jinnantonix

Ares III mission completed ! Mark Watney and crew safely back on Kerbin. Full mission log is here. Completed with Kerbal Space Program with Making History and Breaking Ground v1.7.2 Mods: Restock and Restock+, Tweakscale, TAC-LS I believe I scored all points for design and game play with the following exceptions: Minus bonus points: DAV : Enters atmosphere with heat protection. The DAV is slowed using propulsion from the Ares V EDS and its own Descent engines, and does not require heat shielding SEV : 4 wheels. The mission included two SEVs, each with 6 wheels, which I believe is same as the SEVs in the story. Detachable trailer: SEVs can dock with each other, creating a single vehicle with 6 seats for transporting all members of the crew to delivery vehicles in a single journey. Delta II : SRB 3rd stage only 6 SRBs ignited at liftoff, 3 remaining ignited after separation. All SRBs ignited on launch -although I could have easily done this, I just didn't read requirements carefully enough Ares V: Fairing does not extend out. For the DAV and Hermes rotor assembly, the cargo required a slightly wider fairing. Add bonus points Used TAC-Life Support for the mission. Added Duna Global Surveyor @Mopoii let me know if you need any clarifications or additional images. Thanks for setting up and running the challenge, it's been awesome fun.

Ares - Bring Him Home - Part 6 of The Martian on KSP Final installment of "The Martian" on KSP. Mark Watney travels 300km from the Ares III Hab to the Ares IV Duna Ascent Vehicle, and launches to rendezvous with the Hermes which is passing Duna on a hyperbolic path.

The Hermes Torchship for delivering crew of up to 12 Kerbals over interplanetary distances. Includes 30 x "Dawn" ion drives (NSTAR) , powered by RTG and solar panels. Rotating arms provide artificial gravity to 8 seats. 4 seats are available in the command cabin, and 2 inflatable airlocks. Craft weighs 62.5t in 216 parts. Capable accelerating at 500 mm/s/s, and travelling Kerbin-Duna-Kerbin in less than 300 Kerbin days without requiring refuelling. Docks with the Ares Space Dock between missions allowing refuelling with Xenon gas. Was assembled with 3 launches of the Ares V, using the EMU to position the rotor arms. This design does not really resemble the Hermes presented in the movie. The reason is that this design provided all the requirements for completing the missions, with reasonable redundancy of parts. Additional parts made the craft unstable, and this was difficult to resolve as selective strutting could not be used - the craft is assembled from 3 launches. Weight is a factor as the ion drives provide little thrust, so game time is a factor. Orienting the solar panels toward Kerbol is much easier with just the two arms for the solar arrays. The habitation ring in the movie is absurdly and unrealistically large, creating a full ring would require extra launches and many hours of game time to assemble - and practically speaking, a full ring is not needed.

Ares - Finding Pathfinder and Hermes Resupply - Part 5 of The Martian on KSP Watney finds Pathfinder and let's Kerbin and his crew mates on the Hermes know he is alive. The Hermes redirects using the RIch Purnell manuevre, and requires resupply from Kerbin.

Ares - Mission III to Duna - Part 4 of the Martian on KSP The Hermes, with six brave crew, travels to Duna. After 6 Sols on the Duna surface, the mission is aborted, the crew urgently leave, and accidentally strand one crew member, Mark Watney, on Duna.

Nice work. I have had a big rethink on my Ares I, Drogue chutes, protective shell for launch, auxiliary engines, safety/redundancy. Orion and the ESA service module is a fascinating engineering project. This video is very interesting. My Ares 1 and Orion tests: https://youtu.be/wmO_L7j7hyc

Calculating the Rich Purnell Maneuvre. The Hermes spends about 520 Kerbal days from Duna to Kerbin and back to Duna, which is similar to the timeframe in "The Martian".

Perhaps not, but I am trying to.

