Drescapades. Ended due to major Kracken incedent.

[Jakalth]

I finally decided to take on the Dres Awareness challenge.  This is my mission to Dres.  It is going to be a multiple part mission involving 2 lite "Octopus" multi-role tugs, 3 heavy "Lamp Post" multi-role tugs, and the "Trail Breaker" extreme range surveyor probe.  The mission will be split into several stages, with a few of the stages being launched at almost the same time.  I will be installing an orbiting space station to keep watch over the mission.  A ground base will be built to perform science and explore the planet.  Many satellites will be placed into orbit to keep the planet under full surveillance.  And I will be making a few trips to the dresteroids to test their viability as low orbit refueling stations.  As a bonus, I will try to capture and land a dresteroid on the planet's surface.  Although it will more likely be a crash landing then a controlled landing.

 

Stage 1: Trail Breaker.

 

On the launch pad, the trail breaker looks fairly simple.  A nice clean looking aero shell on top of a fairly simple 2-stage rocket.  But looks can be deceiving.  Inside the aero shell rests the Trail Breaker Probe.  A quad ion propelled probe with a planetary scanner and a narrow band scanner.  The Trail Breaker has over 13,900 delta-v of fuel on board for long duration missions

Spoiler

 

The launch went smoothly and as the rocket climbed, the solid rocket boosters burned out.  After jettisoning the boosters, the rocket now resembles a V2 rocket with it's short, strait profile.

Spoiler

 

After guiding the rocket up into orbit, I jettisoned the aero shell revealing the Trail Breaker Probe housed inside.  I am rather proud of it's custom twin i-beam attachment system.  And of the ease at which the attachment system disengages from the probe.  Just a little puff of thrust and the probe is free.

Spoiler

 

And after a partial orbit of Kerbin, to get the orientation correct, it's full burn until an escape trajectory from kerbin is reached.  Love the look of the blue Ion exhaust.

Spoiler

 

Now it's a waiting game for the Trail breaker to escape kerbin before I setup a new burn to transfer the craft to Dres.  This part might take a bit.  Thank goodness for time warp.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Jakalth
Fixed the Images.

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: Octopus 1.

 

Launch of the first "Octopus" starts out with a rather bulbous, ungainly rocket, with a large aero shell on top.  The aero shell houses the Octopus inside to reduce its fairly considerable drag.  The results are not the greatest...  the Octopus is a bit wobbly inside it's aero shell and this throws off the flight of the rocket, making things more difficult then they should be.

Spoiler

 

After several attempts, and a few adjustments, I was able to get the Octopus launcher on a decent orbit trajectory.  At least the liquid booster separation went well...

Spoiler

 

The flight continued, along with the wobble, until I got the craft into orbit of kerbin.  Up here, it is time to reveal the Octopus in all it's glory.  Ok, glory isn't really the right term to use here.  It's a very utilitarian craft after all.

Spoiler

 

Now it is time to set the craft free and let it spread it's many tentacles...  And up here the craft will wait, in orbit of kerbin, for the arrival of it's cargo.  The octopus is a cargo hauler on the lighter side of things, but it can still pull more then its own weight.

Spoiler

 

Next step, bring up the cargo for the octopus to haul.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Jakalth
fixed pictures

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: Octopus 1 cargo and launch.

 

Our nest step on the journey to Dres is sending up these ugly pencil rockets containing cargo for the Octopus to haul to Dres.  First of all is a pair of solar arrays for the Dres Orbital Space station.  These two rockets ended up being a pig pain to launch to orbit.  It was difficult to lock down the solar arrays inside their aero shells so that they did not wobble.  So I had to fight this wobble all the way to orbit once again.

Spoiler

 

I kept having the rockets trying to go sideways as they gained altitude.  I ended up having to fly them on an inefficient, nearly vertical launch trajectory just to get them to space.

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Once in space, things get far easier.  I only had to jettison their aero shells and use the remaining fuel to get them close enough to the Octopus that I could use their RCS to fly them the rest of the way.

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The first one was easy to line up and dock, thankfully.  But with the second one I ended up coming in at an angle and had to play with RCS controls a bit to maneuver the array into place.  Simple enough with how light these two arrays are.

Spoiler

 

The next two cargo items were extra fuel tanks for the Octopus to use to extend it's range.  With two of these on board, it brings the octopus to over 6,200 delta-v.  This should be enough to reach Dres, if not, I can always try making a refueling run on my way there.  The fuel tank launchers did not have the same issues as the solar arrays and only suffered from much simpler aerodynamic issues.

Spoiler

 

Their flight was much simpler so there was nothing really to show for the now common launch of a long thing on top of a smaller rocket.  So to save some boredom, I'll go strait to the separation of the fuel tank before I made an encounter with the wild Octopus in it's natural element.

Spoiler

 

A bit of maneuvering with the RCS later and the fuel tank is lined up to dock with the rest of the Octopus.  But this time with the added fun of being in total darkness...

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The second fuel tank was launched and docked without any issues leaving me with the completed Octopus 1 cargo train.

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Now that the craft is ready to fly, I decided to send it on its way.  lets burn hard for Kerbin escape, shall we?

