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Help me turn a plane into a space plane?


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Okay, the past week I was making a jet/turbo-jet plane. I\'m happy with it\'s flight, it\'s maneuverable, stable, easy to land, and can carry it\'s own weight by quite a margin. But as a space-plane, it\'s no good. Once it gets into a certain region of thinner atmosphere the plane starts doing backflips like a frantic gymnast. ??? I attached pictures of the plane, I\'m hoping to retain the same flight characteristics in atmospheric flight as it does in space flight. Is this even possible? Can I have my cake and eat it too?:D I haven\'t made a space-plane before either, let alone make one that is multi-functional. What should I do kerbonauts?

screenshot11.png(my closest attempt at an orbit)

screenshot16.png

screenshot18.png(Plane can a couple fuel canisters underneath it pretty easily)

screenshot21.png

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Well a couple of things. Canards and other atmospheric control surfaces do nothing in space (nothing to push against!) so you will be much less maneurverable. However, in space you dont really want to turn all that much, you just set up and orbit and that is it, so it is alright.

As per not being able to breach atmosphere, jet and turbojet engines are air breathers, so they cease to function at around 8000 and 15000m respectively. You will need rocket engines to break this barrier.

Good luck.

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It\'s doing backflips in thin atmosphere because the centre of thrust is below the centre of mass, causing the nose to come up.

Getting engines inline with the wings would balance that out.

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It\'s doing backflips in thin atmosphere because the centre of thrust is below the centre of mass, causing the nose to come up.

Getting engines inline with the wings would balance that out.

Or, alternatively, apply more thrust vertically mirrored from under the ship to even it out.

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