Atlas V Resupply vehicle. Used for launching Hermes resupply and Duna Descent Vehicle to the Ares Space Dock for each of the Ares missions. Stage 1: 2 x Mastadon ( Russian RD-180 ) with 2 x Anvil SRBs: ( Rocketdyne AJ-60A), Stage 2: 1 x Skipper ( Rocketdyne RL-10A ), Stage 3: 1 x Wolfhound (Rocketdyne J-2X) Long March 3B Chinese rocket built for launching a scientific probe, but re-purposed for launching the Hermes resupply module. Stage 1: 4x Mastadon ( Chinese YF-25 ) with 2 x liquid fuel boosters with single Mastadon: ( YF-25 ) Stage 2: 1 x Mastadon ( YF-25 ) Stage 3 1 x Wolfhound (Rocketdyne J-2X)

Ares V Used for all Ares cargo lifting functions, including Ares Space Dock, Hermes Construction, and Hab/SEV and DAV deliveries to Duna. 1st stage 6 x Mastadon ( Rocketdyne F-1) with 2 x radial Kickback boosters (SLS STS 5-segment SRB), 2nd stage 1 x Rhino ( Rocketdyne J-2X ). Capable of lifting 180t payload to LKO. Ares I with Orion Orbital Vehicle. Used for delivering the Orion and Hermes crew to the Ares Space Dock. Ares 1 and Orion tests: https://youtu.be/wmO_L7j7hyc 1st stage Kickback , 2nd stage 1 x Rhino ( Aerojet Rocketdyne J-2X ). Capable of lifting 30t payload to LKO

Hi @Mopoii I just noticed that you state this requirement: - Launch the Hab on an Ares V and land it on Duna (70 km away from Pathfinder) (+6) - Launch the first DAV (for Ares III mission) on an Ares V and land it right next to the Hab (+10) In the book " The Martian" the MAV lands 4 years prior to the mission in order to refuel. The Hab and SEVs come after the MAV. Note when Mark Watney gets to the Ares IV MAV, there is no Hab nor SEVs present. So in my videos on my mission log: Ares - "The Martian" recreated in Kerbal Space Program with Breaking Ground, I land the DAV first and then land the Hab and SEVs . I have discovered that it is really impractical to expect that the Hab can be landed "right next to the DAV". IRL this would very difficult to get right, there would need to be a design contingency for the Hab landing some distance away. It turns out that my SEVs can drag the Hab to the DAV, and initially that was my plan. Then I thought, why would they bother to do that, why not just use the SEVs to ferry the crew to the DAV? Same with the DDV landing and crew getting to the Hab. Doesn't really wreck the story, in fact it makes it more realistic. Also I have been wondering why the Hermes has a big airlock attached to the nose. It features in the story, where the hatch is blown off with a bomb in order to slow the Hermes when rescuing Watney in Mars orbit. The airlock obviously attaches to the MDV during transit to Mar (this is not mentioned in the story), but the MDV could easily just attach directly to the nose of the Hermes command pod. Same too with docking the MAV with the Hermes in Mars orbit to transfer the crew back to the Hermes. I have decided that this redundant airlock is included when the Hermes is resupplied between the Ares II and Ares III missions, and contained supplies. It should have been ejected to save weight, but hey, it's just a story.

Ares Program Part 3 - Ares III Mission Prep - The Martian on KSP. The Ares I and Ares II missions are completed successfully, and the Hermes is docked at the Ares Space Dock The Ares III Duna Ascent Vehicle is launched on the same Hohmann transfer windows as the Ares II mission. The following transfer window, both the Ares III Hab/SEVs and the Ares IV Duna Ascent Vehicle transit. The Hab/SEVs land 1400m from the Ares III DAV, and the SEVs robotically control the assembly of the Hab, and prepare for the Ares III crew to arrive. The Ares IV DAV lands on target 300km to the east of the Ares III site.

Ares Program Part 2 - Hermes Assembly - The Martian on KSP This video documents the 5 launches to build the Hermes interplanetary craft in orbit.

A sneak-peek of the the Hermes under construction at the Ares Space Dock. The EMU (upper left) has just placed the fourth and final Hermes Rotor arm (artificial gravity system). Now just waiting for the ion engine to be launched and assembled.

Ares - Pathfinder Mission - part 1 of The Martian on Kerbal Space Program. Launch and transit of the Duna Pathfinder and Duna Global Surveyor probes.

Thanks @Mopoii. In addition to Pathfinder and DGS, the first Hohmann window included the transit of Duna Ascent Vehicle 1, and landing at a site about 70km from Pathfinder. Below is a teaser.