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And to make things even more interesting, I got myself a close Mun encounter on the way out of the system.  This gave me two benefits, a nice fly by, and a gravity boost that saved my 400 delta-v in fuel.  Nice!

Spoiler

 

After the little encounter with the Mun, the Octopus was actually on it's way to leaving Kerbin's influence sooner the Trail Breaker.  This would not due...  Thankfully, the Trail breaker is loaded with a LOT of extra fuel.  So after a 45 second full throttle burn from the Trail Breakers Ion engines, it was once again going to be the first craft leaving the influence of kerbin.

[DMSP]

Cool!
I hope this becomes as exciting as your Jool Mission!

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: Lamp Post 1.

 

Now it is time to get the real workhorse of the fleet into orbit to bring the bigger pieces to Dres.  It's time for the Lamp Post.  The Lamp Post launcher is barely enough to get the craft into orbit and requires burning some of the Lamp Post's fuel just to finish circularizing.  It's not a pretty launcher by any stretch of the imagination, but it does make some noise when launched.  And the whole launcher uses asparagus staging to keep all the engines lit and fully fueled.

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The launch rocket needs to fly strait up for quite a bit of it's flight due to the not so favorable aerodynamics of the Lamp Post.  And at about 2km up the drop tanks run out, time to jettison those and keep burning.

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That only raises the TWR by a few points, but that's not the real point of them.  2km in height just burning the fuel from them makes it all worth while.  The second stage goes for a lot longer then that.  Getting the craft up to 20km before beginning the gravity turn does reduce it's efficiency.  And this craft turns like a pig... :\  But needs must.  As the craft passes into orbital height of 75km, the second stage finally runs out and needs to be jettisoned as well.  This just leaves the third stage and the Lamp Post it's self to provide the final push into orbit.

Spoiler

 

The Lamp Posts engines are kicked on shortly after the second stage separation to give the added oomph needed to circularize.  Without them, the third stage alone does not have enough power to do the job, and the Lamp Post its self definitely does not have the kick to reach orbit of kerbin.  So with both sets of engines burning the orbit is circularized at an orbit of approximately 76Km x 76Km.  The last few corrective burns being done solely using the Lamp Post, after jettisoning the third and final stage of the launch vehicle.

Spoiler

 

It's good to have the Lamp Post in orbit of Kerbin again.  Now it's time to load it up with the modules it needs to build the Dres space station and deploy the satellites that will keep the planet under constant surveillance.

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: Science and habitation module and ion satellite module for Lamp Post 1

 

Well, with the Lamp Post 1 in orbit, it's time to get some cargo up there for it to haul.  Namely some more parts for the space station and the cluster of ion satellites that will be placed in Dres orbit.

The Science and Habitation module, Sci-Hab for short, is the first to go on the launch pad.  This module is simple enough that an aero shell is not really needed.  Although in hind sight, giving it a nose cone may have helped.  This rocket is fairly simple with a central upper stage and outer solid rocket boosters to get it up into orbit.  The Sci-Hab it's self currently houses 6 kerbals and has room for an additional 4 more if needed.

Spoiler

 

The launch went uneventfully with the Sci-Hab launcher burning it's way up to orbit in a fairly inefficient vertical launch.  I really need to get these rockets designed so they can handle doing a gravity turn much earlier, instead of having to go vertical until the 20Km mark...

Spoiler

 

After catching up with the Lamp Post, the module is detached from the launcher, and using RCS, makes it way to the rear docking port on the Lamp Post for it's trip to Dres.

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The ion satellite module is the next cargo piece to be sent up to the Lamp Post.  It's launcher has a nice aero shell to house the module for it's trip up into space.  this module, once again, doesn't like doing a gravity turn so it also needs an inefficient launch to reach orbit... :\  Dang I need to fix this issue in my cargo rockets...

Spoiler

 

The flight to first stage separation was smooth and the boosters separate correctly.  This gave a nice photo opportunity that I actually caught in trying to get the craft into orbit.  I've missed quite a few others in this mission series already...  Anyways, it's up to a 20km height before starting a partial gravity turn after this.

Spoiler

 

I got the craft into orbit, barely, and blew off the aero shell as well as decoupled the spent launch vehicle.  RCS can handle the rest of the rendezvous maneuvers from here.

Spoiler

 

With small puffs from the RCS ports, and several orbits of the planet later, the ion satellite module is finally docked with the Lamp Post, right behind the Sci-Hab module.  The Lamp Post is now forming a train once again, and acquiring it's horribly laggy frame rates...  But it's to be expected.

Spoiler

 

In other news, both the Trail Breaker probe, and the Octopus 1 tug have left Kerbins SOI and are on their way to make their first orbital corrections to line up for their Dres encounter.  It's still in the air as to which craft will reach Dres encounter first.  The Trail Breaker is in a cleaner orbit and has more fuel to work with, while the Octopus 1 is traveling faster, thanks to it's Mun gravity assist.  This could get interesting very quickly.  Ok, not so much interesting as complicated.  But I doubt it, both their orbits are good and have no risk of crossing each other.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Jakalth

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: Lamp Post 1 communications module, solar array boom, and fuel modules (x2).

