Geo793

I was reading Cracked.com when I came across something very intresting called a Mars Cycler. A Mars Cycler is basicly a craft that has a special kind of trajectory that encounters Earth and Mars on a regular basis with out any fuel, using just gravity to sling shot it from each body (heres the wiki article for more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_cycler). I was wondering if this is possible in the game with Duna and Kerbin and if there is a possiblility to use this for cool looking ships!

This should be in code, except for one thing, which I will correct as soon as I can.

I actually went extremely far out of the solar system before hitting the kraken, so it should not be a problem.

no, just go a little beyond Eeloo and park there for a while to simulate going into interstellar space. You do not actually go two light years out.

Your scientists have discovered an exo-planet two light-years away from kerbin that may support life on it! The KSC has put you to the task of building a ship to explore this planet and determine if this is so! Mission instructions: the ship has to have two main sections: the propulsion/communications center and the P.R.O (Plannetary Reconnaissance Orbiter). The P.R.O will carry three rovers that will explore the surface and take samples of the enviroment, along with any objects of interest discovered. The ship will have interstellar capabilities (meaning able to exit the solar system) and a shield in front of the craft to protect it from high speed collision impacts from interstellar particles and gas. Mission Procedure: After leaving our solar system, the craft will enter the alien solar system and will rendevous with the third planet from Star AB3561 AKA "Darwin". Then when the craft achieves a stable circular orbit around Exo-planet KC0945 AKA "Erasmus I" the craft's communication's relay will deploy and the P.R.O will seperate itself from the communications/propulsion center and enter a circular polar orbit. The P.R.O will then map out the surface of Erasmus I until full mapping is accomplished. The three rovers will then seperate from the P.R.O and land on the surface to conduct further scientific research. Mission Goal: To determin if life does exist on Erasmus I, and if so, to explore and catagorize any lifeforms that are encountered. Challenge Goal: The ship has to be as large as you can build it, and still be able to fly, with 5 points awarded to every 30 parts that make up the ship. You cannot use over-powered parts or mods like hyper-edit, but other than that you can use any mods you want. Edit: This challenge DOES NOT involve actually going out two light years. It does involve going into an orbit a little beyond Eeloo and returning after 200 days (for the sake of time).

The lander should be spherical in shape, possibly made out of Pyrex which is resistant to strong acids, high temperatures, and extreme pressure. If te crew is planning on living on venus for an extended period of time (more than 3-4 years), they should use drilling equipment to produce a larger base under the surface and away from the hostile environment.

How low can a spacecraft possibly orbit the Mun without smashing into it?

Semi successfully performing my first Mun landing (I say semi because one of the landing legs blew up, but a silver linfing to this is that i used the extra fuel i had to zip around the Munar surface )

I can't wait to see More!

Has anyone on here designed and/or built a Space Ark that can, theoretically, reach interstellar destinations? If so, is it for role playing purposes or other purposes?

You know you messed up when you hear explosions while in map view.

I prefer launching two ships to another planet than one large one. The first one would either have a skeleton crew or is completely robotic, and it would establish the infrastructure, habitats, communications, and scientific facilities for the colonists upon their arrival. The second ship will carry the colonists to the planet and land them. This plan no only protects your future colonists, but also reduces the part count of the ships and the lag you might have to go through.

I always thought that Laythe was a reference to Europa in the book 2010 a Space Odyssey. In it Europa became a sandy, oceanic world with several small alien civilizations on it.