[WIP] The Martian Ares Rover

[_Augustus_]

Really excited about this, hope Andy Weir likes it (I emailed it to him). Definitely will actually use.

[-ctn-]

While Mr. Weir is a pretty cool guy, I doubt he'll have more than a passing interest in it. I've exchanged multiple emails with him about random things and whenever KSP comes up he shrugs it off. I can't tell if he's really that uninterested or if he's just trying to finish his current book and not get sucked into this crazy game.

[CommanderSpock]

While Mr. Weir is a pretty cool guy, I doubt he'll have more than a passing interest in it. I've exchanged multiple emails with him about random things and whenever KSP comes up he shrugs it off. I can't tell if he's really that uninterested or if he's just trying to finish his current book and not get sucked into this crazy game.

Does he generally reply to emails? I have a question about a project I feel he could help me with.

[_Augustus_]

While Mr. Weir is a pretty cool guy, I doubt he'll have more than a passing interest in it. I've exchanged multiple emails with him about random things and whenever KSP comes up he shrugs it off. I can't tell if he's really that uninterested or if he's just trying to finish his current book and not get sucked into this crazy game.

Wow!

Also will this be good to use on the Mun? I have plans to launch it on the SLS...

[-ctn-]

Does he generally reply to emails? I have a question about a project I feel he could help me with.

I mean, he's a busy dude. Occasionally he'll answer. If does, it's usually within a few hours.

If you have a project your working on, I don't know if he will answer or not - now that he has a publisher he has to be "extra careful" about what he says so people can't accuse him of plagiarism.

I asked him for his opinion / help on a short script of mine, and he politely declined for the above reason.

As for working on the Mun, I would assume so. Just don't go too fast!

[CommanderSpock]

I mean, he's a busy dude. Occasionally he'll answer. If does, it's usually within a few hours.

If you have a project your working on, I don't know if he will answer or not - now that he has a publisher he has to be "extra careful" about what he says so people can't accuse him of plagiarism.

I asked him for his opinion / help on a short script of mine, and he politely declined for the above reason.

As for working on the Mun, I would assume so. Just don't go too fast!

Oh, it's not a writing question, it's for science, but I guess I just have to give it a try.

[-ctn-]

Ah, then go for it!

Does anyone have an opinion on the crew capacity of the Rover? In the film, it's a one-person vehicle. Or at least, there's only one seat. I assume if other crew members are onboard, they stand (or sit) in the back of the cabin or hang on the handrails on the outside hull.

Should I follow the screen accuracy and go for a 1-person cockpit, or add additional crew spaces?

Edited October 5, 2015 by -ctn-

[_Augustus_]

Ah, then go for it!

Does anyone have an opinion on the crew capacity of the Rover? In the film, it's a one-person vehicle. Or at least, there's only one seat. I assume if other crew members are onboard, they stand (or sit) in the back of the cabin or hang on the handrails on the outside hull.

Should I follow the screen accuracy and go for a 1-person cockpit, or add additional crew spaces?

I would say 2 Kerbals because that's more useful.

[CommanderSpock]

Well remember, he strapped the rtg to an adjacent seat.... I'd say 3 seats, one in front, two in back. Also, that's all six crew for the two rover.

[-ctn-]

Ahh, that makes sense. I think I'll do that.

[Virtualgenius]

Prity sure it was a 3 seater

[RoverDude]

Agree - In the book I thought it was a three seater (though not necessarily in the cab)

[Tianar]

In the book the rovers were 3 seaters (in case one rover had a breach or critical failure). I always imagined them as being 2 identical hot dog shaped things w/ wheels. Round shapes make for good pressure vessels. I have yet to see the movie, but from the previews, the rovers don't look much like I imagined (not that they look bad).

In the book, Watney cuts up rover 1 to be the "trailer" (he cuts a hole in the roof and makes an airtight tent over the hole w/ Hab canvas), and hitches it to Rover 2 via a trailer hitch and hoses for air and power (think KAS/KIS in KSP). I think the Mk2 stock parts look fairly close to what I imagine the rovers to look like, only maybe a bit more rounded. I don't remember how many wheels the rovers had in the book, but 6 each would be likely.

Also, each rover had an emergency tent that could be deployed from the rover's airlock in case the rover lost atmospheric pressure.

[-ctn-]

When I read the book, I imagined full-pressurized cabins with six giant wheels, like huge caterpillars roaming across Mars. Like I said earlier, at first I wasn't too keen on the film's design for the rovers, but obviously now I love them.

I know I keep posting tons of pictures, but I'm pretty proud of this so far. It's pretty close to nearing completion, at least the modeling stage. Tonight I did the flatbed panels, the step ladders on the cabin, fleshed out the big battery box, the solar panels on top of it, and the CO2 scrubbers (I assume) on the back of the battery pack. While the cables don't really fit with the look of the stock parts, Bezier Curves are really, really fun to do and add nice detail.

What does everyone think? The wheels and suspension is not mine / final, just a mashup of the stock parts for looks.

