BOC - No assembly needed base (or lander?), with observation tower

[FlipNascar]

Alien planets are quite clearly in need of observation. So naturally there's a need for observation towers. This is a no assembly required, point pointy end at space and go, self-propelled base. Or is it a lander? It could make orbit again after landing at Duna, there's enough dV...

Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bg8qc7k7urwx5h3/Base%20of%20Obscurity%20%2B%20Launcher.craft?dl=0

LKO with 1,000+m/s dV remaining from the Crepe Launcher (be careful if manually flying when it's down to the single booster (see album for picture) - it's a touch off centre so gentle throttle inputs will keep you on track). Base itself is good for at least 3,500m/s (although its fuel is really meant as ballast, but hey, we all make mistakes and maybe halfway to there you need to got somewhere that's not there) dV from its Nuke stage, plus the last ditch c. 800m/s stage from the aerospikes.

Rated for Duna using just the Crepe Launcher for Launch and transfer, haven't tried it anywhere else.

Launch from KSC

Ignite. Keep an eye on staging, first tank gets dropped pretty quickly. First two stages do not have rockets for separation - you'll always be vertical when they run out. I tend to do its gravity turns at around 10km. Keep pointy end pointed at stars.

Landing

Landing the base: Use the Crepe Launcher if you've got any dV left. If not, use the nukes (in combo with the Aerospikes if you want more flames) once established on your entry trajectory feel free to dump the nukes (it's not your planet, so it doesn't matter if its unethical...). If your Aerospikes look like they're going to run out of dV - just transfer some more fuel in from the main base.

Has been tested to withstand slopes of 4.8 degrees.

Once landed, transfer most of the fuel from those Rockomax tanks back into the main base. When you separate the landing engines (you don't have to - you might get bored of the base being there...) leave a bit of fuel in those tanks and fire up the engines gently. I've had mixed results with the separation - sometimes it goes fine, sometimes it goes banging into the observation tower. Quicksave to be safe!

You can use the cupola as a viewing deck to the stars, and the lander cans have their windows facing outwards.

Specifications

Crew Capacity: 27

Science Lab

Antenna

Power

Docking Ports

Observation Tower

Base Only (wet)

177.4t

28m x 14.7m x 18.3m

254 parts

4x jr docking ports

254 parts

w/ Crepe Launcher (wet)

1,740.2t

40.2m x 26.7m x 26.7m

416 parts

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