The Hercules 9 Mk IIa! This puppy will bring about 9.2 orange tanks to a ~90KM orbit!

[Arendey]

Built Using the Thrust plate tutorial found on youtube

this heavy tanker should satisfy almost any refueling needs before interplanetary travel

This can take off at full throttle, watch out for the toilet bowling (spinning) caused by the asparagus staging. I though of putting more control surfaces... but the high parts count made me reconsider.

Also, I recommend you move the fuel around and keep 3 of the 6 cluster of engines on the last stage once you circularize.

- Is mobile and capable of docking maneuvers (although its usually easier to dock crafts to it).

- All but 1 of the tanks can be detached for towing.

- Features 7 medium docking ports in from and 6 large ones in the back.

- Take off weight 2300ish tons with 939 parts.

- Final orbit at ~80-90Km has roughly 9.2 tanks and can drop just below 300 parts once the final stage is dumped (but it there's gonna be enough fuel left to justify keeping 3 of the 6 engine cluster as I said before).

New: The Mk1b was just added to the list with lower parts count:

- 805 Parts at launch, and the orbiter has from low to mid 100s depending on the amounts of fuel left.

- Comes at the cost of the extra docking ports (1 medium on that design), the tanks can no longer be detached and the RCS fuel tanks and ports were removed.

Due to the high parts count, I recommend reducing the time spent on physics to 0.03 if your computer has a hard time handling the launch. (Title Screen, Options, First tab, Physics delta time set at 0.03)

Action Groups:

1- Solar Arrays.

2- Central docking port shield.

3- Outer docking port shields.

Enjoy!

New: The Hercules 9 Mk2b with lower parts count

Pics or it didn't happen!

Mk11a (939 parts at launch)

http://www./view/vn8892zw7n6bzp7/Hercules_9_Mk_IIa.craft

MkIIb (805 at launch and mid to low 100s parts in final LKO)

http://www./view/ayd5gd6fsdzl6o7/Hercules%209%20Mk%20IIb.craft

Links to my previous shared projects:

The Hydra Class Modular Tug: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/60542-A-fuel-freighter-tug-to-fit-any-need-the-Hydra-Class-Modular-Tug

The Desert Rose Duna Base: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50670-The-Desert-Rose-Duna-Base-D

The Minotaur X-Light Fuel Tanker: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/51994-The-Minotaur-class-X-Light-fuel-launcher-%28with-tank-tug%29

The Tiny Titan Medium Tanker: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/51117-The-Tiny-Titan-Medium-Tanker-%284-orange-tanks-to-LKO%29-%29

The Farscape Launchpoint Space Station: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50344-I-present-to-you-the-Farscape-Launchpoint-Space-Station-%29

The Agamemnon Exoplanetary Outpost Deployment System: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/51494-The-Agamemnon-%28Exoplanetary-Outpost-Deployment-System%29-D?p=674546#post674546

Planceception: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/59489-Planceception!-A-plane-Within-a-plane-Thanks-Spootyman-for-your-awesome-video-of-it

Edited January 21, 2014 by Arendey

[Arendey]

I Have created an updated version with fewer parts. Details up above in Original post.

[Captain Sierra]

Are you using the welded thrust plates on the b model or no? That mod makes doing stuff like this so much easier.

[Arendey]

@ Captain Sierra Nope, I use a mod that allows me to use vertical snap in addition to the default radial, alining all the parts perfectly for the thrust plate, I forget the name, but the tutorial I linked mentions it, there is zero modded parts in this design

Edit: Found the vertical snap mod name: Editor Extensions, allows the use of vertical snap, from X1 to X50 symmetry (I think its 50) and to edit the angle snap to 1,5,15,30,45 and 90 degrees. I merely use that to create a perfect thrust plate to spread the shearing forces.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Arendey

[Arendey]

Edit: Last update somehow made it (the B model) very unstable (as opposed to finicky), so it had to be reinforced, also staging was fixed a bit, unfortunately that took the parts count up by 36 (to 805 at launch), but now at least its launchable, the user just has to be careful.

I haven't bothered editing the A model as the benefits of detachable tanks are limited, and the Minotaur does it more reliably (even though its only 2 orange tanks at a time).

Edited January 21, 2014 by Arendey

[Galane]

Have you tried it with Kerbal Joint Reinforcement and further reducing the number of parts? I might use this for my Eve mission rather than spending time docking sidesaddle boosters in orbit.

I haven't figured out how to get more than 8 symmetry or change the angle from 15 with editor extensions.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Galane

[Arendey]

@ Galane No modded parts in any of my builds, the point being to allow anyone to use, so it has to be usable in stock, I do use mods like editor extensions, and Select Root, which don't add any modded parts, but that's all.

Editor Extensions key bindings:

V - Toggle vertical snap

X, Shift+X - Increase/Decrease symmetry level

Alt+X - Reset symmetry level

C, Shift+C - Increase/Decrease angle snap

Alt+C - Reset angle snap

Alt+R - Toggle radial/surface attachment. For all parts, and when a part is selected, will toggle surface attachment even when that part’s config usually does not allow it

Alt+Z - Toggle part clipping (CAUTION: This is a cheat option)

Space - When no part is selected, resets camera pitch and heading (straight ahead and level)

Tab - Toggles between VAB/SPH editor modes, and toggles launching to runway or launchpad.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Arendey

[GoodGameHunter]

Hey very nice rocket, I think you beat my personal record of 7.5 tanks

Thanks for mentioning the editor extension I'll install it too, been looking for something like this especially for the vertical snap

[Comrade Jenkens]

This is why we need 3.75m and 5m parts! Impressive lifter though, that thing could lift my heavy lifter!

[Rune]

@ Captain Sierra Nope, I use a mod that allows me to use vertical snap in addition to the default radial, alining all the parts perfectly for the thrust plate, I forget the name, but the tutorial I linked mentions it, there is zero modded parts in this design

Edit: Found the vertical snap mod name: Editor Extensions, allows the use of vertical snap, from X1 to X50 symmetry (I think its 50) and to edit the angle snap to 1,5,15,30,45 and 90 degrees. I merely use that to create a perfect thrust plate to spread the shearing forces.

And a fine mod it is, I use it by default. BTW, thanks for showing me the thrust plate trick, it works wonders, and it has gotten my L3 Colony one step closer to existence. Man, that 17x Mainsail first stage looks wonderfully solid now!