Show off your Interplanetary Ships!

[sdj64]

My first attempt at an MTV-type craft. It'll be destined for Duna but the idea is to make it modular. I'm working on the design now with tests to the Mun; I'm using the near-future packages after dumping Interstellar, so I'm mainly learning the engines at this point. Lessons learned thus far: TWR is too small and I didn't bring enough RCS. The craft is more stable with the underslung lander than I expected.

http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/38615865308652223/AA6A803603C221A4100AAD92B657286CE88F8550/

http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/38615865308652354/6678B75EE15C94B8160F2BBD836F26A88D4485D3/

It's my first craft post in this thread... thoughts, comments?

Looks good! You probably don't need that big of a reactor, though. If you're not dead set on the look of the small plasma thruster, you can upgrade to the large VASIMR for much more thrust and ISP. You can also use a smaller reactor, the 3.75m flat one would probably work nicely. It looks like you have a ton of monopropellent, but you mean more RCS thrusters? I can't tell - does the lander use a near future engine too? edit: yes it does, I should have looked at the first picture again. You might want to bring more Argon for it so you can refuel it for multiple landings.

Edited February 23, 2015 by sdj64

[Xannari Ferrows]

Can I use my Jool-5 vessel? ...Yes!?

[Majorjim!]

I read through your mission when I was considering building something like this. Your SPR is awesome!

I started out trying to build an interstellar ship with a modular design. I saw the MTV with its interchangeable layout and figured I'd try to model if off of that. Whereas with the MTV plan the lander will be shipped in a separate cargo vessel, I'm going to try to build a self-contained interplanetary vessel, hence the underslung lander. MTV with a kerbal twist I suppose.

I'm happy you liked it mate. I think yours has a better part count penalty though! How many is your MTV? Do you know how much dv it has?

[Spartwo]

Oddessy-2 prepping for my second grand tour(Eve excluded)

[FlipNascar]

These are my two Stella ships - both do Duna and return with varying issues and oversights. Miss Stella Duna is complete with lander can (does not land on Duna) and four remote probes (only good for atmospheric one ways). The second Stella has four jr docking ports for probes or other modules (needs science lab and comms?) and an overly complicated lander that barely passes the quality test.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Tankbuster32]

This mission was full of firsts for me; it included the first large interplanetary craft I have ever completed and flown, my first landing of an aircraft on another planet or moon, my first manned Jool expedition and my first Laythe landing.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[SelectHalfling0]

I should probably update this... but I have to study for tests.

Maybe tomorrow!

[The Pav]

This is my primary science/exploration vessel. It uses a few mods but is based on Interstellar mod primarily. Fusion powered with both Data Processing and research science labs, computer core, many sensors, and three forward heavy mounts (docks). This ship is meant to be reconfigured via the mounts for special equipment needed for any particular mission. It can be landers, other small vessels, probes, large satellites, whatever. With the computer core upgraded, it and the research lab generate continuous free science while on long voyages. All mounting points are reinforced to handle a heavier load.

This is the KXa-01

Configured with 3 scientific landers, each will collect data and samples from a different biome on Gilly and return it all to the surface of Kerbin.

[milbournosphere]

I'm happy you liked it mate. I think yours has a better part count penalty though! How many is your MTV? Do you know how much dv it has?

I'm still working on landers and such, but the main ship itself is powered by two of the DS-02 engines. With no lander attached, and with the large hydrogen tank holding ~6700 fuel units (max capacity of 40k units), it has around 2225 delta v. I haven't fully fuelled it yet to see the total delta v possible. I think I'm going to wait to do large missions until I can research the VASMIR engines which provide more power and thrust. Right now it's doing laps around the mun for testing while waiting for my Duna transfer window. I'm mainly focusing on the lander at the moment.

[Jouni]

This is my current favorite: a ship capable of making a Tylo trip in FAR & DRE without nuclear engines.

A 2-kerbal lander fits nicely into the cargo bay.

[Matzilla]

I love this thread and the concept of big beautiful motherships!

