BSC: Super-Heavy Lander - The next BSC will.....

[John FX]

I have often wondered why the super heavy lander is only super heavy and lacking super heavy capability...

My thoughts suggest the ability to land and get back into orbit from Tylo should be added to the design specs. A Super Heavy Lander should be capable of that.

Edited October 11, 2013 by John FX

[briansun1]

so it's basically whatever we want to make lander right?

edit: do we need to include a launcher to get the thing into orbit?

Edited October 11, 2013 by briansun1

[AmpsterMan]

Same thing here, I like my landers as minimalistic as possible to save on the weight they have to bring down and carry up again.

People seem to favor fancy stuff, so I guess my "been there, done that" crafts will appear dull

Yeah, same happened with my Two Stage lander. My first draft had 3 landing legs, no Rcs, lv909 descent engine, and Rockomax 48/77 ascent. Both were fueld by a thin 2 meter tank. This meant the descent less fuel than desired and ascent more than desired. However, the whole thing was like 20 parts compared to the final product that was like 70 (even AFTER I optimized it XD)

so it's basically whatever we want to make lander right?

I think it is more of a one stage to land, orbit and return. The delta-v to do that from the easiest body (Duna) is high, even using a perfect mission profile is very high.

The real challenge of the craft is building something that can acomplish all of this in a single stage. At least, that's how I interpret the super heave lander

Edited October 11, 2013 by AmpsterMan

[Blaster]

Yeah, same happened with my Two Stage lander. My first draft had 3 landing legs, no Rcs, lv909 descent engine, and Rockomax 48/77 ascent. Both were fueld by a thin 2 meter tank. This meant the descent less fuel than desired and ascent more than desired. However, the whole thing was like 20 parts compared to the final product that was like 70 (even AFTER I optimized it XD)

I think it is more of a one stage to land, orbit and return. The delta-v to do that from the easiest body (Duna) is high, even using a perfect mission profile is very high.

The real challenge of the craft is building something that can acomplish all of this in a single stage. At least, that's how I interpret the super heave lander

I used the stock SHL as a benchmark. The Stock SHL can't even get off the ground on Kerbin without boosting using the RCS. The ROFL can hit 19km going straight up in Kerbin, so it has the power needed to get into orbit on smaller worlds. I will have to test it and see if I can do a Mun -> Minmus -> Kerbin hop using the lander.

[MiniMatt]

Gonzalez Light Heavyweight IIa

"Light" Heavyweight as I suspect this may end up one of the lighter "super heavyweight" entries at 32.8 tons, and "Gonzalez" in recognition of a certain Mexican light heavyweight boxing champion. Yes, I'm appealing to the Kerbals' affinity with all things Mexican

Design Principles

I figure a heavyweight lander is essentially a bus. It comes after the exploration phase and is designed to shuttle the geekier Kerbals to a planet's surface. With 3,600 delta-v the Gonzalez can ferry 6 Kerbals to and from every body in the Kerbol system except Eve, Tylo & Laythe.

Single staged because this is a workhorse vehicle designed for multiple trips.

Low part count of 57, sensible >33 ton mass and no part clipping make for a simple build easily emulated by beginners.

Wide landing legs, substantially strutted, makes this rugged craft easy to land.

Standard shielded docking ring up top and presenting a large diameter base docking ring for easy and stable delivery vehicle design.

4 landing lights, 1 docking light, RCS, and ample battery power. Heavy duty solar panels positioned such that they can remain unfurled whilst docking.

Full SCIENCE & comms package.

Modest thrust-to-weight ratios across a wide range of bodies.

Whilst possessing adequate delta-v/TWR to land on rockets alone, drogue chutes make for easier Duna (and indeed Kerbin) landing.

Vitals

32.8 tons

57 parts

6 kerbal capacity

3,600 vacuum delta-v

Sample TWRs: Mun 3.7, Minmus 7.8, Moho 1.6, Duna 2.1, Eeloo 3.6

Shakedown tests

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Action Groups

Action groups are also detailed in the craft's description visible in-game:

1. toggles solar panels
   
2. toggles retractable ladder
   
3. toggles SCIENCE & comms gear
   

Craft file

Version IIa is here.

