Interplanetary Transport/Refueling Station X0 (46t), X3 (176t) and X6 (308t)

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Interplanetary Transport X0/X3/X6 Mk 01

The X0/X3/X6 interplanetary transports contain everything you need to travel to distant planets, including:

Orange Fuel Tanks (Full) - 1/4/7

Nuclear Engines - 3/12/21

Docking Ports - 1 Senior, 3/3/6 Standard, 3/3/6 Junior

Large Solar Arrays - 3/3/9 (X6 has arrays on outside tanks, so there are an additional 3 for when those tanks are jettisoned)

RCS - 12 ports, 120/240/240 units

Batteries - 6, 2400 units

Parts (Orbit) - 38/74/119, +8 for RemoteTech 2

Parts (Total) - 204/667/1114, +10 for RemoteTech 2

The RemoteTech 2 versions include one of each of the omnidirectional antennas as well as 4 DTS-M1's.

Launching Instructions

Note: The only issue I've had with getting into orbit is when MechJeb tries to circularize the X6 at apoapsis (going from 0 to max thrust instantly). If using MechJeb, you can quick save as soon as you're out of atmosphere and circularize manually if there are issues.

1. Right click the Probodobodyne OKTO2 just below the payload and select "Control From Here"

2. X3/X6 - Enable RCS as needed (I just always use it, there's more than enough in the launcher itself)

3. Launch as usual. You don't have to be too gentle and there's over 250/500/500 dV extra if going for a 75km orbit

4. RemoteTech 2 - Once atmosphere is thin enough (~50k is fine), deploy solar arrays and communitron 32 (hotkeys 1 and 2)

5. Once in orbit, deploy solar arrays if you haven't and transfer RCS to payload as needed

6. Disconnect and deorbit launcher

Key Bindings

1 - Toggle Solar Arrays

2 - Toggle Communitron 32 (RemoteTech 2)

3 - Toggle Backup Solar Arrays (X6 only, after all outer tanks are jettisoned)

0 - Toggle Nuclear Engines

Downloads

Interplanetary Transport X0 Mk 01 (Stock)

Interplanetary Transport X3 Mk 01 (Stock)

Interplanetary Transport X6 Mk 01 (Stock)

Interplanetary Transport X0 Mk 01 (RemoteTech 2)

Interplanetary Transport X3 Mk 01 (RemoteTech 2)

Interplanetary Transport X6 Mk 01 (RemoteTech 2)

Additional Screenshots

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Edited November 22, 2013 by ScottyDoesKnow

[Jamie Logan]

I like the design, but 21 nuclear engines is far too many, and you will end up losing Delta-V due to the added weight of that many engines. Even for a ship that size, I would recomend no more than 6.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

I like the design, but 21 nuclear engines is far too many, and you will end up losing Delta-V due to the added weight of that many engines. Even for a ship that size, I would recomend no more than 6.

I was just tired of having to split interplanetary burns into multiple orbits. It's easy enough to change for anybody that wants to since the engines are at the top and not attached to anything else. Even with 21 nuclear engines the X6 was able to get my lander to Dres, Eeloo and back to Kerbin (and that's with some pretty inefficient interplanetary transfers).

[ScottyDoesKnow]

New X0 added, good for transporting smaller crafts between planets (like moon landers or probes). Also just got an "X12" into orbit which I may add, but it's slightly ridiculous at over 500t and 2000 parts on the launchpad.

[Khobai]

I like the design, but 21 nuclear engines is far too many, and you will end up losing Delta-V due to the added weight of that many engines. Even for a ship that size, I would recomend no more than 6.

21 engines is fine but the design should be staged so it drops empty tanks and engines as the fuel decreases. That way you get the extra thrust for long burns, but as you use up the fuel, you can ditch the empty tanks and extra engines to keep your efficiency as high as possible.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

21 engines is fine but the design should be staged so it drops empty tanks and engines as the fuel decreases. That way you get the extra thrust for long burns, but as you use up the fuel, you can ditch the empty tanks and extra engines to keep your efficiency as high as possible.

The X3 only has the one stage to drop all 3 at once, the X6 is asparagus staged dropping 2 at a time. The good thing is that it's launched upside down, so the engines can be easily swapped for your preferred thrust/efficiency balance. I could make a 4-symmetry version for an extra stage, I just really prefer the look of 3- and 6-symmetry.

[labtopia]

im having trouble getting this into lko using mechjeb, are there any tricks? it runs out of pusher fuel before orbit.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

im having trouble getting this into lko using mechjeb, are there any tricks? it runs out of pusher fuel before orbit.

Looks like I haven't checked this thread in far too long. If you still care, which one were you having trouble with? I think all of my testing was done with MechJeb into a 75km orbit, but that was a while ago so I could test it out if you want.