basically nuclear engines strapped to orange tanks, as well as a rather standard lander for actually landing on the planet (not too different from my mun landers, save for that oversize docking port).

The trip requires a LOT of fuel - so much in fact I had to refuel the "mothership" twice. Once on the way there, and once on the way back. A larger design may have worked, but at a cost of complexity.

On the way there, I was able to get within Moho's SOI without refueling, but wasn't able to slow down enough, so I actually refueled it in orbit around Kerbol and tried again.

For the way back, I was actually able to get the refuel craft into orbit around Moho and refuel the "mothership" in orbit around Moho before heading back to Kerbin.

Note that I am using MechJeb and the Lazor mods, and a few other minor mods (the USA flag, the colored lights if you see any). It should be doable with stock parts, however: I'm not using any major parts mods. With the possible exception of refueling, which was done with the lazor mod.

Note that these are all scaled - click on them to go to ImageShack, where you should be able to find full size versions.

These are photos on the surface of Moho:

Once back to Kerbin, I used aerocapture and aerobraking to enter orbit around Kerbin and reduce my apoapsis to 100km. I was treated to a rather spectacular fireworks show for the first pass:

Here's the "mothership" in the second pass, so you can better see it:

I *do* have to keep the lander attached for the return trip, as I didn't put any spare room on the "mothership" for two kerbalnauts.

Here's the command module for the mothership:

Here's the engine module for the mothership:

Here's the lander:

Here is the refuel craft I used:

The refuel craft is quite possibly the largest thing I've ever launched in KSP. Not only am I getting an orange tank into orbit, I'm getting it to one of the planets that requires the most delta V to get to as well, and I have to have plenty of fuel left to refuel the other craft. It's got not one, but two stages that use the nuclear engines, and it will use some of the last stage to get into Moho's SOI and orbit. However, it does get enough fuel to the mothership to allow the mothership to return to Kerbin.

The refuel craft was actually made after I discovered the original craft didn't have enough delta V to get into Moho orbit .

I think others have done bigger ships - but for me, that's a record. Maybe not in part count, but certainly in sheer volume.

I've only got one last step to complete: Returning the kerbalnauts to the Kerbal Space Center on Kerbin. Neither ship has enough thrust for a soft landing on Kerbin, so I'll have to send some ships designed for the task up. But that's pretty easy. I think I've done enough for now to call it a success .

I haven't updated my signature ribbons yet due to some issues with the signature generator.

Edited June 7, 2013 by CobraA1

[jwenting]

yay for Moho

I tried for and reached a flyby of Moho myself, but had no fuel to orbit and return home so abandoned that idea rather than leave Bill stranded in a place he'd end up dead from radiation sickness.

Now kinda planning a large mission myself, the goal being to orbit Moho, deploy some small probes there, and maybe send down a robot lander as well (with no return capability).

Using my Jebjob 5h booster (first tested here) I've so far launched the manned orbiter and the interplanetary stage into Kerbin orbit, with each carrying an extra cargo of 2 small probes.

Next to come an extra fueltank (though I may not need it) capped with RCS tanks and clusters on either end that will serve as both a separator for the other craft and a means to get them docked together as I forgot to add RCS capability to the initial launchers

Might add an extra docking port to that final piece to allow for refueling later if needed, now that I've read your post.

[DMagic]

Moho is definitely a challenge. Good job for getting there and back.

And yes, I would definitely add an extra docking port to allow for refueling, that has saved me many times.

[CobraA1]

And now, with the aid of a ship designed to return them home safely, my kerbalnauts are back on Kerbin .

Now I have to figure out what to do with the old mothership/lander: Use them for future missions, or bring them down?

BTW, my signature hasn't been updated because I'm having some technical issues with the ribbon generator .