About deep space mission help

[SGT_RIZZO300]

I have decided it is time to visit Eloo (not sure if thats the right spelling) but I found out pretty quick my designs will not make it there. Do you HAVE to make multi part ships (horrible at docking) or can I just use nuke engines and lots of refuelling. Also I am only bringing 3 kerbals and a small rover with me.

[CalculusWarrior]

The larger your ship, the harder it is to get into orbit. Thus, I like to build my interplanetary and lander stages separately, then dock them together. I prefer to keep things uncrewed until the last minute, because I don't want the poor kerbals to sit in orbit for months, waiting for the proper phase angle

Nuclear engines are pretty much your only option for a journey of that scale, especially how Eeloo doesn't have an atmosphere for aerobraking. I would suggest putting a small lander on top of your interplanetary engines, with room for one or two kerbals and your rover, then land in that and boost back up to orbit when you're done. I suggest taking a leaf out of the Apollo Program's book, and have a two stage lander. Eeloo does have similar gravity to the Mun, so it's entirely feasible.

When you get back to orbit, you don't even have to dock dock your lander--just get close and EVA with your kerbals and fly them across.

Hope this helps!

[SGT_RIZZO300]

Seems like a good idea. I think to avoid to many parts I will make a smaller ship and stop at my Duna colony to get some fuel (I have a fuel station landed on the surface with a shuttle to take the fuel up) and then go over from there. I will have some screenshots of my design soon.

[tom1499]

Pff I got there with one rocket,I think. Can't remember, May have fallen short and went to jool, (I don't wait for phase angles, just orbit the sun until we good.) Just add more LV-Ns and 909s

Just don't expect to come back!

Edited April 27, 2013 by tom1499

[tommygunyeah]

I've done it in a single ship with a big stage to get into orbit then just using Atomic Engines to get the rest of the way. It's about 400 parts though, not many computers can handle it.