What Should I Send on an Interplanetary Voyage?

[Sanic]

Your thoughts?

Edited October 22, 2015 by Sanic

[Gaarst]

It depends what type of interplanetary voyage, and where you want to go:

First time ? Send a probe.

Already sent a few probes ? Try sending Kerbals, and returning them back to Kerbin.

Already orbited a few planets and returned ? Land Kerbals and return them. (Do NOT land on Eve, you most likely won't be able to get back up at that stage, or Tylo, you will probably crash when landing)

Achieved quite some interplanetary missions before and have a large launcher ? Send a whole station, and put it on orbit of a planet. Include a lander if you want.

Been everywhere and looking for challenge ? Try returning from Eve, or Tylo.

Anyway, the most popular destination for first interplanetary missions is Duna.

Moho is a death trap; Eve is a death trap too; Duna is easy and cool; Dres is boring (no one goes to Dres); Jool and its moons are the most interesting destination; Eeloo is boring too, just get there for the achievement.

The Joolian system is very interesting because its moons provide a large variety of landscapes/bodies that can be reached with minimal dV when using gravity assits. (Remember to NOT aerobrake at Jool, you will explode).

[Taki117]

Science equipment, preferably multiples. At least one decently leveled engineer and pilot. A science lab. and some sort of lander, preferably Apollo style (Lander and mothership, lander doesn't necessarily need to be two stage)

[Skorpychan]

Don't send anything to Eve's surface if you want it back. It's nigh-impossible to ascend from there with any meaningful payload.

[Sanic]

What should I do next?

(This is career, btw)

- - - Updated - - -

It depends what type of interplanetary voyage, and where you want to go:

First time ? Send a probe.

Already sent a few probes ? Try sending Kerbals, and returning them back to Kerbin.

Already orbited a few planets and returned ? Land Kerbals and return them. (Do NOT land on Eve, you most likely won't be able to get back up at that stage, or Tylo, you will probably crash when landing)

Achieved quite some interplanetary missions before and have a large launcher ? Send a whole station, and put it on orbit of a planet. Include a lander if you want.

Been everywhere and looking for challenge ? Try returning from Eve, or Tylo.

Anyway, the most popular destination for first interplanetary missions is Duna.

Moho is a death trap; Eve is a death trap too; Duna is easy and cool; Dres is boring (no one goes to Dres); Jool and its moons are the most interesting destination; Eeloo is boring too, just get there for the achievement.

The Joolian system is very interesting because its moons provide a large variety of landscapes/bodies that can be reached with minimal dV when using gravity assits. (Remember to NOT aerobrake at Jool, you will explode).

Have you any ideas for an effective probe design?

[Taki117]

Have you any ideas for an effective probe design?

Does it have a probe core? Does it have an antenna? Does it have some science-y bits? Does it have some form of power generation and storage? If the answer to some/all of these is yes, it's an effective probe. The one in your pic looks to be very effective.

If you are instead asking how to design something, start with mission goals. What is it you want to do on your mission? Once you figure that out build a payload to fit the mission, then a launcher to get you where you need to go.

[Sanic]

Actually, this was a failed mission. The 2 solar arrays on the top and the fancy antenna were supposed to be part of a small orbiter, but some idiot forgot to put an antenna on the atmosphere probe so I had to take down the orbiter to send back the data. I am looking for a more effective orbiter/atmosphere probe design.

[Taki117]

Actually, this was a failed mission. The 2 solar arrays on the top and the fancy antenna were supposed to be part of a small orbiter, but some idiot forgot to put an antenna on the atmosphere probe so I had to take down the orbiter to send back the data. I am looking for a more effective orbiter/atmosphere probe design.

Don't forget the antenna next time, Honestly, that looks like a really good design as is. I usually send only a single probe. Get my orbital science done, then drop it into the atmosphere to either burn up, or smash into the surface. If I want to save it I put parachutes, or ensure it has enough fuel to land based on the body.

[magnemoe]

Don't forget the antenna next time, Honestly, that looks like a really good design as is. I usually send only a single probe. Get my orbital science done, then drop it into the atmosphere to either burn up, or smash into the surface. If I want to save it I put parachutes, or ensure it has enough fuel to land based on the body.

Yes, it survived landing at Eve even if not designed for it.

And its easy to forget antennas, I have forgotten them on bases. Also tend to forget probe cores on bases

[Highguard]

Send as little as possible to achieve your mission objectives.

[DancesWithSquirrels]

A probe core (or two - often useful to have a forward facing one on an automated rover). Extra disabled batteries in case something goes wrong. A few OX-STATs scattered around the probe for reliable power as well. Double check your antenna is actually installed, and put on every science instrument you have. Wheels if you want them, although on Eve the power requirements call for either RTGs or a fuel cell with limited endurance.

