Game:

Kerbal Space Program (2015)

Duration: 4:16

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I realized that the Eve lander in my previous video was lighter than the Tylo lander in my 4.6 tons Tylo mission, so naturally I wondered if I could do an Eve return in under 5 tons. The Eve lander was physically larger and thus required more fairing mass, but it wasn't that much more. I then packed on xenon until I was just under 5 tons, and found that it was enough to do a Moho landing and return to Kerbin safely.

If I were to fly this mission better, I could probably have fit in Gilly and Minmus, but I think this is good enough.

Additional notes: (I'll add stuff as I think of it)
-The Eve lander is very slightly heavier than what I featured earlier, because the propeller is deployed using a DLC hinge. This doesn't affect the rocket portion of the ascent at all, because it's dropped with the propeller. However, it serves two purposes - it increases thermal resistance, as discussed in the video, and it also requires a physically smaller fairing, saving fairing panel mass at launch. The version without the DLC hinge cannot enter Eve's atmosphere without melting.
-The launch stage has two intakes clipped into each other instead of on opposite sides like my Tylo mission. This means that one of the intakes will explode before the other starts heating up, instead of both at nearly the same time, which means I can go faster on the jet engine before needing to drop it.
-The fuel tanks on the front of the craft don't produce drag because they're attached to the engine nodes of a DLC engine plate, which shields them from drag.
-I lose about 50 m/s while decoupling the jet engine. Changing the fairing shape would probably prevent this, but I was under my mass goal so I didn't bother.


Inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peJpkYq1K44 - Use of Whiplash engine for ascent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfwAtlFIvcc - Removal of fairing to increase drag but decrease mass

Music: Stephen Pendleton - Dragonfly

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