Edit

Eagle eyed kerbonauts will have noticed a sneaky update to the Gonzalez II model. Featuring many improvements over the original this new version now has:

• Twice the RCS fuel, figured 80 units was a little skimpy for a heavier craft. Now has 160.
  
• Better RCS placement - now on natural control vectors rather than at 45 degrees.
  
• Over 4 times the battery capacity - now with 4,100 individual electricities for extended dark side operations or forgotten solar panel deployment.
  
• Less parts! Even more efficient at just 54 parts over the original's 58.
  
• Twice the docking ports - now featuring a large lower docking port and a medium shielded port up top.
  
• Now 100% more pointy! Research shows Kerbals are a sucker for pointy rockets.
  
• Now has action groups detailed in the craft file's description, ie. 1 to toggle solar panels, 2 to toggle ladder.
  
• All this achieved with just an 800kg raise in mass and a loss of 160 delta-v.
  

Edit 2

Very minor update to version IIa now featuring:

• Full (as of KSP 0.21) SCIENCE package.
  
• Comms antenna.
  
• Fractionally adjusted landing legs to lower centre of gravity on landing.
  
• Replaced 3 low intensity docking lights with single high intensity fixture.
  
• Part count up to 57 (from 54 in version II).
  
• Mass down 5kg to 32,800kg (was 32,805kg).
  

Edited October 13, 2013 by MiniMatt

[Xeldrak]

@briansun1: Well, I was rather vague with the requirements. But please make sure, that you honestly think your design can count as a "heavy lander" - everything else is lack of sportsmanship in my eyes.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Xeldrak

[briansun1]

It is defenently heavy.

[Genius Evil]

Would a two-stage lander be disqualified?

[Xeldrak]

Nope, two stages are fine - just make it heavy We allready had a contest for a normal two-staged lander

[frizzank]

My version.

7 kerbals, almost 3000ms Deta-V, and easily configurable for different needs. Nuke engines give you enough efficiency for interplanetary missions and the orbital engine give you enough thrust to get off of most bodies.

On spaceport

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/stock-super-heavy-lander/

[AmpsterMan]

Here is a small preview

[Sirine]

@Sirine: If that is an entry to the challenge, you are lacking a .craft file.

.craft file added. Officially enter to the challenge.

[Teirusu]

I'm not sure the level of part-clipping this thing has lets it qualify, but I'll let the judges decide on that. Better to submit and get rejected then to not submit at all and never know!

This is my IPL One, or Inter-Planetary Lander One. Ranks in at 37.6 tons

She's got over 5.1k Delta-V, more then enough to go almost anywhere in the system on its own, land, and come back. Can easily increase its range by simply docking a tank under it. With the number of parachutes it has strapped to it, landing on Duna is a breeze and could even visit Ike on the same journey while still having enough Delta to get home.

Craft file on Pastebin

[Haze-Zero]

When the Kerbal Aeronautics and Space Administration started searching for contracts to build a compact lander that can fit within the standard B9 HL CargoBays, it was Hazey Rockets and Fuels that answered the call with its Pilgrim Mk1. By minimizing weight and maximizing crew capacity the Pilgrim Mk.1 provides a surprising amount of Delta-V. Enough Delta-V to allow the capable lander to escape from the surface of nearly any celestial body in the Kerbin system with the exceptions of Eve, Tylo, and Kerbin.

Crew Capacity: 4 Kerbalnauts

Part Count / Mass: 39 parts / 15.18tons

Delta-V / Kerbin TWR: 3140m/s / 1.01 twr (on Kerbin)

Engines: Three LV-909s Liquid Fuel Engines providing 150kN of Max Thrust, rated at 390 Isp.

Control/RCS: Three RV-105 Thruster Blocks w/ 80 units of Mono. One Large Advanced SAS rated at 20 units of reaction wheel torque.

