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DUNABIRD

"DUNABIRD"
(v.1.0)
CREW of 4
Total capacity of 24
9/29/25

NO MODS
ONLY STOCK GAME/DLC PARTS USED TO CRAFT

The DUNABIRD is the ION FLEET's Crew Transport / Recovery Vessel. Like all the Fleet it has a 2/3rds ION Cruise Speed and an 1/3rd ION AFK Speed and can run on the IONS for hours. You can setup maneuvers in the distance (time) and then dial in the Throttle to match and it's like setting a course. Designed for two way missions to DUNA it easily makes DUNA on 40% of the Liquid Fuel and about 20 minutes of ION flight time.
It comes with two Auto Orbit Launch Sequences.
#1 > VERTICAL, for Interplanetary Flights, that will put the BIRD about one minute of ION Prograde flight time away for an Interplanetary Orbit.
#2 > ORBIT, for Kerbin Moon Missions.
Both will decouple at an Altitude where the Lifter will reenter to avoid clutter around Kerbin and you can "Roll Off" and finish up the flight path on IONs.
To use ...
Turn SAS, and RCS to ON.
Go full Throttle.
Use the Action Group
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The Bird is nothing more than a Reentry Vehicle it has no means of propulsion at all. What is notable is the Mark III ELECTRA Center Section. Paired with a Lifter to match the Payload, it becomes a most useful universal no-mods Interplanetary Drive Unit.

The DUNABIRD was commissioned to make round trips to DUNA and the Kerbin Moons and recover SPIDER Lander Crews in orbit awaiting pickup. It does not require a Runway. A key design feature is the amount of ION Flight time, ideal for plotting multiple intercepts with Craft in orbit.
Since there is nothing in the Payload that is Staged, or used in the Launch Sequences, you can replace the "Bird" with anything of similar weight and the Launch Sequence will remain valid, and it's going to DUNA.

* Although not part of the ION FLEET the

The DUNA EZ-5

is the recommended SPIDER Lander without the ION Rover for use on DUNA.