[Mod Craft] Aquaraeus Assault Vehicle

[Dynamo]

The Field Dynamics Corporation presents the Aquaraeus, a small vehicle designed to deploy 8 1-man Orendall Tactical Insertion pods via orbital insetion. Carrying 720 units of fuel, this vehicle can deliver a strike team quickly onto almost any location on Kerbin. Designed with infiltration missions in mind, the Aquaraeus is capable of high reentry speeds due to rigid, yet simple construction that keeps the vehicle cheap and tough. It also holds a full avionics suite, and has very excellent handling ratings, an easy craft to fly for anyone with some experience in spaceflight. Without further adeu, The Aquareus.

STATS:

Total Mass: 28 tons loaded (so much for 'small' )

Crew capacity: 8 (One marine must pilot the ship into the atmosphere before returning to their pod)

Fuel Load: 720u Liquid Fuel, 880u Oxidizer

Powerplant: x2 LV-T45 Engines, ISP of 700

Delta-V: approx. 1220 m/s

Part Count: 201

Mods Used:

This is actually almost a stock craft. I used Quantum struts to give it structural rigidity, otherwise every one of those pods would start to fish-tail every time i moved the ship, and each drop pod contains 8 CP inflatable airbags for extra cushoning, or for my ODST style landing method (see below) However, one could probably get away with removing both and having a perfectly functional stock craft (Post if you want a stock version)

Quantum Struts Mod

Airbags Mod - No plugins required!

Pilot's Notes: I've barely flight tested it, but my heavy launcher was able to get it into orbit with a nearly full Orange + Mainsail booster. Others with smaller lifters may want to beef up for this, it's easy to launch, but it is still heavy. Main drop method is to deorbit above a target, PRESS "1," which decouples the first four aft landers and deploys their chutes (You can't switch to them in atmo, but the chutes will land them anywhere just fine.). PRESSING "2" will release 3 of the four pods nearest the bow, leaving the one "above" the main cockpit. The carrier's pilot may use this, and you can control your Kerbal's descent by PRESSING "3," releasing the final pod without deploying chutes. NOTE: I recommend releasing the pods before the thicker atmo of Kerbin at around 30km. While Aquaraeus vehicles are very spaceworthy, DO NOT trust them to handle atmo well. You may kill your kerbs by sending the carrier into a spinning fit that rips the ship apart.

ODST Landing method: This is an optional choice for Jebediah-ites looking for an extra fast insertion (NOTE: You need the CP Airbags part for this one):

Need to get in the hot zone fast? Here's the way real kerbals Helljump into battle!

1. You'll need to stay in the cockpit for this one once we hit ~5km (depending on landing site) .While you're there, befriend your radar altimeter, find him and say "hi."

2. Keep attitude retrograde down to 20km, prevent all spins to best ability

3. Now you're in the thick of it. Don't deploy chutes, but keep an eye on any spin tendency

4. At 5km, switch to cockpit mode (In other words, press "C")

5. As much as the scenery beckons to you, glue your eyes to the radar altimeter. You'll be screaming in at ~150 m/s, so stay frosty.

6. At about 300m AGL, (or 2 sec before impact o_0) DEPLOY CHUTES.

7. Now, exit the cockpit view and press G to inflate landing bags. Once done, stage again to get rid of your chutes (recommended only at 250m AGL & below) and drop into hell!

Craft:

http://www./download/5u4iq9xd5kiuqs5/Aquaraeus_Assault_Vehicle.craft

Have Fun!

[AustralianFries]

That looks awesome, mate! Great work!

[Lazurkri]

AWESOME, a ODST deployer! I salute you sir!