The Elcano Challenge on Tylo

[TheCardinal]

Currently i'm preparing for an Elcano mission on Tylo.

This is the designed rover (so far)

Nomenclature

1 - LLL Liquid fuel generator

2 - LLL Rocket engine for righting rover when upside-down

3 - Telus Mobility Enhancer

4 - KerbalFoundries Longtrack (sized at 1.6 x normal)

5 - LLL Landing leg (sized at 0.89 x normal, extended when driving on Tylo)

6 - Last resort solar panel 3x2

7 - RTG

8 - LLL Service module (200 l monopropellant / 1000 electricity)

9 - LLL 2x1 Standard tank (third length, 220 l liquidfuel / 269 l oxidizer) 4 times

10 - group of three extra lights (sized at 0.1 x normal)

11 - Buffalo command capsule,2 Kerbals

12 - LLL rotating radar (just eye candy)

Rover statistics:

Parts : 53

Mass (wet) : 20.1 tons

Mass (dry) : 7.7 tons

Height : 2.0 m

Width : 4.6 m

Length : 6.5 m

Liquid Fuel : 904 l

Oxidizer : 1076 l

Monopropellant : 620 l

Electric Charge : 3090

Speed : 16.2 m/s

The rover in 'real' life with landingfeet and emergency solar panel deployed.

One thing often neglected is testing designs.

After the experiences on Pol, i am convinced of the importance of the testing stage. There were some tricky moments on Pol which could have been lot less tricky if i had taken the time to test the design of that rover. A mistake i won't make twice!

The Tylo rover will be tested rigorously on Kerbin before sending it all the way to Tylo.

Three tests have been performed sofar, droptesting, rolltesting and getting the rover to right itself after tunbling on it's back.

The rover has three types of powersupplying devices, RTG's, fuel driven generators and as a last resort one solar panel.

The testing proved that the generators had to be placed in a slightly different location and required better protection.

The RTG's don't provide sufficient power to charge the batteries when driving. When power in the batteries drops beneath 30% one of the generators will startup automatically. When the power drops beneath 15% the second one starts as well. The combined energy production of the RTG's and the generators is sufficient to fill the batteries even when all powerdraining devices operate at the same time (driving, lights, BTDT scanner). In emergencies, the solar panel can activated manually to provide power (as well).

Other tests will be posted whenever possible.

Edited November 1, 2015 by TheCardinal

[SpaceplaneAddict]

It's not always steep drops.

Steep hills are concernin if you know what I mean. Make sure to get some good braking power.

-SPAddict

Can't wait to see your rocket.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, be sure to check the max speed for your rover. What I myself usually define as max speed is how fast can I go without becoming unstable.

-SPAddict

Test it thoroughly, or the Kraken will not be pleased

[TheCardinal]

It's not always steep drops.

Steep hills are concernin if you know what I mean. Make sure to get some good braking power.

The steep hills is exactly why i've tested the drop capacity. The tracks provide the best braking power available.

Also, be sure to check the max speed for your rover. What I myself usually define as max speed is how fast can I go without becoming unstable.

-SPAddict

Test it thoroughly, or the Kraken will not be pleased

The rover has a very low center of gravity. It is quite hard to make it unstable, therefor the maximum speed is the maximum speed. I will test the rover extremely well, you can be sure about that! (only to find on Tylo that i didn't think of this or that)

Concerning the Kraken, it has a very nasty temperament; it never is pleased .

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Ooh, make sure you have stuff for night time driving! It's so fun!

-SPAddict

The suspense of night is AWESOME

[TheCardinal]

The mission patch

[TheCardinal]

I'm really stuck at the moment. No matter what i try, i can't reach my goal of at least 12.000 m/s dV.

One of the reasons is that the partcount has risen so high that KSP crashes. When i try to launch, several stages are inexplicably empty.

So either i ligthen the load (design another rover) or i'll have to move to a multi- rocket mission.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

You might want to try what I did and make 2 launches. One for the rover+lander combo. And another for orbital ejection, corrections, and Tylo insertion.

[TheCardinal]

After many failures, i've come up with an alternate plan. I launched the original craft with a slight modification; i added two docking ports to it. Instead of jettisoning empty stages after use, i've kept them onto the craft. It meant that the thrust deminished as the altitude increased but so did the mass of the craft. I managed to get the craft into a stable orbit around Kerbin at 200 km. Then a second launch went up consisting of nothing more than fuel. I docked it to the first craft and transferred almost all the fuel to it. A third flight will leave tomorrow to fill the rest of the tanks to full capacity. That should give me about 8300 dV which should be more than enough to reach Tylo and land there.

[Just Jim]

Have you given any thought to first establishing a space station around Tylo? You can use Vall, Pol or Bop to mine and convert ore to fuel, then be able to refuel whatever to try to land on Tylo? This is my long term plan for dealing with Tylo's merciless gravity

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Tylo's merciless gravity

So true. GL Cardinal, and make f5 and f9 your best friends.