 

With the Lamp Post still in orbit, the final bits of payload are readied to be sent up to it, starting with the Communications module.  The Launch vehicle for the comms module has a nice aero shell to reduce the drag the module would otherwise produce.  Plus it looks good.  And with the solid rocket boosters, it's able to reach orbit easily.  Although, it also suffers from the inability to make a gravity turn so a less efficient burn is needed.

Spoiler

 

The flight profile is a bit better with this module then with the last few, thankfully, and I am able to angle the launcher over a bit early enough for the gravity turn to at least do something.  The boosters separated nicely as well.

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The rest of the burn to orbit is achieved without any issues, so I'm able to circularize nicely before jettisoning the aero shell.  From here it's just a matter of catching up with the Lamp Post 1 and docking.

Spoiler

 

It's easy some might even say.  Docking.  And in this case, it sure was.  The Lamp Post wa sfacing the right way when I got close so I only needed to move in and make the connection.

Spoiler

 

With the comms module docked, I do a quick check of how much delta-V the Lamp Post 1 has and figure I'll need two fuel modules once again.  So it's time to launch those up to the craft again.  After a redesign of the fuel module launch vehicle, everything looks to be go for launch.

Spoiler

 

The Launcher is a tiny bit wobbly, but not really that bad so the launch goes well.  The 4 liquid fuel boosters are all hooked up in pairs with asparagus staging to route the fuel around the craft.  So as the first pair of boosters run dry, I jettison them and continue burning for orbit.

Spoiler

 

Dropping the first set of boosters also drops the TWR quite a bit, so the craft starts getting a little tippy for a bit meaning I've got my hands full keeping it going to right direction.  But all in all, it flies well to orbit and I snap a shot of the craft just after finishing circularizing the orbit.

Spoiler

 

Once in orbit, I drop the launcher and nose cone and Use RCS to bring the fuel module in close to the Lamp Post 1 for docking.  This is followed by the second fuel module, using the same flight profile.  But for some reason I end up comming at the Lamp Post from the wrong way.  Ah well, can't win them all.  Just have to slowly swing around and come at it from the other side.

Spoiler

 

Finally, the last module to send up to the Lamp Post 1 is the solar array boom.  This module is very light and I'm able to launch it as a single stage to orbit using just 1 engine and fuel tank.

Spoiler

 

The flight up to orbit is the easiest so far, with the launcher being able to do an actual gravity turn, meaning my circularization burn was tiny.  The flight was so simple in fact that I actually had time to get a nice snap shot of the beacon being lit on the end of the module.  No clue why it seems so bright...

Spoiler

 

Catching up to the Lamp Post 1 was easy as pie so I was able to get quite close before separating from the launch vehicle.  The module is so light, the RCS accelerates it nearly as quickly as some of the other modules lifted off the ground...

Spoiler

 

Docking went fine and the Lamp Post 1 is now ready for its burn out of Kerbin SOI.  So until next time I leave you with this picture of the monster I have made.

Spoiler

 

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: lamp Post 1 on its way.

 

With the Lamp Post 1 fully loaded there is nothing left to do but launch this puppy!  So I plotted a coarse to try and get a Mun gravity assist once again.  And what do you know, I can.  It's not as nice as the one the Octopus 1 got to use, but beggars can't be choosers. It took a full 7 minutes just to get the Lamp Post 1 turned in the correct direction to start the burn.

Spoiler

 

And here we go.  Full burn for kerbin escape!  It's not the longest burn I've done before, but with the lamp Post train at 6 modules, the whole thing is as wobbly as a wet spaghetti noodle.  So the craft had a hard time holding a strait burn. 

Spoiler

 

But the minor deviations off the intended burn direction were not enough to throw it off by to much.  So after the full 6min 3sec burn, the final flight path looked as follows.

Spoiler

 

Nothing to do now, but head for the Mun encounter.  Along the way, I transferred all the fuel and mono propellant I could out of the read tank, leaving it nearly empty.  This way I could undock the solar boom and the rear tank modules and reconfigure the lamp Post 1 to have one less module in it's train.  As for the dropped fuel module, I adjusted it's orbit using some of the remaining mono propellant in its tanks and left it in a high parking orbit.

Spoiler

 

Now that the second fuel module is off the train, the Lamp Post is a bit more responsive and a bit less spaghetti like.  So I can warp to the Mun encounter and do the fly by that saved me around 400 delta-V in fuel.  It's well worth it for that savings in fuel.  Not to mention the savings in time.  Doing burns with the Lamp Post are a slow process.  Hello Mun, thanks for the assist.

Spoiler

 

Now that the encounter is over, the Lamp Post can head out of the system and join the other two craft on their way to their orbital Plain adjustments.  It also looks like the Lamp Post 1 is going to beat the Trail Breaker to it's orbital correction by 4 days.  Meaning the Octopus 1 is going to be the last to reach this point by 12 days.  So, next task is to get the craft to their orbital corrections and then find an encounter with Dres.  Stage 3 will begin once all craft are in high orbit of Dres.

