Lander tips

[miki1234]

Hi guys,

 

I am kind of new/returning user here

Do you have any tips for a Mun lander? Currently I make a really nice mun orbit but want to land...

[Kryxal]

You have just enough delta-v in that if you do it all right, but honestly that looks oversized and over-engined.  For instance, switching stage 2's Poodle for a Terrier (and smoothing the 2.5m to 1.25m transition) will save you 4 tons and you don't need all that thrust.  In fact, that one change will almost double that stage's delta-v.  Your initial stage looks to SSTO-capable, and also has too much thrust.  At the very least, switch some of the Mainsails for Skippers.

[radonek]

Low, wide designs are much easier to land then pointy towers. Hauling them up is another matter  though.

[Snark]

On 4/30/2019 at 11:26 AM, miki1234 said:

Do you have any tips for a Mun lander?

Good advice already posted.

A few additional comments:

• Looks like you've got a fairing under your command pod?  Ditch that, it's not needed.  Your command pod is reasonably aerodynamic, and the few extra bits of equipment you've stuck on there aren't going to noticeably impact the overall aerodynamics of the ship.  The fairing base is unneeded dead weight, get rid of it.
• If you haven't asparagused those radial boosters already, do so.
• Rotate the boosters 45 degrees so they're N, E, S, W instead of NE, NW, SE, SW.  Doing that will allow you to split the asparagusing into two stages instead of just one (e.g. drain and ditch the top/bottom boosters first, then drain and ditch the left/right boosters second), gaining more efficiency.
• As already observed, that craft is way over-engined.  What's your launchpad TWR?  If it's anything higher than 2, you've got too much engine on there.  I'd recommend slimming down from Mainsails to Skippers at most.
• What engine is that under your lander?  Looks like it's a 2-meter engine?  Aside from the aerodynamic problems of putting a 2-meter engine under a 1.875m stack... pretty much any 2.5m engine is going to be way too much engine for a lander like that.  A Mun lander that size can get by just fine on a single Terrier.