How do I get this thing to the Mun?

[K1MOR]

I'm trying to get this 56 ton lander to the Mun to establish a Mun base. I'm having trouble designing a launch vehicle for it due to being unable to attach things to the bottom.

Does anyone have a suitable launch vehicle or tips on how to do this?

[Panichio]

Why can't you attach things to the bottom of it?

[Boex]

MOAR BOOSTERS.

Seriously, though, try engine clusters - more efficient, and more thrust than the Rockomax Mainsail.

Something like this -

As for attaching at the bottom, add stack decouplers and an upper stage there, then radial stacks with engine clusters.

If you're struggling to place stack decouplers at the bottom, Alt-F12 and enable "part clipping in editor".

I don't class it as cheating, as I think the rocket and parts should cater for you, not the other way around.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Boex

[K1MOR]

Here's the bottom of the rocket. 4 NERVA engines.

[Actzoltan]

Here are some tips i have learned while making heavy lifters.

1. Aspargus stageing as in having tanks feed into your center tank and having those tanks fall off as they empty will get you a longer burn on your main engine.

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:Asparagus_Staging

2. When heavy payloads are too wobbly and struts cant fix the problem add a ibeam cage of 2 or 4 beams around the payload coming from the main engine stack then strut the ibeams to the main engine stack and payload and the ibeams together.

3. if you cant get off of the ground add more engines the small solid fuel engine is a good choice to kickstart your launch until you lose weight but not the most efficient if you want to burn longer.

4. If you cant make orbit but can get sub orbital you can try a few things.

a. Go faster at launch until you hit 10,000m

b. add more fuel

c. Stage in such a way that you lose most of your fuel tanks by orbit.

d. gravity turn at 10,000m and stop at 45 degrees until your prograde gets to 20 degrees then stay behind your prograde for a efficient orbit.

e. when you get a apoapsis of 70,000 wait untill you get within 30 seconds of it to finish your orbit.

5. use the smallest girder for fuel lines which need to connect to hard to reach places.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Actzoltan

[Actzoltan]

You can attach a couple bi-couplers with stack separators to your engines but you will need to stabilize the connection between your main engine and payload.

[Panichio]

Well then you'll want to check out this mod, because it will let you build a good launcher with a core stage under those four NERVAs.