First mission to Ike

[possum]

So, since I don't have an atmospheric lander I am going to Ike. I missed the launch window by about a week. I launched anyway. I am now on a trajectory that will have me encounter Duna with a 44 Km periapsis. I already had a minor problem that will have any effect on the mission. A jettisoned fairing knocked a solar panel off. Here is a pic of Bob inspecting the damage.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/thedrunkpossum/screenshot31.png' alt='screenshot31.png'>

More updates will come.

Edited October 12, 2013 by possum

[Motokid600]

How many kerbals you plan on landing? Because you may find your craft to be far over powered for Ike.

[possum]

It was underpowered. I made it to Duna but did not have fuel to do anything more than a distant flyby. After transferring the fuel from the lander i ditched it and started a return trajectory. Three corrections later I was headed for a water landing south east of the space center. I wish I took a picture of the reentry, it was a little steep at 16.3 G's. Good thing we don't have deadly reentry. I shall try again tomorrow.

[rodion]

Being just a simple Ike mission, I think you could stand to carry less gear to your destination. What is that, at least 1,200 units of RCS? That's insane, unless you're the worst at docking in the world, it's on the order of 6,000kg you dragged there for basically no advantage. You can save a few hundred kilograms by ditching the Gigantor panel too, and just using a couple of small panels. Using two one-man cans instead of a single two-man also saves 1,300kg, though that's probably not a design choice for everyone's tastes. The second poodle is pretty crazy for the upper stage on the southern craft, too, they're extremely heavy and just using, say, 4 radial 77 engines instead would save another 2,100kg and probably increase delta-v to boot.

[Motokid600]

Shows how much I know lol. What I tend to do is use the 3rd stage of my launcher as a workhorse. It performs the ejection burn, adjustments, orbital injection. Pretty much the entire trip is done with the 3rd stage. Apollo style ( more or less ) so basically I would've put your entire craft there into Duna orbit before even igniting the first engine.... I tend to over do things, but having a lot of fuel to play with in orbit is nice.

[possum]

The mission to Ike was on a whim and I used what I already had available. The CSM is the workhorse of my program being used a both a CSM for landing missions, orbital construction, and up until recently was the only power source for my station. It was designed to handle well on its own as well as docked to some ungainly modules. For the construction role it serves where ECS is not always balanced the extra mono propellant is a necessity. The lander is my mk1 and could stand to be upgraded. With .22 being released in the near future the upgrade will wait until after release. For now it does the job, and on Mun, Ike and Minmus I can do multiple landing with a simple refuel from the CSM. They are not the best designs for simple landing missions but I can either spend time building and testing better designs or spend that time landing, that and I am working on a Duna lander.

[possum]

The second attempt to Ike has launched. This time it is a little more ambitious, it is a dual launch and landing. Here is the second launch ready to go on the pad waiting for the launch window.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/thedrunkpossum/screenshot33.png' alt='screenshot33.png'>

This is a rushed upgrade to the launch vehicle.

[BostLabs]

How did it go?

[possum]

Too many distractions yesterday to land but both are in orbit around Ike ready to land.

[possum]

First landing successful.

Second landing success.

[possum]

Landed a rover as well. It is my first rover build so it does look kinda rough, but it works.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn206/thedrunkpossum/screenshot43.png' alt='screenshot43.png'>