KerbalX

Vehicle for Air Launch & Extended Navigation in Thick, Inhospitable & Noxious Atmospheres (VALENTINA)

carries two intrepid kerbonauts to explore all of Eve and returns them home safely in a fairly realistic fashion.Unfolding from an aeroshell, the electric carrier plane can fly all over Eve with the return vehicle attached. Upon mission completion the return vehicle is air launched from under the carrier plane at a high altitude to dock with the spacecraft in orbit that will bring the kerbonauts home.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: ship
• Part Count: 176
• Pure Stock
• KSP: 1.12.1

Reported burnup upon Eve atmosphere entrance, matter under investigation. Use your own aeroshell if experiencing issues.

Mission profile showcase

Key figures

• Plane mass: 18 407 kg, incl. the ascent vehicle

• Powerplant 4x EM-16S Light Duty Rotors with 2x Propeller Blade Type S each

• Storage space 6x SEQ-3C Conformal Storage Unit 60 liters each + 100 liters storage space in Mk2 Lander Can

• Energy capacity 1 000 EC on the carrier plane, 200 EC on the ascent vehicle

• Liftoff speed 40 m/s ASL, 60 m/s @ 7 000 m above sea level

• Cruise speed 50 m/s ASL, 100 m/s @ 14 000 m above sea level

• Ascent vehicle’s dV 1st stage - 1800 m/s, 2nd stage - 3000 m/s, 3rd stage - 1280 m/s, total of 6080 m/s incl. drag losses.

Blueprint for nerds

Operation manual

Very long. Read only if you really want to try the VALENTINA yourself.

Transfer and orbital insertion

Launch vehicle is not included, please use a vehicle with minimal payload of 25 000 kg to Eve encounter. Lowest-energy trajectory is recommended. Aerocapture with the highest possible pass, maintaining an AoA of approx. 20-30 degrees, lower the orbit with additionall passes (2-3 generally suffice). Exercise caution with shallow approaches; the aeroshell is not suited to bleed off high velocities. Fuel supply to reestablish a circular orbit at 100x100km is available in the aeroshell.

Alternatively, VALENTINA can be delivered directly to low Eve orbit with an orbital tug. If this approach is chosen, please make sure to remove the engines and fuel tanks from the aeroshell entinerly.

It is recommended to deliver the vehicle uncrewed and transfer the crew in low Eve orbit, however technically the vehicle may be delivered directly from Kerbin crewed.

Landing

Choose a landing site with reasonably flat terrain near sea level to ensure mission success in case main hinge does not lock in place. Drop the periapsis, gauging your estimated landing site with a mod like Trajectories assuming AoA of 20-30 degrees.It is recommended to burn off any remaining fuel in the aeroshell prior to attempting descent to surface.

Be careful not to present fragile parts in the rear of the aeroshell to the airstream. Additionally, make sure the front heatshield receives the most heat from atmospheric entry being the first part in the airsteam.

S-turns and careful maneuvering is possible throughout the descent, agressive turns are recommended past 1 500 m/s mark. Once the plasma disappears, parachutes may be deployed. Make sure the chutes fully deploy only below 5 000 m above sea level.

Deploy the fairing once the acceleration has dropped to near zero. Then hit AG 1 and 2. Once hinges rotate successfully, repeatedly press AG 3 to lock them in place. The landing is possible without hinges lock but is not recommended. Once hinges are locked, press AG 4, press K to increase rotor blades pitch (15-30 degrees will suffice) and set throttle to maximum. If the plane operates nominally, release it and engage SAS or Atmosphere Autopilot’s Fly-by-Wire.

Pitch up gradually, maintaining an AoA of <15 degrees and guide the plane to the desired landing spot. Control the speed with K and I, as well as Brake. The safe landing speed is between 30 to 45 m/s horizontally, vertically — 1-3 m/s. Upon touchdown press Brake repetedly to gradually slow down and set throttle to zero.

Surface operation

If the hinge has not been locked mid-air, lock it once firm on the ground. Use AG 5 to deploy ladder, AG 7 to scan surface features and AG 8 to perform scientific experiments.

Liftoff speed is approx. 40 m/s ASL, cruising speed — 50 m/s. To shorten the takeoff the propellers may be spun up with the blade pitch angle set to zero and then slowly increased until the airspeed reaches 40 m/s.

Please refrain from venturing into polar regions. The vehicle can drive at 20-40 m/s in high latitutes, but flight is not recommended. Similar constraints apply to dusk and dawn operation. Generally, it is recommended to make sure the sun is at least 20 degrees above the horizon before attempting liftoff. Nighttime movement is highly dangerous.

Emergency sea landing is possible, but liftoff requires reaching the ground.As such, travelling above large bodies of explodium is recommended only at noon and with all hinges locked.

Ascent

When on the ground, transfer the crew to the ascent vehicle by pressing AG 6 and performing EVA. Fly to equator and wait until morning to begin ascent. Take off and start gaining altitude on heading 90, maintaining blade pitch 18-25 degrees.

At 10 000 m above sea level the pitch angle may need to be increased. At 14 000 meters the climb will become more difficult, hence very careful airspeed control will be necessary. It is recommended to use trim or Atmospheric Autopilot to limit excessive moment.

The minimum altitude for air launch is 15 000 meters (not tested), the recommended one is 17 000, the practical ceiling of the craft is at 18 000. Upon reaching the altitude, pitch up drastically, release the rocket and point 80 degrees above the horizon. In case the ascent vehicle does not detach, check autostruts, send rescue party or Whack-a-Kerbal the plane cockpit.

Control the thrust to maintain acceleration of under 2.5 gees during the first stage burn. Set the apoapsis to 100 000 m using the second stage and circularize with the third.

The capsule can now be docked with any vehicle to take the kerbonauts home.