This is my contribution, my Jool-5 Explorer, the IES - Namazu! Packing close to 10000 m/s of Delta V, two satelittes, two Duna Grade Landers (with independant fuel resevoires for multiple landings) and comfortable living space for 8 Kerbals, this is the pride and joy of my minimal mod instal. Still working of an SSTO to ferry the crew up in two batches, and to preforme Laythe Exploration, but its tough after being so used to B9/Far and coming back to Stock Aero and part.

C&C always appreciated,

Matzilla - Ive got a couple other goodies Ive been looking to post, so you might see more of me in the SSTO showcase

[Azimech]

Have you guys seen my 7 series?

All of them over here.

[david50517]

Space ship 1

[Slam_Jones]

I call it the Explorer Dreadnaught. Self-sustaining using Kolonization.

[Arugela]

I love this thread and the concept of big beautiful motherships!

This is my contribution, my Jool-5 Explorer, the IES - Namazu! Packing close to 10000 m/s of Delta V, two satelittes, two Duna Grade Landers (with independant fuel resevoires for multiple landings) and comfortable living space for 8 Kerbals, this is the pride and joy of my minimal mod instal. Still working of an SSTO to ferry the crew up in two batches, and to preforme Laythe Exploration, but its tough after being so used to B9/Far and coming back to Stock Aero and part.

http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt197/Mathieulc/733233a9-3242-4a02-a167-b303a7447947.png

http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt197/Mathieulc/b6617f5d-a5ec-4a53-b89b-f9a5969f5584.png

C&C always appreciated,

Matzilla - Ive got a couple other goodies Ive been looking to post, so you might see more of me in the SSTO showcase

You should design those 12 big tanks to both be refillable and come off for easy replacement. Then you could fill up current pods and break off the old and send up new ones in place if you don't just fill them up as is. That could also be good as a way to dump weight if needed for travel. You could make a mini ship to bring the rest of the fuel tanks(full or empty) along afterwords allowing your ship to be broken apart for more fuel efficiency or range or something. both the mini ship and the mothership could be more efficient separately and give some design edge for things. Say landing on planets you can't now without a descending vessel. then you have the option open! Or design the tank with very efficient engines on them and a means to travel alone. Minor rcs or electric turning and some basic engine hiden in them. Then you just need a kerbal based ship to bring them up if you ever needed to replace them outright(say from accidental destruction). They could even fly to you afterwords. This would give more versatility in weight to thrust potentially if detached(assuming both ships have better thrust to weight seperated). And it could be cool to have parts of your mother ship separate and fly behind you on missions to save fuel. Or if that is not realistic because of the engine weight you could also make a thing to fly them to you and attach them. It would only attach the engine till you get it to the ship and attack a new one if needed or to refill your current mother ship via dock. Of if it was possible to design like I originally said they could fly back to kerbin(or wherever you have fuel) and refuel and come back on their own. Self flying refueling fuel pods! 8)

I could imagine a smaller ship being capable of bringing up to 4 of those(empty or full) or something to orbit then having them detach and(refuel or) fly to the mother ship to refuel it or replace older canisters. Which could fly back and refuel in orbit and wait on a station till needed to come replace the next batch or whatever. You could also attach them together like a train. That or just make a refueling ship to come refuel via the docking ports. But being able to detach full tanks could be really useful for doing stuff with different weight to thrust without having to burn the fuel. Heck you could even leave them in orbit. But that gets to the transport issue potentially.

