Yalin's "NASA's Next 10 Years" KSP Builds

[Yalin Hawk]

So I'm not huge into the whole "recreate real life space equipment" part of KSP, but lately I've been trying my hand at "Inspired" builds. I'll look at something, like Apollo or the Orion capsule, read about it's capabilities/design specs, and then do my darndest to replicate that in KSP. This has grown into a project for me now, and I'm working towards simulating the current concept Nasa missions. Things like Orion, SLS, the Altair lander, the Deep Space Habitat concept, the proposed mission to Mars (which uses lots of leftover Constellation designs), etc. You'll find all of my .crafts and lots of pictures in this thread.

This is my Artemis MPCV (Orion Inspired) with KerbLaunchSystem (SLS Inspired):

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It was difficult getting the Orion's 6 person crew capacity into a KSP-sized vessel. None of the mods I have support a 3m command pod (which would probably be perfect, btw) so I had to get creative. The pictures in the full album show it best.

Aquila MSAM (Munar Surface Access Module):

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Both of these ships are launched atop my KLS rocket, which will deliver them both to a 100km x 100km orbit with plenty of fuel left in the transfer stages. Launch profile for both of these vessels, since they both use the same launcher, is virtually identical:

1) Throttle to 100% on the pad

2) Spacebar to initiate launch

3) Roughly 10s after launch, throttle back to about 80% to prevent overheat

4) When boosters are drained, stage to jettison them. They are "reusable" and will decouple/land safely.

5) Once boosters are clear, throttle back up to 100%.

6) At 10km initiate gravity turn. Turn to roughly 65* at a 90* heading.

7) As your apoapsis rises, slowly continue turning until you're at about 10* on a 90* heading

8) Core stage should be empty by now, jettison and continue to orbital velocity on upper KOI (Kerbin Orbital Insertion)/MTS (Munar Transfer stage.)

9) Circularize on KOI/MTS stage

Standard Operation Procedure for a Munar Artemis mission are as follows:

KEEP the transfer stages of BOTH vehicles until after the docking maneuver!

1) Launch Aquila into 100x100km orbit.

2) Launch Artemis into 100x100km orbit.

3) Rendevouz with Aquila and initiate docking.

4) Once docked, transfer all fuel from Aquila's KOI stage to Artemis's MTS. Leave roughly 100 units of fuel so the probe-equipped Aquila KOI stage can deorbit itself. Need to comply with the Clean Space Act! No Kessler syndrome here!

5) Wait for the Mun to "rise" above the horizon and then begin a prograde burn with Artemis's MTS. Keep burning until your Munar Periapsis disappears, then stop. Ditch the MTS stage, leaving it to crash into the Munar surface.

6) Re-start your burn to achieve desired target Munar Periapsis.

7) Circularize at Munar Periapsis.

8) Transfer crew to Aquila and begin deorbit/landing operations.

There is an EXCELLENT video online of how to properly land on the Mun. This video applies well to all landers, including my Aquila. It is linked below, if this is unacceptable please let me know and I will remove said link.

Aquila has TONS of dV for Munar operations. She could easily carry a rover down, provided you figured out where to stash it. I may work on that later. It is a two stage lander, but could probably function as a single stage too. Due to the tons of dV, she is extremely forgiving if you pick a poor landing zone and need to boost back up to try again.

Some Action Groups:

Backspace: Activates LES for Artemis. Decouples KLS payload fairing, decouples capsule, and activates LES engines. Smash spacebar until the chutes deploy for a safe launch abort.

1: Deploys Solars/Comms for Artemis. Turns on Wide-Angle lights for Aquila

2: Opens Artemis service module doors. Turns on Aquila's final landing lights.

3: Docking lights for both vehicles.

4: Activates Artemis's "Headlights" to aid in night time operations. Deploys Aquila's comms.

5: I've been having some small issues with the RealChutes and staging. So if you hit the stage button to pop chutes and nothing happens, this will also deploy them.

10: After first stage sep, hit this action group to ditch the LES. May or may not work, not sure what its issue is half the time.

Mods Used:

Okay, there are a bunch of them, so if I missed one let me know. I may use 1 tiny part from each of these mods, but you still need the whole pack to get that 1 part.

Kerbal Engineer

RLA Stockalike

B9 Aerospace

KW Rocketry

Procedural Fairings

Kerbal Attachment System

6s Service Module System

Ferram's Joint Reinforcement ----> STRONGLY ENCOURAGED <----

Download Links:

Aquila

Artemis MKII

Galileo

NTR Drive Section

Orange Tank Drop Section

Edited December 14, 2013 by Yalin Hawk
Forgot DL Links. Forgot a Mod

[Yalin Hawk]

Okay, just finished up my impression of the Copernicus Mars Transfer Vehicle that was designed for Constellation and is still on the books for future SLS-supported missions to Mars/Deep Space.

