Manned Extraplanetary Vessels

[Wjolcz]

Basic idea is that those vessels are modular and can be modified in flight. You can add more fuel to increase dV 'n stuff.

MEV Taurus is the very first vessel to reach Duna (in 0.20) and establish a small outpost there.

The outpost with a lander in the distance

And here's MEV Atlas. Meant to be the return vessel and kind of a station to communicate or sooooooomeethiiiiiiing?

Let me know what you think. I'll probably make more of them in order to send them to Jool system.

[jordanjay29]

EDIT: Sorry, posted in your thread instead of the one I wanted.

Edited June 16, 2013 by jordanjay29

[Wjolcz]

;_;

10 characters

[Mekan1k]

Download for craft files?

[firegeek83]

Interesting design. I like the "modular" angle you've chosen. I'm in the process of doing something as you are, but my design is a little different. I'm curious as to the mass (w/total fuel) of your ships before you depart Kerbin. Have you also looked into bringing in Kethane for your outpost?

[Wjolcz]

Download for craft files?

These are assembled in orbit. I don't think you can extract craft files from the save file :/

Interesting design. I like the "modular" angle you've chosen. I'm in the process of doing something as you are, but my design is a little different. I'm curious as to the mass (w/total fuel) of your ships before you depart Kerbin. Have you also looked into bringing in Kethane for your outpost?

I do only stock stuff. I don't know about fuel but those things have about 3500 m/s of dV. Not much, but enough to get to Duna and back. I can always add more fuel tanks if I want to go to other, more dV demanding planets.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Veeltch

[firegeek83]

Only stock huh? I understand that. If we had stock resources, I wouldn't be using kethane. My only difference from yours is that I set up a robotic refuel station & driller before I send my manned vessel.

The DSV (manned). Can deploy a small outpost.

Ike refueling station

Driller/resupply vessel

[Wjolcz]

Really nice! I've been thinking about downloading Kethane and using it to not worry about my fuel supplies. I forgot to mention that the engine section is left there on 50x50km orbit around Duna. So I sent there the lander to refuel itself and get back to the outpost to bring the Kerbs back in orbit. The only flaw is that I have to do it like 2 times if I want to have all the crew on board of Atlas.

[ixolate industries]

For the posting of crafts why not just post all the modules with or without the launcher for each of your ships?

[Technical Ben]

Nice. Love the swap for landing legs for bars.

[firegeek83]

Really nice! I've been thinking about downloading Kethane and using it to not worry about my fuel supplies. I forgot to mention that the engine section is left there on 50x50km orbit around Duna. So I sent there the lander to refuel itself and get back to the outpost to bring the Kerbs back in orbit. The only flaw is that I have to do it like 2 times if I want to have all the crew on board of Atlas.

Thanks. I tried the same where I lander went down to Duna to ferry the crew, only I didn't have enough to get them back into orbit. Thus, I brought Kethane in and was able to revisit my Duna base and use Ike as a springboard to other planets. I would try it out and see if it works for you or not. It definitely helped me to slim down my manned vessels, knowing they'd link up with the refuel station and/or resupply vessel

[Wjolcz]

For the posting of crafts why not just post all the modules with or without the launcher for each of your ships?

They aren't that complicated to recreate. I made them with as lowest part count as I could and used Zenith Rockets to put them into orbit. You can totally recreate them in your own game and probably even make them better! Simply take a closer look at the screenies. I believe in you, guys!

[Wjolcz]

And here's the prototype from like 2 versions ago.

It was so terrible I left it where it was and transported it's fuel to my other station.

[Wjolcz]

Update on a thread no one is reading anyway:

DAV Triton:

Just landed this thingy to pick up my Kerbs. Capable of taking 12 Kerbals into a stable orbit. At least that's what I'm hoping for...

One seat fell off when a kerb left it. I reloaded, but that doesn't change the fact they are too close to eachother.

[nyrath]

Thanks. I tried the same where I lander went down to Duna to ferry the crew, only I didn't have enough to get them back into orbit. Thus, I brought Kethane in and was able to revisit my Duna base and use Ike as a springboard to other planets. I would try it out and see if it works for you or not. It definitely helped me to slim down my manned vessels, knowing they'd link up with the refuel station and/or resupply vessel

And now you know why NASA and Robert Zubrin are so gung-ho on what they call "in-situ resource utilization", which is NASA-speak for "kethane". Being able to refuel at your destination or at a refueling depot is a game-changer.

[eran100]

You should make more! Btw what about craft files?

[ixolate industries]

I tried something like your modular ship recently it was slightly bigger than yours with the purpose of setting up a refuelling station in Duna/Ike orbit.

It's currently on its test flight to Duna without any cargo.

[Pershonkey]

Looks cool! How many parts with cargo though? Something like that might melt my computer if I tried it...

[firegeek83]

And now you know why NASA and Robert Zubrin are so gung-ho on what they call "in-situ resource utilization", which is NASA-speak for "kethane". Being able to refuel at your destination or at a refueling depot is a game-changer.

Definitely a game changer. I like to make sure that my crew has a way back home before committing to a trip. Was always curious if NASA has thought or could think about sending the means (resource,vessel,etc.) of a "return ticket" regarding manned missions to other planets.

[firegeek83]

I tried something like your modular ship recently it was slightly bigger than yours with the purpose of setting up a refuelling station in Duna/Ike orbit.

It's currently on its test flight to Duna without any cargo.

Awesome design there. How many LVNs you using there?

[trepnick]

Read up on Mars Direct for IRL ISRU. It would send an unmanned vehicle capable of making fuel first, then a manned mission which would use said fuel to get home.

[Wjolcz]

So many replies :3 You guys made me happy.

Ixolate industries: I love the ship!

Here's another update:

DAV Triton with 10 kerbals on board.

Approaching MEV Atlas

After transfering the crew Triton docks to the empty fuel tank of Atlas to take it to one of the refuelling stations in the orbit of Dune

Here's how it looks right now.

Pretty small but still cool.

About the craft files: I'll try to post them later. Do I need to use dropbox or something?

[Wjolcz]

And here's something completely different. I always wanted to put those in one place.

My very first space station I built when docking was implemented.

After that I built The Big Y station and deorbited the old one, because it was lagging horribly.

Of course this one had too many parts as well. So in the next version of KSP I rebuilt it with less parts, though I have no pics of Mk2 on this computer ._.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Veeltch

[ixolate industries]

firegeek83 I used 8 lvn's on that particular version.

It made it to low Duna orbit without cargo and with fuel to spare.

Next time though I think I will make a more specialized version with two ships carrying different cargo.

Veeltch I liked your DAV Triton I have yet to try making anything like it but I feel I probably will when I set up my permanent base.

As for not melting my computer I tried to keep the part count to a minimal so any unnecessary parts like rcs thrusters were left behind with their respective delivery vehicles.

Edited July 7, 2013 by ixolate industries

[Exothermos]

I like some of the ideas I've seen here. A big mission to Duna is my next goal, so this is helping lots. It seams most people go with a modular tug design for the interplanetary ship, but what I needed an idea of was how to arrange the mission profile once in orbit around Duna. This has helped!