Edited January 2, 2016 by Jakalth

[Jakalth]

Stage 2: All the pieces come together.

 

With every ship on their way to their orbital corrections, I can combine this into one go.  Starting with the Lamp Post, who somehow got the quickest orbit, I'll be adjust each crafts orbits to match that of Dres and bring them into orbit.  The orbital maneuvers are a bit tangled up here so it's hard to see which craft is going where.  Ah well, makes it more fun that way.   But the first to change orbit is of coarse, the Lamp Post 1.

Spoiler

 

It's full burn for the Lamp Post 1, followed by the Trail Breaker and Octopus 1, as they get lined up to make the final burn to Dres.

Spoiler

 

The changes to how the radiators work really does help a LOT.  The engines and radiator still get dangerously hot after a long burn, but now the rest of the craft stays nice and cool.  Thanks for those changes Squad, they work great!

Spoiler

 

With the orbital corrections made, the burn to Dres can be plotted.  It's going to be the biggest burn to date for this mission.  a full 12 minutes.  This will be pushing the radiators to their absolute limits.  Good thing they work so much better now.

Spoiler

 

The burn goes well and brings the Lamp Post 1 into a close encounter of the Dres kind.  The Lamp Post 1, as well as the other two craft, are traveling fast, so this will be a long burn as well.  Dropping nearly 1,800 delta-V to bring them into orbit takes some finesse, and a lot of thrust.  I performed half the burn right after reaching Dres encounter, this way it was easier to setup and perform the burn needed to circularize.  Dropping the delta-V from 1800 down to only 900.  So burning for gold, I bring the ship in.  Dres, we have arrived!

Spoiler

 

 

The Octopus 1 will have the same entry profile as the Lamp Post 1.  But the Trail Breaker will be coming in over the Poles instead.  Both encounters go the same as the Lamp Post 1 so there isn't much point in posting the same thing again.  But once these three craft are orbiting Dres, then the fun will begin.  For it will be time to assemble the Dres Space Station and setup the satellite orbits for all 8 satellites.  So until then.  May the Dres be with you.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Jakalth
Fixing the image links. they keep breaking

[Jakalth]

Stage 3: Drescapade Station.

 

Now that everything we need is in orbit of Dres, I can finally put them together to make the Drescapade Station.  But first, lets get the Dres Survey under way.  To that end, we get the Trail Breaker into a clean polar orbit and activate its scanners.  From here we can pinpoint the best landing sites for our refueling craft.  So, lets find those Ore deposits.

Spoiler

 

With that out of the way, I separate the modules from the Lamp Post 1 and prepare them for their scheduled missions.  This includes preparing the core for the Drescapade Station.

Spoiler

 

After altering it's orbit a bit, the Core is once again reconfigured into it's final form.  Some of the parts used for transporting it are jettisoned and the communications array is deployed.

Spoiler

 

Switching to the Octopus 1, I disconnect all but one of the fuel tanks from it and leave it in a parking orbit.  The two solar arrays and the other fuel tank are sent of to where the core of the station can catch up with them.

Spoiler

 

The core of the station is able to fairly quickly catch up with the arrays and spare tank allowing me to get them close and dock the parts onto where they are going to be.  The Drescapade Station is complete, for now.

Spoiler

 

Switching back to the Octopus 1, I prepare it for its refueling mission, only to find out this craft is stranded.  The Octopus 1 only has 190 delta-V remaining.  Not enough to go anywhere except for the station.  But seeing as there is no fuel at the station there is no real point to do it right now.  So for now it waits, restlessly stretching and retracting it's many tentacles in anticipation of being mobile again.

Spoiler

 

Other then that, the satellites still await deployment and the Lamp Post 1 is still in a holding pattern.  I'll be sending the Lamp Post 1 down to the surface of Dres on a refueling run, bringing back as much as it can to refuel the stricken Octopus 1.  Although I'm not sure how I'm going to perform the refueling due to the lack of MK1 docking ports on the Lamp Post, and the fact that the Octopus does not have a docking port sr.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Jakalth

[Jakalth]

Well, a bit of updates...

 

The Octopus 1 looked to lonely out there on it's own, so for now, I moved it to and docked it with the Drescapade Station.  Something it was designed to do from the beginning.  It looks a lot happier waiting there with its friend.

Spoiler

 

As for the satellites, I undocked them all to place them in their designated orbit, only to find that they had no SAS...  I had built them based on a design where the probe core had built in sas, forgetting that the core no longer has any reaction wheels...  So they are a complete bust, until I can send the fixed version of the satellites out to Dres behind Lamp Post 2.

 

Lamp Post 1 will still be landing on Dres.  It has plenty of fuel left to land and start refueling.  But I also noticed a flaw in it's design as well...  I forgot to add radiators for the IRSU.  With 1.0.5, they can over heat and loose efficiency and/or shut down entirely, if no cooling is used on them.  But with the way I operate it, 1 drill supplying the IRSU, it will not over heat easily, even running non-stop.  So I can still run Lamp Post 1 as is.  But Lamp Post 2 and 3 will have a radiator array added.

