Project The Interplanetary Stack

[anemazoso]

Hello all,
I would like to post what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks. There are two addons that will be release here shortly. One is the Interplanetary Command Module or ComMod for short. The other is the Multi-Purpose Lander or MPL. These two ships are intended to be used with my NERVA2 booster. Basicly the set up is as follows.

The idea is you launch the ComMod then the NERVA2 and however many drop tanks you need followed by launching the MPL all on the Saturn VI Velcro Rocket by sputnik.

Once the ejection burn is completed, the centrifuge and the solar panels can be deployed.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

[Tommy]

I like the telescoping booms on the centrifuge. Great idea. I also like that this ship is designed to be launched in parts and assembled in orbit - putting it together will be half the fun!

 

[the.punk]

Lookes nice.:speakcool:

 

[ar81]

Keep up the good work!!:speakcool:

 

[the.punk]

When do you release it?

 

[anemazoso]

Was planning for this weekend, tonight or maybe tommorow mid-day. I'm mulling over whether I should re-do the textures for the Lander.

---------- Post added at 10:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------

Here is an alternate paint job I just did, added in some scorch marks. Please comment. :feedback:

 

[Mister Kite]

I'm mulling over whether I should re-do the textures for the Lander.

I can wait..............for a while.

 

[ar81]

If you plan to land on Earth, it would be better if you had doors for retractable legs.

 

[zerofay32]

I kind of like the first texture better. Looks great though. :speakcool:

Zerofay32

 

[Mister Kite]

Me to.
I'm getting associations with old fashioned table cloths.

 

[willy88]

Where's the radiator?

 

[Andy44]

Neat idea, az. I was planning on such a thing at some point to fit into my add-on world, and I was wondering how I was going to do the artificial gravity. I was thinking of something similar to what you've done.

I do wonder if the reactor module is far enough away from the crew spaces for safety, and willy88's question about radiators for reactor thermal control is a valid one, too.

Perhaps some sort of truss structure between the command module and the propulsion unit would serve the purpose of increasing distance, as well as providing a place to mount radiators, comm gear such as antennae, and perhaps more drop tanks? Old drawings of the Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey showed folding triangular radiators which ran the length of the ship and were rigged similar to the sails of a boat, before Kubrick nixed them because they looked too much like aerodynamic fins.

Overall, looks good, though. You're a lot better at texturing than I am.

 

[anemazoso]

Thanks for all the comments so far.

Tommy your right, I tried to cook up some nonsense story that would explain it away but then Andy had a really good idea.

Thanks Andy, I'm gonna have to implement that. :thankyou:

I have Photoshop, it helps a lot.

---------- Post added at 11:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 AM ----------

Here is the paint job I'm settling for.

The scenery is something I made a couple years ago that I never released.
Off to create the truss section.

---------- Post added at 02:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------

Ok, here is what I have now for the Truss. Two extra drop tank ports and radiators.

Was thinking of adding some miscellaneous tanks within the structure.

 

[zerofay32]

Very nice:speakcool:.

Zerofay32

 

[anemazoso]

I've finished the Truss section. Here it is with radiators and comms dishes extended.

Barring anything other issues, should be able to release these, just need to develop the ReadMe files.

---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:02 PM ----------

And the final configuration...

 

[zerofay32]

Can't wait to take this out for a spin to Jupiter. Nice work.

Zerofay32

 

[Andy44]

Very cool-looking. Have you done the numbers to see if those tanks contain enough propellant for your intended mission? Which, BTW, I assume is Mars and back?

Reason I ask is I am terrible at estimating structure masses and thus required tank volumes, so my add-ons tend to incorporate a fair amount of wishful thinking.

 

[anemazoso]

I'm currently fling test runs to various destinations. The NERVA2 and tanks are already released and are somewhat accurate. I calculated the weight based on the density of LH g/cm3 (cm cubed) and multiplied that by the volume of the tank.

The rest of the stack is questionable. I have used comparably sized objects and estimated each components weight based on that as a starting point. Structural weights may be a bit optimistic in the final version but not beyond realistic. At least I don't think so......