"Hermes" Jet Delivery System - Duna on a Shoestring.

[Synapse]

Presenting the "Hermes" Jet Delivery System

Capable of delivering a capsule to Eve or Duna at a mere 38 parts.

Begin your gravity turn immediately! Using the power of jets to conquer 20,000m of pesky atmosphere:

Beginning a rocket burn directly on apoapsis, the HJDS can reach escape velocity of 3500m/s:

Enough to get you on a intercept with Eve, Duna, or maybe even Dres (calculations needed):

Craft file (may need some alterations for new ASAS, I'm using an older version of KSP)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5eamfs7cogsmq88/Hermes.craft

Launch Instructions

1. Activate all four jet engines and enable ASAS.
   
2. You can begin a 45 degree ascent profile after about 100 meters.
   
3. At 10,000m, press 1 to deactivate jet engines, and jettison them.
   
4. At 20,000m, press 2 to deactivate turbojets, then jettison.
   
5. Turn to apoapsis and burn at full throttle.
   
6. Put on a atomic engine, ion satellite, the possibilities are endless!
   

Edited August 1, 2013 by Synapse
38 parts not 46

[PrivateFlip]

I'm really playing this game wrong. My ship for a return trip with lander is twenty times as big as this one.

[Xeldrak]

Why are your radial intakes mounted backwards? Do they even work this way?

[Synapse]

Why are your radial intakes mounted backwards? Do they even work this way?

Yes they work. It's purely for aesthetic value.

I've just tested this again, and if you add another rocket fuel tank the craft is capable of 4300m/s, which is more than enough to reach Dres (and there's potential to reach Jool). However the ascent is much slower.

[Francesco]

I don't see where those 80 tons are though...

[Synapse]

It might be less, that was just an estimate. I don't have mechjeb to tell you the exact weight/TWR

[AnalogAddict]

That craft looks like its 18 tons. I've built something similar so I have somewhat of a frame of reference unless you're clipping fuel tanks into one another. Good job on going interplanetary on a budget! I like it.

[Synapse]

I've amended the title

[iDan122]

I can make a Dres capable craft from 6 parts, beat that!