Aurora. An orbiter, revisited (now it can make Mun and back).

[Rune]

Hey guys! I posted the original version of this craft before the "great forum crash of '13", but I have been thinking for a while that I have the VAB a bit neglected. So what better way of returning to rockets than by updating my favourite one... with MOAR boosters! This was the original, a two-stage launcher (LKO missions only):

And this is the new Mk III, which is basically the same thing, but with good-looking liquid fueled boosters, which easily makes it to Mun and back:

In both cases, this is the actual spacecraft that you are taking places, a cute and light three-manned capsule with integrated escape and propulsion system (yeah, the whole thing is kinda based on Dragon and F9):

Now, a few notes:

-It is designed for looks, mainly, but also with practicality in mind. It won't leave debris on the pad, and the staging event where you ditch the payload fairing is a thing of beauty. Seriously, check out the imgur album because this post is already pic-heavy as it is.

-There is a rather complicated abort system. The correct sequence is 9 (manual fairing jettison), then 0 (abort proper), and when you clear the rocket, backspace (open chutes and drops the landing gear). Guaranteed to work anytime, even a pad abort at full thrust!*

-In the Mk I, the only thing that makes it to orbit is the capsule, but with the Mk III Munar version, the whole upper stage makes it there with almost full fuel. Thus, it is probed and the decoupling system is a docking port. So it kinda works as an in-space transfer stage that you can leave hanging around Mun to keep the fuel needed for the return home (or a backup, since you could probably do it on the capsule if you are an efficient pilot during the landing).

-Full scientific suite so you can do... well, science. And stuff.

-All of the stages have chutes and are designed to be "recoverable". However, ocean landings are not really doable, since tall stages will destroy themselves when tipping over. Well, some pieces en up floating anyway. Also, those flimsy landing legs get broken if you look at them the wrong way, so I'd keep a bit of fuel for a last braking burn a few meters above ground.

-The rest of it is simple, T/W is really tight so 100% throttle all the way during launch and don't worry about air, you are losing much more to gravity. One tiny detail I'm sure you could have figured out on your own: in the Munar version, to decouple the upper stage you have to right-click on the docking port and click "decouple node".

Now go plant a flag!

Much more pictures on the imgur album:

http://imgur.com/a/akDKk

DOWNLOADS:

- Aurora Mk I (LKO version)

- Aurora Mk III (Munar version)

*: Unless you actually need to save your bacon, in that case we decline any an all responsability.

Rune. "MOAR boosters!" is kinda like "42", a perfectly acceptable response to everything.