Colonial Transporter (LTC)

Home

Colonial Transporter Craft

• Colonial Transporter Craft
• Shortcut Key Commands
• Takeoff Checklist
• First Stage Return
• To Duna
• Atmospheric Landing Checklist

Shortcut Key Commands

G: All landing legs U: Exterior lights on Colonial Transporter Capsule 1: Toggle center-only first stage engine configuration for stage return 3: Cabin interior lights 4: All lab lights 5: Ladders and ramp toggle 6: Gridfins extend/retract 7: Inflate lab greenhouse (WARNING! ACTIVATION WHILE ATTACHED TO CRAFT WILL RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC STAGE SEPARATION) 8: Lab landing gear extend/retract 9: Lab solar arrays toggle 0: Main solar arrays toggle DEL: Launch abort activates

top

NOTES

When using autopilot mods with this craft, reduce maximum thrust to 66% with a 40m/s max acceleration to reduce ship vibration and pogoing during launch. Remember to extend gridfins for better control on launch and first stage return.

Flight Instructions For Duna Colonial Transporter Mission

Takeoff Checklist

1. Engage SAS
2. Extend gridfins
3. Throttle up to 75%
4. Activate first stage (main engines)
5. Begin slow gravity turn bearing 090 around 8000m, finish around 30000m
6. Cut main engines
7. Activate second stage (eject nosecone)
8. Activate RCS
9. Use map view to plan circularization burn at apoapsis (approx. 100m)
10. Establish orbit
11. Activate third and fourth stages (upper stage separation and Raptor 1A vacuum engine activation)
12. Apply short, light thrust to separate stages
13. Extend main solar arrays

top

First Stage Return

1. Use map view to plan deorbit burn around 1/4 of the way around Kerbin west of the launch pad, with a trajectory that puts the landing in the ocean east of the KSC near the coast
2. Press the 1 key to switch to center engine only configuration
3. Execute deorbit burn
4. Reduce reentry speed by firing engine beginning around 32000m, disengage engine after dropping speed below 600 m/s
5. After allowing atmosphere to slow first stage to around 200 m/s, use engine thrust to center prograde trajectory on nav ball so vehicle is dropping straight down
6. Apply throttle as needed to slow vertical speed to around 5m/s by the time it reaches the ocean
7. Cut engine and first stage should float vertically with no loss of components. Recover vehicle

top

To Duna

1. Use map view to plan escape burn at the eastern terminator (the right side of kerbin where the light and dark meet)
2. Execute escape burn and coast to Kerbol orbit
3. Use map view to plan Hohmann transfer to Duna
4. Execute transfer burn at appropriate time
5. Fine tune Duna orbital to 20000m insertion around halfway through transfer
6. After reaching Duna SOI, reduce periapsis to 13500m for aerocapture
7. Point ship retrograde and retract solar panels before entering atmosphere at around 40000m
8. After aerocapture, use a couple of burns to stablish equitorial orbit at around 60K
9. Extend main solar arrays

top

Atmospheric Landing Checklist

1. Activate fifth and sixth stages to separate Colonial Transporter and Lab and activate UltraDraco engines
2. Use map view to plan deorbit burn about 1/4 around the planet west from the (hopefully) flat landing site you choose
3. Coast to deorbit position and execute burn
4. Keep vehicle in retrograde orientation as altitude decreases
5. Allow atmosphere to decelerate craft to around 5000m
6. Press “8” key to extend Lab landing gear
7. At around 3000m, apply 20% thrust and activate seventh stage to separate Lab with parachutes deployed
8. Cut throttle after Lab is clear
9. Use throttle to slow orbital speed to under 100m/s, stabilize vertical attitude to make craft fall directly straight down
10. Deploy landing gear
11. Apply throttle as needed to slow descent to 5m/s just before touching down
12. Extend ladders and let kerbalnauts watch Lab land nearby

top