The Orbiter Pack

[Kurotenshi]

Kurotech Inc. presents:

The Orbiter Pack

The idea for these orbiters came from my budget save, as I found I was designing things differently, due to budget constraints. My old Perileos orbiter was also up for a rework, and thus the pack was born. Uriel is basically a Soyuz without an orbital module, and Sirius (formerly Perileos) took elements from both Orion and PPTS, but something was still missing. So I decided to make another shuttle system, not an SSTO, but still useful and not just a good-looking waste of money, like my other shuttles had been. A little while later and I had a viable Buran-style shuttle: The Tempest.

I'll go into detail about their specs and whatnot later, but first: here's some eyecandy!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Uriel

Uriel comes in three variants: the standard Uriel, Uriel M and Uriel C.

It's an easy craft to fly, ideal for a less experienced pilot, and relatively cheap too! Still looks great despite the low part count

[TABLE=width: 1000, align: center]

[TR]

[TD]Uriel

- Part count on launch: 159

- Part count in orbit: 35

- Crew capacity: 3

- ÃŽâ€V budget: 625 m/s

- Cost: 42.975,89

- Cost/kerbal*: 12.929,46[/TD]

[TD]Uriel C

- Part count on launch: 156

- Part count in orbit: 32

- Crew capacity: 3

- ÃŽâ€V budget: 701 m/s

- Cost: 42.201,53

- Cargo: Life Support

(619 days for 1 kerbal)[/TD]

[TD]Uriel M

- Part count on launch: 225

- Part count in orbit: 87

- Crew capacity: 3

- ÃŽâ€V budget: Mun Landing

- Cost: 98.821,21

- Cost/kerbal*: 31.544,57[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Features:

- The re-entry capsule has solid fuelled soft landing engines for ground landings, which burn for 5s. Water landings can be done without activating these

- Standard Uriel and Uriel C are launched on their own launcher, included as subassembly and capable of launching a 5.5t payload into LKO

- Uriel M is launched on an Ariane 5, included as subassembly and capable of launching a 16t payload into LKO

- Uriel M comes with a single stage lander, equipped with science experiments

- Standard Uriel can be blasted to the Mun if the upper stage is filled up (only half full normally)

Flight notes:

- Press 1 before launch to control from the docking port (otherwise your navball is skewed)

- Fairings and LES are dropped at 40km

- Press 0 to deploy solar panels and antenna (manual on the lander)

Uriel M

The upper stage is used for TMI, some fuel is required from the orbiter's tank

En route to the Mun, pump leftover fuel back to the orbiter, and extract the lander, Apollo-style

You'll have some fuel left in the lander, which you can transfer to the orbiter for the escape burn

Sirius

Sirius comes in Two variants: the standard Sirius, and Sirius M.

More expensive and less effective that the Uriel, but a lot fancier. For those who would like a slightly more challenging and complex craft.

[TABLE=width: 1000, align: center]

[TR]

[TD]Sirius

- Part count on launch: 140

- Part count in orbit: 50

- Crew capacity: 3

- ÃŽâ€V budget: 747 m/s

- Cost: 69.556,08

- Cost/kerbal*: 20.343,37[/TD]

[TD]Sirius M

- Part count on launch: 303

- Part count in orbit: 150

- Crew capacity: 3

- ÃŽâ€V budget: Mun Landing

- Cost: 131.982,60

- Cost/kerbal*: 41.152,21[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Features:

- The re-entry capsule has liquid fuelled soft landing engines and landing legs

- Sirius is launched on an Ariane 5, included as subassembly and capable of launching a 16t payload into LKO

- Sirius M is launched on a Delta IV derived LV (unreleased for now)

- Sirius M comes with a two stage lander, equipped with science experiments and two small rovers

- Standard Sirius can be blasted to the Mun if the launcher is filled up (check the fuel levels)

Flight notes:

- The orbiter is fuelled with monopropellant, the lander uses bipropellant

- LES is dropped at 15km, fairing at 40km

- Press 0 to deploy solar panels

Sirius M

The upper stage is used for TMI, afterwards, extract the lander, Apollo-style

The rovers might need some "persuasion" to get out

Pump any leftover fuel from the descent stage into the ascent stage,

Turn off the descent engine, throttle up and stage

Tempest

Tempest comes in three variants: Crew and cargo variant, and Tempest II.

