Anyone do an Eve return mission in 1.0 yet?

[sedativechunk]

I've seen a few people getting contracts related to Eve. Has anyone actually attempted Eve yet with the 1.0 overhaul in a return mission of some sorts? I've put nearly a 1,000 hours into this game as of today and in the older versions of KSP, I never successfully got a ship to return from Eve, just such a monstrosity of a mission and time consuming to build the appropriate vessel for. I'm wondering if it got easier in the update. I see some people saying it takes less delta V now but I don't see how that is possible when rockets are now more dramatically affected in atmosphere.

[zekes]

i bet infinite ladder still works.

[MisterFister]

I'm playing hardcore career, and as such, haven't yet made it out of LKO with about ~45 hours in just since 1.0 release. (I also have several hundred hours from prior to release, as I started back in 0.18.) My instinct is that you'll need some sort of airfoil lifter design, likely with aerospikes unless you can manage a different engine from a mod (either a kethane jet engine that doesn't need oxygen, or some super-high-impulse nuclear engine similar to what Scott Manley used a few months ago in 0.25's ISQ.) I make the suggestions that I do because the two primary problems with an Eve return are the atmospheric density, especially at ASL, and the high gravity. With a wing-lifter design, you can use those in your favor with a TWR <1.2 (Eve is 1.2g, iirc).

[Fire-Dragon-DoL]

Uhm, the key point should be using an engineer instead of a pilot (with remote guidance in addition) for the parachutes, refueling directly on eve (possibly sending a veichle AND a spaceship) or maybe composing the spaceship with docking ports directly on eve, I don't know.

I'm scared, took me a lot of hours of try-die-repeat to go to eve and come back

And almost a new GPU =S

[Xyphos]

I've been trying to get a Mk3 spaceplane designed for EVE landing and return, but alas, KSP doesn't have a Mk3 hybrid engine (yet?) and my attempts to SSTO and dock with a refueling station in Kerbin orbit have failed every single time.

perhaps I should model my own engine. it seems like no matter how many RAPIERs I add, it's never enough to get it in orbit.

[rhadamant]

I've done a round trip Eve mission but with some troubles. I'm working on fine tuning my Eve Lander before sharing my craft file. Basically all of my ladders and fins exploded on entry of Eve, even with Heat Shields so despite doing a round trip my Kerbal never was able to plant a flag.

Edited May 9, 2015 by rhadamant

[Foxster]

Yea, did manage it but it was long-winded. Satisfying though.

I put a near-empty craft down with lots of air-brakes, chutes and landing gear. I also put down a mobile refueler, which took 4 tries as it kept crashing or ending up too far from the other craft. Finally got the first craft refueled. It took off, dropping its chutes and landing gear as it went. It just made orbit. Then I had to pick my Kerbal up and transfer him on with a third craft.

Sorry, didn't take any pictures but here is the basis of the return lifter that I practiced with:

Edited May 9, 2015 by Foxster

[selfish_meme]

I've done a round trip Eve mission but with some troubles. I'm working on fine tuning my Eve Lander before sharing my craft file. Basically all of my ladders and fins exploded on entry of Eve, even with Heat Shields so despite doing a round trip my Kerbal never was able to plant a flag.

Put a capsule at the bottom and transfer the Kerbal internally. Makes much easier ingress and egress.

[Sattorin]

The missions I've seen seem a LOT smaller (and easier) than pre-1.0 Also, the large aircraft landing gear (as seen above) are MUCH better suited to Eve landings than the puny lander legs we used to use.

[selfish_meme]

The missions I've seen seem a LOT smaller (and easier) than pre-1.0 Also, the large aircraft landing gear (as seen above) are MUCH better suited to Eve landings than the puny lander legs we used to use.

Yeah my pre 1.0 eve lander was three times the size of that, despite similar components.

[SmashingKirby148]

In science mode I have managed to launch a probe down to investigate, but had no intentions of returning it, so it is still there. I called it the "Eventures" (heeheehee )

[Fire-Dragon-DoL]

Yea, did manage it but it was long-winded. Satisfying though.