 

I'll be sending the habitat section, some mini tugs, the fixed satellites, and a science rover to Dres when I bring over Lamp Post 2.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Jakalth

[Jakalth]

Stage 3: Lamp Post 1 refueling.

 

It is time to send the Lamp Post 1 on its refueling run.  First step is to simply lower the Lamp Post 1 into a close orbit and look for a promising site.  There are a few spots on Dres with good ore concentrations so I looked for one in a nice spot that's directly under the Lamp Post's orbit.

Spoiler

 

Having found a likely spot, I burn the Lamp Post 1 until it is nearly at 0m/s and begin the slow plunge down to the surface of Dres.  We'll be descending into the darkness so the pictures may not be the best here.

Spoiler

 

On the way down, I turn on the Lamp Post's landing lights.  This is something I did not have for the Jool mission.  This makes dark side landings so much easier.  And... touchdown!  Just like during my Jool mission, the Lamp Post 1 is an easy to land craft that can handle some odd angle landings thanks to it's wide landing stance.  This landing was quite flat though.  Thank you Dres for having such welcoming terrain.

Spoiler

 

With the sun coming up, and the mining operations under way, I send out Lagertina Kermen, the scientist and Ale aficionado.  She surveys the surrounding land, takes some readings from the Lamp Post's science equipment, and checks the mineral content of the ore being mined up before planting a flag for a photo shot.

Spoiler

 

Mining operations will take quite a while to complete due to the voluminous fuel tanks on the Lamp Post 1.  So far, the crew has dug up and processed enough fuel to launch a probe to the Mun from Kerbal.  But this is merely a drop in the tanks.  We've got a lot of mining to do.  And while that is going on, I'll be prepping the modules for the Dres surface base and launching Lamp Post 2 with the replacements satellites, a set of mini tugs to fiddle around with parts in orbit, and the two parts of the surface base I have ready to fly.

[Jakalth]

Been a few days hasn't it?  Well, got some work done on the mission and have a bit to upload.

 

Stage 4: Lamp Post 2.

 

The Lamp Post 2 is ready for launch, it has the modifications I missed on Lamp Post 1, which is basically just added radiators for the IRSU.  This should at least improve it's mining efficiency when processing ores under a high load.  Here we can see it on the launch pad ready to lift off.

Spoiler

 

The burn to orbit went about the same as for Lamp Post 1, only difference being I've gotten a little better at launching wobbly rockets.  So it didn't take very long to get it up into space, where I could burn for orbit with everything it has.

Spoiler

 

I did end up having to burn some of the Lamp Post 2s fuel to finish circularizing.  In fact it was a bit more then I had to burn for Lamp Post 1.  So i prepped and launched a quick little refueling craft to top off the Lamp Post 2s tanks.

Spoiler

 

There was not a whole lot to the refueler, just a couple tanks with just liquid fuel in them, some mono propellant and rcs blocks, and a drone core.  So the flight to the lamp Post 2 was pretty mundane.  Any ways, I snapped a shot of the refueler undocking before I sent the craft into an atmospheric plunge to clean up the orbit space.

Spoiler

 

After refueling, the first craft I sent up was the large science rover I designed for exploring on Dres.  This is a pretty big vehicle but doesn't weight very much.  The part I ma most proud of through, is the fact that the rover is balanced both left to right, and through it's central axis.  This means the rover can be moved in a strait line even while being pulled/pushed vertically.  The launch vehicle for the rover has a nice Aero shell to house the rover inside until it reaches orbit.

Spoiler

 

The launcher is an interesting craft using 7 vector engines hooked up to an asparagus staging setup.  The vectors all have their gimboling turned down a bit so the rocket doesn't swing around too badly during flight.  But ignoring the science behind it, it does give off a nice blue glow when launched.

Spoiler

 

The launch for this vehicle was pretty uneventful.  Staging went smoothly, got in a bit of a gravity turn and circularized the orbit of the craft with the central stage.

Spoiler

 

Now that the science rover was in orbit, time to throw around some confetti...I mean jettison the aero shell.  It sure makes a mess doing this...

Spoiler

 

I used what fuel was left in the central stage to bring the rover close to the Lamp Post 2.  From here I undocked from the launch rocket and used the extra RCS on the science rover to make the rendezvous.  Having forgotten to add an RCS block to the back of the science rover was a bit of a pain, but it's sas was enough to hold its direction while maneuvering.  And finally, docked with the Lamp Post 2.

Spoiler

 

[Jakalth]

Stage 4: Lamp Post 2, more modules.

 

The next module to be sent up to the Lamp Post 2 is the Habitat module for the Dres surface Base.  This module was simple enough to launch without needing an aero shell to smooth it out.  The Habitat module will be the start of the Dres surface base.  It contains the minimum requirements for Kerbals to live on the surface of Dres, but it will be followed by other parts to make the base more homely.

Spoiler

 

It was a pretty strait forward launch with the module cooperating enough to get into a circular orbit.  Once it had caught up with the Lamp Post 2, I jettisoned the launch rocket so I can use the RCS to fly it to the Lamp Post 2 and dock it up.

