The Draco - Interplanetary Vessel Design (aka: way too much docking)

[N3Coalition]

So I've been waiting for a Duna Launch Window and since I couldnt imagine a space agency just sitting around... we've been building. And test landing on the Mun and Minmus. Which brings me to Projects Aquila and later Draco:

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It currently (*as of the edit*) has two landers:

The N-A.D./A. Vehicle (Non-atmospheric Descent/Ascent) to be used for the Mun, Minmus and potentially Ike.

and

The G.L.A.E./A. Vehicle (Gravitationally Low Atmospheric Entry/Ascent) to be used for Duna.

And a Wyvern Crew Transfer Vehicle, which is capable of returning crew back to Kerbin safely.

Edited August 21, 2013 by N3Coalition
Added new picture.

[Orbiter]

Ah, docking. Docking is just wonderful isn't it. I find it interesting that you did this by docking each module individually. Right now I am creating a ship almost exactly like this, but I am going to send it up all in one go. Trust me, it makes life a lot less painful if you can get it up in one piece.

[N3Coalition]

I've been trying to avoid use of asparagus staging for more realistic ascent lifters, unfortunately this limits the tonnage that I can lift into space.

And for some reason the VAB doesnt like my two docking modules idea. I tried to replicate it first by building the whole thing to see if two sr docking ports would work but... I don't think the VAB liked it. XD

The only other advantage I can think of is that with it being highly modular, if it ever gets damaged, you can simply send replacement modules instead of a whole new ship. Other than that, I guess it was also a learning experience for how to multidock, lol.

The thing should have roughly 9,000 m/s of Delta V without any payload, so I think this might be overkill for Duna. Oh well.

[Orbiter]

That is a good point about being modular. It does allow for the replacement of parts. I did not use asparagus to lift my ship, I used 20 large fuel tanks and medium fuel tanks with 16 skippers and 4 mainsails. It works pretty well, the only flaw is that I messed up fuel flow, making it spin badly. Don't be afraid to just strap a ton of boosters on it and see if it explodes.

[Ojimak]

Tenuous

Tedious

I'm terribly sorry for doing this, but it just burned my soul.

-Ojimak

Edited August 21, 2013 by Ojimak

[N3Coalition]

I probably still used it incorrectly but when I wrote that, I was think about how precarious things floating at each other relatively quickly was.

Though this whole thing has been pretty tedious. Engineering hindsight-the comm tower is in the way. DX so I lifted up an extender, so that port will be used for refueling.

But I will try to be more careful with those two words in he future. c: