Caterpillar I: mobile base rover + launch vehicle[0.23] (Mechjeb 2 version included)

[Therm4l]

Wow... Thanks for this awesome potable mün base thing, really helpful...and now I know how to get a mun bass to the mün, I always wondered how people did that, again thank you, you are awesome

[Alpha372]

Wow... Thanks for this awesome potable mün base thing, really helpful...and now I know how to get a mun bass to the mün, I always wondered how people did that, again thank you, you are awesome

thank you

[Rocketeer Hopeful]

I did one like this, based off of yours, and I found that going down hills with those wheels made it bounce on small bumps, then lose control, have the back slide out on me, and then knick the ground and flip and crash. What is that? I never had an ASAS on it though. Should I?

[SDIR]

What is its narrowest diameter? I want to know if this will fit under one of my tugs so it can be pulled to Mun orbit.

@Rocketeer Hopeful the ASAS does help a lot with the stability of rovers at high speeds or over bumpy surfaces

Edited June 20, 2013 by SDIR

[Alpha372]

I did one like this, based off of yours, and I found that going down hills with those wheels made it bounce on small bumps, then lose control, have the back slide out on me, and then knick the ground and flip and crash. What is that? I never had an ASAS on it though. Should I?

ASAS helps alot ....it works the best if you activate ASAS when you drive up a small hill (~10° inclination).

ASAS does not control the wheels of the rover but it uses the torque of the capsule to keep the rover horizontal if the wheels lose contact to the ground.

It should be also noted that I limited my speed to 5m/s while going up or down hills with an inclination of 10-20° .

For really steep terrain with an inclination >20° i limit the velocity to 2m/s

On my way to the munar northpole I was able to climb a hill with 42° inclination at 2m/s without any problems.

going down steep terrain is a little more difficult but with ASAS the rover will stabilize itself once the wheels lose contact so you don't spin out of control or flip over

[Alpha372]

What is its narrowest diameter? I want to know if this will fit under one of my tugs so it can be pulled to Mun orbit.

@Rocketeer Hopeful the ASAS does help a lot with the stability of rovers at high speeds or over bumpy surfaces

The skycrane for the rover deployment is equipped with a large docking port at the top to attach a "spacetug" to pull it to the mun

[SDIR]

Nice. Looks like it will fit

[AkiraSpace]

Your rover looks identical to the mobile base I'm developing!

[Rex3921]

Hi! So i saw the other base/the one that inspired you and I really liked the Stevie idea! So I'd thought I'd slap a couple of docking ports on and I got this:

But the only thing is, I can't use parking mode or get the Stevie back on once I'm done! If you could, make a MK 2 with a rover or summit

Thanks, Rex3921

[Alpha372]

Hi! So i saw the other base/the one that inspired you and I really liked the Stevie idea! So I'd thought I'd slap a couple of docking ports on and I got this:

http://i.imgur.com/B8VxyIw.png

But the only thing is, I can't use parking mode or get the Stevie back on once I'm done! If you could, make a MK 2 with a rover or summit

Thanks, Rex3921

Sorry for not responding in such a long time ..... I updated my designs and added more modules .....basically a big space train with multiple cars to dock at the end.....I will work on a rover carrier tomorrow and upload some new pics

[Captain Sierra]

The first lander design was just to prove the cocept and to test if it is possible to land this thi

ng in one piece (as the center of mass of the rover is not equal to the “middle“ of the vehicle.)

I will improve the lander during the next week.

Given that, you could slap a docking port on the top of it above the CoM and build a lander that way. Then it's always CoM aligned (rover appears to have no fuel) and you can always park back under it, then lower the legs on the dropship to pick it up and go back to orbit!

[Alpha372]

Given that, you could slap a docking port on the top of it above the CoM and build a lander that way. Then it's always CoM aligned (rover appears to have no fuel) and you can always park back under it, then lower the legs on the dropship to pick it up and go back to orbit!

I am actually building that right now

[DerekL1963]

Cool! Looking forward to the updated version.