[1.3.0] Stork Delivery System [SDS] version 0.2.6 [30.05.2017]

[lazaruz76]

Loving the look of these. Can't wait to try them out. I currently use the Stork system for ALL of my rover delivery needs. Combined with IR this makes for the complete delivery package.

[riocrokite]

another variant = hollow frame > will house up to 2 atomic age lightbulbs or 1 x kr25x4 (so 2x2.5m or 1x3.75m)

Edited August 25, 2015 by riocrokite

[riocrokite]

Played with colliders today so lander doesn't bounce on the ground coming out of time acceleration. Added probe core inside so more or less the lander has everything integrated inside which is good since it has quite a few colliders since it's hollow inside. Also tested new part adapter-decoupler for 3.75m fairing for easier creation since stork lander with tanks will need 7.5m fairing in the widest point (however 5m for stork legs).

from left to right - stork lander medium, stork extender with tanks (and 4 LV-Ns), stork extender empty (fits for example 2 x 2.5m engines or 1 x 3.75 engine), stork adapter-decoupler to 3.75m:

to do:

- shorter lander (S)

- make stork legs compatible with landers + have hardpoints for additional tanks (+fuel crossfed on)

Edited August 26, 2015 by riocrokite

[riocrokite]

more tests. Lander fits into 7.5m fairing (even with stork legs and side tanks attached). Bottom decoupler helps to build stock fairing as well as to house longest 2.5m/3.75 engines (in this case 2 x nuclear FTmN 400):

[riocrokite]

since you can stuff cabin downwards (i.e. between 2.5m engines) it's cool point of view for separation:

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maybe not so great for landings :/

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[Kerbas_ad_astra]

more tests. Lander fits into 7.5m fairing (even with stork legs and side tanks attached). Bottom decoupler helps to build stock fairing as well as to house longest 2.5m/3.75 engines (in this case 2 x nuclear FTmN 400):

http://i.imgur.com/0yXNjvd.png

http://i.imgur.com/xV4DaAX.png

http://i.imgur.com/OrmvviR.png

http://i.imgur.com/nSlKzIg.png

It might help to give that decoupler some hazard stripes and arrows, to indicate which end detaches. Otherwise, it looks great!

[riocrokite]

It might help to give that decoupler some hazard stripes and arrows, to indicate which end detaches. Otherwise, it looks great!

cheers, good suggestion

edit: toying with the idea of big interstage tanks (8t each) being jettisonable:

Edited August 28, 2015 by riocrokite

[kiwiak]

Now these are handy parts.

Keep up the good work. Also, interstate jettison able tank is good idea, no more hydrogen tanks sticking awkwardly from interplanetary ships waiting to be jettisoned

Are these going to be two separate parts? Chassis and tank?

[RoverDude]

Good stuff Have some rep!

[riocrokite]

Now these are handy parts.

Keep up the good work. Also, interstate jettison able tank is good idea, no more hydrogen tanks sticking awkwardly from interplanetary ships waiting to be jettisoned

Are these going to be two separate parts? Chassis and tank?

yup, although will yet have to test those whether they work right

Good stuff Have some rep!

cheers

[riocrokite]

stork lander model S (small):

[riocrokite]

Big tanks - had to resign from decoupling force for tanks that are jettisonable sideways (since decoupling vector was calculated according to root part and not the part it was jettisoned against). I went for other solution (adding invisible solid boosters to add a bit of velocity). DeltaV calculations are broke (myself I don't mind it that much) however the system now works flawlessly

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nice side thing will be that you could use big tanks and trusses alone to build a nice ending to the ship with jettisonable tanks:

edit: Just out of curiosity I've tested how much more dV you can get when you jettison 8t tanks as you go (with the spaceship above):

dV with 5 static tanks: 10 521 m/s

dV with 5 tanks that you jettison one by one as they empty: 12 458 m/s

dV difference = 1 937 m/s

Edited September 1, 2015 by riocrokite

[riocrokite]

testing stuff with nuFAR (!); bomb run:

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[rabidninjawombat]

Loving the little baby rover lander!

[riocrokite]

Loving the little baby rover lander!

cheers,

I did some testing and hopefully eliminated 'side mount CoM offset weirdness' and 'attachment points that are too close to each other' bug.

