Munshine launcher family: 22, 55, 75 tons, non-asparagus, light on parts!

[Wayfare]

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Awesome rockets for awesome people!

Introduction

As part of the celebration of the 1,000th download of the Munshine V Apollo-style Mun craft, Wayfare AE&KA is proud to release the current Munshine family of launchers. While the Munshine V remains our dependable, middle-range launcher of choice, the MOMS Program has given us cause to develop both a lighter and a heavier variant. Still, all these launchers retain the elegance of the Munshine V with their sleek lines, serial staging and pretty nosecones.

Dowload launchers here:

(Right-click and "save as")

Munshine V 55-ton payload, 76-part launcher.

Munshine VI 22-ton payload, 28-part launcher.

Munshine VII 75-ton payload, 128-part launcher.

All three launchers in one handy ZIP-file.

Important Notes

- Payload tonnage is rated by the amount of mass a Munshine launcher is able to bring to a 100x100km orbit around Kerbin.

- Larger payloads may be carried if they are able to finish circularization by themselves, tested up to 10% additional payload mass.

- Subassembly Manager friendly: just copy the .craft files into your Subassembly Manager's folder and they'll load with perfect struts.

Manual

- Action Group 0 locks gimbal on the outer engines of the launch stages.

- Gravity Turn starts at 5,000 meters to 10 degrees off vertical.

- Continue turning gently until reaching 500m/s at 45 degrees, and aim to be horizontal once between 1100 and 1400m/s.

These launchers are currently serving us very well and we hope they'll to the same for you! They're reliable, rugged, simple and light on parts. Enjoy responsibly.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Wayfare

[Kimberly]

They look great! I was kind of hoping from the thread name these would be rated for Mun launches, but I suppose I'll have to configure that part myself. Will definitely be making use of these, though. One issue--I'm confused about your manual. We should pitch down all the way to 10 degrees first, then back to 45, then vertical again? That can't be right.

[Wayfare]

They look great! I was kind of hoping from the thread name these would be rated for Mun launches, but I suppose I'll have to configure that part myself. Will definitely be making use of these, though. One issue--I'm confused about your manual. We should pitch down all the way to 10 degrees first, then back to 45, then vertical again? That can't be right.

Thanks! If you're looking for a complete Mun rocket, check out the Munshine V (it uses the Munshine V Launcher to lift a Munar injection stage and Apollo-style command and lander combination). And good catch about the gravity turn! It should read "10 degrees off vertical", so that would be 80 degrees on the navball. Fixed it in the manual

If you use one of these launchers, I'd be delighted if you could post a few screenshots!

[Gojira]

Wayfare, I'm sorry, but, aim to be vertical? That's a bit too Kerbal for launches

[Wayfare]

Wayfare, I'm sorry, but, aim to be vertical? That's a bit too Kerbal for launches

Duh is me

[Santoron]

Thanks for the hard work, Wayfare! Will download these and give them a go next chance I get.

[Halsfury]

elegant launchers, really cut down my build time on my Duna mission architecture and even saved a mun-bound crew from certain post liftoff death when one of the MainStage engines got loose.

Testing on the mun

Observe the engine to the left in this picture, notice how it doesn't line up with the one to the right? that's because it's not attached, the Munshine VII is so strong, that I landed on the Mun anyway:cool:

[Wayfare]

Observe the engine to the left in this picture, notice how it doesn't line up with the one to the right? that's because it's not attached, the Munshine VII is so strong, that I landed on the Mun anyway:cool:

Whoa

I knew the Munshine VII was a pretty rugged rocket but this surprises even me. Remind me to give the engineers a raise! Pretty slick piloting too, you need to be real careful on the controls with a loose booster.

This sort of SUD has never happened during the proving trials. Only thing I can think of is that KSP may have randomly deleted/disconnected a strut or two during loading, as it is sometimes wont to. The tolerances on the Munshine VII are pretty tight and one missing strut in a critical place can indeed cause a whole booster to come off.

[Halsfury]

Whoa

I knew the Munshine VII was a pretty rugged rocket but this surprises even me. Remind me to give the engineers a raise! Pretty slick piloting too, you need to be real careful on the controls with a loose booster.

This sort of SUD has never happened during the proving trials. Only thing I can think of is that KSP may have randomly deleted/disconnected a strut or two during loading, as it is sometimes wont to. The tolerances on the Munshine VII are pretty tight and one missing strut in a critical place can indeed cause a whole booster to come off.

I noticed the loose booster right before I was thinking about my gravity pre-turn and once I did, I just took my hands off the keyboard and waited the longest 45 secs in Munstead's life until burnout.

Also I did not load the rocket as a subassembly, instead, I did a control pod swap and built the payload on top of the rocket which I got in the download, what actually happened was an unusual confluence of rocket sway, launch forces and launch clamp separation. On takeoff the rocket shook pretty violently as a result, it was like a bow being drawn back or a string on a guitar.