The three M’s: Mercury, Mars and the Moon.
So, I was bored yesterday, and I came up with this mission. I executed it with an expendable rocket, but without the moon landing. After that, I thought I could do it with a reusable rocket, so I did the mission again.
Meet the Larcade IV, the first reusable LV of the Larcade family. It will be the protagonist, during the trip to orbit. It is not only reusable, but can be reassembled (If you gather the parts landed around the world).
Booster separation confirmed:
Fairing separation confirmed:
Booster landing. I used parachutes for this:
Second Stage completes orbit circularization:
Core Stage landing. This was hard, because I had no parachutes or landing legs, and I was short of fuel, but it was successful. Notice fuel indicates 1%.
Still in space, second stage completes the Venus transfer burn and deorbits itself (Mercury is the first destination, so I’ll use a Venus gravity assistance to get there).
Second Stage landing:
My spacecraft is ugly and strange indeed, but it is efficient, and that’s all I need for this mission.
Now, to Mars! First I used a Venus gravity assistance to reach Earth, then an Earth gravity assistance to reach Mars
Now I have to use a very “safe” maneuver to get rid of the auxiliary tank, just moments before the touchdown.
And land safely without parachutes or landing legs, luckily, I had solar panels!
Finally, a transfer to Earth, an aerobrake to make the apoapsis match Moon’s orbit and an Ion powered lunar landing.
Back to home! This is the first time I launch from Moon using Ion engines ONLY. At this point, my craft was light enough to do that.
And touchdown! Mission complete.
So, I was bored yesterday, and I came up with this mission. I executed it with an expendable rocket, but without the moon landing. After that, I thought I could do it with a reusable rocket, so I did the mission again.
Meet the Larcade IV, the first reusable LV of the Larcade family. It will be the protagonist, during the trip to orbit. It is not only reusable, but can be reassembled (If you gather the parts landed around the world).
Booster separation confirmed:
Fairing separation confirmed:
Booster landing. I used parachutes for this:
Second Stage completes orbit circularization:
Core Stage landing. This was hard, because I had no parachutes or landing legs, and I was short of fuel, but it was successful. Notice fuel indicates 1%.
Still in space, second stage completes the Venus transfer burn and deorbits itself (Mercury is the first destination, so I’ll use a Venus gravity assistance to get there).
Second Stage landing:
My spacecraft is ugly and strange indeed, but it is efficient, and that’s all I need for this mission.
Now, to Mars! First I used a Venus gravity assistance to reach Earth, then an Earth gravity assistance to reach Mars
Now I have to use a very “safe” maneuver to get rid of the auxiliary tank, just moments before the touchdown.
And land safely without parachutes or landing legs, luckily, I had solar panels!
Finally, a transfer to Earth, an aerobrake to make the apoapsis match Moon’s orbit and an Ion powered lunar landing.
Back to home! This is the first time I launch from Moon using Ion engines ONLY. At this point, my craft was light enough to do that.
And touchdown! Mission complete.
