Retro Command Pod landing Rockets. Now with Sputnik!

[Technical Ben]

### Download all here ###

http://benart.www.idnet.com/TBKSPMOD.zip

You can now use the nose of the command pod to launch satellites!

Now includes:

Kaplunk Micro Space Probe

Nose cone Payload fairing

Stackable Parachutes (to stack or add micro payloads and Launch Abort stages to)

Tiny landing legs

Nano Fuel tank

Impact bags (replaces parachutes for last second impact cushion, mostly assists powered landings)

Heatshield/landing retro rockets.

Heatsheild/orbit decay solid rockets.

Experimental Orion atom bomb rocket and an impact plate to connect it to.

Some duct tape just in case...

Video of rockets used to land:

http://youtu.be/mcK7VJl0c7s

Here is a video of an Orion style capsule launch. I am not sure if you can get an interstellar Orion ship in space in a single launch. You can hit escape velocity for small craft though!

http://youtu.be/y95MnAk5hwI

[update as of 29/10/11]

Two new parts to add to the Command Pod landing mod. A solid state landing thruster and landing cushions. It\'s hard to get the numbers correct, I may have to adjust them still, so any feed back is welcome.

Landing retro rocket. 'Fire and forget' landing. That\'s 'Forget about ever getting out alive'!

Landing cushions. Opens at the very last moment, but helpful if you\'ve just run out of fuel in your landing exercise, and a parachute will not open in time.

The rockets provide a small thrust and use little fuel. They come with a micro fuel tank to place under the command pod. It provides just enough thrust and fuel for landing in the atmosphere. Use at 'about' 600m and at half throttle. I suggest trial and error in getting a clean landing, but so far, no pilots have come back to complain of failures...

Hope everyone likes it.

[JupiterII]

Cool, is this part of the capsul or a seperate part?

[Technical Ben]

2 Seperate parts, so you can construct as you like. Mix and match. :

Slowing down is easy, stopping is an art. I often shoot back up into the air, then run out of juice. It shows they work perfectly though, as if I can go up from a decent, I can just kill the engines and land. Which I have done a few times. Others I can get a dead on one click landing if I get the thrust and timing matched.

You can even stack the fuel pods. Came in handy when I jettisoned my retro stage and was almost stuck in orbit.

[NovaSilisko]

You should make it an RCS module and tank. Then you don\'t have to mess with the throttle.

[Entropy]

Works like a charm, even when modified. Slap a medium-sized fuel tank on it and some legs, and you\'ve got an easy-to-maneuver lander. Really deceptively easy to use, I have to say. It handles lateral movement way better than I thought it would, too.

[Damonjay]

very nice well done for a first time. are you planning on making anything else other then landing gear?

[Technical Ben]

You should make it an RCS module and tank. Then you don\'t have to mess with the throttle.

Thanks for the idea. For now I\'ve left it as a standard rocket. You set the throttle, guess the altitude and hit 'fire'. It does work very well if you try it.

I might try rcs as that would allow you to 'tap' the thruster button, and allow for more error. But for now, it\'s more 'fun' this way.

I\'m just testing a second 'solid booster' version which may allow for easier (or more fun!) landings.

As to the landing gear, I\'ve got 2 ideas to help with that. But have to test them first.

[Luigibro606]

Ah, this is very nice. As Nova said an RCS version would be better but I definitely like it. ;D

Also makes for some spectacular fireworks crew panic moments.

[feanor]

You should make it an RCS module and tank. Then you don\'t have to mess with the throttle.

I actually disagree. In real life, you would have to mess with throttle aswell - it\'s the only way to make a lander that actually decelarates slowly. RCS would either be underpowered for breaking speed or overpowered for touchdown. Throttle is the ideal resolution, and also realistic.

So, don\'t make it RCS.

[comradephil]

What this man says.

[JupiterII]

I actually disagree. In real life, you would have to mess with throttle aswell - it\'s the only way to make a lander that actually decelarates slowly. RCS would either be underpowered for breaking speed or overpowered for touchdown. Throttle is the ideal resolution, and also realistic.

So, don\'t make it RCS.

I agree. You need throttle to land.

[feanor]

ah, and a next question - I really like your parts.

