The Messiah from Deep Impact

[sp1989]

In terms of realistic apocalyptic, asteroid, science fiction, movies Deep Impact is one of the most realistic. Realistic being relative to all of the other movies out there, the most obvious being Armageddon. Now in my humble opinion the Messiah is one of the nicest ships in all of science fiction mainly because it utilizes mostly real parts that exist today cobbled together TO SAVE THE WORLD! Now looking at the pictures I have determined a few mods make it possible to recreate. The Component Space Shuttle, Tiberdyne Shuttles, FASA parts, Bobcats American and Soviet Packs. Now here is the issue. How do I put it all together. Now I can spend a few hours in the VAB testing launching and maybe put it all together cheat and get the thing launched into orbit cheating. But I don't want to do that. I want it to be as realistic as possible and I want it to be functional. I also want to strap the ARM to the top or front and use it to redirect asteroids. That last part is optional but I want to realistically assemble this thing in orbit like they did in the movie. I suppose all the little bits are relatively simple but how do I launch what looks like Space Shuttle SRBs and Energia Boosters into orbit without using the fuel in them. Now I can use the SRBs from KSO because they are liquid but still how do you launch an SRB? So I am just looking for ideas and advice, pictures would be greatly appreciated and if someone has a mod or is making a mod for this I am very interested.

Many Thanks,

Sal

[Vindelle_Sunveam]

I recommend you to move this to http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/forums/20-The-Spacecraft-Exchange. Where all spacecraft related business happens

[sp1989]

Oh really? How do I move it?

[bigyihsuan]

You get a mod to do it.

[sp1989]

deleted comment

Edited May 14, 2014 by sp1989

[Dodgey]

A mod will have to do it. About your question you can launch the pieces the same as any other payload, just put them in a different stage. I'm not sure how you could assemble it, perhaps you could put docking ports on the and dock them to the central mega structure and then use infernal robotics rocking washers to line them up. Hope that helped.

[Vanamonde]

This could go a number of ways, but I think it would be most at home in the how-to section. So that's where it's going.

[cantab]

Even the biggest SRB, full, is only 22 tons. That's a pretty mid-sized payload in KSP. You can stick it on top of the launcher; it's kind of a long payload, but with some struts and a bit of care in the pitchover it'll be fine. Or you could strap a pair of rockets to either side of it, or you could build a 44 ton lifter to send both SRBs up at once.

As mentioned, put them at the top of the staging list so they don't fire themselves.

Alternatively, since solid boosters won't be that useful for orbital manouevres anyway - you really want more control - just right-click them in the VAB and empty the fuel, using them simply for structural and aesthetic parts. As the single longest part, the big SRBs are pretty handy for structural use. That's what I did with my space station, https://flic.kr/p/nvDyw2 .

Here's an example of the two boosters either side approach: https://flic.kr/p/nvmC9T These are empty SRBs, with other bits attached. I had to use some girderwork because the poles were built as subassemblies from the top, and I made sure I strutted them to each stage of the rocket. Even when it was like this in orbit, https://flic.kr/p/nvmH8F, it stayed solid thanks to the struts and handled smoothly. The principle should work for full SRBs, you'd just need a more powerful rocket.

Edited May 14, 2014 by cantab

[Taki117]

I would build it in 3 sections, the first I will call the main drive section, which is the three tanks and SRBs at the rear. The center section (the utility/living section) is everything aft of the shiny silver thing in your third picture. The command section is everything in front of that. I would use Sir. Docking ports for all of it.

Also, don't worry about sending it up empty. (This might be preferred) you can refuel in space.

I would also get KAS so you can hold the thing together with it's EVA placeable struts.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Taki117

[magnemoe]

Yes its an nice ship, pretty realistic and also look very ksp with all the drop tanks. Yes they look a lot like SRB however that makes no sense in orbit.

attaching radial drop tanks in orbit is hard, so my advice would be to launch it empty, perhaps drawing fuel from drop tanks to booster during accent then refuel in orbit.

[TMS]

I never noticed how close those SRBs are to the KW Globe T5s.

Edited May 14, 2014 by TMS

[Warringer]

Looking at the images. The Boosters in the back are those liquid boostes used by the Enerija, while the front SRBs are boosters from the Titan III series.

[sp1989]

Let me ask this in real life how would they get those boosters into space?

[Taki117]

Let me ask this in real life how would they get those boosters into space?

Put it atop a rocket. The issue is the Limitations of KSP. Since we don't have orbital construction they have to be attached where they are going to sit on the finished ship prior to launch.

[sp1989]

Put it atop a rocket. The issue is the Limitations of KSP. Since we don't have orbital construction they have to be attached where they are going to sit on the finished ship prior to launch.

Wouldn't that be a huge rocket? Also could this be done with KAS?

[iamdigitalman]

I built my own version. Took 7 launches. The docking platform in 2, then the crew cabin/scout ship, then the main body, then an RCS tanker, then a fuel tanker, and finally a stock space shuttle with the crew. Docking platform is not very accurate, and it's not to scale of the one in the movie (impossible using stock parts, even the SLS parts are too small), but I am happy with it. Now to see if it can catch asteroids! Or just blow up in orbit.

BTW, the Messiah it's self is a little over 400 tons fully fueled. The fuel tanker I built was absolutely insane. Over 3000 tons, as much power as the Saturn V 1st stage (slightly more actually, mechjeb helped with finding this out, and getting the beast into orbit), and it alone cost $1.2 million funds. It was laggy as hell launching it until the last set of boosters were jettisoned. The whole mission is over 2.2 million funds.

Here's a screenshot of the massiveness. Not the biggest thing I've built, but the biggest single ship for sure. No idea if she'll fly, but she looks pretty.