Eve attempts

[Skorpychan]

After my disastrous landing attempt a while ago, I'm not sending kerbals down there in career mode until I can figure out docking.

[-RanZ-]

Impressive, never done an sea level accent with stock. An kerbal weight 70 kg, so if you replace the probe core with an octo2 you should be good, however remember to test the ladders.

Two questions, why not aerospikes at the bottom stack, you also have very low twr around stage 7, might be posible to draw fuel lines up to the 48-7S and fire the outer ones.

Here is my Eve lander, Bottom tank is for deorbit and mounting the lander to the transfer ship, it has to be dropped before landing.

An lower stage with a rover at the bottom. the bottom stage hold all the science stuff and can work as an unmanned research station.

All stock except mechjeb and a container for storing eva samples and reports who will be put on the upper stage.

I had 1000 m/s left then reaching orbit on a test from 6500 m.

Impressive little vessel. My vessel has about 12000 dV, I am hoping that is enough to get me up from around sea level... I may add another 1000 just to make sure. I just need to figure out my ladder problem!

[dudester28]

My apologies but this is really bugging me. It's ascent not accent.

[Newnard]

I made an attempt, it wasn't the best. I think it was 0.21 when I did it, might have been one release before (did that one have the clamp-o-tron Sr?). Regardless it was all stock except for kerbal engineer redux. My craft was a big square kind of shape, with the kerbal on an external command seat. It had some excess mass due to my not being very bright. For example, FOUR clamp-o-tron seniors because I am terrible at docking to refuel and needed more (and bigger) options to aim for when my fuel trucks met up with it. That and it made it more symmetrical.

During descent, a couple parachutes tore off when I opened them, resulting in a harder than planned landing which broke one of the Clamp-o-trons off but didn't dislodge it from it's place on the corner tank.

When I tried to get back up, the clamp-o-tron slid off, causing a sudden imbalance, tumble, and then very bad things.

[-RanZ-]

My apologies but this is really bugging me. It's ascent not accent.

I know I know, I can't change it now

[csanders]

[totalitor]

It is very interesting to see how people design different vessels from same parts. But the goal is...to go where no one has gone before.

What was the mass of yours vessel at the ground of Eve?

[psistorm]

I managed to land a probe on eve, though not upright. During aerobraking it began to tumble, deciding it would go nose-down no matter what. Lack of torque led to it coming down upside-down with the chutes out at 2.8m/s. That day I learned that yes, that speed on eve is enough to wreck solar panels immediately.

The probe landed on its main antenna, then fell over undamaged. So I technically "landed" it, and got a good chunk of science out of it all.

[SuperWeegee4000]

An Eve accent? No, I'm not good with anything other than English and maybe Scottish accents.

*dies*

[lajoswinkler]

So has anyone managed to take a sample of the ocean and return home? I see people landing on high plateaus just to avoid this soup of an atmosphere, but I've yet got to see someone landing on 0 m altitude and returning home.

I don't care if the ship is constructed in orbit or fueling stations are placed at Eve's orbit. I'd just like to see a design that is simple and does the job. I'm sure not making a monstrosity and lifting it in one piece.

[chemieglennie]

I've made a lander with the big stock wheels attached so I can drive up a mountain for launch.

Trouble is the wheels keep breaking, so I've started experimenting with mod wheels.

All tips and advice welcome.

[-RanZ-]

so... landing legs have been nerfed hardcore! I need to add a bunch more I guess. Glad I tested this vessel before sending it.

[magnemoe]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/55632-Eve-attempts?p=740632&viewfull=1#post740632

did this and it worked well.

Probably simpler bring an rover to drive down to the sea, my landing spot was to far from the sea but it should be many closer who is still pretty high up.

<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/LplKh/embed"></iframe>

My own landing, worked quite well, only real issue was that I had to take off to release the rover as the legs compress more on Eve.

Second problem was that all solar panels except one who was not out broke then the rover got 2.3 km from the lander, the lander jumped a bit then loaded and this broke the panels.

And i had very lite fuel left, stupid mistake I wanted to get eva report from the upper atmosphere and left the seat, then seating "command from here is set on the seat so I burned inward,

[Crown]

Did you mean "accent" or "ascent"?

A way to speak like Eve or trying to get back into orbit?

[Sparker]

Yes, I have. But it was a success not from the first try and not without cheats, I only made my ship not break apart or sink under the ground after downloads. I don't wish to visit this planet again...

