Project Red - Colony on Duna ^PART 5^ (much pictures) - Need feedback!

[Nik333]

Duna is usually third body everybody is trying to get on (if you don't count Kerbin). But not everybody is trying to set there whole colony!

Realism:

I like making some things quite real and others not that much. So expect unexpected!

Mods:

KER, Kerbal Alarm Clock

Inspiration:

To start making this, Long-term Laythe. For Duna itself, who haven't ever thought about making Duna colony? (I thought of making forum series before Brotoro started Developing Duna.)

Part 1 - Communication (BELOW)

Part 2 - Setting up orbit (1st page)

Part 3 - First payload (1st page)

Part 4 - Duna arrival (1st page)

Part 5 - Duna Communication (here)

Part 1 - Communication

Short version for those who only came for images

I have made very precise triangle out of probes for communication reasons.

Normal version

This is part I will keep real. It contains a lot of science. You have been warned!

To have full coverage of whole Duna (for communication for example between base and far-away lander) we need to send bunch of sattelites. We need even more of them if we want continuous link between Kerbin and Duna. If we place them on equatorial orbit on high enough orbit, they provide you coverage of whole planet, excluding polar areas. Picture below can give you rough idea on how it works.

Start of boring theories --< However even if we have these things covered, there are still problems remaining. If Duna and Kerbin are as closest as they can be, light will take about half a minute to travel this distance. And if they are furtherst they can be? That will take light 2 minutes if you don't think about fact that in these positions, Kerbol is inbetween them. So live communication is impossible. You have to wait approximately 2 minutes to get your answer (1 minute send message and 1 minute to receive answer). >-- end of boring theories

To make it more clear:

1. Imagine two near (2 km away) objects on flat land. They can communicate easily.

2. Imagine two further (100 km away, which is much more on Duna than on real-life Earth) objects. You can still make direct link between them using really (really) strong antenna, but why, when you can send signal to satellite above you in direct path and that can send signal to second object?

3. Imagine two objects each on another side of Duna. How the hell can these link with each other? Enough explaining, here is image of how do I think it can be solved "easily"

Of course, if satellites are to close to surface, straight signal between them will be blocked by Duna itself. You can send for example 12 satellites around planet, which will solve that problem, but that would be far more expensive.

I have started putting 3 of satellites on orbit of Kerbin. I have named them Ion-Comms I and sent them to orbit. They have very simple construction. Probe core, battery, solar panels, antennas, xenon tanks and ion engine. As they are fairly small, lifter was also small. Each has different code name - Ion-Comm Ia, Ion-Comm Ib and Ion-Coom Ic. Here is image of each satellite on launchpad.

For first time I actually haven't used Asparagus (if you don't count career and science mode until you get fuel pipe), because it wasn't needed. First, 4 side liquid boosters were used and then after throwing them off, central engine was activated.

First, I have get my apoapsis to 300 km, periapsis to 80 km and I have launched next probe. I did same thing with third probe. At periapsis, apoapsis was increased up to 800 km, which was final height.

Controlling 3 flights at once was something kind of challenging for me as I haven't ever controlled even 2 flights at once. In middle of mission, I have installed Kerbal Alarm Clock, which helped me very much. I have done everything how it was planned to do and finally had 3 probes at 800 km ready for synchronizing.

Main engines also had their own probe cores, so I could have deorbited them, to not have debris on orbit.

Synchronization was something not-that-easy-as-it-sounds thing to do and I even found those ion engine at lowest throttle very unprecise. It needs high precision to make them orbit synchronous and keep them in desired positions for as long as possible. If one of satellite would have orbit 2 km lower, he would meet other satellite after some time. I have synchronized them not in terms of kilometers, but in terms of meters. At 800 km around Kerbin. Now you may have realized why I found ion engines inprecise. On these images you can barely see (nearly) perfectly synchronized Ion-Comms.

To be really precise I have first get each probe at absolutelly stable orbit (~179,979 meters). Then I have counted exact distance of probes from each other in triangle using this formula:

it is basically just expression of "a" from formula for radius of circumscribed circle of an equilateral triangle. It is 2,424 km for my probes. If you would ever need this, remember that R is your orbit height + radius of body you are orbiting.

With my precision it should cover whole Kerbin equator for years, maybe decades.

