Transporting Surface Bases

[Fearless Son]

So a while ago I made a set of modular three meter diameter surface base components that I can stick together with docking ports, with little rovers I can use to lift them up and tow them around to dock with one another. Tested them all at KSC, proved that the concept was sound and I could build a functional surface base of whatever size I needed to. Wonderful.

The problem for me though is how best to get all of these components from Kerbin to an extra-Kerbin body. Sending them up on individual rockets to their destination felt too inefficient, especially if they had individual landers. Sending them up in one big rocket felt too heavy, too over-built, and too expensive. I have thought about using a simple "carrier" craft to park in LKO, rendezvous with modules sent up in SSTO cargo rockets, then take them to their destination along with a reusable lander, but I have only partially implemented this plan.

What are your preferred ways of actually getting surface bases to an extra-Kerbin surface?

[FlyingPete]

One method that can work is to have a reusable lander that docks to the top of the base and acts as a sky crane. Put the base on the ground, undock the lander and return it to orbit. On Minmus, the same lander can be used as the tug to bring them from LKO to Minmus orbit.

[KerikBalm]

Big SSTO rocket or spaceplane....

If I need to do more than 2 dockings... I overbuild the payload, or underbuilt my launchers

[Sanic]

The big, heavy, oversized way. If you're too poor, grind out some 'Science data from space around /landed at (planet or Kerbol) contracts.

[Jaeleth]

The bigger the payload in one go, the cheaper it gets overall... It's the same in KSP as in real life. SSTO's aren't, usually, practicable to take large components upwards, although 3m can't be considered "large" anyway. SSTO's tend to consume much fuel for all that extra drymass they have to take up so do your (economical) maths if the fuel you are wasting with multiple SSTO launches is more expensive than dumping one or two engines and fuel tanks...

[Frozen_Heart]

I use the minimum rocket needed to send them to LKO, then dock them to a large reusable mothership. I can then take them all at once to their destination.

[Wolfox]

I once assembled the base in LKO, connected to "Remorker" module and dropped it down on the surface as the whole. However, this can only be done if the construction of the base is sturdy enough to survive deceleration stress and re-entry heat (it was Duna, so quite easy). Remorker was also equipped with drogue chutes, aeorobrakes, and set of standart chutes and small retro engines for semi-powered final landing. The base was of big "H" shape, tied with struts by KAS/KIS mod to prevent wobble which might otherwise destroy the base during most crucial moments of landing. After the landing, Remorker took off the base and landed nearby to be used as return vehicle (once refuelled by base´s drills). Pretty risky but very efficient way. MIGHT be usable even for low-gravity airless bodies, but I never did that yet.