How to land a Giant rover/mobile base on Mun?

[Jestersage]

While I had already landed a simple Mun Base (tower), for the next contract that requires landing a base, I am thinking of landing a mobile base on it instead.

Issue is that I prefer to launch using VAB and rockets. And to do so I need to wrap it up using a fairing. However, the mobile base is basically perpendicular to the direction of a Vertical landing.

Shall I either make it so that it fits inside a Mk3 cargo bay and have it roll out of the cargobay, or shall i do my best to put thrusters/RCS on the base? Also, once it completed the vertical landing, how do I control the thrusters so I can place the wheels on Mun's ground? Or do I really have no choice but to figure out how to use a Spaceplane to fly it?

Edited July 11, 2016 by Jestersage

[dire]

It sounds like your best bet might be to land the base in stackable sections at whatever tonnage you're comfortable lifting. For example, first drop a set of 2-4 rover bottoms, then drop the bits that go on top, and finally hook them all together. I like using claws rather than docking ports simply because it simplifies the connection a lot, and it also seems to be a lot less laggy. The contract probably specifies one docking port, but you don't have to use it for anything.

[bewing]

If you move the thing into the VAB, and click on it, and hit any of the ASDW keys, it will rotate. Then you can fit it nicely in a fairing if you like. I think fairings are silly, but whatever.

[dangerhamster]

I use the Mk3 as the basis of the Deliverance system, along with Buffalo rover parts to move the modules and KAS/KIS to plumb them in. Landing is simply a case of coming in vertical and then falling over. Provided you engage the RCS and basic SAS to help steady the flop it works fine (not broken anything yet, may have just jinxed myself). Note that the end of the bay is left open by staging the transfer stage. This one had an endplate for atmo entry which was ditched before landing.

As long as the Buffalo wheels are set to narrow track (you can reset them after exit and used with the chassis parts it fits the bay perfectly.

All this lot was landed this way driven into position and connected up meaning when you get the inevitable contract to expand the base adding stuff is a breeze. Although that Deliverance on the left cut it a bit fine with its landing (still less far to drive hey ho).

The redundant chassis parts are removed once the legs are fitted and used as additional batteries or for building rovers.

The nice thing about using KAS/KIS is not having to fiddle with the height of docking ports, useful on the Mun with it's excess of lumps.

As a numpty who's piloting skills peak at "see planet hit planet slow enough not to break" this is much easier than mucking about with skycranes and landing on top of stuff.

The only limit to the initial base is fitting it into the cargo bay which can present problems if the contract wants you to fit 12 Kerbals into it and you want it mobile. This science rover only holds 4 (plus 2 in the miner being towed)

[Reactordrone]

For landing, place a docking port on the top of the rover/lander and click control from here. That will re orient your navball for the landing. The other option is landing on your tail and tilting forwards, with thrusters to slow you just before you hit.

[kiwi1960]

What I did was land vertical and then using AVC (its a mod by Allista) ... tip it over... the mod balanced the thrust needed... but that was in version .90

The latest mod allows you to do so much more and I'm still getting to grips with it. It will do the job you require... no muss, no fuss!

[juanml82]

Prior to 1.1, my rovers doubled as landers, so my advice would be to design your base as symmetrically as possible, put radial engines (thuds, or if you want efficiency, attach fuel tanks radially and place engines at the bottom of them) and a probe core facing up right at the center of the base to control it in flight (a downwards looking BZ adapter and a 1.25 probe core attached to it should do it, make sure the probe core is pointing upwards). Also, add plenty of reaction wheels, vernors and/or rcs. That thing isn't likely to be perfectly symmetrical and will try to tilt to one side.

 

There are several problems now. First, I'm not sure how many wheels you'll need to support such a structure now. Second, Mechjeb had a differential throttle option which helped if the base tilted. But with the latest updates, that option is no longer working. I don't know if there is a mod that provides differential throttle. Otherwise, you'll have to be very careful when building the base, you should use TAC-fuel balancer to balance the tanks and you should still have plenty of control authority.

The other problem is lifting off: bases and rovers are supposed to be short and wide, which is the opposite of a good aerodynamic shape. I'd just pack thrust to force my way through the atmosphere despite the drag. Another option, at least for parts like solar panels and drills, is to use Infernal Robotics (if it's working with 1.1.3, I haven't tried yet): put the panels and drills on long girders and use the Infernal Robotics hinges to "store" them vertically during flight. Once you land, rotate the hinge so the girder becomes horizontal and parallel to the ground: the drills will be able to get to the ground below and the panels will not block each other.

[Jestersage]

Actually before all these... I need to figure out how to launch it.  Currently my Rover/Mobile Base is too heavy and off axis. (I blame myself for that -- used a design form Kerbal)

The thing is i really want to make a single body design. Maybe I should just go with my own design.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Jestersage

[juanml82]

57 minutes ago, Jestersage said:

Actually before all these... I need to figure out how to launch it.  Currently my Rover/Mobile Base is too heavy and off axis. (I blame myself for that -- used a design form Kerbal)

The thing is i really want to make a single body design. Maybe I should just go with my own design.

Off axis is a problem. You can launch it, inefficiently, by sticking enough vectors and fuel tanks. But then you also need to deliver it to it's destination.

Another way to deliver them is to attach a pair of mobile bases to the sides of a long rocket. That way, the asymmetry is canceled out - at least until you try to land them

[Squidiness]

I've been thinking of doing something like this, only problem though is that it's CoM is shifted (what do you expect from a rover?), so I can't get it to launch without it tipping over 10 seconds in