Deep Space Tanker "Colin Campbell"

[Tokay Gris]

Sorry guys for not posting pictures at this time. It seems the telecommunications company around here stopped finally (!) to tell people their DSL-modems are broken and actually found the error and are exchanging some cables in the ground now.

(If I had taken them seriously I would have bought the fifth modem by now)

So my internet connection is through a HSDPA-stick... and somehow I can't upload pictures with that.

On to the success report!

The DST "Colin Campbell" made it's first test! Fully fuelled (24 Rockomax X200-32 and 5 Rockomax Jumbo-64 EDIT: 26 X200-32) it packs around 4500 m/s and made an orbit change from 90 km to 400 km. It's turning capabilities are lousy, though.

I am reporting this success, because the design has an inherent asymetry and only one docking port between the actual payload (18 X200-32 and 2 Jumbo-64 tanks) and the engine-part (a "Pollux" MK 5).

I will post pictures as soon as my connection allows for it.

This is a HUGE step towards my extended Jool mission!

Edited May 30, 2013 by Tokay Gris

[Tokay Gris]

Oh.... and to be sure: I was pretty certain the design would prove to be instable, the ONE docking port would cause destructive wobble...

I feared I would waste the hours it took to fuel that beast. But it turns out to be pretty stable!

That however is most likely due to the wooping TWR of 0.09 in vacuum...

[Tokay Gris]

Now with pictures!

This baby is supposed to go to Jool.

[Tokay Gris]

The actual payload (18 X200-32 and 2 Jumbo-64) can of course be used to refuel the engine stage, if needed. This would reduce the fuel delivered at the other end, but would expand the possible delta-V immensely.

[Wait- Was That Important?]

That's amazingly huge. How much fuel are you looking to get to Jool at the end of the mission?

[Tokay Gris]

The first idea was to get this baby (the "Dum Vivimus Vivamus") to Jool and place probes around the moons.

But being so huge, it didn't have nearly enough delta-V to make it back. Just barely enough to get there, providing aerobraking works.

Hence the idea was born to build a really big fuel transporter.

The way I figure, I can get at least the 18 X200-32s to Jool, if not more.

That should get the "Dum Vivimus" as well as the engine stage of the "Colin Campbell" (a "Pollux MK 5") back to Kerbin.

I hope... ;-)