VSSTO - Ray

[CrashTestDanny]

Not sure why I created this or what I'm going to do with it, but it's been kinda fun to fly...

If you know about Rapiers, at low speeds they loose thrust as you gain altitude, so it's a little tricky on takeoff, but basically, just hit T Z <SPACE>, start pitching slowly right away to get airspeed and get the wing flying.  A wheel or two might actually make a nice addition, but it was just kinda fun to do it this way.  I make no guarantees about landing, as I actually haven't landed this yet...   But she does get on orbit with 400-500 dV to spare on the Rapiers.  Some of you cool folks feel free to update this and make it even better...

Danny.  Tough to make it any cooler looking though...

 

Oh hey - maybe I ought to include the .craft?  https://www.dropbox.com/s/ruk0iuwhmhrrfhx/Ray.craft?dl=0

Edited April 30, 2016 by CrashTestDanny
stupid...

[Speed_Kerman]

You couldn't get any better screenshots closer to the craft?

[CrashTestDanny]

Yeah sorry - I'm not a very good photographer....

[The Space Dino]

Your ship looks cool, and I think you've done ok, because I can't even build a SSTO!

[CrashTestDanny]

9 hours ago, The Space Dino said:

Your ship looks cool, and I think you've done ok, because I can't even build a SSTO!

Thanks!  It's not all that hard to build an SSTO though - just make sure you have enough sea-level delta V to orbit (3400m/s) in one stage and a sea-level TWR > 1.2ish (between 1.2 and 1.5 is best), and try to minimize drag.  If you use KER to make the calculations, it becomes very easy to make an SSTO.  I honestly could have done much better with this one maybe with lighter or less draggy components, but since I kept getting contracts to add cupolas to my space stations I figured it was time to use it as the basis of an SSTO.    

Danny

[The Space Dino]

9 hours ago, CrashTestDanny said:

Thanks!  It's not all that hard to build an SSTO though - just make sure you have enough sea-level delta V to orbit (3400m/s) in one stage and a sea-level TWR > 1.2ish (between 1.2 and 1.5 is best), and try to minimize drag.  If you use KER to make the calculations, it becomes very easy to make an SSTO.  I honestly could have done much better with this one maybe with lighter or less draggy components, but since I kept getting contracts to add cupolas to my space stations I figured it was time to use it as the basis of an SSTO.    

Danny

Thanks for the tips Danny!