I present, the Galileo DTV (Duna Transfer Vehicle):

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Galileo is currently waiting for the rest of my "KLS"-Duna mission to assemble in LKO. The ship is powered by 4x NERVA engines, has the inflatable hab module up front, 2x docking ports for Artemis capsules or an Artemis and a Duna Ascent Vehicle. I'm still tidying up the design, so I'll release it with the whole KLS-Duna "pack". The ship is launched in 3 separate KLS launches and assembled in orbit. The first section is the main section of the ship, including the habitat module and what I like to call the "Birdcage." The second module is the NTR stage that is standard across the KLS-Duna mission, that is the module you see docked with the aft end of the ship. The third, and final, module is the "drop tank" module. It is a single big orange tank with RCS/Solar/Probe Core that enters the "Birdcage" via it's open bottom and docks with the ship. The crew then EVA and use KAS strut end points to secure the drop tank in position. This tank will be used for the transfer/braking burn to Duna and then dumped.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Yalin Hawk

[Yalin Hawk]

Just spent the better part of the day upgrading and updating the Artemis design to be more in line with the real Orion. I present, Artemis Mark II!

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After noticing several shortfalls in the original's design, I went back to the drawing board and carefully examined the Orion vehicle, which is Artemis's inspiration. I realized that my target crew number of 6 was actually outdated. According to Nasa's Orion Fact Sheet, Orion is currently designed for a crew of 4! This helps Artemis greatly, letting us ditch 4.5 tonnes worth of weight (If KSP's "weight" is tonnes?). I was also dissatisfied with the unpredictability of the RealChutes so they were swapped out for stock drogue and radial main chutes. The LES system proved to be sufficient for an in-flight emergency, but was lacking for an on-pad abort contingency, so it needed a full reworking. The service module's design was also updated, to be more in line with Orion's actual look (The whole step-down from the width of the command pod to the SM). Lastly, the main fairing for protecting Artemis during ascent has been reworked to cover the entire vehicle, as per Orion's actual design. Overall, this version functions perfectly and I couldn't be happier with it. At least for the next few hours.

[TheOfficialStorm]

Dadadadammmnnnnn

[Yalin Hawk]

Thank you? Haha. I was wondering if anyone was actually looking at this thread as I've been posting stuff. I'm trying to develop all of the Orion-related equipment, and to that end I've started working on the "500 Day" mission that Nasa has been thinking about, so that means I need to build/design a "Deep Space Habitat" for Orion to dock with and take out beyond the Mun for a while. I'm also reworking the KLS launcher to ditch the RealChutes as a requirement. I like the mod, but I guess I've just grown to expect/understand the stock parachutes and how they behave.

[GusTurbo]

The Galileo is awesome. It's a great recreation of the Copernicus.

[Yalin Hawk]

Thanks Gus! I love your Soviet designs and the Saturn IX, so that means a lot coming from you.

I've been busy this evening. I finished up my Deep Space Habitat design, combining the ISS-derived concept and the MPLM-derived concept into one awesome mobile space station.

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This led to a few interesting questions/problems. I needed something to help assemble the DSH, since we don't have robotic arms (and I've had bad experiences with docking and the robotic arm mod) sooo...I had to go to the drawing board and create an MMSEV-type vehicle to service the DSH. I know this looks *nothing* like the actual MMSEV concept, but it serves the same purpose, and like I said at the beginning, I'm more of a functional kind of guy. If it does the same job with the same capabilities, I'm OK with it. The MMSEV's are launched in pairs atop my Kelta-IV rockets.

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The other issue was supplying/refueling the DSH. To simulate "supplies" I'm using KAS containers mounted either inside of the 6S Service Modules, or outside on the hull of the habitat, kind of like the ISS's modular payload systems. That got me thinking, how will I get more fuel/KAS containers to this thing? Well, I came up with a few solutions to that right out of the "real life" book. The first is an extremely simple MPLM, using the 6S Service Modules:

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Lacking a shuttle, My MPLM is designed to be launched by a Kelta IV rocket and then docked by an Artemis and pushed out to the habitat during crew rotations. This "ferry" job could also be accomplished by the next new vehicle... The KTV! Based on the ESA's ATV, this puppy can carry 4x KAS containers, monopropellant, and extra bi-propellant to refuel orbiting stations and my Deep Space Habitat, which will be journeying out to the Mun for some extended science-ing.

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So...Yeah, you could say that this has turned into trying to create the "Next 10 Years" space program. Maybe thats what I should call this project? Haha.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Yalin Hawk