Mun Direct - Doing it Zubrin Style

[Death Engineering]

Mun Direct - Doing it Zubrin Style

"Astonishingly wasteful is KSC’s work on the Munar Orbital Platform-Gateway (formerly known as the Deep Space Gateway). The idea is silly. If you want to get to the Mun, you need to go to the Mun." - Robert Kubrin
 

Mun Direct

With the recent success of a reusable heavy lifter offering low-cost delivery of cargo to Low Kerbin Orbit, a leading space engineer has developed a plan to explore the Mun. Several new types of hardware will need to be designed and delivered to LKO:

• Munar Excursion Vehicle (MEV)
• Munar Habitation Module (MHM)
• Fuel Production Module (FPM)
• Surface Logistics Package (SLP)
• Cargo Lander Platform (CLP)

MEV

• Crew: 2
• Refueling capability: In orbit and on Munar surface.
• Mission profiles (without refueling):
  • Munar landing: Fly from LKO to Munar surface.
  • Kerbin return: Launch from Munar surface and return to LKO.
  • Munar sortie: Launch from Munar surface, land on the surface up to 300km away and return to the MHM.
  • Propulsive orbital insertion/no Kerbin aerobraking.

MHM

• Crew: 4
• Specifications:
  • Life support, communications and science equipment
  • Using CLP, flies from LKO to Munar surface
  • Interfaces with solar power generation on SLP

FPM

• Crew: 0 / Optional 1 for optimized ISRU
• Specifications:
  • ISRU mining (drill) and fuel production
  • Interfaces with MEV for refueling

SLP

• Crew: 0
• Specifications:
  • Solar power generation, communications and science equipment
  • Two x 2-crew rovers for short distance travel containing deployable landing beacon/science equipment

CLP

• Crew: 0
• Cargo delivery from LKO to Munar surface
• Common propulsion, landing and navigation platform used on MHM, FPM, SLP and initial LEV landing.
• Optional: basic surface mobility to facilitate resource sharing. 

Falkon 9 / Falkon 9 Heavy / Dragon 2 Crew command module

• Dragon 2 Crew: 3 crew command module capable of LKO operations including life support, propulsion, communications and Kerbin recovery systems
• Falkon 9: Liquid-fuel/oxidizer two stage to orbit for Dragon 2 Crew. 'Level III' includes Return to launch site (RTLS) of first stage.
• Falkon 9 Heavy: Same design as Falkon 9 with two Falkon 9 first stages as jettisoned strap on boosters. 'Level III' includes RTLS of at least one of these stages and soft-landing of the sustainer stage.

 

 

Challenge Levels

Level I

• Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3
• Use stock parts only
• Select any Munar landing site for the base
• Use any rocket to carry cargo and crew to LKO

Level II

• Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3
• Stock or mod parts
• Select a Munar landing site above or below 66° latitude for the base
• Design Falcon 9/Falcon 9 Heavy lifter and Dragon 2 Crew analogs* 

Level III

• Design the hardware for Mun Direct and execute Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3
• Stock or mod parts
• Select a southern Munar landing site below 80° latitude for the base
• Design Falcon 9/Falcon 9 Heavy lifter and Dragon 2 Crew analogs, including RTLS
• Incorporate "Life Support" into the designs

Realism Overhaul (RO) Level

• Complete Level III using a Realism Overhaul mod. Minimum parameter for this requires scaling the solar system to 6.4x stock KSP size.

 

Mission Execution

Phase 1

• Launch: Deliver the FPM and SLP on a CLP to the selected site using one or two Falkon 9 Heavy.
• Deploy solar arrays and set up communication.
• Using rovers from the SLP deploy science equipment and landing beacons to assist with future landings.
• Launch: Deliver the MHM on a CLP to the selected site.

Phase 2

• Launch a fully fueled LEV on a CLP to LKO (Ap max 90km).
• Launch minimum two crew separately and dock to the LEV. This command module will remain in LKO.
• Using only the CLP for propulsion/landing, deliver the fully fueled LEV from LKO to the Mun base.
• Set up and initiate fuel production in the FPM.
• Drive at least one crew by rover 2km from base and plant a flag then return to the base.
• Spend at least 60 days on the Mun then using the LEV, return to LKO and dock with the waiting command module.
• Return the crew safely to Kerbin on the command module and leave the LEV in LKO.

Phase 3

• Launch a command module and fuel/resources pod to LKO.
• Dock with the LEV, transfer crew, fuel and resources. The command module will remain in LKO.
• Using only the LEV, fly to the Mun and land at the base.
• Refuel the LEV from the FPM and perform a Munar sortie. Must plant a flag approximately 1/4 of the way around the Mun's circumference then fly back.
• Refuel the LEV from the FPM and return to LKO and dock with the waiting command module.
• Return the crew safely to Kerbin on the command module and leave the LEV in LKO.

