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ESN-61 ILIAS

ESN-61 ILIAS (European Spacecraft - Nuclear powered - model 61, Interplanetary Leap - Inhabitable Atomic-powered Spacecraft) is an essential part of the ambitious Jool system expedition. It serves as the permanent orbital base camp / mother ship for all future Jool missions.

Also shown in the pictures is the ESN-60 ARCADIA, the general-purpose SSTO/SSTA ascent & descent vehicle designed to operate with this mother ship. It will be the shuttle craft to and from surfaces of Jool's 5 satellites.

Both ships use a compact nuclear fusion reactor (actually only RTGs) as reliable power source in outer solar system.

Pure stock, no mod, no DLC. 315 parts, root part is the Mk1-3 command pod.
Use Alt+F12 debug menu to set orbit, or design lifters for its 2 sections (both fit into 3.75m fairings)

- 5700m/s dV with initial TWR of 0.25 in Kerbin SOI
- Crew capacity: 41
- Storage bays for instruments or life support supplies
- Reliable relay communication from Jool system
- "Fusion reactor" with lighting effect and maintenance access that can be closed
- Centrifuge modules, relay units and lighting effect have potential for modification with Breaking Ground robotic parts
- Center line thrust with 0.00 kNm of thrust torque

AG1
AG2 = NERVs on/off
AG3 = storage bay doors open/close
AG4 = radiators
AG5 = solar panels as back up power source
AG6
AG7
AG8 = run experiments
AG9 = fuel cells as back up power source
AG0 = external illumination on/off (separate from "Lights" action group!)
Abort (backspace) = "fusion reactor" lighting effect on/off

- This ship is inspired by many other mother ship designs, notably THE one featured in KSP2 trailers.
- Fuel tanks contain only LF for maximum range. They also serve as orbital fuel depot (including LOX) once arrived in Jool system.
- The reactor maintenance access is to be manually opened/closed : reverse deploy direction of the elevons.
- Rapidly entering/exiting time wrap might case the ship to explode, especially when docked with another heavy craft. Be careful and regularly save the game, which is always good for ambitious interplanetary missions.
- BG modification is totally possible, I've managed to get the centrifuge modules to rotate in contrary directions while other parts stay still. It looks nice, but the BG DLC is somewhat buggy in my game so I choose not to upload the BG version yet. However, it's also pretty easy to DIY.

Wish you enjoy and happy exploring!