Marathon IVB Orbiter System - New Interplanetary Orbiter!

[vidboi]

A large, 6-kerbal (maximum capacity) orbiter. The Explorer is ideal for short ranged interplanetary trips and travel between moons. The explorer is not rated for launching or returning crew from orbit and so should be launched unmanned and crewed separately on orbit.

Stats:

Mass - 21.0t

TWR - 1.05

Delta V - 1745

Action Groups:

1 - Deploy solar panels and antennas

Download:

-Orbiter

A medium size 3-kerbal orbiter and re-entry vehicle, the MO-IVB is ideal for Kerbin orbit operations and has the delta V capabilities for Munar orbit and return and short interplanetary trips.

Stats:

Mass - 12.7t

TWR - 1.73

Delta V - 1374

Action Groups:

1 - Deploy antennas

8 - Deploy main parachutes

9 - Deploy drogue parachutes

10 - Jettison LES

Abort - Fire LES and separate from lift vehicle

Download:

-The orbiter

-Orbiter with LKO lift vehicle

Marathon IVB orbiters are launched using the Apex modular lift system:

Edited March 8, 2014 by vidboi
Added Explorer IVB

[GusTurbo]

Nice orbiter. It looks like it was inspired by Orion.

[xoknight]

Looks really cool! I like the Hi-def Pictures! You might want to work on the fairing though.

[Redrobin]

Looks really cool.

[Woopert]

It does indeed look really cool. Is the parachute on the nose upside down? I've thought about that technique as well , great minds think alike!

[meve12]

Do you have the Alternis Kerbol mod installed?

[vidboi]

Do you have the Alternis Kerbol mod installed?

Yep, currently everything's being made and tested in Alternis, so expect launchers to have plenty of dV to spare in the stock game

It does indeed look really cool. Is the parachute on the nose upside down? I've thought about that technique as well , great minds think alike!

Yep, stuck in on top of a mini octo probe core to give it some clearance, then attached the docking port on top. Indeed they do

Looks really cool! I like the Hi-def Pictures! You might want to work on the fairing though.

A protective boost cover for the capsule? (I tried that, but I didn't like how it looked without using a lot of parts) Or has something got wrong with the interstage fairings, that would be just my luck

Nice orbiter. It looks like it was inspired by Orion.

It takes a bit of inspiration from Orion (I think that's what it was originally based on), but a major source of ideas was the Russian PPTS. A photo of that with the solar panels at a slight angle was what gave be the idea to wrap the solar panels round the service module.

Also, here comes a screenshot dump from a fly-by mission of Laythe as well (I planned to fly by Minmus as well, but got another (unintentional gravity assist from Laythe which luckily put me back in Kerbin's orbit).

[spaceman1999]

This looks awesome is alternis kerbol cool?

[Woopert]

This looks awesome is alternis kerbol cool?

Alternis Kerbol is indeed quite cool. The reconfiguration is neat and it's nice to have a such a vast system right outside of Kerbin.

[vidboi]

Alternis Kerbol is indeed quite cool. The reconfiguration is neat and it's nice to have a such a vast system right outside of Kerbin.

It's certainly very cool. I just had a load of fun testing a craft by doing flybys of Laythe, Mun and Minmus (and a near encounter with Bop) using multiple gravity assists, and it's all just in arms reach of Kerbin!

See the opening post for the new craft that I was testing

[Jeb Cubed]

Well done, I like it. I might have to copy I mean reverse engineer it for my own use.

[Woopert]

Well done, I like it. I might have to copy I mean reverse engineer it for my own use.

Haha!

It's certainly very cool. I just had a load of fun testing a craft by doing flybys of Laythe, Mun and Minmus (and a near encounter with Bop) using multiple gravity assists, and it's all just in arms reach of Kerbin!

See the opening post for the new craft that I was testing

Looks really good! Maybe try concealing a nuclear engine inside? Most of the rocket engine can bee hidden inside with just the nozzle showing, but TWR will be significantly reduced. It will have an ISP of 800, though, so it is worth it since it's interplanetary. I also see you used your vernier rocket pods on it, it looks really, really good! The interplanetary stage reminds me of the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (or Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage as used by Orion MPCV on SLS Block I) Sorry for all the information but I hope you appreciate my praise for your work! You're turning into quite the rocket builder

[vidboi]

Well done, I like it. I might have to copy I mean reverse engineer it for my own use.

Haha, go ahead!

Looks really good! Maybe try concealing a nuclear engine inside? Most of the rocket engine can bee hidden inside with just the nozzle showing, but TWR will be significantly reduced. It will have an ISP of 800, though, so it is worth it since it's interplanetary. I also see you used your vernier rocket pods on it, it looks really, really good! The interplanetary stage reminds me of the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (or Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage as used by Orion MPCV on SLS Block I) Sorry for all the information but I hope you appreciate my praise for your work! You're turning into quite the rocket builder

Normally I stay away from nuclear engines on all but the largest of crafts. I'll have a look though, and if it works I'll release a nuclear powered version as well. They aren't actually thruster pods, they're just rover bodies that I've used to improve the aesthetics (the more I use them, the more I appreciate just how handy they are in a lot of situations). And no problem, thanks for all the support! I've got quite a lot of crafts that are quite near to being finished, so I'll likely be releasing more over the next couple of days.