How to launch the M700 Survey Scanner

[davidpsummers]

I just unlocked the new M700 Survey Scanner. It sticks out so you can't use a fairing?

I did figure it was "fin like" enough that that I just had to cover the "square bits" (and I had other bits on the same body to cover). But the fairings won't cover parts if they stick out?

So I guess you just have to stick them on and live with the ugliness and drag?

Edited May 23, 2015 by davidpsummers

[Geschosskopf]

It's best to put the big ore scanner on the top of the probe pointing up, then cover it all with a fairing. LIke this:

[Acet]

This is correct, though if you want to put that scanner probe within the Kerbin, its moons or nearby planets' (Eve, Duna) SOI only, one doesn't need anywhere as much rocket as the image above shows.

[Murph]

Yeah, that's a hell of a lot of rocket for the M700, but might make sense if it's destined for somewhere a very long way away. I use something near identical to the stock Z-MAP satellite launcher, a simple small 1.25m stack, with the M700 on top. I use a 1.25m fairing for it and the probe it sits on. All you need is for the fairing base to be a bit lower than immediately below the M700, and expand outwards as the first/lower part of the fairing until it's wide enough for the widest part of the M700. Once it's wide enough, next segment is vertically up until the M700 starts to taper in. Next segment is a long taper inwards roughly following the shape of the folded M700 scanner dish thing. Finally, taper in and close on top of that.

[davidpsummers]

"We should test the experiment going really fast!"

"Why?"

"SCIENCE!"