Odysseus Interplanetary Rover

[Krackit]

After having plenty of fun with munar expeditions and sending small rovers to various planets, I decided to make larger rovers that work specifically for bodies with atmospheres (although they have the capability to land on planets without atmospheres, its just slightly harder as the ASAS detaches with the heat shield).

Behold the Odysseus Rover!

I decided to test the rover's delivery system by going all the way to Laythe.. Go big or go home right?

Once that was down I thought it'd be nice to do an easy mission to Eve! (Got there in about 25 days, my fastest transfer yet)

The rover delivery system is pretty straight forward; There is a large heat shield for aerobraking, a powered descent stage that can be detached at safe parachuting speeds, parachutes (when activated the heat shield drops off), and then one final light powered descent stage that can slow parachute descents in thin atmospheres like Duna or Laythe.

Here is a more detailed album, and the download here.

[Zanis]

Great pictures!

I love it when people make their own Heat shields even though its only an visual thing I think it makes the flames look allot cooler!

[Krackit]

Thanks! They do serve a practical purpose though, even if it isnt necessarily actually for heat shielding. The drag helps with high speed entries and aerobraking

[PopCap]

I love the design and concept! Very great cinematic shots aswell

[Levelord]

My aerobraking in the atmosphere of Jool didn't look as spectacular as the OP's, even though it was a massive Jool space station

[Climberfx]

Ahahah! The shield stuff.

Nice!

Good job on the delivering missions!

[Krackit]

My aerobraking in the atmosphere of Jool didn't look as spectacular as the OP's, even though it was a massive Jool space station

I'd say that is pretty spectacular itself, not to mention your shield actually is protecting the other stages a lot better than mine was!

[sodopro]

Nice Rover. Like the heat shield too.