Munbase Serenity

[Umlüx]

since the update broke the old saves, its time to plan and build a new munbase. this time it will be bigger, better, badder and maybe even less likely to explode than my old one i let myself inspire by some base and rover designs and came up with some neat things.. i think..

but lets begin the planning and building, shall we

Phase 1 - planning and building all the parts

first we need a lifter to get all this stuff into orbit and to the mun. this, i call the "Keriane 1"

There is also a Keriane Heavy with 4 side boosters for very heavy payloads. this vehicle utilizes KWRocketry and the Procedural Fairings mods.

onwards to the munbase modules. next, we need someplace for the kerbals to live. one cannot expect them to hang around in their EVA suits forever.

this hab can hold up to 6 kerbals with all the snacks and comfort they could dream of. plus this module is able to deorbit and land on its own.

gotta love those B9 parts! who says they are only good for planes?

this is the equipment module (as you can probably see, heavily inspired by katateochis constellation project). it holts several tools like a kethane drill, kethane converter, a generator with RTG and Solar Power, and a small damned robotics articulated telescope from the Ordan Industries modpack.

this thing was a BEAST to balance out... but it too is able to land on its own. (ok maybe i'll ask mechjeb for a little help )

now, we need some rovers. Kerbals love rovers. and explosions. well.. mostly explosions, but rovers too.

i plan on sending 2 of my Ferret rovers up. one fitted with exploration and scanner stuff and the second with a crane arm for basebuilding.

but how to drop them safely onto the munar surface.. ? well, how about this?

i just pray this will work on the mun too

all modules will be transferred unmanned, the crew will arrive when everything is in place and ready for science and stuff.

the crew of 6 will be carried into LKO with 2 launches of the Keres OTS (Orbital Taxi Systen) i already use this proven craft to get my kerbals up to my space station and back again.

...and from there, they will take the Mun-Bus to the Base. This Bus will transfer Crew between the Munbase and LKO and can be refueled at the base.

so far so good. the plan looks solid to me. i hope the execution will be solid as well

to be continued...

[Rhyunix]

Damn, I wish I'd thought mine through as thoroughly as you have! Say, could you give any tips on landing sideways modules?

Edit: Where do I find the lit up habitat thing?

[Umlüx]

place 2 identical tanks on both sides so they drain simultaneously, add a docking port on top to get the correct orientation on the navball and spend hours on getting the CoT and CoM exactly the same.....

SAS and RCS helps a lot with stability, especially in the last landing phase.

the lit up habitat is the crew container from the B9 Aerospace mod.

[Rhyunix]

I see, are you going to dock your modules together? I sense competition between you and I

[Cashen]

Wow, that base design using the B9 crew module is really fantastic. Good work. Very inspiring.

[SuperWeegee4000]

Very nice! Should this be in Mission Reports?

...Say nothing.

NOTHING.

[Umlüx]

Phase 2 - sending the junk over

with everything on order and standing ready, its time to begin shipping everything to the mün. so let's start our engines and get this thing going!

with the power of the Keres Heavy Rocket, lifting such payloads is child's play and after a short time, we reach munar orbit.

as soon as we are in the right position we start our breaking burn to descend on the surface. the transfer stage is jettisoned and will crash somewhere into the mun. the equipment module is now on its own.

first rule when playing such missions: USE QUICKSAVE! some may consider it cheating. i think of it as a feature to protect my nerves and my keyboard from being smashed.... just like the module in the first two landing trys

but eventually we reach the surface safe and in one piece. easy noooow.... and touchdown! the dodo has landed!

the other lanches were not that much different from this one (including some 'splosions) so i think i'll take a shortcut here and present you... the Munbase Serenity! ready for end assembly and waiting for the crew to do important science and stuff

Bill Kerman will lead this expedition because Jeb is needed for some.. very special.. erm.. testflights. and Bob is afraid of heights. He and his chosen team of five other extraordinary stup... curageous Kerbals are already standing by to be transferred.

to be continued

[tntristan12]

Oooh, shiny base! Can't wait to watch it grow. Also, what mods are you using for your parts? I want to get into some more heavy mods, but I'm afraid of having to redesign all of my (mostly) stock craft.

[Umlüx]

B9 and KWRocketry. many great and shiny parts and i love them! i couldn't imagine going pure vanilla again.

damned robotics and KAS for the mechanical stuff and connecting the modules together.

and mechjeb for information displays, node finetunting and SmartASS.

[tntristan12]

And the fairings? Those look like fairing factory.

Edit: nevermind! I see you're using procedural fairings. I might download that!

[Umlüx]

Phase 3 - all your base are belong to us

after 2 launches of my keres orbital transport system, the munbus is ready to depart and deliver the 6 heroic kerbals to the mun. for science and stuff! now lets just hope there is enough fuel in this thing to get them there safe and sound...

with literally the LAST DROP of fuel, the munbus arrived at the base and touched down somewhat rough, but safe and DIDNT BREAK SOMETHING! thats a first for Bill piloted capsules! i better don't tell them just yet, that this was a one way trip.. because of a monumental oversight, there is no KAS port on the munbus, so i can't refuel that damn thing... well.. thats life

well, lets get this show on the road! Bill readied the Ferret HD assembly rover and started building the base. the first thing is to get the generator going, you can't do sheet without power on the mun.

with the Ferret's assembly arm he plucks it from the equipment lander and deploys it in the middle of the base.

note to myself: this things are still very heavy on the mun. we need some stronger supporting legs on the next rover...

next, the kethane converter is positioned. but whats that.. i can't deploy the landing legs of the converter... damn.. no juice left, the probe on the converter isn't responding to my commands.

what to do now?...

looks like bill has to get his own hands dirty and hook it up to the power generator manually. this is only a minor setback for my highly brainwash... erm.. trained kerbal personnel

last but not least, the kethane drill unit and the scientific telescope are deployed and hooked up to the generator.

now everything is coming together nicely. i like it.

and success! the munbase is now ready for operation. Bill parks the Ferret and makes his way to the habitat, where the rest of the crew is already getting the party going.

now the last question will be: what color do kerbals get when drunk and hungover? i think we shall see soon enough.

[Rhyunix]

This is incredibly similar to the constellation thing - I love it, it interests me why there isn't, like, a separate solar panel thingy for the base instead of sticking them in the hab modules

[Umlüx]

you could tell?

yes i was heavy influenced by katateochi's magnificent constellation mission and had to do something similar. only on a smaller scale.

power is crucial to survive on the mun, so the hab is completely self sustaining.

well.. there IS a connector on the hab.. but i was too lazy at the end

[Rhyunix]

Well, the way I'm doing it is with different modules for different things - The hab will be connected via a jr and standard docking port to the solar panel array that is also modular. I have to say though, your way involves kethane - mine involves expeditions which I'm sure you'll do but that's the focal point for me

[Umlüx]

i believe that finding resources and be able to process them will be the key for colonizing other worlds. so kethane is a must have for me.

[Rhyunix]

I agree, I do like the kethane Idea - whens the next update on your base?