Looking for interplanetary ship designs

[Abstract_Kerman]

I'm looking for inspiration, I keep making basically the same ship. Try to make the ships realistic.

Edited June 2, 2017 by Abstract_Kerman

[MiffedStarfish]

If you mean aesthetically, take a look at my Duna mothership.

It carries four crew, is powered by quad nervas, with enough fuel to reach anything from Eve to Dres, or possibly Jool. The satellite on the front can detect anomalies from high orbit, while the docking ports are designed to hold rover drop pods capable of deorbiting and landing, which I don't have pictures of. I really like this ship, I might give it it's own thread and do some work on it. Hope this helps!

[DMSP]

What would you need the ship for? If you want, say, a Duna or Gilly lander then you could use my one below.

Describe what type of spacecraft you need.

[Abstract_Kerman]

On 5/31/2017 at 2:46 AM, DMSP said:

What would you need the ship for? If you want, say, a Duna or Gilly lander then you could use my one below.

Describe what type of spacecraft you need.

I need a mother ship.

[DMSP]

1 hour ago, Abstract_Kerman said:

I need a mother ship.

Hmm. Do you have any specifications for this ships? Number of docking ports, DeltaV, crew capacity?

[degenerate]

Mods or stock?

[Abstract_Kerman]

6 hours ago, DMSP said:

Hmm. Do you have any specifications for this ships? Number of docking ports, DeltaV, crew capacity?

Crew: At least two with ample room for each

Ports: at least one

DeltaV: enough to be interplanetary 

5 hours ago, degenerate said:

Mods or stock?

Either one

Try to make the ships realistic, add radiators. For this I would recommend Angel-125 DSEV mod.

[steve_v]

My "Standard" interplanetary craft, loading crew and fuel for a trip to laythe, with a surface base and light VTOL as payload (everything forward of the 'orca' command module):

Cargo spaceplane docked to the rear  (fuelling) port, from there on up: NF MPD engines, reactors (4) & radiators (retracted), primary lithium tankage, propulsion/crew module coupling & manoeuvring fuel, auxiliary (life support) reactor, fertiliser tank, external lithium tanks (radial docking ports) x2, greenhouse, crew quarters, command module. As shown it has ~8.5k DV and ~9 years life support / habitation for 3 kerbals.

Another departing ike, no ETs required for Duna, or Jool without payload:

This sucker is expensive though, launched in 2 parts and totalling ~3.5M IIRC. Most of the cost is the reactors.

Mods: NearFuture & MKS. M2X & M3X for the spaceplane.

Edited June 2, 2017 by steve_v

[EpicSpaceTroll139]

I'd have to look wayyyy back to try and find some screenshots of one of my really big interplanetary vessels. I remember a massive one I made on a KMP server only for it to be attacked by the Kraken during its Vall insertion burn, disintegrating into hundreds of pieces.

Recently I've been working on some modifications to a vehicle originally designed for going between Kerbin's moons, the Knewton IMV.

This is it in the Knewton IPV form.

It has reasonable room for 2 Kerbals and associated life support in the forward crew section, placed a reasonable distance away from the fuel storage, so if there is a leak they won't be in immediate danger. Another reason for the large beam of the vessel is so that, once on the interplanetary trajectory, it can be set rotating at about 8.6rpm with the drive section acting as the counterweight, generating 1g of artificial gravity to help the intrepid voyagers keep those strong bones. The fuel tanks surrounding the reactor provide shielding to allow Kerbalnauts to go on EVA and pilot landers nearby without worry. In the event of a solar flare, the drive section can be pointed sun-wards and the Kerbals can take shelter in the hub closest to the drive section, and take advantage of the fuel around them as shielding. There are radiators and backup power solar panels which can also dump a little bit of heat from the back face. Finally there are 3 standard androgynous docking ports available.

[NSEP]

Why not look non-KSP examples. Those are cool too for inspiration.

[Devan kerman]

I would recommend looking into warp drives in the KSPInterstellar extended mod they are fun to play with and I'm trying an interstellar planetary colonization ship to Blalo in KSS.

[Abstract_Kerman]

Wow these are very impressive ships, and I'll take your suggestion.