And (very important for my missions) a sense of humor regarding outcomes!

[tbarcello]

First voyage to Duna departure episode in my Let's Play KSP series.

Preparations episode

Sent 2 probes to scan surfaces of Duna and Ike, mothership with science lab and reusable lander/rover.

Science data over 8000!

Hope it helps.

Edited October 21, 2015 by tbarcello

[FlyingPete]

I sent a probe on its way to Moho in my career game. It turns out that with only a 100m/s course correction after the flyby, it will encounter Eve on the next orbit. Should have brought more science along. Trying to see if I can use Eve's gravity to help send it out somewhere else as well.

[Jaeleth]

you will get an optimal hohmann transfer window from tine ro time only, so get all your ships ready to fulfill the contracts for that destination to launch at the same time, cram as much as you can on each vessel. Take surpluses, specially multiple sensor probes, you will get other contracts later and if the probes are already there, waiting on a dropship, you'll get heaps of money . Take at least 3 kerbals, they will gain experience and sooner or later you'll have a "plant the flag" mission. Take one lander. Make your ship as modular as possible so that you can change components, fuel tanks, engines for multiple mission profiles ( sort of as NASA is trying to do now ). Take a mining base with docking capabilities, so that you will have full autonomy.

in other words. Take an entire colony fulfill as much contracts you can and wait there for the next contracts fir that world. Remember, plant mining bases always on low grav satellites.

[Sanic]

Thanks all! I've decided to build 2 interplanetary cruisers, the Kraken and the Nimbus, to send 3 Kerbals each to Eve and Duna, respectively. Screenshots coming soon!

I will leave the thread as unanswered as I am still looking for new, expensive stuff to build and launch to other planets.

BTW I don't have ISRU yet, but I've pretty much maxed out the 300-science nodes.

[Admac]

If you want SUPER expensive fun and difficult stuff, I'd recommend colonizing.

Every world is a lot different that the next and I'd say i spend about 300 hours exploring the system, but am well well over 3000 hours trying to colonize the system (over multiple saves)

Get a bunch of mods (everything from USI, Civpop, Kis+Kas, SpaceY to start with) and go about building farming stations and mining stations and orbital shipyards and civilian cities in all sorts of awkward spots!

If you are still at the 300 science node, obviously send out a few science missions to top out that tree since the big things are further down the tree.

[FlyingPete]

In other words. Take an entire colony fulfill as much contracts you can and wait there for the next contracts fir that world. Remember, plant mining bases always on low grav satellites.

I think this is the way to go- set up something permanent wherever you go. At each launch window, send out a new crew along with any replacement/updated equipment. The old crew can be returned with science data at the relevant launch window home, which will also allow them to level up. At least, leave the equipment there for future use when you decide to bring the crew home. Mining bases mean's there's no need to send out fuel supplies to support the base, or even fuel for the return trip as it can be manufactured on site.

If you're going somewhere, it's worth doing it properly

[Sanic]

Do you know the phase angles for transfer? I don't want to muck around with mods, I'm god-awful at computer stuff.

I know Duna is 45 degres ahead, but none of the other transfer windows.

[sdj64]

Do you know the phase angles for transfer? I don't want to muck around with mods, I'm god-awful at computer stuff.

I know Duna is 45 degres ahead, but none of the other transfer windows.

Eve is about as much behind as Duna is ahead, and Jool is 90 degrees ahead. Dres is about 60 degrees ahead (not exactly sure). Moho and Eeloo have high inclination so it's best to launch so you encounter them at their ascending/descending nodes.

Usually in career I send probes first, then a manned mission there and back, and then think about permanent bases only once you have ISRU. It's best to keep one probe in a polar orbit and one on the ground somewhere, they can complete many contracts and basically print you money since they're already there. If you're not opposed to leaving Kerbals in space indefinitely, replace the probes with small manned ships and you can do survey contracts too. If you want to spend more time at your destination, launch a small lander and a mobile station with a lab that can refuel the lander a few times and then return to Kerbin orbit, then you only need to refuel it and send it somewhere else. The same ship could do Duna/Ike and Eve(no landing)/Gilly. Try bringing a rover for a challenge and fun, but not for easy money.

[Snark]

Do you know the phase angles for transfer? I don't want to muck around with mods, I'm god-awful at computer stuff.

I know Duna is 45 degres ahead, but none of the other transfer windows.

Here's a really handy tool: http://ksp.olex.biz ...just choose your origin and destination, and tell it the altitude of your parking orbit around the origin, and it gives you a very simple, nice graphical display of where, in what direction, and how much to burn.

[Sanic]

Turns out Eeloo is pretty well aligned!

Thanks all!

[XxDARKWOLF67Xx]

Jool is easiest to get to and duna is easiest to return from. I send kerbals to duna annually and probes to jool annually