Here are results of synchronizing (on Y1, D7, 2:19). Also note that pure rotation alters KSP's orbit calculation a lot here:

Ion-Comm Ia

Apoapsis - 799,997 m

Periapsis - 799,956 m

Average - 799,977 m

Distance to Ib - 2,141,319 m

Distance to Ic - 2,441,922 m

Ion-Comm Ib

Apoapsis - 200,002 m

Periapsis - 199,963 m

Average - 799,983 m

Distance to Ia - 2,141,319 m

Distance to Ic - 2,402,809 m

Ion-Comm Ic

Apoapsis - 799,985 m

Periapsis - 799,945 m

Average - 799,965 m

Distance to Ia - 2,441,922 m

Distance to Ib - 2,402,809 m

Edited April 3, 2015 by Nik333
Part 5

[Wabbit]

Looks promising! Although, you do know that Brotoro has just started basically Long Term Layhte on Duna, right?

But, your missions are looking good. I don't have the attention span to synchronize sats, so I just put 4 or 5 in normal orbits. I salute your patience, sir!

[Nik333]

I have got an idea about this before I noticed that Brotoro has started his Developing Duna. What I know about myself so far, I always focus more on orbit around body with my base (as you can see). But after I do basic "orbital setup" (basically doing same thing I did in part 1, but around Duna), I'll start setting up base itself. Including huge telecommunication center, electric plane (ion rules) and much more.

[moronwrocket]

Tip - You don't need to synchronize for exact apsis, instead synchronize for exact orbital period. That way they don't necessarily have to be in precisely the same orbits - they'll wobble slightly, but always end up back at the triangle vertices. For my comms network I use 4 sats. To ease launching I launched all 4 together in a single rocket. I reached the altitude I wanted, released the first sat, and ciruclarized its orbit - ended up 180 minutes I think. Then, the remaining 3+delivery bus I had change their orbit so it was 180+180/4 or 225 minutes. So now the delivery bus will reach the matching altitude exactly 1/4 an orbit behind the previous comsat. I just left the bus with the last comsat since I probably will never focus it again the partcount won't hurt.

[Nik333]

Thanks for tip, but I did what I did, because it looks awesome to have just one perfect orbit around Kerbin with 3 objects on it rather than 4 non-circular and it was actually fun for me to do it. It took me I think less than 2 hours to do that triangle.

I am designing communication center for Duna and I have found very unusual way to land with it.

[moronwrocket]

Hey no worries man, as long as fun > 1 it's all good. Do what makes you happy!

[Nik333]

I am at the point everything what I think of makes me feel like I am copying long-term Laythe. But it is so awesome that it's hard to not take inspiration and it is so long that everything what you can do with base was already done there...

[Nik333]

PART 2 - Setting up orbit

This part will be rather about boring docking than about science, which may however sound better for those who only looks on images, because I have took many images.

My goal is to make refueling station on Kerbin orbit and later on Duna orbit. Station was sent in 2 parts - one with 4 senior docking ports and second one with 4 normal docking ports.

Here you can see journey of first part. Setting first part to orbit is always much easier, because you don't have to do any rendezvous.

We have a night start, but I don't really care, because you don't have to watch rocket. My is extra stable, so I only watch height, navball and map.

I am really adicted to staging of side boosters. Just look at it and tell me it doesn't look awesome.

And here is how it looks on stable Kerbin orbit at around 150 km.

And here comes the second part. Night start again...

Both parts of station have bugged in strange way. They were uncontrolably trying to turn. When you look it bottom-left corner there is pitch-yaw-roll visualisation. Always when I released control button, it have set to certain values. Nothing legit helped, so I have modified save and bug was gone.

Design of station is pretty clear and thus it look (in my opinion) simply great. It looks even better with second part attached.

You may be asking, why you need refueling station? Well it's always better to do one more docking than one more launch. I am pretty sure that in this series you will learn how fanatic about docking am I. I will launch 4 engines right now. 2 with normal port (Engine S) and 2 with senior (Engine L). That's because smaller payload don't need senior and heavier payload wobbles with normal (and usually even with senior).

Here is launch of first engine.

Another staging. This picture makes me feel that engine is really near to Kerbin. If you don't see it, imagine that Kerbin is really small.

And this is my favourite part of sending these guys to orbit

Here is another launch. I promise this is last time you see that staging...

Docking

Another Engine L

I found this image beautiful. Look at right of Mun. Do you see those few light pixels? That is what makes picture so awesome. (It is Minmus if you didn't realize.)

Skipped "nearly there" image

And very last engine to be send in this part!