For the next release, could you rename the folders with a prefix, like your username - BenpartbreakDisk and Benpartmicrotank or something, just the folder names - that helps with part folder sorting and the like, and makes accidental overwrites impossible.

Case in point: a mod maker named Xermit has already made a part with the folder name 'microtank'.

So, please add a prefix!

Thanks in advance and thanks again for the parts, I\'ll be using them!

[Technical Ben]

I agree. You need throttle to land.

Not always true! Await the next update for proof.

Thanks feanor, taken your points to use! Hopefully have an update later. I would welcome balance issue advice (power/fuel etc). So far, they work great for landing, ok in space and useless for launch. So balance well.

[feanor]

Not always true! Await the next update for proof.

Thanks feanor, taken your points to use! Hopefully have an update later. I would welcome balance issue advice (power/fuel etc). So far, they work great for landing, ok in space and useless for launch. So balance well.

True, but spaceX engines certainly throttle.

I look foward to the other ones; They probably won\'t make possible the very nice 0.6 m/s landings I can do here - I just went to lunar orbit, came back, deorbited, deployed parachutes, and landed on the ground, without exceeding 4.5 G, thanks to this part. fire a short burst at 1 km ish or so, deploy parachute, slowly ramp up throttle when below 100 meters till you get to 1 m/s on the ground. Works extremely well.

Tips..

hmm. There could be a bit more fuel. 40 wouldn\'t be bad - it\'d give some hover. weight of the fuel module could go up aswell, then. As long as the assembly ( tank + engine ) stays below 0.3 or something it\'d be very usable.

I\'m currently making drawings of parts like this I want to model. To make it look more realistic, I went with a 1.25 meter diameter for the parts, and a slope the same angle as the command pod. That way, it looks like these parts are actually part of the pod, instead of sort of hanging below it. The Tank would have a sloped diameter going from 1 meter at the top to 1.25 at it\'s bottom - the heatshield/ engines would be 1.25.

Ah well, that\'s just an idea, and I\'ll try my hand at it myself, but if you\'re able to scale up yours easy, it\'d be a nice solution. I also like the heatshield/ engine texture, pretty nice.

[Technical Ben]

Just double the fuel pods for more fuel, they stack nicely. I might up the weight. But it\'s not for hover, just landing. You can avoid chutes altogether of cause. I\'m currently battling with modding the cutes...

[JupiterII]

Not always true! Await the next update for proof.

Thanks feanor, taken your points to use! Hopefully have an update later. I would welcome balance issue advice (power/fuel etc). So far, they work great for landing, ok in space and useless for launch. So balance well.

Ok you don\'t need to but it\'s easier.

[Technical Ben]

Well, I\'m working on making the solid booster version easier than the liquid ones. One button press hopefully.

[JupiterII]

Well, I\'m working on making the solid booster version easier than the liquid ones. One button press hopefully.

Just the right amount of lift so you don\'t fly up but don\'t crash down

[Technical Ben]

Ok you can now test the landing cushion and the 'fire and forget' landing mode.

Check the first post for the link!

[trvtannenberg]

Ok you can now test the landing cushion and the 'fire and forget' landing mode.

It\'s something wrong with landing cushion .cfg file.

[Technical Ben]

Sorry, reloaded the wrong file (Command pods one instead). Now fixed. Thanks.

I\'ve been practising using the solid booster along with the cushions to land after a full orbit etc. Working nicely. It still punishes you if you get it wrong though!

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

looks sweet

What\'s the ideal Braking Altitude of it?

[JupiterII]

looks sweet

What\'s the ideal Braking Altitude of it?

I\'ve been wondering that too. Too early and you fly up. Too late and you die.

[Technical Ben]

For the solid booster, it\'s in the description, around 2000m. Put feet by mistake, but will keep it as a joke.

With the adjustable booster, I\'d suggest trial and error. ;P

[Guest Flixxbeatz]

With the adjustable booster, I\'d suggest trial and error. ;P

Putting the weight of the whole assembly (including the pod) in account, 1000m - 1500m is probably enough already. ;D

I\'ve been wondering that too. Too early and you fly up. Too late and you die.

Not that you\'ll shoot back up, but also prematurely run out of fuel sometimes.