Today we will be exploring what it takes to get to the Mun in the computer game Kerbal Space Program.
There are lots of opportunities to explore this subject further. To learn more about Kerbal Space Program, videos by Scott Manley are highly recommended.
Collect Materials
In order to leave Kerbin's gravity we need a space craft. It needs to be made up of three parts. A launcher vehicle, an upper stage and the lander. Start assembling the craft with the lander, so we then know much much rocket we need to lift it. More can be learned at this NASA page.
Lander
In Kerbal, in order to get a Kerbal to the Mun and back we need a spacecraft. This is the part that can get our Kerbal to the Mun, land and bring it back home again.
For this, we've built a simple design which has all the things we need for the job.
- Rocket engine
- Fuel tanks
- Batteries
- Heatshield
- Landing Legs
- Capsule
Launch Vehicle and Upper Stage
The other thing we will need is a rocket on which we can launch this thing into space. This rocket has to be very large and very powerful in order to escape Kerbin's gravity. This part is referred to as the launch vehicle. Most of the rocket is fuel. In the design we have specified here the rocket weights 102.55 tons, and 81% of the entire rocket is fuel.
Launch vehicles are arranged in stacks, with the biggest parts at the bottom, and smaller parts on top. Each part of the rocket is fired in a sequence known as staging.
The rocket we have designed has three stages. On top of the launch vehicle is the upper stage, which helps to carry the lander all the way to the Mun.
This diagram shows all the parts and how they will be stacked on top of each other.
How to fly to the Mun
For those that want to learn more about how to fly to the Mun, there are many excellent videos on YouTube that explain the process.
- Take off
- Fly into orbit: by gently banking the space craft more towards the horizon until we reach orbit.
- Trans Munar Injection burn: A prograde engine burn which increases our orbit so that we will encounter the Mun's gravity and fly past.
- Munar orbital insertion burn: A retrograde burn to slow the craft down so that it enters orbit around the Mun.
- Landing: Another retrograde burn which brings our lander on a collision course with the Mun. Careful control of the lander is needed to slow the descent so that we touch down gently the the surface of the Mun.
- Take off and orbit: Once the mission on the surface is complete. Takeoff and orientate to get back into Munar orbit.
- Kerbin Insertion burn: A prograde burn which causes the craft to leave the Mun's sphere of influence and become captured by Kerbin. A retrograde burn may be required to ensure we contact Kerbin's atmosphere at the right height for successful re-entry (35km)
- Re-entry and landing: Separation of all unneeded parts until we have the capsule with pilot for safe re-entry and landing.
In our test run re-entry occurred at 3000m/s (7000mph) which is rather fast.
How High?
How high can you jump on Earth?
How high can you jump on the Moon? Check here for an interactive site to help explore this.
The Moons gravity is about 1/6th that of Earth. So a jump of 50cm on Earth would be 3m on the Moon!
Resources Used
