Manned Tylo Sample Return (Pic Heavy)

[nsgallup]

It was decided that the Kerbal Space Center needed samples from the surface of Tylo, and Lizcia Kerman wanted to see them before anyone else. With a redesigned lander to account for the stronger gravity KSC decided to reuse the Thanatos Rocket. (Previously used to send Jeb to Moho and back http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/136574-Finally-Conquered-Moho-%28Pic-Heavy%29)

We have liftoff of Thanatos MkIII

Circularizing

Interplanetary burn to Jool

Approaching the green marble

Capture burn

Dropping spent stages

It looks bigger then through the telescope...

Capture burn

Jool set

Detach! The fuel reading on the KRV indicate Lizcia has plenty of fuel for the trip home which has her smiling wide (Kerbin Return Vehicle)

The lander needs to lose about 3km/s before touchdown

Lander stage one

Lander stage two

Stage three ran dry seconds before touch down, but Lizcia holds on to them for now because she still needs the landing gear!

Touchdown!! EVA jets do not work here due to the hard pull of gravity

After gathering the precious surface samples Lizcia poses for the magazine covers

Liftoff! Lizcia drops the empty stage three tanks immediate after clearing the surface

Stage four separation

Approaching the KRV, 30km out

30 seconds to rendezvous burn

Kerbin.. ah.. We have a problem. Turns out one of the docking ports was mounted backwards.. Lizcia runs the numbers and finds the KRV is just shy of 3km/s of delta-V, should be enough

Leaving Tylo orbit

Final KRV stage

Jool rise

Interplanetary burn looks good

Using remaining fuel to reduce atmospheric shock

Detach!

The aerocapture took two passes and nearly all of the ablator

Preparing for splashdown

Home sweet home, with the samples intact

Edited October 14, 2015 by nsgallup

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Dayum, rep for you!

[nsgallup]

Thanks!

Honestly this was pretty easy after the Moho mission

Edited October 22, 2015 by nsgallup