Getting to Duna faster than in a year?

[davidy12]

Okay, I was just reading my VASMIR/"The Martian" thread and someone said there was a way to get to Duna in less than a year. Is there a mod that lets you create a maneuver node for that?

[RidingTheFlow]

The very fastest way to get somewhere in space - accelerate all the half-way to target, then brake all second half of way.

This will require insane amount of Delta-V, hence reaction-less or ultra-high ISP engine (e.g. Photonic Rocket), or something with "fuel scoop" (e.g. Bussard Ramjet).

If you create such maneuver in KSP, it will make "orbit" in essence a straight line from where you are to where you going.

But there are middle ground too - basically, try making orbit more and more elongated (while still intersecting target). You will notice that you need more and more delta-V for ejection, and more and more delta-V for injection - but travel time is reduced, and you don't have to wait for exact launch time to catch you target, since you can "steer" more. So you can budget for whatever engine allows you.

If I am remember correctly Mechjeb (?) allowed to create such maneuver so by reducing desired travel time.

Edited September 18, 2015 by RidingTheFlow

[Mastikator]

You don't need a mod to make a maneuver node for that, just go faster (and aim "higher" at Duna's orbit). The faster you go the earlier aim and quicker you arrive.

Of course, you'll have to slow down more the faster you go.

96 days to Duna for the low low price of 3200m/s delta-V

Edited September 18, 2015 by Mastikator
image for clarification

[Starhawk]

Check out the old Fastest Small Step Challenge. Back when you could aerobrake safely at any speed, a trip to Duna or Eve (or Jool) could be made in very little time.

With enough delta-v, of course, it could still be done in much less than a year. You just have to spend some fuel slowing down when you get there, rather than aerobraking at several thousand m/s.

Happy landings!

Edited September 18, 2015 by Starhawk

[xebx]

Very easy with LFO+Ion (6 gigantors for 7 ion engine should be ok for duna), you can have at least 20000 m/s delta-V for manned (lander included) and 30000 m/s unmanned, 200 days real max kerbin-duna-kerbin.

This could be a challenge.

[Snark]

What the previous posters said. As always in KSP, dV is king. Getting to any given destination requires a certain minimum amount-- but if you have more, you can get there faster.

One of my fondest pre-1.0 missions: had sent a 1-kerbal lander to Eve, and realized when I was nearly there that I had neglected to include a return-to-Kerbin stage (the lander was just to get back off the surface of Eve into orbit). I didn't want the kerbal to have to wait forever for a return trip, so I set out to see "how fast can I get a ship from Kerbin to Eve that can bring one kerbal back?"

Built a ship with utterly insane dV (wholly ion propulsion, dropping tanks as it emptied them) and took advantage of the fact that re-entry before 1.0 was harmless (just visual f/x), so aerobraking is fine at any speed.

Made the run from Kerbin to Eve in 8 days. That's eight Kerbin days, i.e. 48 hours. Slamming into Eve's atmosphere at something like 50 km/sec was ...dramatic.