I put a near-empty craft down with lots of air-brakes, chutes and landing gear. I also put down a mobile refueler, which took 4 tries as it kept crashing or ending up too far from the other craft. Finally got the first craft refueled. It took off, dropping its chutes and landing gear as it went. It just made orbit. Then I had to pick my Kerbal up and transfer him on with a third craft.

Sorry, didn't take any pictures but here is the basis of the return lifter that I practiced with:

http://i.imgur.com/NsybnkX.jpg

What is that tiny thing? My pre 1.0 Eve lander was something like this:

I'm happy to see they resized this requirement, lol

[sedativechunk]

Interesting. I should have noted I am also playing on hardcore career mode. I've barely left the Kerbin system. I send an unmanned lander to Duna but my parachutes didn't work the same and it crashed pretty hard, but the top survived luckily to record that important science data. I didn't get to do a science jr. but a temp and pressure scan for easy science points.

Eve, one of you made an interesting point with the engineer and the new refueling abilities. I'm going to have to start sending probes there and see what I can pull off.

[Foxster]

What is that tiny thing? My pre 1.0 Eve lander was something like this:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/762638/Files/Images/Screenshots/ksp/eve/lander_big_2_alternative.jpg

I'm happy to see they resized this requirement, lol

I can't claim much credit for my ship as it was mostly the work of someone who was helping, though I can't remember his name to give him the acknowledgment he deserves. I had been struggling with an overly large craft that was more suited to pre-1.0.

What is vitally important now is the choice of engines. With dV dropping off a lot at or near sea-level, there's only a couple of combinations of engines that will stand a chance of making it to orbit. You need something very punchy for the first stage, with a high TWR and good Isp that will get you out of the low-altitudes and on your way - Mainsails or a Mammoth. Then a more traditional 2nd and 3rd stages, still being careful about the TWR of the 2nd stage though, a Swivel being in the sweetspot for my craft.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Foxster

[Redshift OTF]

Just tried to get this off Eve.

It looked good in theory but the TWR was all off. e.g. the Swivels are rated as having a thrust of 168.75 kN at ASL but on Eve, (about 1.5km altitude), they only had about 69 kN so I couldn't get off the ground. I suspect ASL on Kerbin and Eve are completely different. That would explain why Mainsails and Mammoths are popular as they have so much thrust that if you lose a load at Eve ASL they still work. Unless I'm doing something wrong.

[Foxster]

Just tried to get this off Eve.

http://i.imgur.com/fgEckz6.jpg

It looked good in theory but the TWR was all off. e.g. the Swivels are rated as having a thrust of 168.75 kN at ASL but on Eve, (about 1.5km altitude), they only had about 69 kN so I couldn't get off the ground. I suspect ASL on Kerbin and Eve are completely different. That would explain why Mainsails and Mammoths are popular as they have so much thrust that if you lose a load at Eve ASL they still work. Unless I'm doing something wrong.

Just check the SL TWR of your first stage(s) that get you to about 10km. If they are not at least 2 then forget it. Yours are all about 0.37 and so it will never lift. Substitute a couple of Mainsails in your first stage and have a look at the SLT then.

[MrPopcup]

I've done an Eve return mission a while ago actually, I don't recall what version wat but I'm guessing either 0.18 or 0.19, Add to that, I'm playing KSP since .16 and I still haven't done Eve Return mission in 1.0.2 , In the meantime I have a kerbal stranded on eve screaming HELP LOL!

[Redshift OTF]

Just check the SL TWR of your first stage(s) that get you to about 10km. If they are not at least 2 then forget it. Yours are all about 0.37 and so it will never lift. Substitute a couple of Mainsails in your first stage and have a look at the SLT then.

Lol, yeah I just noticed that. Looks like it's Mainsails after all.

[herbal space program]

Yea, did manage it but it was long-winded. Satisfying though.

Wow, if that ship got into orbit from the surface of Eve, things really have changed! My Eve return ship weighed something like 650 tons!

[NecroBones]

Wait, this won't work anymore???? (lol)