Year 16, Day 334 (Aurora 18 Mun Mission Announced!)

Mission Planners are excited to announce that Kerbals will be returning to Mun for the first time in years! The early Aurora missions to explore Mun and Minmus were done before some of KSEA’s more advanced scientific equipment was developed. This return to Mun is intended to test new surface science equipment and a new rover that will allow exploration of terrestrial worlds!

3 thoughts on “Year 16, Day 334 (Aurora 18 Mun Mission Announced!)

  1. Hi, I am trying to build your Mk9 Aurora Crew Vehicle but I can’t get the same mass, delta-V and TWR as you have shown. I have the same pod, under the pod is heat shield and decoupler. Below these is universal storage bay (quad?), then X200-8 fuel tank and Poodle engine. In US bay I have fuel tanks, some monopropellant and batteries, but I have “only” 2049 m/s and total mass is 17,480 kg with TWR max 2.65 in space and around 16 at the Mun.

    I’m still missing something, right?
    Can you please provide me some detailed description of this vehicle?

    Thank you so much !

    btw: I love your blueprints !

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    • Hi! Thanks for the nice comments šŸ™‚

      There are two of the universal storage bays – The first is under the heat pod, with the heat shield under it, this one is recoverable and part of the main crew spacecraft. The second is disposable, and attached to the engine. I wonder if you’re not including both? The bottom one is fully fueled, and it is dumped on reentry! If you want to upload a picture to Imgur or something and link it I’d look at it!

      The way I use this spacecraft typically is, launch off pad to 200k periapsis, then separate. I switch crafts to the bottom rocket, rcs into position and retro fire to move the crafts return as close as possible to Mission Control. I can’t recall exactly how much deltaV I retain. The rocket and the pod are still close enough to switch back, then I ride up 200k and circularize the orbit! Note that I use Stage Recovery mod for this.

      While I designed this stack just to reach orbit and return it is capable of going to Mun if you dispose of the base rocket.

      Thanks again – have fun Kerbaling hehe šŸ™‚

      Like

      • Thank you so much! I didn’t know that pod already contains a heat shield. Now it’s clear to me. Now I have very similiar values as you. I’m going to use this rocket as a transfer to Mun a Minmus šŸ™‚

        Picture of my version:

        Have a nice day !

        Like

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