Satellite Launcher and Lander

[Brovine]

I've been attempting to build a satellite launch system, and I've succeeded. I was also trying to make as much of the launcher recoverable as possible - and everything except the main engines will survive landing.

Satellite is suspended underneath the command pod. The four boosters are the launch stage, and then safely parachute back to ground. The shrouds at the bottom protect the main engines when the boosters are jettisoned - I did have intermittent problems with one engine falling off...

The main stage fires a pair of radial boosters to clear the shrouds, then two Medium Berthas propel the ship up to about 25km. Then the main stage is jettisoned (with another pair of boosters), and the orbit and landing stage takes over to manoeuvre into orbit. The main stage parachutes are not strong enough to land the assembly safely, so far.

Once in a stable orbit, I can decouple the satellite and ease the orbit stage clear. I maintained an entire orbit watching the satellite drift further away, then prepared to return to the planet.

Here we are passing the dark side of the planet.

You'll notice that the entire orbit stage is also the lander - whilst trying to protect the orbit stage, I discovered that it was descending slower than the command pod most of the time. Three MK16-3 chutes are enough to land the whole assembly safely now I have the lander legs - and if I have fuel left, I can even re-launch and move around the surface.

The radial chutes are a bit overkill, but I've left them on for now...

The design is attached. It requires Wobbly Rockets, SIDR&SD pack, the tuned SAS pack, the MK16-3 and the radial parachutes, the lander legs, the radial booster pack, and the Stellar comms satellite. And version 0.9 for the struts. I think that's all...

[Ferrit]

Simply beautiful - I applaud you :thumbup:

[Bobsama]

Why don't you use escape towers too? Give some finesse, you'd be able to land with the engines in tact.

[Brovine]

The entire orbit stage is fine for landing. It's the main engines below that which aren't surviving right now.

[Brovine]

Here is the very silly quad satellite launcher I am working on now...

Satellites are inside the nose cowls of the inner four 2m engine stacks.

[Frostiken]

Here is the very silly quad satellite launcher I am working on now...

Satellites are inside the nose cowls of the inner four 2m engine stacks.

Looks more like a prototype MIRV ICBM