Power Generation: 2 RTGs with three Z-100 Batteries, providing a max of 310 units of elec charge.

Other Features/Amenities:

-Two Mk16 Parachutes

-Two Illuminator Mk1 landing lights

-Three LT-1 Landing Struts

-One Clamp-o-tron Sr Docking Port

Though compact and capable, the Pilgrim Lander Mk1 is not without its drawbacks. To save on weight Hazey Rockets and Fuels had made some radical departures from standard designs. The most criticized of which was the decision to go with an entirely automated electric ‘probe’ piloting system, leaving out manual controls of any kind. Other concerns that have been noted are, the limited amount of RCS fuel, the somewhat poor RCS transitional authority, limited power storage capabilities, and the questionable decision to use LT-1 Landing Struts over superior LT-2 Landing Strut in an attempt to save a few extra kilograms of weight.

Despite these concerns, Hazey Rockets and Fuels still secured the contract and the Pilgrim Mk1 has proven itself not only capable and compact, but reliable; reliable enough to have been chosen to replace the Kerbal International Space Station’s escape pods

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9hpzpnc34hsup63/Pilgrim%20Mk1.craft

Edited October 12, 2013 by Haze-Zero
Forgot some stats

[Accelerando]

Weighing in at around 60 tonnes and ~90 parts, the Mulefly falls into the "rather heavy" class of landers. It is capable of delivering 32+ tonnes to the Munar surface and 6 Kerbalnauts, including two crew, and comes with a suite of lights for landing guidance, solar power, and a set of (more or less) sturdy landing legs tall enough to accept a payload roughly the height of a large tank.

Mulefly uses only a fraction of its total fuel to land on the Mun from orbit, and is capable of Duna and return, if not more. Its twin LV-T45 engines are somewhat weak and a little close to the payload, but this is intended to encourage looking into the engine housing, to learn how the fuel tanks are clipped into one another to keep the design relatively compact.

Don't let the somewhat low engine power fool you, though. It's actually capable of landing on Laythe.

...sort of.

Stats:

• ∆V: 4301m/s vacuum

• Mass: 60.50 tonnes

• Max thrust: 400kN

• Kerbin TWR: .67

Key bindings:

• 1: Toggle engines

• 2: Release lower docking attachment

• 3: Release upper docking attachment

• 4: Release side-mounted docking attachments

• 9: Toggle ladders

• 10: Toggle solar panels

Craft file

Edited October 13, 2013 by Accelerando

[MiniMatt]

Have sneakily updated my entry to the version II model. Original post all updated with new screenshots and link to the improved .craft file.

Main reason was to improve aesthetics (we all like pointy rockets yes?) and RCS provision and placement after extended testing revealed sub-optimal operation. Also found the lower large docking port gave a wider range of delivery / interplanetary transport options though this may be personal preference.

Full change list:

• Twice the RCS fuel, figured 80 units was a little skimpy for a heavier craft. Now has 160.
  
• Better RCS placement - now on natural control vectors rather than at 45 degrees.
  
• Over 4 times the battery capacity - now with 4,100 individual electricities for extended dark side operations or forgotten solar panel deployment.
  
• Less parts! Even more efficient at just 54 parts over the original's 58.
  
• Twice the docking ports - now featuring a large lower docking port and a medium shielded port up top.
  
• Now 100% more pointy! Research shows Kerbals are a sucker for pointy rockets.
  
• Now has action groups detailed in the craft file's description, ie. 1 to toggle solar panels, 2 to toggle ladder.
  
• All this achieved with just an 800kg raise in mass and a loss of 160 delta-v.
  