Since stork landers have 'boxy' shapes and conic fairing has a bit of empty space on top. I thought I might as well add something to fill the empty space inside. Presenting stork pod with integrated engines that can serve as LES or assist landing. At the bottom there's empty space for stork lander and stork frame. It 'should' squeeze up to 6 kerbals, 3 on each side:

Stork pod in comparison with MK1-2, Lander M, Frame Cap and legs M

with bay and tank doors opened:

Edited September 3, 2015 by riocrokite

[riocrokite]

Extreme full-cycle test using nuFAR. 90t to duna + 8t lander part on top with 6 kerbals (no parts inside lander, test weight = 9000 ore). Needed to use SpaceY 5m parts to get it into orbit then 6 LV-N pushed all the way as well as provided a deorbit burn. Modified lander can do the landing with 5 big chutes and 6 LT-30 engines.

Interplanetary stage inside with 90t cargo weighs about 363t.

burning to the duna \o/

slowing down and deorbiting and then dropping truss with LV-Ns.

still deorbiting and dropping another empty tank.

powered landing. can be done without stork legs.

(not enough chutes here, ran out of fuel, second attempt -5 big ones + 2 more LT-30 for higher TWR - proved to be much more effective)

Edited September 4, 2015 by riocrokite

[riocrokite]

making giant custom parachute (especially for thin atmo planets like duna),

initial parameters: 91m diameter, 163m height, might be too big, need to do some calculations

[riocrokite]

landing on mars using FAR, 100m diameter stork chute slows down 116t lander to about 30m/s. the object below is comprised of big lander, cabin, engines and additional bottom fuel tanks:

[rabidninjawombat]

O_o that is indeed a huge chute! Awesome! now i really cant wait for the next update

[riocrokite]

O_o that is indeed a huge chute! Awesome! now i really cant wait for the next update

cheers, although I come up with more and more ideas and part count is getting dangerously big for such a small mod:/ Maybe I'll split it into 2 parts so 1st = just frames with no dependencies and 2nd - new stuff with dependencies similar to MFS mod.

For now I just have to design and test inline ballute (reddit suggestion) for upper-atmo aerobraking (projected diameter = 225m). Probably will fail but still I need to explore if this is a viable concept without coding

[riocrokite]

Early tests of a stork inline ballute (almost 200m diameter). I had to cheat stock system that doesn't allow to open parachute above 5000m (animation of predeployment = actual deployment). Early tests show this will be superb for duna aerocapturing from high interplanetary velocities since huge toroidal shape in upper high atmosphere = no heat (unlike aeroshields with very small diameter that need to descent much lower into atmosphere to reach similar braking effect thus generating lots of heat). Cut speed is set now to around 300 m/s to avoid being op and replacing parachute or engines. However it showed no sweat in stopping from 6km/s to 0.9km/s at around 40km above Duna

- - - Updated - - -

[Starwaster]

Wooooo a ballute!

This is going to be big. Lots of clamoring for ballutes over the past couple of years but nobody's done it I don't think.

[Doughy]

yeah ricko's got some amazing stuff in the works.

edit: riocro* always read his name as ricko for some reason...

[riocrokite]

Working on integrated capsule engines, I wanted them to have relatively small thrust (accounting for their size) but still be able to do powered landing on Kerbin and serve as an escape launch system as well. So I went with 4 E-D nozzle engines with medium-high atmo and vac isp and small-medium thrust per engine (so it can land without parachute on kerbin).

Preliminary stats:

thrust = 140

atmo isp = 305

vac isp = 320

Kerbin atmo TWR = 1.30

dV = about 1500 m/s

kerbals inside: 4 or 6 (undecided yet)

weight: 6.5t dry, 10.5t with fuel

integrated fuel tank (same amount of fuel as FL-T800) and heat shield.

Since isp and thrust is in territory of mini expansion-deflection nozzle, I guess it will be later in the tech tree:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_deflection_nozzle

http://phys.org/news/2010-06-world-expansiondeflection-nozzle-hybrid.html

Prospective uses: escape launch system, lander, a moon-to-orbital station transfer capsule, Kerbin's space station-to-Kerbin emergency escape capsule.

in it's current form it can deorbit and land itself practically everywhere except Tylo. However its dV is not enough to get into orbit on bodies with an atmosphere nor Tylo. So all in all it shouldn't be overpowered compared to specialized stock designs

Edited September 8, 2015 by riocrokite

[Tarheel1999]

Should help with part count. Great!