Rover testing on the Mun

[jwenting]

For a planned kethane operation on Minmus, the JSEA decided to first test the rover designs on the Mun (as it's closer).

First to be sent up was a scout/collection rover, fitted with 2 kethane tanks and a detector.

This design has an added advantage in that the landing stage can serve as a crew return vehicle (though after this flight it was redesigned slightly to give it more fuel).

It was also found to be somewhat unstable on slopes in low gravity, which didn't bode well for operations on Minmus.

http://www.hornet.demon.nl/KSP/Rover%20Una.craft

Second test was a far more capable vehicle, and a far heavier one. Featuring a massive kethane tank, a detector, and a mining drill, this was the mother of all rovers.

Yes, I love ascent shots

Good thing our engineers are precision engineers. No landing struts needed, and no damage to those engines.

On its last fuel the landing stage was shot off, to crash back into the Mun some distance away. Initial idea was to turn it into a tug, but the launcher was too small, and most of the fuel in the landing stage was needed to the Munar insertion burn.

Ain't she purty sitting there, waiting for the sun to rise to begin exploration and testing the kethane mining equipment?

http://www.hornet.demon.nl/KSP/Ketharover%202.craft

Edited June 20, 2013 by jwenting