Constellation Saturn

[8BitCosmonaut]

You all have probably heard of NASA's Constellation Mars mission, but this time we're going for Saturn's moons.

This is a very long and realistic mission, basically it will go on for multiple posts, get comfy. I've done the same in my KSP realism overhaul playthrough ages ago and decided to do the same here for fun.

Below here is a compilation of images which detail the process of assembling the mothership that will be carrying both crew and cargo to Saturn. L/V's used are the SLS and Delta IV Heavy since this is a pure NASA mission.

1) Mothership main fuel tank launch


2) TSI side tanks launch (Each tank half full)


Now with the main fuel tanks launched and assembled, see below for the rest of the mission!

Thanks to Altaïr for the delta velocity calculations, and special guest Hideo Kojima.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Ship assembly]

3) Reactor launch (2 sets) (In my original playthrough, those solar panels were supposed to be radiators for the reactor.)


4) Main engine launch

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Ship assembly]

5) Titan aeroshell propulsion stages, it comes with a tiny drone to assist with assembly, where it will be de-orbited once expended.


6) TADV (Titan Ascent/Descent Vehicle) launch, docked to the center-most propulsion stage.


7) TSL (Titan Surface Laboratory) Aeroshell launch, to be docked to the left-most propulsion stage.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Ship assembly]

8) TSH (Titan Surface Habitation) Aeroshell launch, to be docked to the right-most propulsion stage.


9) Mothership habitation module launch, it includes an access tube to allow the crew to board the TADV, and a habitation section to support a crew of 6 for 20 years max.


10) Mothership artificial gravity wheel and docking cluster launch, a re-arrangement is needed to place the wheel between the access tube and hab section.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Ship assembly]

11) Moon lander and Inter-system shuttle service module launch.


12) Inter-system shuttle propulsion launch. It comes with a SNAP-10 reactor at the back for all its power needs.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Ship assembly]

13.1) "Peg leg" device launch. Turns out that there were nothing for the ship's tank to push against when burning, so I launched a small device to help with that. The purpose of separating the ion engine from the cargo section is to prevent the fuel tanks inside the aeroshell from being drained, as there is no way to refill them and they are needed for the Titan descent phase. L/V used is the Delta IV Heavy.


Here's how it works, after its done, the legs will retract and the whole section re-attach together.


13.2) Fuel launch (3 launches to replenish any lost fuel from RCS thrusting and to top up the side tanks, the "milkmen" tankers will be deorbited once expended)


With that, the ship is ready to receive the crew and depart Earth for Saturn.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Departure and Arrival]

1) Orion launch to transfer a crew of 6 to the mothership, the capsule will then autonomously return to Earth as its service life is only around 1 year, no match for a mission lasting over 16 years.


2) Earth Departure, Saturn direct flight (estimated burn time: 10-14 minutes, travel time: 8 years)


3) Saturn arrival and elliptical Titan orbit insertion burn, due to my shit piloting skills, I spent more fuel than needed and ate into the main supply.


Expended side tanks ditched over Titan

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Exploration]

1) TSH and TSL aeroshell detach, they will autonomously land on Titan and unpack the modules for the crew's arrival onto the surface.


Habitation and Exploration Aeroshell landing


Surface laboratory aeroshell landing

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Exploration]

2) TADV detach, delivering a crew of 4 onto Titan's surface.


Below the TADV is a hangar which stows a fission reactor piggybacked by a small rover, it will generate power for the entire base throughout the mission. With that, our Titan research base is complete.


Let's go explore Titan. A small manned rover has a small drone that will fly about the atmosphere, studying its contents.


3) Let's get back to the mothership and deploy the other 2 guys. The lander and shuttle will detach and dock together, they will embark on a mission to visit all of saturn's inner and outer moons, then return back to the ship to deliver their findings.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Exploration]

4) Now that the lander and shuttle are reunited. We will now head to Rhea. Here's the process of accelerating, decelerating, landing, returning, then rinse and repeat.


5) Next stop, Dione. Excuse the shitty landing spot.


6) Next stop, Tethys.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Exploration]

7) Next stop, Enceladus, Saturn's largest moon.


8) Next stop, Saturn's nearest moon Mimas. After that, we will head straight for Hyperion.


9) Now we will fly straight for the outer moon Hyperion.


10) Finally, we fly for Iapetus.

 

[GuHP20]

I think this Enceladus is fixed

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Exploration]

11) Alright! With all the moons explored, its time to ditch the lander and check back in with the mothership.


After transferring both crew and moon samples onto the mothership, the shuttle will then autonomously fly to low Titan orbit to act as an emergency transfer vehicle, in case the Titan ascent vehicle fails to end up with enough delta velocity to rendezvous with the mothership.


12) The protective fairing jettisons and reveals the ascent stage. The crew of 4 packs up all of their equipment and research into the ascent vehicle as they get ready to leave Titan.


Seems like everything is fine and we can fly straight for the mothership independently, so we have no need for the shuttle. With that, we successfully rendezvous with the ship and transfer the remaining crew plus research onto the main ship.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

I think this Enceladus is fixed

Too late for that.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

[Going home]

1) At last! We can go home! Since the current planetary alignment is in our favor, we'll perform a Jupiter flyby and from there we can obtain a nice quick encounter burn with Earth. Just ran out of fuel in high earth orbit.


2) Home is within our grasp! We'll launch another Orion capsule using a Delta IV Heavy, to fetch our heroes home.


We're landing near California.


Mission Complete!

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

 

[Altaïr]

Very impressive, congratulations!
I'm glad I could help you for this

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Danny Batten I may need to borrow a space shuttle blueprint to dismantle and recover some parts of the mothership, do you have one? A large one would be great.

 

[Lt. Snakestrike]

Danny Batten I may need to borrow a space shuttle blueprint to dismantle and recover some parts of the mothership, do you have one? A large one would be great.

Lol, that's the first time I've ever seen you going for a shuttle.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Lol, that's the first time I've ever seen you going for a shuttle.

Well its already there, might as well use it. And I want it unmanned. I originally planned to use a kind of aeroshell that can capture payloads, using a jaw mechanism.

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Lol, that's the first time I've ever seen you going for a shuttle.

Or.... I can just use the "inflatable heatshield" method, where I just send a guy up there to install shields around the payload and a small rocket to deorbit it.

Far cheaper than any space plane.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

Danny Batten I may need to borrow a space shuttle blueprint to dismantle and recover some parts of the mothership, do you have one? A large one would be great.

Where is Cosmo, and what have you done with him?! Next you'll be asking for an SSTO.

Joke aside, how much space do you need? You can use Excaliber if it's suitable?

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

Where is Cosmo, and what have you done with him?! Next you'll be asking for an SSTO.

Joke aside, how much space do you need? You can use Excaliber if it's suitable?

At least 6 x 20 meters.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

At least 6 x 20 meters.

It'll fit 25x8

 

[8BitCosmonaut]

nice, can I borrow it?