Operation Reisen - An epic interplanetary quest

[PatchouliKnowledge]

Description:

After having made considerable technological progress while exploring the cosmic skies (all stock nodes), the KSC started to search for new, epic ideas using the new-found capabilities of their technology. Months of pondering led the KSC staff to consider a high-cost, high-risk, long-term but high science yield interplanetary mission.

Indeed, they thought building an interplanetary cruiser in orbit was such a grand idea that it would overlook all the problems of Kerbal engineering solutions. Furthermore, the KSC's budget and manpower was close to unlimited...

Goals:

• Visit every planet (and maybe satellites, if I have the patience to do so) of the Kerbol system with a three-part, docked-in-orbit, monstruous spaceship
  
• Make use of in-situ ressource mining (using the Kethane mod)
  
• Explore bodies using landers docked on the main spaceship
  
• SCIENCE!
  

Mods used:

Parts mods:

• KW Rocketry
  
• Procedural fairings
  
• B9 Aerospace
  
• Interstellar mod (to some extent)
  
• Habitat pack (for the centrifugiums, mostly)
  
• Real Chutes
  

Misc. mods:

• Ferram Aerospace Research
  
• MechJeb (to help me at times)
  
• RasterProp monitor
  
• Kerbal Attachment System
  

Chapter 1: Budding starts

After making yet another suppository joke, KSC's star pilot, Jebediah Kerman, praised the design of the new 3.5m launching system, who has been rumored to be engineered in collaboration with an alien space agency. Who would have guessed?

This yet-unnamed behemoth carried 20t of engineering glory into Low Kerbin Orbit.

This was the core module of the spaceship, mostly comprising living and operational quarters. Although the center of the module was nothing exceptional, the sophistication of this craft was yet unmatched by anything ever made by kerbalkind.

These inflatable and rotating centrifugiums, which generate nearly 9.8 m/s² of centripetal force, are the pinnacle in countering deleterious effects of extended periods of zero-g space travel.

Bob deemed the quarters spacious and extremely comfortable. Notably, the large amount of storage for snacks and board games earned Bob's endorsement. One centrifugium can comfortably house 4 kerbals.

Shortly after the core module started orbiting, was launched a RCS tug, to facilitate the soon-to-come docking operations.

Speaking of which...

The science module has rendez-vous'd ! This slightly less impressive section has plenty of Mystery Goo Canisters, Science Jr. Bays, and generally scientific instruments, as well as a mobile laboratory. It also features a large array of solar panels, retractable radiators, a set of Kethane-related tools, namely a sensor, a tank and a converter...

... as well as a small but often overcrowded observation cuppola for taking beautiful pictures to frame and hang in the KSC's recruitment club.

After docking, the vessel was stress-tested with overdriving the reaction wheels. It still didn't show any significant flex. KSC engineers can be proud.

The third and last module... Engines, tanks, and 'maybe too much' RCS and reaction wheels. The WW2 (or Buddhist) inspired tank disposition was positively received by the KSC, as more is always better.

The spaceship has been completed. A quick consensus decided the ship would be named "KSS Interplanetary Vanguard". However, engineers have detected a dangerous flex near the docking ports between the engine and core module. Additional EVA strutting will be necessary.

Edited April 20, 2014 by PatchouliKnowledge

[PatchouliKnowledge]

Chapter 2: When everything fails...

A SSTO, carrying a few KAS tools on board, such as EVA struts, was sent to deal with the wobbliness. After a bit of orbital maneuvering...

Donbree Kerman is finally in action, strutting the vessel the best he could!

But sometimes even the best consolidation is not enough. Mission control requests to evacuate and recover the spaceship for further investigation and retrofitting.

The infamous Kerbal Aerospace Discorde was sent to rescue the crew. Let's see how it performs.

The aircraft has major stability problems. The fact that one of the atmospheric turbojets blew up while exiting the atmosphere did not help in reassuring the crew in the decommissioned spaceship. Mission control recommends everyone to "Keep calm and carry on".

Welcome on board.

After spinning uncontrollably in the upper atmosphere of Kerbin, the Discorde's pilot, Seanski Kerman, manages to roughly point the supersonic aircraft in the direction of the airflow. Despite being hazardous, mission control deemed the reentry "Adequately meaningful".

The dysfunctional gears forced Seanski to try and perform a sea landing, ripping most of the engines and part of the wings. But the crew is safe and secure.

Engineers at KSC had a much saner design for the next version of the spaceship and decided to ditch the engine module altogether.

To recover the other modules, a large probe fitted with parachutes and RCS was sent to dock with them.

Recovery of the core module was, indeed, successful. Some parts detached while falling slowly in the water, but the module is mostly intact.

Those struts are formidable landing legs.

[Geschosskopf]

Those are some incredibly monstrous ships. Quite impressive even if they didn't quite work.

On the wobble issue, did you try locking the gimbals on the engines? Gimballing engines are almost guaranteed to cause upstream docking ports to wobble, and the further out to the side away from the centerline the engine is, the more wobble its gimbal produces.

[PatchouliKnowledge]

On the wobble issue, did you try locking the gimbals on the engines?

Yes, it wasn't enough though. The 0.23.5 update changed joint behavior radically, KJR had been nerfed, thus I had to innovate. I built starshaped structures of cubic octogonal struts on each main module, with preplaced KAS struts, and then link all those. It doesn't wobble an inch, though it is rather slow to rotate. I will post the pics and the story this weekend hopefully.