Spoiler

 

Next is the modified and fixed satellite module.  This time with working sas for each satellite.  Still can't believe I goof this one up...  Here on the launch pad, the launcher looks quite simple with its aero shell closed up over the satellites.

Spoiler

 

Staging of the satellite launcher goes smoothly as the boosters are shrugged off.  It's a simple thing but still quite satisfying.

Spoiler

 

Once in orbit, the module was circularized and brought in fairly close to the Lamp Post 2 before I jettisoned the launcher and flew it in the rest of the way using only RCS.

Spoiler

 

The forth launch is to bring up the minitugs I will be playing around with in Dres orbit.  These little guys can shrug around a bit of weight, but mostly will be there in case things go wrong, like the Octopus running out of fuel.  They have both standard and sr docking ports so I can use them as an adapter to go between the Octopus 1 and Lamp Post 1, when they do their refueling rendezvous.

Spoiler

 

The minitugs have a bit of authority when it comes to pitch/roll/yaw so the flight of this launcher was a bit more of a hands full then some.  It was a little too easy to over steer...  But at least staging went well.

Spoiler

 

Once again, once I got this module into orbit and close enough to the Lamp Post 2, I jettisoned the launch vehicle and flew her in using RCS only.  But with how much RCS the minitugs have, it flew like I had a lifting rocket pushing it around.  A bit harder to control and not very good at subtle maneuvering...

Spoiler

 

I did finally get it docked with the Lamp Post 2.  But I must say... LAGGY!!  So Much lag...  With the satellite module and the science vehicle, that is a lot more parts then the last alucnh, and my computer can certainly feel it...

Spoiler

 

After checking on the delta-V numbers, and finding that the alpha version of Kerbal Engineer Redux was having a hard time calculating what was going on with the Lamp Post 2, I kind of guessed.  When the Lamp Post 1 reached Dres, it had around 2K delta-V left.  I plan on having only a handful of delta-V left when the Lamp Post 2 reaches Dres.  So I'm only adding a single fuel tank to the Lamp Post 2 train.

Spoiler

 

I do really like the way the asparagus staging works on the fuel tank launcher.  It has 3 stages instead of 2 like my other modules, and they go off in pairs instead of all at once.  Stage 1 away...

Spoiler

 

And goodbye stage 2...

Spoiler

 

With stage 3 being all that's left burning, I can circularize the orbit and bring the fuel tank in close for docking.

Spoiler

 

Once the fuel module is close enough, I jettison it's launcher and fly it in under RCS power.  Once this is docked, all that is left is to plot the Kerbin exit burn and head for Dres.

 

Lamp Post 2 will be making it's trip to Dres on its own.  Lamp Post 3 and Octopus 2 will be flying later, once the last few pieces of this puzzle are pulled together.  This includes several more parts for the Dres surface base and some more small rovers.  Only other things that will be needed are an asteroid tug and possibly an asteroid lander to try landing an asteroid on Dres.  The asteroid won't be going anywhere once landed, if I even attempt this.  I don't have any designs in mind for driving one around, let alone even a design to try land the asteroid...

[Jakalth]

you know your craft has low frame rates when:

 

you start making a turn to do an orbit correction, and you have enough time to check the forums, read a few threads, and post something like this all before the craft has finished turning...

 

I don't know if I should laugh, or cry...

[Jakalth]

Stage 4: Lamp Post 2 on its way.

 

Now that the Lamp Post 2 is fully loaded, nothing left to do but burn for Dres.  First thing I did was plot an escape trajectory, once again looking for a Mun gravity assist to save fuel.  This time out, the burn node was a bit to close to the Lamp Post 2, so I had to do a stepped launch, a short burn to bring out the orbit, then a second burn to get the Mun encounter.

Spoiler

 

Once I got the burn finished for the Mun encounter, and had finished the gravity assist, I plotted a small burn to turn the arced orbit into a full kerbin escape.

Spoiler

 

After this burn I had an escape trajectory out of Kerbins SOI.

Spoiler

 

Once out of Kerbins SOI I could plot an orbital correction to line the ship up with the orbital plain of Dres.

Spoiler

 

Next step, plot a burn to get an encounter with Dres.

Spoiler

 

On the way to the encounter, I made a few small correction burns to bring the encounter in close enough so I can turn it into a good orbit.  It was at this point that I found out my calculations for fuel were wrong.  I had been getting some strange readings from Kerbal Engineer Redux.  I am currently using an unreleased alpha so that may be part of the reason...  Anyways, I had to steal all the fuel from my cargo just to have enough to make the orbital insertion burn.

Spoiler

 

Once I had the orbital insertion burn plotted, I time warped in close to the burn and started bringing the Lap Post 2 into orbit of Dres.

Spoiler

 

The orbit was completed, but with only a handful of fuel remaining...  I ended up having to burn nearly a third of the mono-propelant on the whole craft to help bring it into orbit.  If I had not done so, I probably would not have achieved orbit...  But anyways, orbit achieved, even if it is not a very good one.

Spoiler

 

Once the orbit is stabilized, I separate the different modules and start moving them where they need to go.