And we are ready to take some payload to orbit and then to Duna! Here are rough plans about it:

Engine S - 3x Ion-Comm II

Engine S - Ion Plane

Engine L - Habitat module

Engine L - Communication center

[Nik333]

Part 3 - First payload

TL;DR version: Sending some payload to orbit and escaping Kerbin. Presenting 3 Kerbals to you.

It's time to get some payload to orbit. I will first do so with unmanned payloads and see how fast can I actually dock engines. Then I will wait about half a year for Duna transfer to release our manned payload. Reason is that being long time in space without gravity may done strange things to you. So I will try to keep Kerbals in weightless environment for as short as possible.

Also, government told us that Kerbals usually sleep at night and thus night starts are no longer acceptable. They gave us few options: start only when part of sun can be seen on sky of Kerbin from lowest point of Kerbal Space Center (their clear definition of day) OR use rockets that don't do sound louder than 50 dB OR build 20 km wall around launch-pad OR move KSC to place further than 200 km from all civilian buildings. All of us accepted first option, only Jeb said that building 20 km wall would be super-cool solution. (That means better images for you.)

And here is start of first payload - Ion-Comm II pack. Engine should be capable of taking 18 tons (half of orange tank) or more to Duna and still come back to Kerbin orbit (without payload). This payload is only 2 tons so it will be easy to get it there.

Cute little payload...

Rendezvous finalizing...

Engine looks smaller from this angle

I always imagine it does *click* sound when it docks. I imagine only it does, not sound itself. It sounds silly when I imagine sound itself... Docking = ruined.

When I wrote Duna colony (or something like that), electric plane came out. I am fascinated by that idea, although I hate when people call ion engine electric engine. I am not sure why. Problem with Duna is that there is atmosphere, but there isn't enough oxygen for jet engines, but enough atmosphere for wing's lift to work.

I have started testing my own version and it works very well - even on Kerbin. I have did few test flights on Kerbin. Also, next 3 images spoiles old airport easter egg.

After proper tests, I have decided to do a simulation of flight over Duna. I use simulation software called HyperEdit. I have started simulation on orbit and did deorbiting and everything using ion engine. I know about people who do worse thing with ion. Anyway, it was doing really great in Duna's atmosphere. If you don't land in Highlands, everything is ok.

And shadow suddenly appeared! Simulation was broken, I am sure I would land properly with real plane. Landing not pictured here. There wasn't really landing. If you know what I mean.

It seems like everything is ready and I did no mods after Duna simulation. Launch was a bit awkward, because lift of Ionizer's (as I named plane) wings was doing control upredictable.

First 2 stages were enough for taking it to height of Kerbin Station (that's what engines are docked to), which is about 150 km. It did with everything but Ion-Comms, which ended at 100 km.

Nearly there...

*CLICK*

After one quickloading due to bad setup of Alarm Clock, which gave me message about upcoming trasfer, but did not stop maximal warp, I have reached planned takeoff date for manned part of "fleet". Here goes Habitat Module with 2 Kerbals!

And next is parabolic Communication Module with one Kerbal on board.

Now, it's time to tell you more about our heroes!

Malvis Kerman - pilot

He is said to be Jeb's son. He likes crazy things and have all ideas that Jeb had. But he would rather let someone other sit in his dangerous rocket than being in it himself. If you don't count situations where he is near to crash, he is as good and brave pilot as Jeb used to be before he retired. If you was Kerbal, you would also know him as funder of Duna, inc., which makes delicious Duna and Kwix chocolate bars. And he was also member of second flight to Mun, but first one is more well-known about him. Besides he is one of best pilots, government found it funny to send funder of Duna company to Duna.

Froely Kerman - scientist

When first samples from Duna came to KSC, they tried many different stone analyzers to get info about them. He is one that said (as a ambitious student): "It looks like sand, so why you don't use analyzers for sand of Kerbin deserts?". They have first laught, but then they really realized that they are actually putting dust in stone analyzers and try what Froely said instead. It worked really well and he was soon promoted to "main sand and dust scientist". This gave him ticket for first ever manned flight heading to Duna.

Gregald Kerman - engineer

When K-mobile started with covering whole Kerbin with telephone signal, he was main engineer on that project. He have found really cool way to increase that small antenna's signal strenght 7998-times making it even better than yellow parabole. It has something to do with Kerbcoins mining virus that once infected his computer. He have made sattelites to orbit Kerbin and give happy K-mobile customers strong signal anywhere. Their documentation was so complicated that they rather sent him to space with each probe to activate it than asking him stupid question. Once they fired him after completing probe network, KSC thought that he might be useful for setting up communication with Duna. He accepted after he asked if they will make giantic parabole for him to pilot.

