Stowed/Folding 1.25m (+) Engine?

[tonweight]

I like to build compact space probes. I love the small form factor (especially for "nuclear" probes - so useful!), but sometimes I have to go bigger. Especially for longer journeys, a low-thrust monoprop engine's not going to do the trick for me. I need a high-thrust, low-consumption alternative (late science is fine)!

I was thinking, "how cool would it be to mod in an engine design for probes like the warp ship from Star Trek: First Contact?" I started looking at modding resources, but found that a lot of it's out of date. I don't have time this week to look into it further, but I plan on asking around the community this weekend, if I can find a spare moment, for more info on how to get started.

In the interim, I figured "why not post it to the community, anyway?!" I would love to be involved, but my wheelhouse - as a software dev - is obviously more on the programming side (with 2D art being something in which I still dabble, but a study of proper 3D techniques being a bit beyond my grasp at the moment).

Because I love the flexibility offered by TweakScale, I'd love to see an integration of that (and maybe the fuel tank mod that adds the tank GUI to the menu). Integration with other mods (Karbonite, open resource, etc.) would just be a bonus.

What do you think, fellow Kerbonauts? Have any merit, this?

[Navy2k]

Are you searching for this?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/37707-0-90-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Infernal-Robotics-0-19-3

Greetings

Ben

[Buzzou]

This space tug has retractable small nuclear engines that might interest you...

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/83364-WIP-NohArk-s-Pick-and-Pull-Space-Tug-DEV-0-4?p=1578274&viewfull=1#post1578274

[tonweight]

@Navy2k - I already use IR, but I haven't been able to manage building what i want from those parts (either because they're too fiddly or because I can't fit them into a bay the way I want.

@Buzzou - Nifty! Thanks! That gets close, and should serve as a good introduction to what I'm trying for. Just DLd it. As soon as I figure out how to dissect the .mu file, I should have a better idea of whether or not I can invest the time to build what I want (or update this thing to .90).