How to launch a rover to Mun.

[JuggernautOfWar]

I am having difficulty figuring out how to launch a rover into space. Hell, I am even struggling to attach a rover to a rocket in any reasonable way. Any tips are much appreciated.

[NoMrBond]

If you use radial engines, it is possible to sling the rover underneath your lander (or skycrane).

If you want one central engine on your delivery vehicle, then you'll need to attach the rover on the side (with clamp-o-tron or decoupler) so you can drop it off after landing. This can lead to balance problems so you may need something on the other side balancing the rovers mass.

Edited July 25, 2013 by NoMrBond

[DesertWolf]

Huumm, Do you have screenshots of your current designs? It might help figuring out what the current issue is. An explanation of what happens would do, but screenshots are always best.

[J0hnsmine]

I would use Procedural fairings and 5 meter parts to get that rover to the mun.

Edited July 26, 2013 by J0hnsmine

[bobcook]

Want to have something like this?

Start with something like this:

I build my landers + rovers upside down, on top of a launch vehicle capable of getting into Mun orbit. Mine are built to be robotic but have seats for Kerbals brave enough to land in the thing. So far there has been few volunteers willing to make the trip. It has happened, just not caught on camera.

For the record, in case any purists are viewing, this is 100% stock.

Note: these are screen shots from 0.20.2, I haven't recreated this in 0.21 yet.

Edited July 26, 2013 by bobcook

[NoMrBond]

Uhh, this is the only other rover attachment picture I can get to from at work (from the Apollo challenge) which sort of shows side mounting

I can get some different rover-mounting pictures once I get home showing more normal launches

[JuggernautOfWar]

It seems you folks are designing rovers and rockets in the VAB. When I design rovers in the VAB they are asymmetrical and impossible. Same goes for rockets of any complexity in the SPH.

[lammatt]

either use a skycrane or pack a decent engine at the bottom

i personally dont like skycranes because it's harder... i usually pack a small fuel tank and a small engine at the bottom of my rover and use struts to attach my wheels

- my rovers can ascend back into orbit because of that

[JuggernautOfWar]

That doesn't really solve them being asymmetrical in either of the buildings. Either the rover is screwed up in the VAB, or the vehicle is screwed up in the SPH.

[Jarin]

Try using the VAB and then not using symmetry on the rover-construction; just be very careful and use zoom and pick reference points to manually align the wheels and other parts.

[hansman1982]

Want to have something like this?

Start with something like this:

I build my landers + rovers upside down, on top of a launch vehicle capable of getting into Mun orbit. Mine are built to be robotic but have seats for Kerbals brave enough to land in the thing. So far there has been few volunteers willing to make the trip. It has happened, just not caught on camera.

For the record, in case any purists are viewing, this is 100% stock.

Note: these are screen shots from 0.20.2, I haven't recreated this in 0.21 yet.

Wow, cause this is feasible. HA!

[Liudeius]

Everyone else has said what you need to make it, but I'm just going to add DON'T use shortcuts to adjust symmetry.

There was a glitch in 0.20.2 (and probably still in 0.21.0) where if you pressed x to adjust symmetry rather than clicking to change it, your ship could be irreversibly glitched.

A thread on the bug.

It's probably fine to do it for small ships, but anything complex like what you want would likely run into trouble.

But it's totally doable, I have one which I sent to Duna, and I had enough spare fuel that I figure it's good for anywhere.

[Hakuryu]

I prefer a landing vehicle skycrane, where you drop the rover once landed, because almost all rovers are unbalanced, and using a skycrane to fly them off the top of a landing vehicle can be extremely tricky. Once you start making larger rovers, 'fly off the top' skycranes (like the default rover/skycrane) are worthless.

Here is my latest (.20) on the way to the Mun. It is a pretty heavy rover, so I sent it and it's skycrane/base lander up first, then docked the delivery vehicle shown.

Landed and dropped off, waiting for passengers.

Off on a mission.