Edit: Also, for anyone interested in the size, the widest part of the cockpit is around 2.2 meters. So in theory, it could be flown on a 2.5m rocket. This is tiny bit big in relation to a kerbal, but I'm not sure I want to make it smaller. In real life, the tires come up to Matt Damon's chest, which I assume is around five feet. If I were to make the rover to scale to a kerbal, it would be around 1.6 meters wide. I'm not sure I want to make it *too* small. Any thoughts on that?

Edited October 6, 2015 by -ctn-

[Virtualgenius]

Sounds awesome I am not a fan of stock parts look or stock part textures that's why i mod my KSP will you be going with the movie textures or creating your own

[_Augustus_]

When I read the book, I imagined full-pressurized cabins with six giant wheels, like huge caterpillars roaming across Mars. Like I said earlier, at first I wasn't too keen on the film's design for the rovers, but obviously now I love them.

I know I keep posting tons of pictures, but I'm pretty proud of this so far. It's pretty close to nearing completion, at least the modeling stage. Tonight I did the flatbed panels, the step ladders on the cabin, fleshed out the big battery box, the solar panels on top of it, and the CO2 scrubbers (I assume) on the back of the battery pack. While the cables don't really fit with the look of the stock parts, Bezier Curves are really, really fun to do and add nice detail.

What does everyone think? The wheels and suspension is not mine / final, just a mashup of the stock parts for looks.

http://i.imgur.com/ihs3xF2.jpg

Edit: Also, for anyone interested in the size, the widest part of the cockpit is around 2.2 meters. So in theory, it could be flown on a 2.5m rocket. This is tiny bit big in relation to a kerbal, but I'm not sure I want to make it smaller. In real life, the tires come up to Matt Damon's chest, which I assume is around five feet. If I were to make the rover to scale to a kerbal, it would be around 1.6 meters wide. I'm not sure I want to make it *too* small. Any thoughts on that?

I like it how it is.

Also will you add support for USI MKS so we can attach those little emergency blow-up habs to the side of it? That would be useful.

Edited October 6, 2015 by _Augustus_

[benjee10]

Beautiful modelling. Looks just the part. Can't wait to see it textured!

[Damminh Khoi]

Augustus, i think the tent from Rover Dude's Karibou exploration rover fit more nicely

[-ctn-]

I'll look into adding support for different mods. Right now all I plan to support it with is Kerbal Inventory System and RoverDude's Life Support mod, since I personally play with those the most.

However if someone edits the config for it to be compatible with another mod, feel free to send me the config and I'll work it in. There just seems to be a never ending list of mods people want stuff to work with, and you'll spend more time learning how to implement your part into those mods than you will enjoying the part you made (at least, my experience.)

Anyway, I did some work for the wheels and suspension. I'm kind of clueless when it comes to the mechanics of it, but from what I can see, this is fairly accurate. There are two sets of brackets that hold the wheel mount (gearbox I assume?) to the base. There are also two shock springs in there, and the two bracket arms are on hinges. The whole assembly: brackets, shocks, wheel mount, wheel - move up and down in relation to the base. The thing I'm having a hard time thinking about is how to get the shocks to extend/retract when the wheels move up and down.

And here's a shot with my wheels in place -

Also, while I'm at it - a close up of the battery pack. The plates on the top are solar panels, I assume the entire box is the battery and the octagons jutting out are the ballasts / power connectors. Fixed to the back of the battery pack are what I assume are CO2 scrubbers / life support stuff. The two rectangles are identical but it looks like they are daisy chained together. I may make a CO2 scrubber a separate part in-game, so you can load up the flatbed with a ton of them like he does in the film.

Edited October 6, 2015 by -ctn-

[bazz]

Was there a delivery system for the rover in the film? I can't remember seeing one.

[-ctn-]

Neither the film nor the book really explains how the rovers ended up on the surface. I plan to use KIS storage parts to replicate several pre-supply missions and assemble the rovers on-site at Duna (via KIS). The parts themselves are not that big - the largest being the cockpit which, as stated, is around 2 meters wide.

[Sgt.Shutesie]

I always thought that the pre-supplies would be containers similar to that of a shipping container, but with parachutes, landing engines, etc that re-entered in an aero-shell. So think large shipping container but 1000x more expensive because it's NASA we are talking about.

[-ctn-]

Makes sense. Some would be packed to the brim with pelican cases containing supplies and hab canvas, ect and larger ones could contain strapped in parts for rovers.

Both the movie and the book said 14 pre-supply missions - which is quite a lot of "crap" to send to Mars.

[_Augustus_]

Makes sense. Some would be packed to the brim with pelican cases containing supplies and hab canvas, ect and larger ones could contain strapped in parts for rovers.

Both the movie and the book said 14 pre-supply missions - which is quite a lot of "crap" to send to Mars.

Not really. Current NASA plans call for about 16 presupply missions, 3 MEMs, and a reusable MTV assembled in 6 launches.

[-ctn-]

I was speaking in KSP terms, not real-life terms. 14 pre-supplies in KSP would be bringing way more equipment than you need, I would think.