Spoiler

 

The first module I move is the minitug module.  For this module, I plot an intercept course with the Drescapade station.  After getting it close, I split one of the tugs free from the module and dock that with the Octopus 1 so I can refuel it easier.  The other half of the module I dock to the other side of the Drescapade station for storage.

Spoiler

 

The rest of the module parts I have linked in pairs.  The science rover and habitat module are linked together.  These two I bring down to a lower orbit and alter their orbital plain so it matches that of the Drescapade station.  The fuel tank and satellite module are also paired.  These two I alter their orbit so that they will be able to link up with the fuel module that is already in orbit.  I do this mostly to keep the orbits clean around Dres.  This will especially be important once I have all 8 satellites released.

Spoiler

 

Next task will be to place all the satellites into orbit and bring up the Lamp Post 1 from it's refueling rest on Dres to refuel the Octopus 1, the science rover, and the habitat module.  Once that is done, It's back to the labs to design the rest of the Dres surface base.

[Jakalth]

Stage 3 Late: Satellite deployment.

 

It is time to deploy the network of satellites around Dres.  The satellite module houses 8 small ion powered satellites that I'm going to disperse in such a way as to cover as much of Dres and its surroundings as possible.  Each satellite consists of 2 zenon tanks, a pair of large solar arrays, 2 RTGs, a small sas module, an Ion engine, an OKTO2 probe core and an antenna.  They each have pretty good TWR and close to 4500m/s Delta-V.  A bit much for Dres, but considering they were designed to be dispersed from a single place in the Jool system, not bad.

Spoiler

 

The first satellite I placed was the toughest burn.  This one I placed into a polar orbit that is shifted up 90deg off from its original orbit.

Spoiler

 

The second one I stretched its orbit out into a 150km x 150km orbit to slow down its movement relative to Dres.

Spoiler

 

The third satellite had its orbit shifted up 60deg and into a 91 x 91 km orbit.  This was the start of the sensor cage that will surround Dres so that nothing will go unseen.

Spoiler

 

The forth one had its orbit tilted down by 60 deg into a 92 x 92 km orbit.

Spoiler

 

The fifth one was moved into a low orbit of only 50km x 50km.  This way it can scoot around the planet quickly.

Spoiler

 

Satellite number 6 had its orbit tilted up 30 deg and into a 93 x 93 km orbit.  This nearly finished the sensor cage.

Spoiler

 

And satellite number 7 had it's orbit tilted down by 30 deg to finish off the full coverage of the sensor cage.

Spoiler

 

The last satellite, number 8, I sent out far from Dres.  This satellite is out far enough to tease the orbiting asteroids around Dres.  With an oblique orbit of 985km x 14,300km.  This last satellite completes the coverage of Dres and its surroundings.

Spoiler

 

Now that everything around Dres can be monitored, I can start exploring further using the Octopus 1.  That is once I finally get it refueled.  The remaining cargo for the Lamp Post 3 and Octopus 2 are still in developement.  But once those are ready, I can bring them into orbit as well and I'll have all the pieces for the exploration of the surface of Dres.  I will also be sending an asteroid tug to drag one of the Dresteroids down into lower orbit where I can use it for cheaper refueling and possibly other uses as well.  Who knows, I might not stop at just 1 Dresteroid.

[Jakalth]

Why does this game hate me so much?  Everything...  All the work...  Gone...  Just like that.  I had a small incident when undocking two of my craft where the kracken caused one of them to explode which chain reaction-ed into the other craft.  When I tried to salvage it, I found that all the major craft around Dres had been effected.  The Drescapade station was in pieces.  Lamp Post 2, which I had fueled up enough to make a Dres landing, was destroyed.  And Both Lamp Post 1 and Octopus 1 were gone.  I tried to do a revert to my last quick save but it reverted way back to my first craft reaching Dres.  And the persistant file got over written before I could try going back to that one.  So it's over...  I don't even feel like trying to redo the mission at this point anymore...  So much work gone.

 

I had just brought up the Lamp Post 1 from the surface of Dres.  I had successfully docked with and partially refueled Lamp Post 2, and was in the process of refueling Octopus 1 when the Kracken attacked...  I was undocking Octopus 1 to see if it had enough fuel to land and finish refueling its self when it exploded.  I've only got 2 pictures to show before the end arrived...

 

The two Lamp Posts docked.  Looks interesting...

Spoiler

 

The Lamp Post 1 docked with the Octopus 1.  Used one of the minitugs on the top of the Octopus 1 to act as an adaptor so it can attach to the Lamp Post 1.

Spoiler

 

But that's it for this...  I might revisit this again at a later date, but it won't be for the contest...  As for now I'm just to frustrated to even want to play KSP.

[astrokerb]

15 minutes ago, Jakalth said:

Why does this game hate me so much?  Everything...  All the work...  Gone...  Just like that.  I had a small incident when undocking two of my craft where the kracken caused one of them to explode which chain reaction-ed into the other craft.  When I tried to salvage it, I found that all the major craft around Dres had been effected.  The Drescapade station was in pieces.  Lamp Post 2, which I had fueled up enough to make a Dres landing, was destroyed.  And Both Lamp Post 1 and Octopus 1 were gone.  I tried to do a revert to my last quick save but it reverted way back to my first craft reaching Dres.  And the persistant file got over written before I could try going back to that one.  So it's over...  I don't even feel like trying to redo the mission at this point anymore...  So much work gone.

