Mars mission with current rockets.

[tater]

5 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

Another option I think I like better: use one half of the fairing as the heat shield and the other half of the fairing as the backshell.

Yeah, hence my initial suggestion of a biconic. That doodle was actually thinking of a moon lander I think (using existing hardware).

[sevenperforce]

4 hours ago, tater said:

Yeah, hence my initial suggestion of a biconic. That doodle was actually thinking of a moon lander I think (using existing hardware).

Here's what I threw together in KSP just as a proof of concept.

The view inside the extended fairing (this is just to show the main component fit, before I added the internal skycrane and external parts):

Fun with Dunian entry:

The money shot:

Skycrane in action:

And the hab on the ground with the expandable modules deployed (sans one broken solar panel):

Full "mission" in the spoiler.

Spoiler

My version of the Falcon Heavy, for reference:

Fairing fit:

In the SPH after I added the solar panels, parachutes, a comms dish, and thrusters. I also added internal monoprop tanks and an internal skycrane.

I just cheated it into a highly eccentric Duna orbit.

Approaching Duna; note the comms dish and sunward orientation.

Orienting for entry. This was easy in KSP, as I had a bunch of different modules I could choose as my control part.

Beginning of entry, trying to hold a nice clean angle. It wasn't the MOST stable thing in the world but it wasn't that bad either.

I was even able to make it through entry without burning off any of the solar panels.

Through entry heat; orienting to pop the drogues.

Drogues out! In real life the drogues would attach at the top and bottom in such a way as to ensure good orientation.

I really lucked out with this screenshot. Just a perfect display of separation. This was the first time I ever tested it. Although IRL I believe the backshell would stay on for a minute longer while the skycrane was unspooled.

Speaking of skycrane, here it is in action. I do love the telescoping pistons. I actually was able to manage this without any cheat menu activities.

The real skycrane might have multiple propulsion modules at different places for stability but I was taking the easy way out.

Nice and gentle.

Skycrane separation commanded.

And here we are on the surface!

 

 

[sevenperforce]

Update: tested it at actual interplanetary entry speeds and it still works.

Spoiler

 

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

 

[tater]

Yeah, that's just like the DRA/DRM designs in many ways. One had an ascent capsule built in.

 

[sevenperforce]

11 hours ago, kerbiloid said:

  Hide contents

 

Someone forgot to select the "rigid attachment" modifier.

[kerbiloid]

1 hour ago, sevenperforce said:

Someone forgot to select the "rigid attachment" modifier.

The Energy Corp. Martian project (as well as the classic Eagle from the Alpha Moonbase), and other horizontal landers, distribute the thrust along the length, to perform the flight more controllabe.

[DDE]

On 12/9/2021 at 7:42 PM, sevenperforce said:

Someone forgot to select the "rigid attachment" modifier.

All you need is struts