The schedule for the Ares III mission will be as follows: Y1 Day 236 Pathfinder and Global Surveyor mission and Duna Ascent Vehicle #1 (Ares III) transit to Duna Y2 Day 69 Craft arrival at Duna. DGS must arrive early in order to setup polar orbit Space station launch and Hermes assembly in LKO (4 x Ares V launches), Y3 Day 310 Duna Ascent Vehicle #2 (for Ares IV mission) and Ares III Habitat/SEV transit to Duna Y4 Day 152 DAV #2 arrival at Duna. Ares III Duna Descent Vehicle and Hermes resupply module launched to the Ares Space Dock. Y5 Day 150 Ares III Orion launch (on Ares I) with 6 x crew to Ares Space Dock, Hermes transit to Duna (250 days) Y5 Day 400 Land Ares III (6 crew) on Duna using Duna Descent Vehicle, SEV to Hab, do science Y5 Day 406 Launch DAV #1 to orbit (5 crew, minus Mark Watney) Hermes Transit to Kerbin (250 days) Mark Watney in SEV retrieves Pathfinder and RTG to Hab Y6 Day 172 Hermes executes Rich Purnell maneuvre Y6 Day 225 Hermes Resupply with Chinese Long March -3C during Kerbin hyperbolic fly-by Y8 Day 4 Mark Watney leaves Hab, transits to DAV 2 in SEV ~Y8 Day 100 Launch of DAV 2, rendezvous with Hermes Hermes transit to Kerbin. ~Y8 Day 350 Hermes rendezvous with Orion, land crew of 6 on Kerbin. ~ Approximate, subject to RP maneuvre Duna transfer windows, with thanks to @michal.don

The craft designs are now mostly completed (still working on the Hermes), and I have started a mission log: Ares - "The Martian" recreated in Kerbal Space Program with Breaking Ground. My plan is to do a video of each part of the Ares program that pertains to the Ares III mission, and post in the mission log. Pathfinder and Global surveyor mission (2 launches) Ares Space Dock ** and Hermes assembly in LKO (4 x Ares V launches), with ion engine and rotor test.* Ares III Duna Ascent Vehicle, followed on next window by Ares IV Duna Ascent Vehicle and Ares III Duna Habitat/SEV Orion launch (on Ares I), rendezvous art Ares Space Dock, Hermes transit to Duna, land in MAV, do science, and launch DAV to orbit (minus Mark Watney) MW in SEV retrieves Pathfinder and RTG and then travels to DAV 2 Hermes does Rich Purnell manoeuvre, and rendezvous with Chinese resupply ship at Kerbin, launch of DAV 2, rendezvous with Hermes, and safe return to Kerbin. * Not shown. Ares I and Ares II DAV, Hab/SEV, and Orion launches (6 launches). ** Yes, I know, a space station is not part of the challenge, but I am doing it anyway. Note: In the story "The Martian", the Hab is built requiring 14 x separate launches. I propose to launch the Hab and 2 SEVs in a single transit, and land them on Duna in a single sequence.

Part 1 - The Duna Pathfinder Mission. The first part of the mission is like a prequel, requiring a launch of the the Duna Pathfinder mission. Here is Pathfinder and its tiny Sojourner rover during testing: Simulations showed that the robotic craft constantly struggle to communicate with Kerbin due to communications blackouts caused by the rotation of Duna, and so the KASA engineers proposed launching a second probe the Duna Global Surveyor, in the same window, and this is used to relay signals from the Pathfinder. The probe includes camera and other science instruments for long term exploration of Duna from orbit. It is proposed to burn the probe into a highly elliptical polar orbit so Pathfinder located near the equator should be able to get a near constant relay signal. The mission used the Delta II rocket for both probes. The design includes 3 stages Stage 1: Thor/Delta XLT(-C) with 1 x Rhino (RS-27) engine and 9 x Kickback ( GEM-26) SRBs Stage 2: Delta-K with 1 x Wolfhound (AJ-10) engine Stage 3: PAM-D with 1 x Terrier (Star-48) engine

I am taking up Mopoii's The Martian Challenge - Recreating the film's Ares III mission and logging the mission here. Of course this has been done before, but this time Squad has made robotics available in the latest DLC "Breaking Ground", which helps to create cooler and more accurate craft. Wherever possible I have mirrored real life rockets in the game, like the Constellation Program Ares I and Ares V, the US Delta II and Atlas V, and Chinese Long March 3C. The fictional craft also mimic the conceptual artwork where possible and are built to a realistic scale. The use of robotics also allows for inclusion of some of the sequences in gameplay, such as recovery of the Pathfinder and RTG for use in the SEV Rover. As Mopoii says: Many of you will have seen The Martian (or even read the book!), and you will know it’s got a great storyline which is relatively realistic. That is why I thought it very interesting to recreate it in KSP. Therefore, the point of this challenge is to recreate the Ares III mission displayed in The Martian. You will have to design the vehicles present in the story, and then attempt to save Mark Watney. So here is my recreation of The Martian in KSP...

