Ike sample return probe

[MarkusF]

For many this might be nothing special, but as it will be my first returning craft from outside the Kerbin system I'd like to share it with you.

First some information about the mission and the environment. I'm playing a hard career I started after the 1.0.2 release.

The launch window to Duna nearly caught me by surprise, as I was doing some tourist runs (Kerbin->Mun->Minmus->Kerbin, Up to 4 tourists, I tried to fill up remaining space with Kerbals to be rescued around Mun and Minmus). Those missions took a lot of time, so here it is, the Duna launch window.

As the launch windows take quite some time to reappear, everything has to be perfect. Another mission (landing a 5 Kerbal outpost on Duna) will start shortly after the Ike launch, but my scientists are still on the way to Mun, to get a two star rating.

About the Ike mission:

All science gathered (Temperature, Pressure, Seismic, Mystery Goo, Materials lab) from Duna High Space, Ike High Space, Ike Low Space and Ike Surface will be brought back and landed on Kerbin.

Here are some pictures from the launch. As the mission is still in cruise, pictures of the arrival at Ike will come later.

Launch:

Separation of first stage:

Separation of second stage:

Climbing through the atmosphere:

Cruise stage with jettisoned fairings. Now you can see the science experiments of the cruise and return craft, as well as the small Ike lander on top. The lower rcs tank is empty and will be used to transfer remaining fuel from the lander's tank before reentry at Kerbin, in order to move the center of mass down towards the heat shield:

[Tex]

Looking good! Your lander worries me a bit though- I assume you'll be using your RCS to keep the thing upright when you land on Ike? That thing looks dangerously tall and thin.

[MarkusF]

I could use the RCS, however I do all my landings without. Just keep the lander pointed to the retrograde vector while landing, and the retrograde vector slowly moves to pointing exactly upwards... The RCS system is just for redocking with my cruise stage.

...

Oh, maybe you're confused by by the lower set of landing legs, those are only for the parachute touchdown on Kerbin (with some RCS to keep it upright). The Ike lander is only the part left of the two docking ports.

[Zucal]

Oh, you're in for a treat. Ike is a fun place, a good balance between something like Minmus and the Mun. Oddly dark, but has a great view of Duna from the right spots!

[MarkusF]

But now, as my scientists arrived back from a Minmus landing, I have to design a landable outpost. What worries me most is the number of parachutes required, as I have no Idea how many are required...

Let's see if I can manage to make a powered touchdown: Parachutes to slow it down, then some engines to land it.

[astropapi1]

Oh, you're in for a treat. Ike is a fun place, a good balance between something like Minmus and the Mun. Oddly dark, but has a great view of Duna from the right spots!

Can confirm.

The view of Duna bobbing in the distance as I warped toward the return window was the best part. Beautiful place, can't wait to visit it once SQUAD fixes the soupy atmosphere.

In fact, I haven't played since 0.90. Damn school, always getting in the way of the important stuff.

[MarkusF]

So here's the design for my Duna outpost, I hope I'll get it landed safely, Jeb will be part of the team, as well as two scientists.

The upper half contains the parachutes and 400m/s worth of fuel, with engines having a 2.6 TWR on Duna, in case I have to do some corrections about the landing spot.

All experiments are available twice, so I can store experiments from upper and lower atmosphere while landing. Heat shouldn't be a problem on Duna, due to the low orbital speed (I think it was about 1000m/s) when I burn into a low orbit, instead of a direct (re)entry

Hmm, maybe some aerodynamic controls, in order to have more precision about the landing site?

The upper half will detach after touchdown and fly away, but not before my scientists got the experiments ou of them and reexecuted them for surface data.

And I'm also gonna try to put a rover onto the same rocket, to make sure it will land at a nearby spot (with its own parachute, detached short before landing)

If I don't find a way, the rover, as well as an orbital science station and a return vehicle, has to wait for the next launch window.

Now it's time to put a rocket under it and test it on Kerbin.

[Zucal]

Looks nice, but I would still be concerned about the verticality of it. That kind of top-heavyness won't end well on any kind of slope. There are two good solutions- you could send the rover or another probe to land ahead of time and figure out where a good landing spot might be, or you could rebuild the outpost so that it lay horizontal, like so:

[ • ][ ••• ]

and then have the solar panels on their own little tower. It would also transport just as easily.

[MarkusF]

Right, I see your point, but I think I'm still going for it. The center of mass slightly below the cupola (with full fuel), and when the top landing stage flew away, the COM is slightly below the center of hte science lab, so I think I should be fine with it.

I'm trying to land at one of the maria anyway, so I should be able to get to a flat spot, at least I hope so.

I just have to figure out which maria I'm going to, it should be close to some biomes, as I want to send my rover afterwards to get more science.

- - - Updated - - -

I've connected one set of experiments to the brake, and one to the gear action group, so that I won't have to click all the experiments while descending through the atmosphere.

[MarkusF]

Okay, so now the Duna Outpost is on its way to its destination.

About the Rocket layout: The lowest part contains tow "Skipper" and one "Mainsail" in the center. The center engine is fed from the outer tanks (Asparagus staging).

The upper part consists of three "Poodle" engines, the outer ones are fed by the orange center tank, and are ignited, as soon as the skipper engines are decoupled. At that time the "Poodle" engines already have an ISP of 320s and by this already a better efficiency than the "Mainsail" engine. After decoupling the "Mainsail" engine, the center "Poodle" engine is fed by the outer tanks first.

I was planning to achieve a 100km orbit with the full upper center tank, a dv of 2000m/s. I ended up swith 1975m/s when I got the orbit. (If the outer tanks hadn't been empty at that time, I would have decoupled them anyway, in order to avoid debris around Kerbin.

And as we have a science lab and to scientists on board, we're gonna use the cruise to do some science.

The rocket prior to launch:

The final cruise stage with decoupled fairings:

[MarkusF]

The "Ike Explorer" has arrived at the Duna system, the "Duna Outpost" will arrive about 43 days later:

[MarkusF]

Decoupling the lander from the cruise stage in Ike orbit:

Approaching the surface:

Touchdown with a nice view, Duna centered on the horizon:

Please don't ask me why I attached the parachute for the Kerbin reentry to the Ike lander and not to the reentry part of the cruise stage. I feel a little stupid now, carrying the chute to Ike and back to the cruise stage.

[MarkusF]

Now the outpost also arrived at the Duna system, here's a picture of our flightpath:

After reaching a stable orbit, the outpost is travelling above our designated landing zone.

[MarkusF]

We made it, four Kerbals have set foot on Duna for the first time ever.

Diving into the atmosphere:

Hanging by a thread:

Welcome to Duna:

[MathmoRichard]

Amazing job landing that thing!