Laythe Colony Ship: The Community project!

[DMSP]

So, I saw this diagram and thought: ''It would be really cool if we could make this in KSP''

It'll take time and patience (and some good lifters) but I think we could make a Laythe capable CSV (Colony Set-up Vehicle).

I can't wait to see who will help!

We'll need quite a few builders, all ideas are welcome, but all I ask is that I get to be the first to fly the ship to Laythe.

Oh, and no need for this thing to come back to Kerbin, return-systems are a waste of space (JK, we need some).

Have fun building!

DMSP

Edited May 4, 2015 by DMSP
Removed list of helpers because there are way to many :)

[DMSP]

Ok. Should I delete the previous post?

No need. Are you going to help build by any chance?

[Dman979]

As soon as I upgrade from .90!

Consider the mucking about now an internship.

[DMSP]

As soon as I upgrade from .90!

Consider the mucking about now an internship.

Alright, great!

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I'll keep developing plans, but I really hope more people come and help!

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And also remember, anyone can help, even if it is the smallest detail it is still help!

Edited May 3, 2015 by DMSP

[Majorjim!]

That's a very fancy looking transfer vehicle!

The issue you will have is part count. If its one ship with all the cargo and bits inside the part count would be very high. How about two or three transfer vehicles?

That way you can increase the detail of the cargo and whatnot.

I cant offer any building help at the moment but I am happy to advise.

[EladDv]

i have colonial modules to give- they were desinged for duna but laythe is as good of an option. 46/36.5 mT each. i have the following: Living quarters with up to 16 kerbals, Science Lab with 2 labs and a hitchhiker module for housing kerbals, a Kerbal Science Bus with 22(? around that number) with 2 material bays and other experiments, a science light rover module with 2 science rovers each houses 4 kerbals 2 goo and other experiments, base manager module which is capable of moving parts around and an upcoming Mining module. all modules come with individual power supply, parachutes, docking ports, landing legs, wheels(for moving around) and landing engines.

modules are 4.5m' high x 3m' wide x 15m' long .

[DMSP]

That's a very fancy looking transfer vehicle!

The issue you will have is part count. If its one ship with all the cargo and bits inside the part count would be very high. How about two or three transfer vehicles?

That way you can increase the detail of the cargo and whatnot.

I cant offer any building help at the moment but I am happy to advise.

Yeah, partcount is the problem.

However, the craft won't look exactly like that and we could make 2 or 3 versions, for example:

-Base Set-Up

-Secondary Base

-Base expansion

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i have colonial modules to give- they were desinged for duna but laythe is as good of an option. 46/36.5 mT each. i have the following: Living quarters with up to 16 kerbals, Science Lab with 2 labs and a hitchhiker module for housing kerbals, a Kerbal Science Bus with 22(? around that number) with 2 material bays and other experiments, a science light rover module with 2 science rovers each houses 4 kerbals 2 goo and other experiments, base manager module which is capable of moving parts around and an upcoming Mining module. all modules come with individual power supply, parachutes, docking ports, landing legs, wheels(for moving around) and landing engines.

modules are 4.5m' high x 3m' wide x 15m' long .

Alright, sounds awesome!

It would be really cool to see some pics and have downloads so I can test the bases!

[Redshift OTF]

Hmmm, trying to stop that wobbling about could be an issue. You might need 4 lengths of girders going down the middle with plenty of struts but it would be do-able. Also it would need of fuel to have the DeltaV to get to say Duna with all the stuff it is carrying.

[Guest]

I can help by making the lander module if you want, under 30 parts.

I don't know what you want to put in the cargo, but my guess is it would be partially for ore extraction, if so I can also provide a light and low part count truck for transporting ore from mine to refinery that can fit in one of the many mk3 cargo bays

About the scale of the whole ship btw the "heavy equipment modules" are mk3 cargo bay right?

---

It's better to think ahead of which vital parts you will use (engines etc..) so that you can find parts to fit the proportions on your render.

For example there isn't that big solar arrays in the game right now.

Edited May 3, 2015 by RevanCorana

[EladDv]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/be8ihjiidiu6cno/AAD0KKLB01L-fWoD_yeZE4Yba?dl=0

the entire base files (the science rover is a bit messed up with the wheel should solve this in a moment).

pictures coming soon

[sgt_flyer]

i can give advices / help for animating stuff and various constructions tricks (i have various ideas to make deployable huge solar arrays (using my stock hinges ) so they can be folded into a fairing for the launch.

now, solar panels are not going to be very useful on jool (gigantor's mass versus electricity /s is worse than RTGs...)

though, this kind of ship will need to be space built the biggest fairings won't be able to enclose that thing for a single launch (still, we'll need various reliable launch vehicle to ferry the various parts (some heavy, some oversized )

[ScriptKitt3h]

I can help with some aeroshelled landers/modules for the base, and perhaps make a dedicated vehicle for the colonists, separate from the main cargo haulers.

