Single-Use Payload Delivery Spaceplane

[Kavaeric]

Hey people!! I've decided to join this forum because of the constant stream of ideas, though it's not so much a stream than it is a tsunami during springtime during a storm. Anyway, I've been watching the Discovery TV documentary Alien Planet - which I do recommend you watch since it's about theoretical missions to explore extraterrestrial life - and I took a particular interest at the spaceplanes used to deliver the probes. So naturally I just drew up a handy dandy schematics/concept art sheet. It's a tad big, so bear with me -

Ext image link: https://www.weasyl.com/~kavaeric/submission/547509/kavaeric-single-use-payload-delivery-spaceplane-1928718.png

The spaceplane is to be deployed from a "mothership", in which it glides down to its landing spot, using the atmosphere as an aerobrake. In its final moments in the air it uses downwards mounted thrusters to keep it above the ground for as long as possible, as well as a last-minute brake. Its graceful and gentle landing procedure consists of slamming and sliding along the ground on its belly (no gear or skids) before coming to a halt. The payload shield doors will be jettisoned and the rover, probe or possibly crew will exit via the rear of the craft.

I was thinking a disposa-- single-use delivery plane like this could potentially be lighter than a lander and possibly cheaper since it only really has 5 minutes of liquid fuel, though it'll probably end up needing a lot more ground to slide along. I'm no modding expert so I don't have any clue how one would even go about trying to implement this in game.

Anyway, thanks for checking out my art and reading!!

[Fox62]

.... Was this at all inspired by Alien Planet? Because this is exactly how they deployed probes in that movie.

[tygoo7]

.... Was this at all inspired by Alien Planet? Because this is exactly how they deployed probes in that movie.

He said: I've been watching the Discovery TV documentary Alien Planet

[Kavaeric]

.... Was this at all inspired by Alien Planet? Because this is exactly how they deployed probes in that movie.

Yep, I did say that. I watched it and I was just went, "intentionally plowing a spaceplane into the ground? Sounds something the kerbals would do"

[Thomas988]

He said: I've been watching the Discovery TV documentary Alien Planet

This sounds so cool to have in KSP!

[jocax188723]

Well, the biggest problem we have with that is the slidey-widey bit; we'd have to make the part insanely impact resistant to be able to use it like that with the current engine parameters.

But otherwise, I'm all for it! It seems like an ideal landing sequence for both land and water. Well, what passes for water.

[Kavaeric]

I ran more calculations (i.e. counting with fingers and guesstimating with the Alien Planet doc) and they seem to portray it landing and sliding at around 40-60km/h, which is between 10-16m/s; I think present girders/trusses are able to withstand that. Then again, I'm not sure if the joints will fare that well.

I wouldn't know about having it land on the surface of water, even though it'd be lighter than a fuel loaded lander it still won't float since I doubt there will be any empty space in the craft.

Having the craft splash /into/ the water to deploy an ocean probe, though..

[SuperWeegee4000]

.... Was this at all inspired by Alien Planet? Because this is exactly how they deployed probes in that movie.

I THOUGHT this design seemed a little familiar....

[Kavaeric]

Oh, and for those who haven't seen it - here's the original documentary. I've shared the exact time where you can watch the probes land too.

http://youtu.be/zHzPEpHYtXQ?t=7m10s

The landing sequence ends at 8:22, but a shot of the shield ejection can be seen at 8:30, then at 8:52 you can see another of these probes landing.

...oh, and if you really want to, you can watch a failed landing of one of the probes. It explodes midair, in Kerbanaut style.

http://youtu.be/zHzPEpHYtXQ?t=6m12s

Iiiiin other news, I was thinking a manned version of the probe would probably look more like the privately funded Dream Chaser spaceplane.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Kavaeric