Challenge Rules

• Level I is pure stock parts only (visual mods ok). No mod that provides any flight/design data not included in stock or adds any parts are permitted.
• Any stock KSP launch site may be used.
• Demonstrate RTLS ability with pics/video. This need only be done once to demonstrate capability, not for every launch.
• RTLS can be propulsive or parachute assist and should land within sight of the launch pad.
• Science equipment refers to any science part. A minimum of two science experiments are required for each module.
• "Life Support" can be implemented using any balanced LS mod
• "Interfacing" can be done using stock or mod parts. Surface module mobility may be optionally built into the CLP. Note, some mods include parts/functionality to make resource sharing easier. 
• There are no 'points' for this challenge, only parameters for completion at Levels I/II/III/RO.
• Although the Zubrin Moon Direct called for a single launch for the SLP and FPM, this challenge will allow two launches. This is due to KSP's much heavier ISRU solution compared to the method for fuel extraction in the Moon Direct plan.

About this challenge

• Based on the Mars Society founder Robert Zubrin's proposal for exploring the Moon.
• Full article from Robert Zubrin on The New Atlantis website.
• This challenge follows the long-standing naming scheme of 'Doing it [...] Style" started by @Xeldrak

Edit:

• Changed "Phase 1" to allow two Falkon 9 Heavy launches for the FPM and SLP. Although both requirements can be done on one launch, the mass for KSP's ISRU don't exactly reflect the mass requirements for the method discussed in Zubrin's Moon Direct.
• Alternate launch sites permitted.

 

 

Mun Direct Completed Entries

Level I

Level II

Level III

Death Engineering - Part 1  Part 2   Jumble of pics from the mission

Realism Overhaul

 

                                                            

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Death Engineering
badgers; adjust Phase III sortie

[Death Engineering]

Mun Direct - Part I

Taking a run at the first parts of the Mun Direct missions. The Falkon 9/Falkon 9 Heavy lifters use single engines on the first stage instead of the 9 on each booster, but it still looks and sounds good lifting off. The first stage (or side booster stages) of the lifter perform RTLS use a combined chutes and powered landing. The sustainer stage of the Falkon 9 Heavy makes a short burn after stage separation and lands on the neighbouring continent using chutes with powered assistance. 

 FPM/SLP Launch   Booster RTLS

 Landed                     Sustainer Lands on next continent

 Mun Base                Crew boarding LEV

 LEV landed             Kruisin' the Mun's south pole

The crew have produced fuel for the next mission and are now completing their 60 day surface stay. The LEV will then take the crew back to LKO where two new crew will board the LEV and return to the Mun for a munar sortie near the equator.

 

Challenge notes:

• The Munar sortie stage of Phase III has been altered slightly as without doing the maths, I don't think there is a way (without mods) to determine 300km distance. Requirement has been updated to say "approximately 1/4 of the Mun's circumference".
• "Badges" have been created for each of the challenge levels.

 

[Kerbalstar]

This looks like fun, sort of like an entry-level DOMA challenge.

[Xeldrak]

*steps out of the pentagram*
Uaargh.....you have summoned me?

 

Well, I haven't played KSP in a while, maybe I will give this a shot

[Death Engineering]

On 12/17/2018 at 2:45 PM, Xeldrak said:

*steps out of the pentagram*
Uaargh.....you have summoned me?

 

Mun Direct - Part II

After dropping science and probes near the landing site then driving 2km due south to plant a navigation flag, the crew started the mining process then boarded the LEV and returned to LKO.

  Returning to Kerbin orbit

A Falkon 9 in expendable mode launches with two new crew, supplies and fuel for the LEV. Docked in LKO, crews swap seats and prepare for Phase III demonstrating 100% LEV reuse with ISRU surface exploration capable of landing and returning from anywhere on the Mun's southern hemisphere. 

   Dragon on LEV

Landing near the FPM, nearly full ORE tanks await the engineer to produce enough fuel for a sub-orbital hop up to the equator.

  Refueling (KAS)

Using the FPM again, the LEV is refueled for the Kerbin return where it can then await another crew and refueling launch. 

  Heading home

Seemingly, the concept for "Moon Direct" seems sound but the major deciding factor is how much ice is there in those perpetually dark craters on the poles? Also developing a LEV with sufficient safety margins and capability for lunar, interplanetary and orbital operation would be no small feat.

But hey.. it works in Kerbal Space Program!

Here is a jumbled pic collection.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Death Engineering

[Xeldrak]

Oh my, there are a lot of new parts. I used to be able to build and refine spacecraft in my head so that I just had to put them together once I'm home.

 

Two questions: The MEV has to be able to make the trip LKO -> Munar surface -> LKO without refueling on the munar surface and without aerobreaking?

And what mods would you recommend for ground refueling and for incorporating life support?

 

 

 

[Death Engineering]

1 hour ago, Xeldrak said:

Two questions: The MEV has to be able to make the trip LKO -> Munar surface -> LKO without refueling on the munar surface and without aerobreaking?

And what mods would you recommend for ground refueling and for incorporating life support?

Refueling can be done in LKO or on Munar surface, so not too extreme. 

I used Ketbal Attachment System but a stock solution could be done using a klaw on a mobile FPM.