The Duna Explorer

[ZeeWulf]

In the desire to go where no Kerbal (in my world, anyway) has gone before, we've completed assembly of the DUNA EXPLORER, a testament to patience and bad ideas.

Allow me to introduce her:

Mounted on the main body is a single Poodle, surrounded by six LV-N engines. This module also contains the majority of power systems, including four large solar arrays as well as an RCS thrust assembly. The next module features four LV-Ns on outriggers, each equipped with a set of RCS and tanks as well as a massive light bank and a second power system with four more large arrays. The third module consists of the lab as well as Return/Reentry pod 1, more RCS and emergency power supply as well as supplementary lighting. The last vehicle, and it is a vehicle, is a specialized lander made just for dropping onto Duna. It has...um...a very large number of parachutes, and is also equipped to carry extra Kerbalnauts. It is also a secondary return vehicle; once the mission is completed and the module rendezvous with the main ship for return to Kerbin, it will jettison the engine module and act simply as a return vehicle for the extra Kerbalnauts.

Overall, I expect the mission to be a wild success/spectacular failure. It should not disappoint.

[CalculusWarrior]

Looks nice! Do you have any pictures of it on the day side?

[ZeeWulf]

Looks nice! Do you have any pictures of it on the day side?

Why yes, our intrepid explorers were willing to do an EVA to get you a good picture!

[fadermax]

Wonderful, it looks like very similar to my Duna mission spacecraft... but i added two rovers and two probes to be left both to Duna and Ike.

So the lander for Duna was used also to land on Ike...

I'll post some photos later

[CalculusWarrior]

Gorgeous; I can only dream of building that big, it would fry my CPU. Excellent work!

[ZeeWulf]

Gorgeous; I can only dream of building that big, it would fry my CPU. Excellent work!

Why thank you!

Mission Control okayed the refueling operation, modifying one of our KS-1 Shuttles with a second LO fuel tank as well as several externally secured tanks that would be jettisoned before re-entry. The main fuel tanks of the Explorer have been topped off, however there was an issue with re-entry guidance, which forced an emergency shuttle landing. Thankfully, the KS-1, due to our..preponderance of said navigational issues, was built with a rugged off-strip landing in mind, thus was easily able to land on a beach. Advanced Kerbalnautics & Widgets also requested us to note that in the event of a water landing, the KS-1 is equipped with parachutes to allow it to safely make a sea touchdown.

Operations and control are debating the merits of a second fueling mission currently, this one to ensure all RCS tanks are filled before the departure to Duna.

[thomasjkenney]

Looking forward to reading a mission report, if you care to post one. I'm currently preparing my first Duna lander mission, so I'm interested in anyone's Duna mission experiences.

[Vanamonde]

Looking forward to reading a mission report

I think you're already reading a mission report. And on that note, thread moved.

[ZeeWulf]

I think you're already reading a mission report. And on that note, thread moved.

Yeah, I guess it is, isn't it? Wasn't the original intent, but, we'll run with it.

[DunaRocketeer]

Looking forward to seeing how this mission progresses - it's certainly an ambitious design. I've just finished my Duna mission report, and it wasn't even close to the mission scope you've got here - I don't know if I've got your patience for orbital assembly!

[ZeeWulf]

The next refueling mission was successfully launched, with KS-1 (Shortfall--The previous shuttle was Longshot and the first shuttle, which had conducted the fuel-line installation mission, was Impeccable Timing of Unexpected Intervention and Occurrences) completing all rendezvous and supply operations in good time. Unfortunately, it was discovered during an engine array test burn there was unacceptable 'wobble' between the Lander Module and the Crew Module, which started to cause dangerous oscillations in the 214 ton Explorer and made it nearly impossible to control under thrust. Worse, there was a second 'wobble' between the main engine module and secondary engine modules.

Jeb, through what was no doubt divine providence, anticipated this issue while he was preparing the fuel shuttle loadout and ensured there was a supply of struts available aboard, which Macfal Kerman spent several hours on EVA installing between the different modules. Another test burn was conducted and found the wobble to be reduced to safe levels, thus bringing the Shortfall's mission to a close. The crew is currently de-orbiting and returning to the KSC to await further trial runs.