The cheapest way of getting kerbals into orbit, but also the most complex and challenging way.

[TABLE=width: 1000, align: center]

[TR]

[TD]Tempest (Cargo)

- Part count on launch: 87

- Part count in orbit: 38+21

- Crew capacity: 2

- ÃŽâ€V budget: 677 m/s

- Cost: 57.575,44

- Cargo: Satellite[/TD]

[TD]Tempest (Crew)

- Part count on launch: 68

- Part count in orbit: 40

- Crew capacity: 6

- ÃŽâ€V budget: 609 m/s

- Cost: 56.465,2

- Cost/kerbal*: 5.761,82[/TD]

[TD]Tempest II

- Part count on launch: 118

- Part count in orbit: 90

- Crew capacity: 6

- ÃŽâ€V budget: ~1000

- Cost: 66.269,60

- Cost/kerbal*: 5.779,65[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Features:

- Buran-style shuttle system that's actually useful

- Cargo variant comes with a satellite ready to launch (press 1 to activate)

- Press 0 to deploy the solar panel

- Tempest I is relatively easy to launch(for a shuttle)

- Tempest II is harder to launch, but can reach Mun orbit

Refuelling is necessary though, so it has enough Delta-v (1107m/s + 70m/s from RCS)

to get to the moon, and then some more refueling to get back to Kerbin

Flight notes:

Tempest I

Standard launch profile, keep an eye on the pitch control, and throttle down the Skipper accordingly

The external tank will stay attached, and deorbit after a retro burn (it has a probe core)

Once in orbit, limit the engines to 8%, and tilt about 10 degrees above the manoeuvre marker

Tempest II

Standard launch profile, keep an eye on the pitch control

Throttle the shuttle's engines up to 70%, then throttle down the Skipper

On solid booster burn out, the Skipper should jump up to about 70%, then start going down again

During circularisation, keep the pitch control as level as possible when the external tank burns out

It make require some practice, but it is possible to reach orbit with 1000m/s of Delta-v in the tanks

*The cost per kerbal is calculated by substracting the minimum recovered funds from the total cost, and then dividing by the number of kerbals

Edited December 15, 2014 by Kurotenshi

[Kurotenshi]

Phew, finally done with all the numbers and explanation.

If I made some errors, or something's not entirely clear, give me a shout

[LvL]

Nice! I might actually download these crafts! (quite a wonderful achievement)

[Guest]

Just made a Sirius, too. Its a bit less peacefull ...

[Majorjim!]

That's one hell of a post mate!

I really like these. They are a neat package and the orbiters are really cute and neat too. Good job!

MJ

[inigma]

Lovin' it.

[Kurotenshi]

Thanks guys

Also I've updated the OP, because I forgot to mention the launchers of the standard Uriel and Sirius aren't fully filled, and if they are, you can blast them pretty to the moons as well.

Thinking of adapting the Tempest Ii into a Mk III, as an SSTO, although I'm not sure if it'll work, as it would probably need a lot of extra fuel, throwing of it's balance and whatnot.

[zekes]

the tempest is really cool m8

[JPmAn]

It says the Uriel needs TACLS

[ExplorerKlatt]

Yes That is stated in the description for the Uriel C with a link to the mod.

[Kurotenshi]

Yeah, the Uriel comes from a career save I was playing a while back, which was largely stock, except for some realism-enhancing mods, like TACLS and some other things like DR. The Uriel C is the only one that has actual mod parts, the standard Uriel and its M variant should be usable in a stock game.

[JPmAn]

It says that both of those require TACLS

EDIT: they have one container inside

Edited February 21, 2015 by JPmAn