[EladDv]

my base pack comes with an aeroshell for decent. look under subA folder.

[DMSP]

Wow, this got attention quick!

When I get my CPU I'll show ideas and draw some too.

Thanks everyone!

[EladDv]

Ok so i'm proud to present my base pack! it has several modules- A living quarters module, A science lab module, A cargo module, A science rover (cargo variant) module, A science bus (cargo variant) module, A base manager module and last but not least a fully independent mining and production module.

each module sports 4 "Thud" engines (Thrust limit is 37.5 OOTB).

The Kit also comes with a 2 part aeroshell (shell and nose which come with RCS and RCS thrusters) for beautiful descent through atmospheres and and a base end part for compatible builds and expansions (please make the provided probe core the root part after attaching).

Please consult the craft file for specifics but AG 1 is Landing Legs, AG 2 is Gears, AG 3-4 variable and AG 5 is the engines.

Assembling the base is done with the base manager module on rover wheels alone OR with gear extended(dosnt matter) and all other modules with extended wheels.

DropBox Folder(feel free to add to it).

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Edited May 3, 2015 by EladDv

[Dman979]

OP: is this a stock build?

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

I have some ideas about those hab modules, sign me up.

[sgt_flyer]

we'll need to design a common adapter for the ship's spine - to have something capable of transmitting the thrust of the engines without having a noodly ship when we'll dock the various sections together.

especially if we use Vernor engines (as they need a fuel source - unlike the monopropellant) - we'll need to be able to transmit the fuel along the whole spine, or have small fuel tanks at various sections of the ship.

edit : here's a possibility for a engine section (with an engineer 'room' ) - the thing in the middle is a possibility for a 'spine' adapter design. - currently 89 parts - because of the struts needed. (also an 'example' of a 'spine' adapter - but this is bound to change - a bit too much part for such a part)

note, this is the largest single section that can fit into a stock fairing for launch (and i have rebuilt my Chaos Star LV for V1.0 - it will have no problem lifting the fueled 758 tons of this engine section. - i added a central Kerbodyne S3 14400 tank for either - refuelling docked systems, or to be used as additionnal fuel for the main engines also includes 3x 2.5m RCS fuel tanks. (note, this engine block can still be stretched a bit if we need additionnal fuel tanks - my Chaos Star can lift 1000 tons in one go to LKO.)

i'll try to design something for the solar arrays

Edited May 3, 2015 by sgt_flyer

[Guest]

Why not a 2.5m docking port?

Low part count is more important than wobblyness on this craft, as it will be part heavy no matter what.

[Zucal]

Low part count is more important than wobblyness on this craft, as it will be part heavy no matter what.

What? Part count means that it might run a bit slow on some people's computers. Wobbliness means it might not fly at all.

[Guest]

What? Part count means that it might run a bit slow on some people's computers. Wobbliness means it might not fly at all.

Fly? It's just meant to be a spaceship, no high tolerance for aero stress or re-entry heat required

Part count is more of an issue on this particular project because with cargo bays, filled with crafts, different modules, etc.. if we're not careful it will end up with more than 1500parts.

No computer at all can handle that, except if playing at 2fps is not an issue for you, which I find weird.

On the other hand flying in space doesn't require a lot of rigidity

Clamp-Otron Sr. linked to strong parts like structural fuselage (which has fuel crossfeed btw) would provide just enough stability when maneuvering in space

Edited May 3, 2015 by RevanCorana

[EladDv]

well my base when completed with 1 of each and 2 living is about 600-700 parts (300 less if you dont take the (small) science rover module)

[Guest]

We simply need OPer to divide the work he wants us to do and give us a max part count per person. But that requires a bit of knowledge and planning obviously so don't hesitate asking even seemingly dumb questions DMSP just in case.

IMO the total craft shouldn't exceed 600 parts, cargo bays content included

And btw sgt-flyer vernor engine work just fine without fuel crossfeed, like RCS thrusters do

Edited May 3, 2015 by RevanCorana

[EladDv]

well my base parts are ready and uploaded here so yeah

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this is going to be huge just 7 modules on my base is at least 250 mT so we would need a larch ship and look at the design it has a large spine

[Dman979]

OP is not online now. Slow it down so he can catch up, eh?