Rovers... How do I rover?

[Tex]

So I notice that several of my Munar contracts involve EVA reports or surface samples on sites within driving range of each other. Literally the point of having a rover- but though I can build rovers that work on Kerbin (and I have a LOT of fun doing so!) I can't deploy them worth a [REDACTED].

May I see some examples and get a bit of a lesson on how you guys build and deploy Munar rovers?

Edited February 27, 2015 by Maximus97

[Taki117]

Wide and low is the key for low gravity rovers. You might also add an RCS system or reaction wheels to keep it upright going over bumps and such. If you want to get really inventive you could add a small engine (Either one of the monoprop ones or the ant) pointing upwards to provide downwards thrust as you cruise along.

[Tex]

Oh no, I already know the basics of building them and how to make them stable. The part I need help with is deployment- How the heck can I get it to be balanced and be part of my Munar landers so I can use one rocket for both manned landing and the rover?

[GoatRider]

My first rover I just replaced the legs on my lander with wheels, making sure they lined up. Steering was kind of a pain because the nav ball was pointed up instead of to the side, but I managed.

Frankly, if it was close enough to be an easy drive, it's also close enough to just jet pack a kerbal there and back.

[StrandedonEarth]

Deploy? Deploy what? My lander is my rover, as well as my return vehicle.... This was actually a rescue rover, from back before I got better at precision landings.

[Specialist290]

One option you may want to consider is integrating the rover and the lander into a singular unit, like I did with one of my personal favorites:

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Granted, that design in particular wasn't designed for a two-way trip, at least not from Duna. Still, it might give you a few ideas.

EDIT: Ninja'd!

[cantab]

Here's one approach:

By using twin engines on the lander, I was able to reduce the thrust limiter on one so the combined centre of thrust is through the centre of mass despite the off-balance load. Then once the rover is released I set both engines to full thrust for takeoff.

That's a small probe rover, but no reason it wouldn't scaled to a Kerballed one on the side of a 2.5 m lander.

[Taki117]

Oh no, I already know the basics of building them and how to make them stable. The part I need help with is deployment- How the heck can I get it to be balanced and be part of my Munar landers so I can use one rocket for both manned landing and the rover?

Ah, ok. In that case I point you to the

[eddiew]

Keep 'em small and they'll easily fit into an MK2 bay

If you want something larger, Lack's SXT mod includes a 2.5m rocket cargo bay. Equip a lander with radial engines and legs and let the bay be a 'garage' on the bottom.

For a really tiny unmanned rover, sit it on the top of a shallow, 3 legged lander and just raise a leg when you touch down. The whole thing should tip over and drop the rover onto its wheels. Perfectly fine in low gravity

Edited February 27, 2015 by eddiew

[Major999]

Wide wheelbases are unnecessary with enough SAS.

Delivery? Use a skycrane. They can even land you on Tylo.

Download In my signature, just click on the Tylo suite link.

Or just click This.

Or to download click this.

[eddiew]

Wide wheelbases are unnecessary with enough SAS.

Heartily agreed (and I love that design)! Rover instability is a myth. People see their rover rolling and assume that it needs a wider/longer wheelbase; what it actually needs is for them to not use an input method that's telling it to roll. Reaction wheels are your friend! My tiny rover pictured above is taller than it is wide (when crewed) and yet does not flip.

Driving in docking mode is a good starting point, or assigning the rover keys to something other than WASDQE. Docking mode (LIN, not ROT) has the advantage of the SAS actively trying to keep the rover's upside pointing upwards

And I like skycrane delivery as a thing, but it's not very FAR friendly unless you already have very large rocket parts and fairings to fit the whole kaboodle inside; hence all mine are packed in cargo bays and delivered by plane/drone.

[Starhawk]

This is one of my earlier rover designs, and a fairly poor one. It is, however, extremely durable, and it can flip itself over if necessary. I made sure an attachment node was more-or-less in line with CoM of the rover and added a reaction wheel to the delivery vessel to keep everything flying straight.

[Tex]

Thanks a million, guys! I definitely have some ideas now.

For any who are arriving after this, please do continue to show off! I want to see all the designs!

[eddiew]

Small rover delivered to Moho by SXT's 2.5m cargo bay. Easy to carry his complicated shape in a way that FAR wouldn't object too much to. Very easy to fit a 2-seater rover into this format

[micr0wave]

i really like the robotics mod, comes in very handy for tasks like that.

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