[TheCardinal]

It took 2 tankermissions to fill up the Tylo rover craft completely. According to MechJeb i only have 7000 m/s dV but i know this is incorrect. Just before launching the same craft MJ displays 8300 m/s dV, so i must conclude that MJ doesn't take the weightloss of the stages into account. I have checked the staging over en over again and i know it has the right order.

Below is an image of the second tanker docked with the Tylo rover craft. There is some fuel left in the tanker so i'll leave that in orbit when the Tylo craft blasts off to Jool en Tylo.

The countdown to launch has commenced. The mission will depart in 1 year 248 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 1 second {MARK}.

I'm not superstitious but still i'm wondering if Tylo somehow is jinxed. Many missions of others have failed in the past. My previous mission to Tylo came up just 300 m/s dV short for a landing. And lately even SpaceplaneAddict has had to postpone his Elcano attempt on Tylo indefinitely. So many things have gone wrong so far with my second mission that i've sent up Jeb and Bill for the attempt. Perhaps they can succeed where so many others have failed.

Edited November 8, 2015 by TheCardinal

[TheCardinal]

The craft performed nominal during the Jool Transfer Burn (1993 m/s dV). After the separation of the first empty fuel tanks MJ recalculated the remaining dV and came up with 6540 m/s remaining. I guess the fuel transfer between the stages poses a problem for MJ. The values are still incorrect for the different stages but the calculated total dV remaining is more realistic. Estimated flight time is a little over 3 years and 335 days.

[Mikki]

I am couriously looking into this...!

Edited November 8, 2015 by Mikki
spell;)

[TheCardinal]

The Jool Insertion Burn has just completed. Periapsis (64000 km) in 53 days 6398 m/s dV remaining.

Course correction to bring the craft in roughly the same inclination as Tylo. Periapsis (53600 km) in 47 days 5625 m/s dV remaining

Small course correction 11 m/s. Periapsis (62800 km) in 45 days 5625 m/s dV remaining.

MJ doesn't have a problem, the designer made a serious error with the fuel lines. Instead of attaching them at the lower (providing) tank they're attached to the upper tanks which are now empty, no fuel is pumped automatically to the center stage. It must be done manually after every burn.

Tylo intercept correction 159 m/s. Periapsis (1612 km) in 48 days 6524 m/s dV remaining.

Next burn is the Tylo orbital burn in 48 days.

[TheCardinal]

The Tylo rover is now in orbit around Tylo. Periapsis 1141 km, Apoapsis 1539 km.

Currently altitude corrections are underway. Periapsis has been reduced to about 200 km. At periapsis the apoapsis will be reduced to 200 km as well.

A circular orbit around Tylo has been achieved at 200 km.

^#@#$@%%^# !!! I forgot to change the inclination of the orbit at an high altitude, SHI...P!

4773 m/s dV of fuel remaining. I had the intention of an equatorial circumnavigation but if the inclination change requires more than 700 m/s a polar circumnavigation will have to do. It requires 2150 m/s to change the orbit for a landing at the equator, so a polar circumnavigation it has to be.

Prepare for landing!

Landing initiated. Target: 55 N 90 E (Tylo lowlands)

Waiting for low deorbit burn.

Engine activated. Time to land 6 minutes 27 seconds. Target difference 311 km. Reducing target difference.

Currently 209 meters. dV still required 1984 m/s, remaining 3173 m/s.

Target difference 74 meters. 1347 m/s dV needed, 2529 m/s remaining.

Altitude 30 km, vertical speed 800 m/s. Jettisoning last boosterstage, landingstage activated.

Altitude 3350 meters. Touchdown! NO ! NO !! DON'T DROP OVER !! Blast !

The rover and the attached landing stage have tumbled over and landed on one of the generators which has exploded. Only one generator remaining now. In theory, i should be able to achieve all goals, even without both generators and the solar panel.

Perhaps i could even achieve it on one RTG (but that would really hamper the mission).

First order of business is to transfer all fuel and oxidizer from the landingstage to the rover and then decouple it.

Start the BTDT scanner, drive to the exact landing position (55N 90E), plant a flag and take a picture.

Edited November 8, 2015 by TheCardinal

[TheCardinal]

55N90E

Fuel/oxidizer transferred, all fuel tanks of the rover are filled to the brink. Landingstage decoupled. BTDT scanner started. No need to drive to the exact landingspot. It's no so far away, Jeb can walk the distance.

Jeb has just returned. The distance was larger than expected but was quite doable. He planted the flag. According to his own words, Jeb has just claimed this moon for a rainy day. Nice idea but with the currently required travelarrangements i doubt if there will ever be a rainy day sufficiently rainy to warrant leaving for Tylo.