The Duna Explorer is scheduled to begin it's transfer burn in approximately 118 days; since the entire operation is basically running on trial-by-error, engineers demanded plenty of time to work out the bugs--it had nothing to do with a lack of foresight from Mission Planning.

Really.

Calculations have placed the Explorer's fuel reserves to be at approximately 60% once it achieves Duna Orbit. Further, the transfer burn should only last approximately 4-5 minutes. At least, that's what they told us, though the planner didn't look too convinced...

The Shortfall alongside the Duna Explorer, Macfall Kerman towing the fuel transfer line into place.

Edited February 24, 2014 by ZeeWulf

[ZeeWulf]

Quick update: tests have shown the lander will not have enough delta v to launch from Duna, and worse an unmanned trial resulted in total lander destruction due to parachute deceleration issues. The kerbalwerks is currently redesigning the lander and will be replacing the current once it is prepared.

Thank goodness for that 120 day window.

[ZeeWulf]

After a grueling hour of coffee without donuts, engineers at the Kerbalwerks successfully redesigned the Duna Lander module. Instead of the old Poodle, they installed a new, low-profile engine. A larger fuel tank was added to the design as well, which means, of course, more ladders and parachutes.

Unfortunately, that design exploded violently when the crew module was ripped right off from the SAS and the entire assembly plunged into the ocean. Thankfully, it was only a drone core installed instead of a pilot. Pay no attention to rumblings from the other cores regarding their lost brother(s--they actually went through three iterations just to make sure the first wasn't a fluke.) and the eventual drone uprising....

This would not do, so the engineers hit the drawing board again, with donuts this time as well as coffee, and decided to reinforce the connection between the SAS and command module. This version hit the ground running. Quickly. And left pretty much only a scorch mark. In a fit of caffeine fueled desperation, they turned to Jeb, who suggested just adding some drogue chutes on pylons.

Another one exploded, the engineers were enraged and confronted Jeb who merely grinned at them and asked, "what, you didn't cut the drogues?"

This time, the plan worked and the capsule landed safely. Planning a success, they sent a new lander into orbit, docked it with the Explorer and defueled and de-orbited the old lander into the ocean (Since, you know, it wasn't particularly safe to ride home in.) KS-4 (Broken Wind) was launched, commanded by Macfal once again, who attached the new struts, topped off all the tanks one last time, and now the whole ship is ready for departure...in about three or four more months.

Final refueling operations

Upon return, Jeb and Macfal, against Bill's better judgement, decided to work on a side project, considering there were MONTHS until the show would begin--a plane they could use to fly around Kerbin and explore random biomes.

Both took their own versions of the Shrike out, attempting to land at the island airstrip just offshore from the KSC, but Jeb had decided BIGGAR ENGINES was the way to go; his 'landing' was more of an example of a game of Lawn Darts, but, as he likes to say, "Any landing you walk away from is a good landing."

Macfal's design, also very much lawn-dart like, did successfully land though was so rear-heavy it rested on the tail.

Macfal taxiing the Shrike to one of the island hangars.

Bill, meanwhile, needed to pass the time in a more productive manner. Specifically at the bar.

While downing his third mojito, he realized they'd not yet sent a probe to Moho...

And thus, the Mojito Probe was born.

It was a monster, built too big, but Bill, who had continued working through his drink of choice, demanded it be launched anyway.

The result was predictable.

"It's a good idea! I'll show you! Now get me another drink!" Bob cried as the last explosion faded.

Not to be dissuaded, he took a page from the Explorer and split the probe into two parts: the landing module and the engine module. The mission profile was different this time, since previous probes would transmit all their data back to the KSC. This new probe would actually bring the experiments back...hopefully.

In short order, the two parts were sent into orbit.

The engine module launched first.

The probe assembly in flight.

After a successful docking operation, Bill finally got around to checking the charts...Moho was already in window! With not a moment to lose, he sent the intercept data to the probe and sent it off on what would hopefully be a round trip.

The Mojito probe on its escape burn.

We'll continue later with coverage of the Mojito probe since..you know, it's a quite long while yet until the Explorer launch.