[Xeldrak]

Well, after quite some fiddling around, I present you my entry:

Crew: 3

Part count: 101

dv: 4100 m/s vac

Main Engine: 6x LV-909

Weight: 42.52 t

Liquid Fuel: 2520 units

Monopropellant: 300 units

Power source: Single RTG

I added some frills this time, but I'm fine with it, since my two-stage lander was really bare-bones. The CRUEL can land and get to orbit again on basically any body execpt Kerbin, Tylo and Eve. Laythe is possible from a low orbit, but very tedious because of the relatively low TWR. But lets get to the positives:

The CRUEL is outfitted with a full array of sciency gizmos, that can be used to do science. With 2520 units of liquid fuel, it has a lot of capacity and six very efficient engines. The CRUEL can descend to Duna, ascend again and return to Kerbin without the need to redock. It has four Parachutes that can be used on any body with an atmosphere and a fully functional RCS-System that might look all over the place, but is actually very well balanced.

It has four landing lights that will illuminate the landing site at night and a single docking light, made for docking in the dark. The radially mounted engines allow a very compact design - it almost looks like a pyramid, a Rockomax Brand Decoupler can be attached to the flat bottom. This way the CRUEL can be attached to any rocket without the need for a engine fairing.

I love that in the end, it does look a little like the 1963 artist conception.

Action Groups:

01: Toggle ladder.

02: Toggle satellite dish.

03: Toggle landing lights.

04: Toggle docking lights.

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Get CRUEL over HERE!

Edited October 12, 2013 by Xeldrak

[Blaster]

There is a point where you no longer have a lander but an SSTO. A lander needs another stage to get it to the other world, hence the docking port.

[AmpsterMan]

There is a point where you no longer have a lander but an SSTO. A lander needs another stage to get it to the other world, hence the docking port.

I've been working on a craft that gets 4800 dv on chemical rockets. It's a bit boring though.

[Xeldrak]

Well, the CRUEL does need another stage to get to Duna. Also Duna is just a very forgiving target, because you can land very fuel efficient with parachutes and gravity is rather weak after landing.

However, any Lander that can easily land on Tylo or Lythe could just as easily be abused as a actual Spaceship. The CRUEL was more or less designed as a final stage for a Duna Direct ascent mission. That doesn't revoke it's lander status....

[Pulsar]

Theseus HAU

Pulsar Aerospace is introducing the newest lander. the Theseus HAU (Heavy Atmospheric Utillity) lander.

The Lander is designed for Duna landing and return to kerbin with higher kerbal capacity. It can also landed on any other planet except Laythe, Tylo, Jool and Eve.

It also come with docking port and RCS.

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Spec

Mass 35.399 Mg

Parts 71

Delta-V 3185 m/s

TWR 2.15 on Duna.

1.97 on Moho.

Action Groups

1 to toggle solar panels.

2 to toggle ladder.

0 to deploy parachutes.

Craft

Edited October 14, 2013 by Pulsar

[pedorsf]

Only a super heavy lander with capacity for 4 kerbals

It is for non oxygenated atmospheres except Eve, Jool, and Moho.I don't tested it on Tylo

Download-http://www./download/czie90kwpeohffp/SHLNA.craft

Mech jeb not incuded

Edited October 12, 2013 by pedorsf

[Xeldrak]

@pedorsf: Sorry, just one entry per person - you've got to choose

[GusTurbo]

The Heavy

The Heavy is perfect for those excursions that require a lot of fuel. It can land on both the Mun and Minmus (in that order) in a single trip.

List of Features:

-64 tons!

-3902 Delta V

-Carries 5 Kerbals

-Landing lights*

-Balanced RCS

-Two different sized docking ports, for versatility

-A multitude of parachutes for atmospheric landings and/or Kerbin return

-Aerospike engines for a balance of efficiency and power for high TWR situations

-Capable of Tylo return if used with a crasher-stage

Vitals:

-3720 Units Liquid Fuel

-4546 Units Oxidizer

-300 Units Monopropellant

Action Groups:

1 - Toggle Ladders

2 - Toggle Parachutes -- useful for parachute use after re-packing them

This is a great craft to introduce new players to the Aerospike engine, an engine that doesn't get much love anymore. Give it a try!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

CRAFT FILE:

http://www./?yk1xrngln3i8gq8

*Not pictured in the images.

Edited October 12, 2013 by GusTurbo

[Xeldrak]

On a sidenote:

About two days left to post your entry.