The other reason for this could be an eventually parts count thing. Detaching the tank and even flying them to a close refueler could be better than attaching two ships depending on the situation. Or did you make it so the entire rear section sepearates for refueling purposes. And the front is like a giant movable space station. Actually, adding all of those ideas together could add lots of versatility to the ship. This is basicallly what I've been doing with an MK2 ship. But I can't do the parts count because of some weird things I'm trying with it from ION and heavy amounts of air intakes. 8) A larger ship focused on only space travel could do this stuff much more easily. then you can make a separate fueler with for atmospheres or make a refueling space with low g.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Arugela

[Rune]

Ok, this qualifies I think:

The almost-final configuration of my Jool motherships. The crew can enjoy plenty of leg space and 0.5G's in the large habitation ring by spinning the whole thing at 6RPM's. Auxiliary vehicles include a couple of Darts (any version), and an Eagle loaded with a Karbonite extraction module. Six Drive Pods (currently only four, the other two are incoming) will give this a sedate 1m/s^2 acceleration with a lot of fuel efficiency, and lots of fuel tanks and Klaw pods are included, so I can shuffle things around once at the destination to build a couple of station depots and keep them supplied with tankers . Everything I might need in the depths of space!

Rune. Two of those are currently orbiting kerbin, waiting for their crews to return form a training flight.

[RogueMason]

Still got to load some cargo onto it, but IEV Stargazer is ready and waiting for business:

Its first mission will be to visit and deploy a base on Duna followed by Ike.

Edited March 12, 2015 by RogueMason

[Rune]

Still got to load some cargo onto it, but IEV Stargazer is ready and waiting for business:

http://i.imgur.com/VSWNsLc.png

http://i.imgur.com/dlAzr2N.png

It's first mission will be to visit and deploy a base on Duna followed by Ike.

Hehe, that's really cool looking! Which is why I inspired myself on it for my latest wheeled designs... they ended up looking weirdly similar! Anyhow, have you thought about using Mk2 inline docking ports on the connecting sides? You can place them "wrong" and then move them around with gizmos. That way you get a flush look, and you can still have your radial docking ports.

Rune. Look at my big wheel with care... the whole thing is an independent space station with lots of docking ports and fuel capacity in only 70 parts!

[Daze]

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[RogueMason]

Anyhow, have you thought about using Mk2 inline docking ports on the connecting sides? You can place them "wrong" and then move them around with gizmos. That way you get a flush look, and you can still have your radial docking ports.

I'll be honest, I gave up trying to attach those inline ports before I even considered what you've just said. My next torus will use that technique

Nice ship, by the way. I'm not sure I could bring myself to place engines all over the place on one of my ships, but it's certainly an interesting approach.

Stargazer has been fuelled up, now. The first tanker was rather leviathan in size and carried 40000 units of hydrogen up...

...while the second tanker was much smaller and just needed to top off one last tank.

Cargo time!

[manni01]

I guess SSTOs count, cause these go interplanetary, so:

LC Cruiser II "Ethos" - 6-8 ton payload to Laythe SSTO

Javascript is disabled. View full album

LC Cruiser III 'Eagle' - 15 tons payload to Laythe SSTO

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Rune]

I'll be honest, I gave up trying to attach those inline ports before I even considered what you've just said. My next torus will use that technique

Nice ship, by the way. I'm not sure I could bring myself to place engines all over the place on one of my ships, but it's certainly an interesting approach.

Actually, that is a bad example (since it's built from prototype leftovers that I had in orbit and some tanks from decommissioned depots) but usually the engines are supposed to launch in mostly their final configurations, no relocation needed. Watch this album for the launch sequence of the station/ship (quite crazy, but it works surprisingly smoothly):

Javascript is disabled. View full album

As you can see the real thing would be even simpler, with the small ring forming an interplanetary ship on its own right. To that you would dock a couple of MPS, which come with two nukes apiece already attached, and refill from the rear tanks (the rings will eat two big reds to fill up easily, but the big red on the station actually makes orbit full), then drop them. That would give you pretty much the same configuration, only pushing the other way and with the big docking port working as a puller.

Rune. It's kind of a WiP... but since it's all built in career, I'm using the prototypes for something, after paying up for them!

[david50517]

Spaceship 2

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Scathalh]

Interstellar ship "Unity" (click images to enlarge...)

(It is designed with stock items, but i changed the two lower tanks. Now i'm using kw rocketry tanks...)

[problemecium]

More details via my signature.