Duna and back without docking

[Scarecrow88]

I recently put up a craft for exchange that was capable of going to Duna and back, aimed at relative novices to interplanetary travel. However, a couple of comments in that thread suggested that because the lander was a separate vehicle to the command module, and required docking with the CSM when it returned to orbit, it perhaps wasn't quite so novice friendly as it could be.

To that end, I have put together another craft that is capable of going to Duna and back, and doesn't require any docking at all. Just fly it, and stage when required.

Craft file

The first two stages will get you to a comfortable 85km LKO orbit. It's possible you will have fuel left over that you can use to start your Duna injection burn should you wish, but it's not actually necessary.

The third, or interplanetary stage, will get you to Duna. A reasonable pilot will have fuel left over on arrival to use this stage to do the de-orbit burn.

On arrival at Duna, use the atmosphere to do most of your braking. As you don't need to park a CSM in orbit, it's not strictly necessary to establish an orbit on arrival, and if you are short of fuel, a direct intercept may be required.

Once your descent is established, stage to jettison the interplanetary stage, and again to activate the lander engines

Once below 8000m, stage to deploy the drogue chute, and once this is fully deployed, stage again to deploy the main chute

Some use of engines when close to the surface will be required to slow down enough for a gentle landing

On the surface, press 4 to toggle the ladder, and EVA to re-pack the main chute, as you will need this when you get back to Kerbin

When ready to leave, launch to Duna orbit. I usually go for around 50km

When your transfer window comes up, burn to Kerbin

Use the atmosphere at Kerbin for your braking, and once you are sub-orbital, stage to jettison the tank and engines and press 1 to deploy the main chute (staging won't work at this point, as the chute has already been staged once.)

Action group keys :

1 : Deploy main chute - used on return to Kerbin

3 : Toggle solar panels

4 : Toggle lander ladder

Ready for launch

Gravity turn complete

Jettison 1st stage

2nd stage burn

LKO with fuel to spare

Jettison 2nd stage and solar panels out

Duna insertion burn

Arriving in the Duna system

Interplanetary stage jettisoned and drogue chute deployed

On the surface - don't forget to repack the main chute

Launch for orbit

Burn for Kerbin

Arriving back in the Kerbin system

Re-entry

Jettison engines and tank

Main chute deployed - nearly home

Edited February 6, 2015 by Scarecrow88

[EliteGuy3]

Incredible! However, it can't be that simple. Knowing a new guy like me, I tend to over exaggerate everything (fuel, delta-v, etc.) so I may be wrong. 

How much time did you spend in space? Looking at estimating the required delta-v, you must of needed a perfect planetary alignment.

[tal2410]

With a good launch and the proper transfer windows, I can almost do a round trip to Duna with the stock KerbalX (emptied of its monopropellant). I'm barely 150 m/s short. 

Looking at Scarecrow's vessel, it probably makes the trip with ease. Actually you can see that orbit injection stage and interplanetary stage were dropped while still containing fuel so there was a lot of margin for error.

Good job!

Edited May 3, 2016 by tal2410

[Ozymandias_the_Goat]

Sweet! love the Saturn V style launcher.

[Riftmann]

I'm getting a "Can't find file" error message when I click on the craft file hyper link...

Looks awesome though

[tab]

fix the download link please