[Ghost13]

I did it in 0.21 the whole mission was a huge pain. First I build truly enormous 150+ tons ship with maybe somewhat enough dv to ascend from the EVE however is was so unstable so I lost one of the booster stage engines during orbital maneuvers! That was the moment when I understood that even if I would not saved after the failure; going to Eve surface with this ship is unreasonable. So I read this topic and saw how people do very light vessels and launch them from the high elevations. I build much better and lighter design with around ~9000 dv that was probably capable to ascend from 7000-8000 meter height. But I overestimated the precision capabilities of MechJeb and was not able to land at the proper altitude. Also the deorbit stage docking port got jammed by the bug and I had to use some dv for deorbiting. I probably could still redo this design and add wheels to drive to higher mountains as Scott Manly, did but I was not sure that I will be able to operate this thing on the slopes in high gravity of Eve. So I did my final design with ~12000 dv that was enough to ascend from sea level of Eve and I could choose any flat area on the planet to land. And it worked; I landed at around 3000 meter elevation so after reaching the orbit I even had some fuel for orbital adjustment and rendezvous. You can download the craft file I used in this mission; this craft is for 0.21 so I don’t know what happens with the landing legs (maybe you will have to replace them).

Eve Land Assend Vehicle [Helldiver] Mk3 0.21

On the surface

Eve ascend

In stable Low Eve Orbit, crew member just compete the EVA to the return ship. (In the background)

Eve Land Assend Vehicle [Helldiver] Mk3 0.21

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kp3ioteosmfnmjo/ELAV%20_%5BHelldiver%5D_Mk3_%280.21_no_mods%29.craft

Pre-set action groups

1. Turn engines on

2. Turn engines off

3. Unused

4. Decouple Docking ports\Monopropelant tanks (Do it before or during re-entry but before drag parachutes deployment)

5. Deploy drag parachutes

6. Deploy main parachutes

7. Deploy ladder

8. Decouple main parachute unit

9. Decouple ladders and RTG (~2 hours battery life remaining after than point)

0. Decouple lander legs (Press it only after stable Eve lift off is achived)

The mission outline:

1. Kerbin atmosphe – you can dump first two booster stages on your ascend, but after that, orbit should be achieved without dropping anything else go for 73-75 km LKO.

2. Refueling at Kerbin orbit – the Helldiver have 4 shielded docking ports for that purpose (4 for balance and aesthetics) I never really used more than two you can put some 0.22 parts on the place of other two docking ports, just keep the balance and center of mass generally the same.

3. Trip to Eve – Helldiver is good in reaching the Eve by is own keep the eye for the propelant usage, kepp some for docking at Eve orbit. It’s easier to do burns with just central LV-35 engine rather than use all engines. Burning prorade on night side of Kerbin, and Mun gravity assist saves some dv. When getting to the Eve SOI make brief inclination correction. You want some nice equatorial orbit so simplify further randevous and docking.

4. Refueling at Eve orbit – bring two full orange tanks and your return ship to Eve orbit and refuel the Helldiver.

5. Crew transfer – Helldiver have only seat, so EVA crew transfer is needed. Every time Kerbal leave\seats the chair, check that controlling part of the ship will be probe core under the seat and not the Kerbal himself.

6. Deorbit – since the Helldiver can ascend from ground level of Eve surface any plain area is good. For deorbit you can attach ship with medium size fuel tank to the docking port make retro burn (with only your central LV-35 engine) at apoaps for 50-40 km periaps (the atmosphere will do the rest), quickly refuel two side stages from that fuel tank, and then press 4 to decouple docking ports and the fuel tank you used for retroburn. (If the fuel tank as actually the ship that you want to keep in business, rather than crash to Eve, you can quickly switch to it after decoupling and burn prograde to stabilize it's orbit.) Then switch back to Helldiver and prepare for decent.

7. Decent – is completely passive with sole use of parachutes, keep the engines off (don’t use MechJeb at this point since it may waste fuel) wait for your speed reach below 500 m\s and press 5 for drags, few seconds later press 6 for main 48 (I guess) parachutes. When the land is near don’t forget to press G for landing gear. The landing may be little rough but the Helldiver is pretty resilient machine.

8. Eve EVA - After landing press 7 to deploy the ladders, be careful after leaving the seat, press F to catch the ladder as soon as you leave. If you fall from the height of the Helldiver you will probably loose your Kerbal. When on surface, run a little bit, plant a flag, take a soil sample (in 0.22). By the way, the lander is powered with RTG so in 0.22 you probably can send a lot of science data if you put some antenna (attach it via decoupler and then ditch before you go).