Right, so back to our two modules. I have sent both of them and then rendezvoused them with engines.

Here comes the Communication Module...

And then, it was right time to start Kerbin escape maneuvers. I was able to use every vessel on 3x warp. 4x warp also did not wobble, but I did not accept that risk. Forget to take pic of comm. module.

And they were all going to leave Kerbin SOI soon

In next part, everything should get to Duna's orbit and maybe further.

[Nik333]

Part 4 - Duna arrival

TL;DR version: Orbital maneuvers leading into 100 km circular orbits around Duna

I am not dead and neither is my project. I have just took a pause, caused by "huge" interest of people into this project and Brotoro's Developing Duna starting at the same time. I know, he's Brotoro and I am of course not. These two causes are probably actually the same thing.

As we have got 4 payloads escaping Kerbin, we have to plan their trajectories, so they will reach Duna and become useful.

Boosting of Habitat module...

Froely: Finally! Something is happening after days!

Malvis: I want to see you after few months in interplanetary.

Froely: How do you usually spend time when you are waiting for burns?

Malvis: I was only to Mun to date, it's not that long waiting. Do you want Dunaâ„¢? (he is founder of Duna, inc., you know)

Froely: No thank you, I feel sick of that sudden gee-force...

Malvis: I know, that is what I created Dunaâ„¢ originally for...

Kerbin and Mun is far. If you imagine line, going through Kerbin and Mun, extending it pretty far to right... You can see unusual star. Yea, that's Minmus.

Gregald: Ehm... Which one was that?

*setting up radio link with Habitat center*

Malvis: Hello? Gregald? Any problems out there?

Gregald: Well, I have to do burn right now, and I am not sure, what I should press...

Malvis: Haven't you done some burns few days ago?

Gregald: Certainly I did, but I have played on Kerbox One too much...

Froely: Whaaat? You have Kerbox One out there?

Gregald: Yes, you don't?

Malvis: We should concentrate more on your problem now... Do you see blue button on board with word autopilot on it?

Gregald: ... Yes, I think I got it. Oh! I remember now! I only have to enable autopilot. How could I forget?

Malvis: That's it! Hear ya later Greg.

With Kerbal Alarm Clock, I have get exact transef window and all I had to do was to do prograde burn with every ship.

Ion-Comm pack have autopilot installed and it's permanently on, so nobody can forgot on pressing blue autopilot button. Only if there was problem, KSC can tell Malvis to control it remotely.

150 days to Duna, I have done some corrections, because it costs much less fuel to do these far from it. In it's SOI, I will do more precise correction of course...

Corrections aren't done with full throttle as they usually don't require more than 10 dV.

Of course Ike, I don't mind you going in my way and making preparation for aerobraking harder, it's totally ok!

Gregald is first ever Kerbal to see Duna from this distance. His voice was in live broadcast, which at least half of Kerbin was watching. He only said "Wow" twice and "Cool" once.

Few hours later, he have said that in night, Duna looks similar to Kerbin without lights. It is still considered as counterpart to our space Armstrong's quote about small steps.

Here comes Ionizer. It is also controlled by autopilot.

Scientists on Kerbin are not actually 100% sure what is Duna gravity like. They especially weren't sure if it would affect aerobraking.

KSC: Malvis. We need you to turn Ionizer's wings into vertical position. Confirm that.

Malvis: Turning Ionizer's wings into horizontal position.

KSC: Malvis! Turn Ionizer's wings into vertical position! Confirm.

Malvis: Vertical position, sorry for that.

And so Ionizer's wings did strange turnings before entering Duna's atmosphere. But after all, everything was alright and it was set to 102 km circular orbit.

KSC was very angry when their calculations showed that Habitat module will get into Ike's SOI for some time. But Froely as scientist looked like he will jump out and EVA to take some samples.

Malvis: I don't think that is most clever thing, you now.

Froely: Yes, I think it is not.

Malvis: You was only kidding, weren't you.

Froely: Of course. Malvis, I must get there once.

Malvis: Well it is pretty near to our future home, so just tell KSC later. I don't see reason for being so excited about it. It looks even more boring than Mun.

And here are orbits of 3 vessels (if you look carefully, it does not look like 2 orbits as there are 3 vessels orbiting).