Although it is isn't a requirement for the challenge, I have included an additional launch of the Duna Global Surveyor, which is launched on a Delta II rocket prior to the Pathfinder launch, and arrives at Duna prior to the Pathfinder probe, burning into a highly elliptical polar orbit. The DGS acts as a relay to allow near continuous communication with Pathfinder and Sojourner.

Hi @Mopoii, I am keen to do this challenge. I am just finishing up my submission for @Death Engineerings Konstellation Space Program, so will have a prebuilt Ares 1 and Ares V to use. My Orion has 6 seats, so I will upgrade that to 7 seats. For realism , suggest adding some points for completing with a life support mod (eg TAC-LS). Some questions: For the rotating ring, I assume it is OK to rotate the entire vessel rather than needing some kind of bearing to spin the ring independently. Is a ring really needed or appropriate? Is it OK to use an alternative configuration (e.g. star or T) that is more practical and realistic? Is a lander can door considered to be an airlock? Is it OK to use Tweakscale (and still be considered a stock entry). Mechjeb? Any other restrictions on mods? Why no ISRU? Isn't that how the DAV works in the movie? I have no problem with the rule, just curious, why? Is that a 5 seat capsule? Not stock?

Konstellation Space Program - part 2 8. Ares V Unkerballed Altair 1 without the use of an Orion spacecraft (EDS and Altair only launched from Ares V). Land at equator 9. Ares V+Ares 1 Kerballed Altair 2 with the use of an Orion spacecraft. 4 Kerbals land at north pole. Return 4 Kerbals to Kerbin 10. Ares V+Ares 1 Kerballed Altair 3 on the Mun with 6 Kerbals aboard. Land 100m from Altair 1. 11. Ares V UnKerballed Mun Outpost variant with two Rovers. Land 100m from Altair 1 and 3. Do science. Return to 6 Kerbals to Kerbin 12 Ares V UnKerballed ATLAST telescope launch, deliver to low Kerbol orbit.

Konstellation Space Program - part 1 Ares 1+EDS Kerballed Suborbital flight Ares 1 Unkerballed Launch escape Ares 1 Kerballed Launch 5 crew, swap at space station Ares 1 Unkerballed Launch liferaft Ares V Unkerballed Orion + EDS. Munar orbit, high speed entry. 9Gs Ares V+Ares 1 Kerballed Mun Lander, Ares 1 + Orion. LKO: Dock, separate, redock, Land. Ares V+Ares 1 Kerballed Mun Lander, Ares 1 + Orion. MKO: Dock, separate, redock, Land.

Thanks @Death Engineering for a great challenge. 6 years? Wow. I am late to KSP, I think this has been my favourite challenge. I very deliberately did not follow the SLS architecture - the Mars landers in that design are unnecessarily complex. Also I think that any manned mission to Mars would certainly have artificial spin gravity to ensure the health of the astronauts. Some form of shield against solar radiation would be needed, but I can't decide how to do that with stock parts, so assuming the FL-A5 adaptor provides. I am now working through the challenge from the start, and have completed the Part 1 testing phase (video pending). Part 2 will be landing Kerbals on the Mun, with an Altair landing at the pole, and an Altair and Outpost habitat landed at the equator with 6 Kerbals, and lots of life support. Part 2 will also include the ATLAST telescope deployment - this is harder than I originally thought. Edit: Managed this with a big Wolfhound based booster and a "Dawn" ion engine. For Part 3, I will be resubmitting the Duna mission with a few additions. The DAV (Duna Ascent Vehicle) will be a SSTO that is intended to remain in orbit at the end of the mission, and may be refuelled and returned to the surface in a future mission. If Kerbals spend billions of $Kredits getting a piece of hardware like that to Duna, you'd want to get more than a single launch out of it, right? The Duna atmospheric entry requires some effort to protect against frictional heating, so I will be including fairings to protect the craft during aerobraking. The part 3 video will include testing of the fairings on Kerbin.