[stock 0.15.2][Mun rover] Arch Rover 1

[olex]

So I took a look at the stock repository, and only found one Munar rover in there. That\'s not in order. So this here is the rocket and rover I created to explore the first Munar arch I found. It turned out to be an OK design, I think.

Rover in KSC ground test:

Rocket on pad:

In Munar orbit:

After touchdown:

Rover separated and ready to go:

Checking out another lander nearby:

Scenic shot with a Mun arch:

The first stage is sort of overpowered, but I like to have some safety - better to have more fuel than you need than not enough. Feel free to remove the boosters, they are really only there to save some time on ascent.

Prior to launch, hit G to hide the lander wheels and extend the landing feet. For some reason extended wheels make it extremely unstable on the pad (like, constant 8-9g standing still unstable).

Staging should be self-explanatory: boosters ignite together with first stage, get into orbit with first stage or into high orbit with the second, second stage for the transmunar burn, orbital injection and corrections around the Mun, third stage for the deorbit burn and most of the descent, and the little engine for the actual landing.

No RCS is really needed until you are on the Munar surface, however you might want to use it for maneuvering with the second and third stages still on, because the craft is kind of heavy.

After landing, shut off the engine and turn off the SAS. Stage, separating the rover from the lander. Extend the rover wheels and enable RCS. Use some forward translation to just separate the rover from the lander, and tilt it wheels down. Let the rover fall to the surface - it should hold up, the lander isn\'t very high. Congratulations, you have a rover on the Mun.

To drive, use RCS forward/backward translation. Turn it with yaw controls, attention - it\'s reversed for some reason. Pay attention to where you\'re going, the rover tends to pull to the left rather a lot. It will also roll in tight turns - use roll control to counter, and to recover if you actually roll the thing over. The highest speed at which I felt comfortable going in a straight line was about 10 m/s. If you use the wheel brakes, be very careful - it\'ll tip over and self-destruct very easily; retroburning with RCS is much safer. The three RCS tanks should be good for about 2-3km of driving on the Munar surface, more if you can modify it to go straight without constantly correcting the sideways pull.

Have fun with it, and let me know if you have any comments, suggestions or improvements!

[Amamateur]

Looks great, I hadn\'t really considered making a rover until I saw this. Have only been playing for a few days so haven\'t actually touched down on Mun yet, but I think rather than going for a pod lander I\'ll aim straight for doing a rover mission.

I think I\'d want to work on getting a really stable design first though - been playing with some wheeled creations today (for the land speed challenge) and realised the difference it makes when you have something where you can slam the brakes on without it tipping over and exploding!

This looks like a practical and economical way of separating from the lander though so might use that as a starting point.

Oh and great images, I had no idea there were arches on Mun!