Tristar - A Space hotel Adventure

purpleivan · May 1, 2020

As an entry to the Space Hotel Challenge Station Tristar was launched and assemed in orbit.

Comprised of four sections, the first to be launched was the core on top of the Reuso 4 rocket from my No Contracts career challenge.

After delivering the core section the Reuso 4 returned to the KSC.

Well... as close as makes no difference.

Next up was the first of 3 arm sections that would dock with the core.

Here seen matching it's orbit with the core.

Docking was done in my now pretty much standard RCS-less style.

One down, two to go.

Here goes arm number 2.

Beginning to take shape now.

Last by no means least, arm number 4 took to the skies... then that blackish stuff above it.

These first paying guests can't wait. They're getting the chance to checkout the station before the main contingent of tourists arrive later on the shuttle.

With the docking of the third arm the station was complete.

Tristar Station has more 11660 electrical storage capacity, as well as 6 gigantors to feed it.

Each arm has capacity for 16 tourists, for a total of 48 and the core accomdation for 10 pilots, engineers and scientist to keep them feed and entertained, more than the 8 to 1 ratio the challenge rules require.

Talking of entertainment, each arm houses a runabout, for those well heeled tourists who spring the cash for the all inclusive package.

Tidwell here can be seen taking a look at the station before departing on a trip into the great dark beyond.

But first he takes a tour of Tristar Station's facilities. First up is the impressive communications array, that makes available every TV channel know to kerbalkind, plus a few that aren't.

Here he is seen inspecting the docking facilities of the station.

Ok... time for some tourist excursioning, with a trip around the moon, then out towards the orbit of Minmus, then back arounnd the Mun again, before returning to the station.

The high point of this traveller little jaunt... literally.

Coming back towards Kerbin, our friend here gets a second pass around the mun before heading back towards Kerbin and a big braking burn.

Tourist: "Tech support, the guage says I don't have quite enough fuel to make it back to the station, I was told this package was all inclusive and you guys have cut corners on my fuel supply... I am not a happy camper".

Tech Support Agent #27: "No problem sir, just check the panel on the left arm of your suit, then look for a button labelled F12, do you see that sir".

Tourist: "I sure do... it has an almost magical glow around it".

Tech Support Agent #27: "That's the one sir, now just press that and choose the option on the display to cheat the universe blind on fuel".

Tourist: "Err... err... ok, I see it now, the fuel gauge has stopped going down, plus I'm experiencing a pleasant sense of calm, but also a certain amount of shame and self loathing".

Tech Support Agent #27: "That's fine sir, that's to be expected".

Here are tourist friend is seen approaching Tristar Station.

Ok... just squeeze that thing in, it came out of there after all, it must be able to fit back in.

Left a bit.

Right a bit.

Up a bit... no the other up.

Capture... nicely done Mr Tourist, now feel free to return to the station via the hatch of your choice.

Ah Arm 2... a fine choice sir, currently the cocktail bar is playing classic jazz, but at 9 o'clock things get hectic with the Mosh Pit Madness Hour

Time to turn SAS to maximum.

Coming soon... transport ship.

Edited May 1, 2020 by purpleivan

purpleivan · May 3, 2020

And now... TRANSPORT SHIP.

With Tristar Station in a nice 155km orbit it was time to focus on how to get those payinh customers up to it. This important work would be taken care of by the Tristar Shuttle.

As with the parts for the station, this was launched on top of a Reuso 4, although slightly modified to give it extra fuel for the trip up to the orbit of the station with a slightly higher payload.

The rendezvous was very accurate, with the shuttle stack comng to a stop about 100m from Tristar Station.

Then it was time to push in a little closer before dropping off the shuttle to go dock with the station.

The approach was overcooked a bit, requiring some martial arts movie style ducking underneath the station as it cruised by at about 2m/s, narrowly avoiding disaster.

Having shot past the stating theshuttle stack was brough to a halt and the shuttle detached.

Much more manouverable than the Reuso stack, the shuttle was soon approaching Tristar.

Ok... from here on a lot of the pics are just eye candy.

Almost there, just a little nudging with the RCS to straighten up.

Finally, the shuttle docks with the station ready to offload its paying customers... if it had any, as this was a dry run.

As Bob was needed back on Kerbin, he'd be taking the shuttle back on its maiden landing.

So he was sure to check that the engines he was promised would allow that to happen were actually attached to the thing.

Bob went off to get a full view of Tristar.

Before checking that there was the requisite 2k of electrical stroage and antenna (just in front of the mono tank on the right) onboard the shuttle, which indeed there was.

A couple more pics before splitting this arrangement up.

At last it was time to depart, so Bob settle back in his seat and tried to get comfortable. Last nights Mosh Pit Madness hour had been a bit bruising (looking at you Val).