Part mods included: MechJeb, KAS, Universal Docking Ports, Kethane, Service Compartment Tube, MMI(modified). Table of Contents: 1. Intro/Construction of the Triskelion 2. Mission 1: Rescue! 3. Mission 2: Kethane 4. Mission 3: Joolian Fuel Economy/Laythe Floating Base I was playing my game, making my little space station when I had a revelation. The layout of the station that I have in mind would make a good generation ship. It could fit many engines, store huge amounts of fuel, carry many kerbals, multiple landers, etc. I should be able to make it easily fly round trips to any planet in the kerbolar system. I decided thus to share my current experience and progress with the community. ------------------------- A short history of the Triskelion project Before I began the Triskelion project, I was concerned primarily with research. Interplanetary missions were key to gaining sufficient understanding of the universe to do things like measure the nearby air pressure and make parachutes capable of preventing crashes. The culmination of my efforts resulted in the Eve Orbiter Probe, named for its first successful flight to Gilly and Eve. At the top of the rocket is a probe powered by a single xenon engine, but loaded with enough xenon to last for nearly a day of constant full throttle. This is the latest version of the probe in orbit over Moho. The first version of the probe didn't have the solar panels. On its maiden voyage, the probe's last nuclear engine was jettisoned during the escape burn from Gilly. It was several hours of stopping and starting the xenon engine to burn down to aerobrake altitude of Eve. It was with this probe I did the crucial research that has enabled me to begin this project. With it I have landed probes on every planet except Eeloo and every moon in the entire kerbolar system. Triskelion Station began as many stations do, an orange tank with ports floating in space. The core of the station had a Mainsail engine for maneuvering. One launch at a time, three more tanks were launched and docked with the core, forming the first proper shape of the station. A modular design that allowed for much customization, refueling trips began and new modules providing extra function to the station quickly turned Triskelion into a dynamo of space goodness. Three fuel drone were launched in order to ferry fuel to ships that were unable to dock directly with Triskelion, as well as a xenon drone to deliver fuel to satellites designed to fly over Kerbin. The first version of Triskelion Station. Note the Mainsail engine, the large ports around the engine, and the Gigantor XL solar panels at the front. Center port: xenon ferry drone, right port: fuel ferry drone. The fuel ferry drones turned out to be too cumbersome, so they were replaced with a new, more maneuverable ferry drone: Three redesigned fuel drones are delivered to Triskelion in a single launch. The first Triskelion in all its splendor. The project was not without its setbacks. Going back to my origins as a researcher, I discovered the hard way that the large docking ports on the station were installed backwards. The required a complete relaunch of the station. I woefully de-orbited the functioning Triskelion Station and in my impatience attempted to design a rocket that could deploy the entire station at once. This design did not work. Believe it or not, this design DID work, but only with outer tanks, not with the core. For a while, I gave up on the project, and went on to other pursuits. I recently returned to the Triskelion Project, and have had a string of well-documented successes! ------------------------------------- Triskelion Mk. II So I finally got it in me to relaunch the station proper, one tank at a time. I fixed the docking ports and set the new tower up. So far so good. Another setback would be too frustrating. Core plus one tank. Three fuel drones installed. The Triskelion Mk. II in it's first form. I designed an entirely new refueling vessel for the station that uses the large port. Refueling vessel docked with Triskelion Mk. II. Every tank on the vessel as seen was full at the time of docking. Approximately 1.5 orange tanks worth of fuel added per trip. A simple cupola module and monoprop storage module were easy to launch and install. The monoprop module has an elongated snout to make it fit in between two wide modules. The xenon module is slightly less wide than a typical wide object, making it easy to fit next to the monoprop module. Now that the station functions as a fuel platform for all celestial ships, it's time to expand the station to its next form. The first and most difficult of all the expansion tanks has been installed, the core extension. I had to line up the docking ports so they were exactly aligned to the ports on the front core tank. It was actually easier than I thought it would be. The core expansion installed. This is the present state of Triskelion station. -------------------- The future; my vision: As I was imagining the final shape of the station, I had a revelation. If I attached and filled enough tanks, I could make a generation ship! All I need is enough fuel and I can get anything to make a round-trip to anywhere. My goal is to make a ship that: 1. Can carry at least 10 kerbals. 2. Has at least 2 reusable moon landers. 3. Has at least 5 reusable orbiter probes. 4. Can perform a round trip to any planet in the kerbolar system plus at least one moon of the destination planet. 5. Has at least one reusable entry vehicle for large planets and bodies with atmospheres. 6. Has independently maneuverable modules to place on the rear ports, such as engines and weapons systems. Here's my plan for the ship's design: While not shaped like its namesake, it still has an aesthetically pleasing trefoil design. I will update here with my progress.