Edited November 10, 2015 by TheCardinal

[TheCardinal]

The starting point:

After driving 35 km the sensor noticed that the energy supply of the rover dropped beneath 30% and it sent a signal to the surviving generator to startup, which it did. The signal light above the generator signalled the running of the generator. As i wanted to make a quicksave anyway, i stopped the rover and let it fill up the energy supply to 100% again. Starting the generator at 30% is automatic, shutting the generator down again has to be done manually (hence the flashing orange light).

[TheCardinal]

After driving a small distance on Tylo, i must admit i have the temptation of installing MJ on the rover. At the moment it seems like it's nothing more than keeping the W key and an occasional course change to keep the rover in the direction. When i have to do that for 59 (projected) days, i'll go stark raving mad. I haven't decided yet, but the temptation is fierce.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Get MJ and KER For all, it makes MJ preinstalled into a cockpit(I think), along with KER. Dunno if it works for mod cockpits

[TheCardinal]

I have a MJ unit in the inventory of the rover, which VBill can attach to the rover. I packed it just in case, but it isn't the same. Driving on automatic or driving yourself. My personal restriction on the Elcano challenge (sofar) is drive myself and not to use MJ to do that, that ios why i haven't installed it (yet). I have found another modification (which is acceptable to me) which helps me drive; a piece of paper between the W key.

[TheCardinal]

83N90E

KSP 1.0.5. just has been released. After a (very) short deliberation, i've decided not to update KSP until finishing the Elcano challenge on Tylo. I consider the challenge more important than the update. Although i believe the update won't break the current savegame, i prefer to keep the conditions the same as before.

Yesterday, I've covered more distance than i expected. Initially, the terrain gave the impression that there would be no sharp inclination changes but during the drive i did encounter a few sharp edges. Not as bad as on Pol but nevertheless something to keep in mind while driving towards an edge. The rover doesn't fly off like on Pol or Minmus. On Tylo the rover has the flight characteristics of a large brick. It a good thing the tracks are quite sturdy. During tests on Kerbin the tracks could absorb a drop of 59 meters without much damage. For all, i must avoid making sudden changes in direction. Even though the center of mass is situated very low, the higher gravity and friction on Tylo could cause the rover to overturn. The landing feet will prevent most of the damage but the remaining generator isn't fully protected by them. It still is possible to damage it. Continuing on the RTG's is possible but then langer stops will have to be made to refill the energy. I noticed that while driving at full speed without the lights on, the RTG's and generator provide enough power to fill the batteries nonetheless.

Due to the lighting of Tylo, i'm forced to drive with the nightvisioncamera as display to the world (read: moon) outside. Constantly looking at a green monitor is somewhat stressfull to the eyes but it also has its advantages. No matter what the angle of the terrain is (front to back and lateral), it appears to the driver as if the rover is just on a flat surface. In other words, driverstress caused by driving under an angle is prevented. You do have to monitor the navball, though! The rover is only certified for angles not exceeding 45 degrees. The maximum angle i've encountered sofar was 25 degrees lateral. The rover does handle differently under an angle when compared to driving on a normal flat surface. It's much harder to keep the rover on the same course, for instance. A turn continues until it is stopped by a correction in the other direction. In a way, you can compare it with the rotation of a craft in space.

I'm going to reset the point at which the generator switches on. It's more advantageous to start the generator at 50% energy capacity than at 30%. It reduces the time needed to refill the batteries when stopped.

I've added nano gauges to the mods to better keep an eye on the energy.

Edited November 10, 2015 by TheCardinal

[SpaceplaneAddict]

You'll get well over 35 degree declines in the "badlands" of Tylo.

[TheCardinal]

O, DEAR!!! I've gotten myself in a somewhat nasty situation. If i move the rover, it 'll slide down, tumble over and explode. I did make a quicksave but unfortunately it's at this spot. It's the place a small meteor crashlanded and created a nice crater. The inclination of the walls is larger than the rover can handle (43 degrees). The torque of the engine is enough to flip the rover over.

As i see it, i have only two possible options

1) move forward and backward which will let the rover slip downwards

2) reconfigure the rocket engines (for flipping the rover back on it tracks) to get extra pressure on the tracks and move upwards while the engines fire

Option 1 has the disadvantage that i can't control the speed at which the rover slides.

Option 2 will cost a lot of fuel and oxidizer.

(The rover is the white dot in the center of the screenprint)

In the end i combined option 1 and 2. I managed to get up to the other side of the crater but the cost of 40% of the fuel/oxidizer the rover had.

Note to self: Use the thrusters only as a last resort!

Note to self: After use the thrusters rebalance fuel in tanks!

Note to others: Don't try to reach the EXACT Northpole or you'll be sorry you did.

Flag planted at 89.8961N176.8498E

According to my calculations my next stop should be 85N270E or 85N90W

Edited November 11, 2015 by TheCardinal

[TheCardinal]

82N90W

Finished for today

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Could've detoured out the side of that canyon, just sayin.