Suggestions for docking on this rocket

[technion]

Hey guys,

This has been my first serious attempt at an interplanetary traveller. I hated the various ideas that involved getting to orbit empty just to send up refuellers and am working something that takes a bit of building in space.

As you can see below, I've managed to get 2 x jumbo tanks with 3 x nuclear engines into a 150K orbit, before jettisoning its launcher. In fact it pulled it off with launcher fuel to spare so I'm comfortable I can add a little bit.

I'm about to take this baby for a test drive laythe transfer, and hopefully back.

The next revision should allow docking for a lander, followed by some extra fuel tanks. Which brings me to my design query.

If I put two radially mounted docks, and attach a jumbo tank, would that large 90 degree angle be capable of surviving the thrust? In a slightly more ambitious version, can you see a way I could dock an engine with one nuclear tank attached that would actually fire in the correct direction? I considered side mounted docks but docking is hard enough as it is without having to ponder any sort of rotational issue?

[Vanamonde]

You can hang quite large masses off of the sides, as long as you don't get crazy with the thrust levels, such as this pair of rover-deployers on their way to Vall:

Sorry, I'm not picturing what you mean about the nuke engine mount, though.

[technion]

Thanks for that! With the picture you've displayed there, I'm sure a few tanks would sit on the side without a problem, which should make this thing quite capable.

What I was getting at was, is it possible to dock parallel with the rest of your craft, so the tank can actually contribute to the thrust?

[700NitroXpress]

What planet are you trying to get to?

Here is my design of an interplanetary space station that I docked a crew transfer lander to the bottom, but there is still plenty of room on the sides for small rovers and more landers. I call it Gagarin Station. Currently deployed at Duna with plenty of fuel to spare.

The station launches up as all one piece, if you like it you can get it here, just look for Gagarin Station and Transfer Pod: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-vTRL2n8wvzRmtqaWowdnZYTXM&usp=sharing

Here are the videos of the launches:

[Vanamonde]

is it possible to dock parallel with the rest of your craft, so the tank can actually contribute to the thrust?

Some of the coonecting parts may not allow for automatic fuel flow. It's tricky. I'd suggest building a scaled-down version and burning the engines on the launch pad to see if it functions the way you're hoping it will. (For quite a while I had a set of screenshots of schemes that worked and didn't work, I just deleted them because nobody ever asked. )