Kassandra (interplanetary compact ship) v3.01, gravity turn? automatic once again!

[H2O.]

Thanks! The ship is slightly unbalanced, but to a very low extend (it is irrelevant for flying). I did use KER to be fair (this give an indication of the offset force applied by your engine, if it is not zero, it is unbalanced).

The reasons to put the ion engines on top are multiple: it is not part intensive, it makes it easier to balance RCS, it makes the ship more compact (so less fairings, lighter launch vehicle, etc.) and it gives the ship a distinct personality.

There is a probe core between the xenon tank and the docking port that faces the correct direction.

Edited May 28, 2015 by H2O.

[The14th]

There is a probe core between the xenon tank and the docking port that face the correct direction.

*facepalm* ...and so there is. Nicely done!

[H2O.]

Yeah... I am like you: I don't like having to make complicated manoeuvre. I really did try to build this ship with convenience in mind. As I said in the OP, the difficulty should lie in the mission, not in the way your spacecraft rotate (or manoeuvre). I hope I did succeed.

Edited May 28, 2015 by H2O.

[KingPhantom]

Awesome!

[H2O.]

Version 2.12 is out!

• Automated gravity turn, nothing to do until you reach space!
  
• Air-brakes on the second stages ditched (they were totally useless as the stage already orient itself correctly and is stable)
  
• 131 parts instead of 133
  

Since a lot of people found that getting into orbit was tricky, I tweaked the rocket so that it turn by itself! It is like having MechJeb, but without MechJeb! There is no need to do any turn anymore (or just very little corrections to be sure you stay on the 90° direction). I'm quite satisfied with the launch sequence.

The new procedure is way more simple (you can find it in the manual).

@ KingPhantom: thanks!

Edited June 4, 2015 by H2O.

[Brownhair2]

Since a lot of people found that getting into orbit was tricky, I tweaked the rocket so that it turn by itself! It is like having MechJeb, but without MechJeb! There is no need to do any turn anymore (or just very little corrections to be sure you stay on the 90° direction). I'm quite satisfied with the launch sequence.

The new procedure is way more simple (you can found it in the manual).

What is this witchcraft

[H2O.]

@ Brownhair2 : without getting into to much details, one of the boosters is ever so slightly turn inward. So the thrust is offset a little bit. And voilà!

The best way to see that is to open the craft in the VAB with KER and to look for the torque column. Balancing an asymmetric spacecraft was a little challenging but hey! That is KSP.

As you can see, Torque is at 90.5 Nm for the first stage, and zero for the second and the nuclear. One of the challenges was to make sure the 90.5kNm was to remain roughly constant throughout the flight (well, during first stage flight only actually, because after that the ship is perfectly balanced).

Edited June 4, 2015 by H2O.

[SHiftER2O]

Would really like to feauture this in a page

[H2O.]

@ ShiftER20: go ahead! (although I don't exactly now what you mean by "in a page"?)

[TheWanderer]

have you tested with mechjeb?

I must admit i am new to using mechjeb but it goes out of control during launch?

[DMSP]

Is there a chance you could take this to Vall? The scout could head to the poles of something!

[H2O.]

@ TheWanderer; No I haven't, but you don't need mechjeb, the rocket literally fly by itself! (when you hit 100m/s, activate SAS and "follow prograde" ).

The whole procedure is in the manual, but is is the easiest rocket to fly into orbit there is on the market.

@DMSP: Vall is OK, definitively and a very good choice!

Edited June 7, 2015 by H2O.

[H2O.]

Hotfix for the new KSP version!

2.13 version

• fix the exploding fairing
  
• nuclear stage now able to burn infinitely without exploding
  
• 128 parts instead of 131
  

The launch vehicle is now massively overpowered and the automated gravity turn and automated space handbrake u-turn don't work as precisely anymore but the ship is totally usable. I'll make the necessary tweaking later this summer, but this small fix will allow you to enjoy the Kassandra like before!

[The14th]

Glad to see you continuing to refine the design! :thumbsup:

[H2O.]

It is because it is my only ship with a slice of originality, so I take care of it!

[KingPhantom]

it's totally worth updating it, h2o. best ship out there (including my own ships)

[KingPhantom]

i'm thinking about a version of kassandra for laythe.

i accepted some laythe contracts and later realized that it's not that easy to plant a flag on laythe .

is it possible to reconfigure kassandra for laythe? i think it needs parachutes on the lander (the normal kassandra too, i often forget that and hammer on dunas surface ).

the asscending stage from laythe needs up to 2500-3000m/s, correct? (a little less than a kerbin launch)...

i have to breed about that idea.

[H2O.]

So, as promised, here comes the ship, now fully adapted for KSP 1.04. I removed a bit of fuel and fine-tuned the rocket so that the automatic gravity turn works again. Enjoy !

2.14 version

• Booster size reduced to take into account the new atmosphere settings
  
• In consequence, the automated gravity turn and the automated second stage are functional again
  
• parachutes tuned for safe re-entry
  
• 129 parts instead of 128
  
• imgur album modifications to match changes
  
• rewriting of some of the manual's sections to match changes
  

Edited September 6, 2015 by H2O.

[zar]

So, as promised, here comes the ship, now fully adapted for KSP 1.04. I removed a bit of fuel and fine-tuned the rocket so that the automatic gravity turn works again. Enjoy !

Which technologies are needed to import the .craft file?

[H2O.]

You need quite a lot:

_very heavy rocketry

_nuclear propulsion

_large volume containment

_specialized construction

_heavy aerodynamics

_advanced landing

_field science

_specialized control

_command module

_advanced science tech

_ion propulsion

_advanced unmanned tech

_electronics

_experimental electric

So it is pretty late-game, but hey it is an interplanetary ship, not a low Kerbin orbit ship!

Edited September 21, 2015 by H2O.

[H2O.]

Hello everybody,
Version 3.0 is out!

This is a "back to basic" edition. I feel I've been sidetracked in version 2 with things that don't have a lot to do with a good science rocket (stage recuperation, scout, ore scanning, etc.).
So on this version, I focused on delta-v and science! (Still, there is a rover and a science probe). The rocket works now mostly on fuel cells so Jool is doable again!

Check the album on the front page for a taste of the changes.

[CENTER]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/1VOwU1rh.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/j08Fu7Xh.png[/IMG]
[/CENTER]

3.0 version
[LIST]
[*]brand new lifter, with better automated gravity turn
[*]suppression of the satellite and the scout
[*]new probe, far more useful
[*]fuel cells everywhere, so you can once again go to Jool
[*]120 parts instead of 129
[*]imgur album modifications to match changes
[*]rewriting of some of the manual's sections to match changes
[/LIST]

[Kevin Kyle]

Awesome, I will get right on this even though it will be a bit longer before I can use this in my current career. Love your stuff man.

[H2O.]

Thanks man,

Don't hesitate to give feedback, especially on the manual (after so many modifications, I have trouble knowing if it is clear or not).

[Kevin Kyle]

If I get a chance over the holidays, I will do a sandbox flight and compare to your past stuff. Ive done this flight twice before. its always been great. I did forget to put the brake on once before I released the rover. You should have seen me trying to catch up to it and stop it. Too bad I didnt get that on video, the how not to release your rover addition. :)

[Legendary Emu]

I love the idea of using the 1 meter crew pod as a lander. Great Job :D