Getting back into the game with a Grand Tour

[Major999]

Hi Everyone!

So I took a break from this game for the better part of a year, but now I have a new computer and as a result I have the processor grunt to run more than 200 or so parts. As a result I have decided that it is time  to attempt a grand tour. I'm running 1.4.2 (mostly because that was what was on by boot drive when I idly decided to give KSP another go). 

Before y’all get mad about me relying on MechJeb for everything, I’ll explain: I have a mild but irksome developmental co-ordination disorder, and so offloading complex operations to a computer is, for me, far more  pleasant. Further, the limitations of the tool provides issues that I must design around.

PART 1: Prototypes and Problems
Our story begins with the resumption of space program operations. The KSC, unceremoniously closed after being spectacularly destroyed by Jebediah Kerman II, is reopened in the current day with lofty ambitions and its original staff in tow. The goal from the start is simple: long ago, they did everything. Now it is time to do everything at once.
    Designs are drafted for a rocket of immense size, launched in two leviathan pieces, carrying the equipment required for this grand tour. Sadly, funding from the federal government is limited, and so the private sector must be brought in. After much deliberation, the technology company Kapple, known for pretty tech (and not much else) agrees to fund the mission with their near limitless stacks of cash. One condition: the vehicle must be pretty. Funding is secured for a Kerbin system tour to test a prototype, and then the launch of the true grand tour vessel. (I can’t find my pictures of the launch of the prototype but there will be pictures of the operational vessel.)

The prototype is an ugly duckling vessel; attached to the rear is the actual lander package (Eve, Tylo, and Laythe require special landers that don’t fit neatly into my cargo bays at the front of the vessel.) The crew was intended to be launched separately, but the mission co-commander Jebediah Kerman III stowed away on the way up.


The Atlas-Orion inspired launch vehicle launches the remaining three crew members; so now would be time to introduce our crew:
Jebediah “Jeb” Kerman III: Mission Co-commander, selected for Tylo and Duna landings, specialist in challenging vacuum and low-pressure operations (after seeing what happened to his father in an atmospheric vehicle test, this makes sense.)
Valentina “Val” Kerman: Mission Co-commander, specialist in atmospheric operations and as a result selected for Eve and Laythe landings, as well as holding the stick for most aerobrakings.
Bill “Buzz” Kerman: Honestly unaware of how he became an engineer, and reluctant to reveal how he got his nickname, Bill is the flight engineer for this mission. 
Dr Bob “No Nickname” Kerman: Here for the science. Nobody knows if Bob actually posesses an advanced degree, but they call him Dr Kerman just in case. Flight science and medical officer.

Val takes control of the Korion for docking, despite Jeb’s insistence that “I can dock the mothership to you guys, it’ll be fine!”

Soon enough the journey begins. First stop: The Mun!
Here we see the mothership (the von Braun I) enroute to the mun, and the intercept chosen.


Slowing into Munar orbit:

Now, introducing, the Feynman-N Nuclear lander: While yes the lander is heavily clipped in this form, I’m more about aesthetics than making this thing a big ugly thing. Val and Bill are selscted, because an engineer is useful on a prototype mission.

Bill, proving his qualifications are ambiguous at best:

The lander was not equipped with any electrical generation capacity, a clear issue to be remedied.
Ascending back to orbit:

Docking back into the von Braun:

Soon enough the gang was headed to Minmus. Bob insisted that minmus, despite the surface temperature being approximately 220 Kelvin, was not actually made of mint ice-cream. Jeb agreed to disagree, and pointed out thermometer readings from previous missions being prefect for consumption, and the mysterious but relaible disappearance of surface samples headed back to Kerbin. Note the habitation module in view for this image.


After reaching orbit, the Scanner Satellite was deployed to search for ore and to test its ion propulsion solution.

The mining lander was docked to the tail, and found to be woeful at manoeuvring, and so that will need a total redesign.

A landing was not attempted, mostly because all crew landers are clearly going to work at this stage, and because I was growing more excited to test the main event: Flying in a clean configuration for aerobraking.
Two saves were made, one with a deployed heat shield and one without. Without worked better, as it pointed forward at all times:

Soon after, the von Braun was parked in an elliptical Kerbin orbit. To move the crew from one vehicle to another without melting my CPU with 1600 parts in one place, an Atlas vehicle was sent into orbit  with a hitchhiker disposable crew transfer can. This mission was a disaster, with the crew pod somehow ejecting through a hole only 1.25m wide:


A rescue vehicle was sent up to retrieve the crew of the Atlas that was damaged in this incident:
 
After a quick Transposition, Docking and Extraction, the Korion is ready to save the crew:

After rendezvous with the capsule, and crew transfer via EVA, the vehicle meets von Braun I and they too are transferred via EVA. Jeb and Val have a race, Bob tells them it was a tie. a tug is sent up to meet the Korion and help move the primary crew to the new von Braun:

 
 
Our secondary crew, Arul, Lenuki, and Graly Kerman, are sent home.

“Do you reckon we’re filler characters in a vast cosmic forum post?”
“Is re-entry really the time for an existential crisis?”


Now, time for the main event: The operational vessel. Using one of the three side packages as a mining lander, as well as carrying an increased fuel and xenon capacity, this solves all the issues found in testing.
Von Braun II atop the massive lift vehicle built to carry it:

A cool gif of the staging event:

The lander package (launched suspended between three smaller vehicles, I’ll post pad pictures next post) is docked to the tail end in orbit and the crew is transferred in by EVA. Ready for a grand tour.


Personally I’m really excited to get going; I’d love some feedback on the vehicle design. Cheers!

Edited April 10, 2019 by Major999
Fixed images

[Major999]

Saved for Next update

[obney kerman]

Out of curiosity, how bad is the lag when flying that ship?

[Major999]

On 5/3/2019 at 7:28 AM, obney kerman said:

Out of curiosity, how bad is the lag when flying that ship?

TBH its not that bad, but I build PCs and I run a 9900K and a 1080Ti in my personal rig, so your mileage may vary