9. Ascend – return Kerbal to the ship, turn the engines on, check out that Probe core and not the kerbal is controlling the ship Press 8 to decouple parachutes, then press 9 to decouple RTG’s and ladders. At this moment the whole ship is only powered by tiny battery on the final stage and you have only few hours before it runs out. Launch immediately, when liftoff is achived press 0 to decouple landing gear. Untill 30 km keep the ship straight up, during first few stages it is very stiff to control. I started gravity turn at 30 km heading for 102 km orbit. When you reach and stabilize your orbit you may or may not have fuel left. If not than bring your return ship to pick up the crew, but if you have some, do plane adjustment and rendezvous maneuvers as soon as possible, since the limiting factor now is the battery life, as soon it’s runs out the ship will went dark and any remaining fuel become useless. You can try to change the battery to small solar panel but this requitre pereodical sun orientation and making launch possible only during the daytime (putting small battery and small solar panel together on the last stage drasticly reduce dv)

Feel free to improve this design or look at it in VAB for inspiration of your own ships, or just let me know what do you think.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Ghost13

[magnemoe]

RIP Kendred kerman, first Kerbal who landed on Eve, He and Seeny went to an relaxing trip to Gilly, he is MIA after an meeting the Hel Kraken doing the second eva to get more samples. Lander and Seeny ended up in Eve Orbit in an damaged lander who he managed to dock with the mothership and is waiting for the return window.

Help me remind Seeny to put the spare parachutes on the lander as it can not land under power anymore.

[totalitor]

Succesful ascent from Eve sea level with one kerbal onboard!

Here ready for landing. Notice on the left side is returning vessel (and also on the right side behind becouse of the balance). Small ships but enough for returning to Kerbal. I left them to orbit and used one of them to rendervouz with the landing vessel.

Ok, mass is 219 t so how did I get this to Eve? Of course with huge rocket, weight at the beginning of the journey was about 2300 t.

Here going down.

Going up. Asparagus system.

Almost there! Altitude is correct, still need more speed.

Finally on the orbit. Yes, there are other ships too...

First time I landed and get also to orbit on Eve was with 140 t vessel and only from the altitude 6400 m. Now I have a vessel of same weight, so designing is the key. Much of thinking and much of experiment.

Still, this was only sightseeing, that kerbal couldn't go down to ground becouse there were no ladders.

[Moar Boosters]

I finally did it.

Some of these pictures are from a failed attempt which had standard landing legs and lost some engines when it landed on eve. I rebuilt the craft with legs made from girders and plates, but forgot to take any screenshots of it on the launchpad or in transit.

I set myself a few extra restrictions, as I like things difficult. It uses a lander can as I don't like the idea of my kerbal being exposed to the atmosphere. It takes off from low altitude..... no bypassing the purple soup by landing on a mountain..... and has a ladder so the kerbal can get out and see what Eve tastes like.

This was about my 5th attempt at Eve. Due to my lack of confidence in my landers, I didn't bother building a command module. I already had 3 orbiting Eve from previous failed missions, so once he got into orbit he used one of them to get home.

An excessively large rocket. It could easily have carried a command module for the return home.

Two stages to Kerbin orbit. The lander is a giant complicated asparagus mess, so I wanted to keep the launcher simple.

Nerva stage to escape Kerbin's orbit and get to Eve.

Notice the funky custom landing legs, due to the 0.22 legs squishing and destroying the engines.

On the surface. Nice low altitude.

Parachute rig and Ladder rig detatch and are carried clear with sepatrons.

Legs are discarded at launch. Boosters keep falling off until there's almost nothing left.

Here is the final transfer into one of the several abandoned orbiters I have circling Eve. I was so relieved to get him back into the return craft, I forgot to take any more screens, but he got home safe and sound.

[Torham234]

That is quite and epic craft and achievement. Well done!

[NASI Director]

The closest I've ever gotten to Eve was a rover in the ocean (I suck at atmospheric landings).

[3_bit]

Maybe I'll do an Eve sample return mission with a probe, which is something .23 should totally have. Anyhow, I did get a probe there and landed OK. And by "OK" I mean it was my first mission to Eve ever, also done in .22, and I accidentally landed 100 meters out in a pond and not on land, even with some steering from my engines. As a result, my Eve lander was rechristened to "Eve Boat". During her maiden voyage to the shore, she lost her antennae. I really don't know why I only put one on her.

[Galileo Kerbonaut]

I've landed there, but with only 200 DeltaV left I never bothered to try an accent. Maybe, someday I will pick up an Eve rock and bring it back home. Until then I just watch the ocean.

[-RanZ-]

very nice Moar... I have a 100 ton craft with 12,100 dV ready to go but am having issues with chutes ripping parts of it off and also having issues with the crappy nerfed landing legs at the moment.

[totalitor]

Fire first MK-25 chute and then others (if needed). Drag with Mk-25 is smaller, it didn't broke my 140 t ship. 12100 dV is good, report from what altitude you get to orbit.

Video of my ascent is here:

Edited November 12, 2013 by totalitor