Lander Design? Have I done it wrong all along?

[Taki117]

Ive been doing this

IMAGE

Is there any particular reason your landing legs are folded here? Seems like it would make the craft much more stable to extend them. Also, no solar panels?

[Seret]

I endorse the physics in this post. Putting your tanks above your capsule is going to cause you a lot more instability issues making landfall.

Which is why I reckon attaching the tanks radially is the way to go. Keeps the C of G as low as possible (lower than can on top of tanks in fact), and gives you a wider base to attach your legs to. Also, having the heavy tanks outboard makes the lander harder to tip than having them closer to the centre line. Win all round I reckon.

It's only worth putting the lander can on top of the tanks if you've got so many tanks that you can't get in or out of the can otherwise.