In next part, we will get Ion-Comms into 800 km high triangle to give our Dunians continuous link with KSC. And their families of course.

If you liked, tell me. It really motivates me to continue when I hear (read) nice word!

[Nik333]

First of all, if you like this series, please tell me (+rep, pm, reply to thread...). I am starting to feel like posting it here for myself...

Part 5 - Duna Communication

TL;DR version: Setting up communications around Duna. Synchronizing Ion-Comm IIs at 800,000 metres.

Last time, you have seen getting 3 payloads to Duna's orbit. Last payload is remaining. It is Ion-Comm II pack, which is pack of 3 communication sattelites powered by Ion engine. I won't explain everything again, because I am pretty much doing same thing, which I did in part 1.

This is pack itself with Engine S, before Duna aerobraking. Catched awesome moment of Duna-Ike conjunction.

Circularization in progess. As in part 1, orbit will be on 800 km, however it will need less often corrections. That's because Duna is smaller it is less likely that it will block signal. Got it?

Circulized at 800 km. It is not perfect circle, because with this precision, rotation of reaction-wheeled ship is enough to change orbit. And there are more strange factors like this.

First Ion-Comm awaiting sync.

Synced and showing distance between two Ion-Comm IIs.

Another Ion-Comm disconnected.

Last one going. On 1st image, you can see they were disconnected by undocking. As Ion-Comm was going with one port perfectly (ltd) straight relatively to engine, after decoupling it from Ion-Comm, it have redocked. Found it little bit interesting and felt like there is not enough text today.

And network around Duna is complete! You can see two sattelites in place of right-top. One of them is Ion-Comm and second one is Engine S, which is now waiting for transfer window to Kerbin.

Here are Ion-Comm Is coming out of sync. If you would draw straight line between top-left and top-right (representing signal), you would see it crosses Kerbin. I have to sync them later, and maybe raise them up to 900 km, because I don't feel like syncing them every ~500 days.

[Shania_L]

What flight data mod are you using? those HUD look pretty nice and clear.

The drifting out of sync issue is going to be a problem for you. Raising the orbit hight will give you more time between comn failures but ideally you want to be synching your satellites by orbit period rather than by Ap/Pe.

I use RemoteTech and using VOID flight data I get the orbit period down to 0.1 seconds variance this gives me years of time between the satellites drifting apart ... and then I put them considerably higher so they have to drift a lot further before they intercept the surface.

[Nik333]

What flight data mod are you using? those HUD look pretty nice and clear.

The drifting out of sync issue is going to be a problem for you. Raising the orbit hight will give you more time between comn failures but ideally you want to be synching your satellites by orbit period rather than by Ap/Pe.

I use RemoteTech and using VOID flight data I get the orbit period down to 0.1 seconds variance this gives me years of time between the satellites drifting apart ... and then I put them considerably higher so they have to drift a lot further before they intercept the surface.

Informational mod is Kerbal Engineer Redux. Thank you for tip about orbital period, taking few notes.

[Kieve]

First of all, if you like this series, please tell me (+rep, pm, reply to thread...). I am starting to feel like posting it here for myself...

As Ten Key so eloquently reminded me in my own career thread, post for yourself first and others second. Don't worry too much about what others think, the important thing is that you enjoy what you're doing (and sharing).

Personally? I find fussing about with comm-sat networks to be painfully boring and tend to skip those sections of a mission report. Since that seems to be your primary focus for now, I'm obviously not your intended readership.

I will say the little ion plane is nifty. Shame Duna doesn't have enough O2 for jet engines.

[Nik333]

As Ten Key so eloquently reminded me in my own career thread, post for yourself first and others second. Don't worry too much about what others think, the important thing is that you enjoy what you're doing (and sharing).

Personally? I find fussing about with comm-sat networks to be painfully boring and tend to skip those sections of a mission report. Since that seems to be your primary focus for now, I'm obviously not your intended readership.

I will say the little ion plane is nifty. Shame Duna doesn't have enough O2 for jet engines.

Well, if I made it for myself, I can just do it and don't take photos and don't make commentaries. I now want to do some other projects in that save (such as Project Green), but don't want to let guys on orbit for 5 years, when I can land them in hours. I switch between projects more often than I should.

I understand setting comm-sat network boring, but I promise that next part will be about most important part of mission - landing with station modules. I can't wait to test Ionizer (plane) in Duna's atmosphere. It has about 15,000 dV if I remember and later I will bring refueling thing along with rover(s?).