 

I had just brought up the Lamp Post 1 from the surface of Dres.  I had successfully docked with and partially refueled Lamp Post 2, and was in the process of refueling Octopus 1 when the Kracken attacked...  I was undocking Octopus 1 to see if it had enough fuel to land and finish refueling its self when it exploded.  I've only got 2 pictures to show before the end arrived...

 

The two Lamp Posts docked.  Looks interesting...

  Hide contents

 

The Lamp Post 1 docked with the Octopus 1.  Used one of the minitugs on the top of the Octopus 1 to act as an adaptor so it can attach to the Lamp Post 1.

  Hide contents

 

But that's it for this...  I might revisit this again at a later date, but it won't be for the contest...  As for now I'm just to frustrated to even want to play KSP.

Too bad. This was a really good series.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

@Jakalth, I think I speak for I, Sanic, Dres, and everyone who has completed the Dres Awareness challenge, when I say, damn valiant effort. That, was probably one of the saddest ends to a mission ever. It was beautiful, know that the work you DID do, was awesome, and that appearently the Kraken hates Dres. You fought the Kraken, amazing effort.

[Sanic]

@SpaceplaneAddict *salutes*

[Jakalth]

Can't say the Kracken hates Dres.  Think it was more that the Kracken hated the Octopus.  And it tried to erase the evidence that is was ever there.  Every craft that ever contacted the Octopus was effected.  But the trail breaker probe and the satellites were unscathed, until I lost the progress...  They never had any contact with the Octopus.  Could be that naming it that was a bad idea.

 

I will go back to Dres again some day.  It's to nice of a world to not revisit again.  Such welcoming, flat terrain, and nicely placed ore deposits.  Just have to love the big potatoe.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Jakalth

[DMSP]

On 1/12/2016 at 4:26 AM, Jakalth said:

Why does this game hate me so much?  Everything...  All the work...  Gone...  Just like that.  I had a small incident when undocking two of my craft where the kracken caused one of them to explode which chain reaction-ed into the other craft.  When I tried to salvage it, I found that all the major craft around Dres had been effected.  The Drescapade station was in pieces.  Lamp Post 2, which I had fueled up enough to make a Dres landing, was destroyed.  And Both Lamp Post 1 and Octopus 1 were gone.  I tried to do a revert to my last quick save but it reverted way back to my first craft reaching Dres.  And the persistant file got over written before I could try going back to that one.  So it's over...  I don't even feel like trying to redo the mission at this point anymore...  So much work gone.

 

I had just brought up the Lamp Post 1 from the surface of Dres.  I had successfully docked with and partially refueled Lamp Post 2, and was in the process of refueling Octopus 1 when the Kracken attacked...  I was undocking Octopus 1 to see if it had enough fuel to land and finish refueling its self when it exploded.  I've only got 2 pictures to show before the end arrived...

 

The two Lamp Posts docked.  Looks interesting...

  Hide contents

 

The Lamp Post 1 docked with the Octopus 1.  Used one of the minitugs on the top of the Octopus 1 to act as an adaptor so it can attach to the Lamp Post 1.

  Hide contents

 

But that's it for this...  I might revisit this again at a later date, but it won't be for the contest...  As for now I'm just to frustrated to even want to play KSP.

I'm so sorry.

I once got krakened in the middle of my second Duna mission, I lost all of it.

[Jakalth]

Yeah, it does happen.  There are still a few Krakens in the game that you sometimes can't avoid.  Not much you can do about them but step back, take a deep breath, and either keep going or do something new.

 

I know for a fact that I am not the only one to have a mission ending Kraken attack.  Ah well.  Life happens.  I can say for a fact now that I will be recovering what I can and continuing from there.  I'll probably be making liberal use of the F12 commands to get back to roughly where I was, but will be doing it a bit differently.  Got something new in the works for sending supplies.  It will use less craft to do the job by being able to send pretty much everything else in one go.  I'm talking big, Really Big.  But using the F12 commands will disqualify it from the contest so I'll be redoing this just for myself, and posting the log in a new thread.  Drescapades Resurrection.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

4 hours ago, Jakalth said:

Yeah, it does happen.  There are still a few Krakens in the game that you sometimes can't avoid.  Not much you can do about them but step back, take a deep breath, and either keep going or do something new.

 

I know for a fact that I am not the only one to have a mission ending Kraken attack.  Ah well.  Life happens.  I can say for a fact now that I will be recovering what I can and continuing from there.  I'll probably be making liberal use of the F12 commands to get back to roughly where I was, but will be doing it a bit differently.  Got something new in the works for sending supplies.  It will use less craft to do the job by being able to send pretty much everything else in one go.  I'm talking big, Really Big.  But using the F12 commands will disqualify it from the contest so I'll be redoing this just for myself, and posting the log in a new thread.  Drescapades Resurrection.

I can make an accretion and let you use Hyperedit if you still want to expand in the name of Dres Awareness...