KRAKEN ATTACK! (Rescuing Bob from a Duna-encounter orbit)

[Shrike42]

As the subject says.

My first encounters with the kraken happened twice in quick succession as I sent a manned and unmanned mission to Duna, launching them both from LKO and out into Kerbol's SOI within the same general window, give or take an in-game day. However, when I switched to the probe, all my science stuff fell off... and when I went to check on Bob, his entire craft came apart!

So, he's now orbiting Kerbol and passing Duna. I want to rescue him legitimately, no killing, but I'm at a loss as to how to best do this.

I'm thinking a probe with an empty single lander can and plenty of fuel (and ladders), but I need to get an intersection. As Bob has a 19.7B/12.8B orbit around Kerbol, (currently 19.2M, heading towards periapsis, closest Kerbin encounter 22M Km), how should I do this? Just wait it out and move when I see he's getting close in several hundred days, or can I try something more direct, like a Kerbol-assisted slingshot?

Thanks!

Edited November 7, 2013 by Shrike42

[700NitroXpress]

Use a craft like this one, it has enough juice to escape the solar system on a straight shot from Kerban. Just attach a lightweight unmanned pod under the parachute. Use the ion engines to do all of the work after the core engine is depleted. Treat the encounter like a regular intercept.

[Shrike42]

Ion engines... I suppose that would work. I was sorta-kinda toying with the idea of sending a new mission to duna and picking Bob up on the way, but that really would require a ton more effort and waiting. Heh.

Thanks!

[700NitroXpress]

Yeah, on a lightweight craft the ion engines can move it a lot over extremely long periods of time. I was flying around the moons of Jool with this thing. You ride the air lifter up to about 22,000 meters and then hit the next stage and it will handle the rest, no asparagus needed. Once that main engine runs out, use the ion engines to move the craft the rest of the way. You also use the ion engines for the return journey to Kerban. Once you're coming in for a landing, use the last liquid fuel engine to slow the craft down to about 20 m/s and then deploy the parachute, just in case. Then touchdown with any speed less than 10 m/s and there you go, Kerbal saved with minimal effort.

You can get the craft I posted above in this link, just look for Atlas I: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-vTRL2n8wvzRmtqaWowdnZYTXM&usp=sharing

Number 1 on your keyboard deploys both of the solar arrays and I think 2 shuts down the ion engines, if you want to use this craft.

Also, you want to be sure to aim the Kerbal Space Center along Kerban's prograde orbit around the sun, that way when you launch, it's a straight shot out of the Kerban orbit, so you don't have to get into orbit around Kerban first.

Edited November 7, 2013 by 700NitroXpress