Heavy Mobile Base

[Cavscout74]

I hadn't built a mobile base in a while and decided I would take some time with one today.  Still a bit of a work in progress - I totally forgot to put a lab on the prototype, for example.  It also makes heavier use of part clipping than I'm usually comfortable with, so it will probably get some changes before I'm satisfied.  It's not really visible in any of my screenshots, but there are a pair of hitchhiker cans in the in the forward cargo bay, offset into the fuel tanks in front & behind the bay with mostly just the ladder & hatch visible in the bay.

Initial testing on Kerbin revealed that the wheels were stronger than the runway, but the wheel to fuselage attachments were not

Happily I had a spare Sarnus launch vehicle laying around, along with four Granok 3.75m launchers that were converted into radial boosters to loft this beast to the Mun

The Mun prototype was landed - without any explosions, although it was sliding sideways for a while - near my existing mining base, about 4 km away, so it gave me a chance to try out driving this on the Mun. 

Despite some oddness and 2 near-disastrous rolls that were barely recovered in time, I made it in one piece.  For reasons I don't understand, when the brakes are engaged (lit up on the overhead display) the wheel brakes are released, and when the brakes are disengaged (no light), the wheel brakes are on.  I haven't messed with the large rover wheels all that much, is this "normal" for them or is something glitched?   I don't remember seeing this before, but it has been a while.

That's not a rover.  Now this, this is a rover

 

[dire]

I'm pretty happy with how Artemis and Aries have performed in my Doma Arigato campaign, although...some assembly required, and Aries is -not- very good at lifting off or touching down on Duna. Quicksave often. Am hoping my next iteration on the theme will be a lot sturdier.

https://kerbalx.com/direstorm/Deep-Space-Vessel-Artemis

https://kerbalx.com/direstorm/Aries-Mk5-Duna-Rover

Edited August 17, 2019 by dire