[REQUEST] Laythe Exploration Vehicle

[sturmstiger]

The Kerbal Astronautical Science & Exploration Agency (KASEA) is now requesting proposals for the design of a Laythe Exploration Vehicle (LEV) from the aerospace industry. The LEV will be used for crewed exploration of various locations on the surface of Laythe, for the Laythe Expedition Missions currently being planned by KASEA. The requirements are:

0. It must use only Industry Standard (e.g. stock) parts.

1. It must have a pressurized cabin (or cabins) (e.g. pod or cockpits, not seats) for a crew of 3.

1a. The crew must be able to easily get on and off the vehicle from land or water surface.

2. It must be capable of atmospheric flight on Laythe.

2a. It must be capable of non-refueled circumnavigation of Laythe using air-breathing engine(s).

2b. It must be capable of landing and takeoff on both land and water.

2c. Safe landing on land and water must be possible in case of engine failure / out-of-fuel when it occurs at an altitude of 1000m or more.

2d. [Optional] Sustained loitering and vertical takeoff & landing capability is desirable.

2e. [Optional] Level flight without pilot input (e.g. using ASAS / Avionics Package) is highly desirable.

3. It must be able capable of land movement on Laythe.

3a. It must be capable of sustained movement at at least 20m/s on flat land surface.

3b. It must be capable of hard turns when moving at 10m/s or less.

3c. It must be able to climbing up / down slopes of 30 degrees or less.

3d. [Optional] Unlimited range over land through the use of electric-powered wheels is desirable.

4. It must be capable of water movement on Laythe.

3a. It must be capable of sustained movement at at least 5m/s on water.

3b. It must be able to move from land to water and water to land over the beach.

3c. [Optional] The capability of sustained high speed (50m/s or more) movement on water is highly desirable.

5. Control and handling must be smooth & easy for all modes of movement.

6. It must have at least one medium-sized docking port in an easily accessible location, ideally at the nose, for docking & refueling.

6a. [Optional] The capability for one LEV to refuel another through docking ports is highly desirable.

7. It's fully fueled mass must be 17.5 tons or less, and it must have no more than 100 parts.

8. [Optional] The capability of air, sea and land operation on Kerbin, for easy testing & potential Kerbin applications is desirable.

Please submit your proposals with pictures or videos of the LEV at all 3 modes of movement. Please also provide its key operational parameters (such as range & tested speeds at various modes), user instructions and the blueprint (.craft file). KASEA will evaluate all proposals and award a contracts for the design & construction of a prototype, to up to 3 companies. KASEA will then evaluate the prototypes and choose one winner, which will be awarded a contract to build at least 7 LEVs (4 operational vehicles for Laythe and 3 testing & training vehicles) for the initial phase of the Laythe Exploration Missions.

Office of Spacecraft Acquisition, KASEA

Edited June 23, 2013 by sturmstiger

[entaran]

You're literally dreaming if you think you can solve all these points without breakage on Laythe. No offense but it's just not going to happen so don't wait around.

Anything with wheels that can do 20ms on something that's undoubtedly going to be heavy (3 crew compartment) with enough fuel to circumnavigate a planet (HEAVY) is going to utterly destroy the undercarriage the instant it hits water, forget land.

[sturmstiger]

You're literally dreaming if you think you can solve all these points without breakage on Laythe. No offense but it's just not going to happen so don't wait around.

Anything with wheels that can do 20ms on something that's undoubtedly going to be heavy (3 crew compartment) with enough fuel to circumnavigate a planet (HEAVY) is going to utterly destroy the undercarriage the instant it hits water, forget land.

Entaran,

Thanks for your concern. KASEA believes the requirement for LEV is sound based on our research and experiments. For example KASEA already has a 3-man aircraft that can fly around Kerbin 3 times and can go more 20m/s on wheels, with as mass of 14 tons. While KASEA does not currently operate amphibious aircrafts, we have seem designs capable of over 200m/s on water from various "challenges" in the inudstry. Thus we believe our modest requirement with water takeoff, landing and limited movement is quite achievable. KASEA is confident that our industrial partners can come up with proposals that exceeds the LEV requirement and looking forward to seeing them.

Edited June 23, 2013 by sturmstiger

[ixolate industries]

Would it be possible to carry the aircraft, which could be an SSTO, on a large ship then just deorbit and land it when arrived at Laythe.

With a good design and efficient flying it would also the be possible to return to the ship in orbit and take all the kerbalnauts back to Kerbin.

[sturmstiger]

Would it be possible to carry the aircraft, which could be an SSTO, on a large ship then just deorbit and land it when arrived at Laythe.

With a good design and efficient flying it would also the be possible to return to the ship in orbit and take all the kerbalnauts back to Kerbin.

Reaching orbit from Laythe or Kerbin surface is not a requirement for The LEV. Our current plan is to launch the LEV as a rocket payload and send it to Laythe by an interplanetary tug that docks with it. Once on Laythe it will operate within Laythe atmosphere. KASEA recognizes that some companies may be able to design the LEV with SSTO / space operation capability, and we welcome such designs.