Unmanned Europa Lander in RSS/RO/RP-0

[MaxL_1023]

Hello,

I am trying to put a lander on Europa in a RP-0 install. The contract came up after I sent a probe to the Jovian system - I entered an eccentric Jupiter orbit and got some nice flybys of all 4 satellites. However, I got to this orbit by doing a capture burn at 2000km PE and closing an AP at 2,500,000 km, outside of Callisto's orbit. An orbit close to Europa seems very expensive fuel-wise, - I would need to capture at Europa's PE and keep an AP somewhere inside Ganymede to prevent moon encounters from messing up my intercept orbit. Right now, I can see 3 options:

1. Capture at 2000km from Jupiter, just close an orbit, raise PE at AP to Europa's orbit, try to get a PE encounter.

2. Capture at Europa's PE, close an orbit to a PE inside of Ganymede, encounter at PE.

3. Encounter Europa directly, ideally when it is moving in the same direction as my Jupiter encounter. Not sure how to plan this besides trial an error on approach.

I have build a rocket with 35k delta-v on the pad, but I am not sure if KSP can handle that kind of launch. Any ideas to cut down what I need to land? Can I do it for less than 25k delta-V?

 

Thanks,

 

Max

[MoonMan22]

Max,

Have you considered doing a low orbital assembly of the rocket needed? In other words you could launch it in sections and assemble in space like the space station, this would cut down the size of the launch vehicles needed.

Just a thought.

Goodluck.