The ULTIMATE Launch Vehicle / Rocket Sharing Thread !

[The Space Dino]

This is the place to share any launch vehicles or whatever you call them, be it stock or modded. Feel free to add descriptions, pictures and links to download the launch vehicles you have posted !

Here's one of mine:

The Pathsetter 2, which I built in my old sandbox save, can pretty much send medium-sized craft anywhere in the Kerbin system. I have not tried, but it can probably send small probes to Duna. The Vectors have to be tweaked to 50% gimbal to avoid fireworks *ahem* Rapid Unplanned Disassembly^TM  .

Cinematics.

 

Edited October 19, 2016 by The Space Dino

[The Space Dino]

At the time I am writing this, so far I've just been talking to myself but I would really like to see some cool launch vehicles or replicas of real ones such as the Saturn V, especially in RO. I'm going to install some mods to kick this thread off with more stuff. Hopefully.

@DrLicor you have any? 

[DrLicor]

The replicas I use are from the realism overhaul craft vehicles mod. The mods gets recommended when installing RO with CKAN.  

You have to install some recommended mods like kw rocketry etc too 

[The Space Dino]

I know that KW rocketry adds some pretty cool rocket parts but my computer is pretty crappy so I'm instead going to download Ven's stock revamp.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, The Space Dino said:

I know that KW rocketry adds some pretty cool rocket parts but my computer is pretty crappy so I'm instead going to download Ven's stock revamp.

Ven's also adds some pretty cool rocket parts, and is probably less system-friendly than KW due to all the patching over of stock parts during game load (the original stock parts still load afaik, so that's a bit of RAM down the drain).

By the way, I think you'll like these videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3_9DyRP49hBln-yQC2XHqgdCyaCvlB7T

 

Well while I'm here, I'll post my Sword series of lifters, 2.5m cargo movers and stationbuilders, though later variants have extended into the 3.75m part profile. In all cases the central lower stage finishes orbit and the entire upper stage is part of the spacecraft. The crew compartments are situated (precariously) between the rocket and payload, and a frame of RCS pylons generally shrouds the payload outside the fairing.
 

Spoiler

XI - Powered by two SpaceY Moa engines and boosted by 8 Kickbacks in its latest configuration, it's capable of lifting around 40t to LKO, which conveniently amounts to a Jumbo tank with an FL-R1 RCS tank stuck on the end, or thereabouts. The upper stage/spacecraft is driven by a Skipper; I originally used a Poodle but found higher thrust to be vastly more useful than maximum efficiency with thrust so low these craft would drop any extra DV to gravity losses anyway. This incarnation of the Sword class has gone through many iterations, often centred around improving its poor takeoff control, though it is now largely superceded by the cryogenically-fuelled XII model.

 

XI-A (might be B instead, I tend to get them mixed up) - Heavy (and expensive) variant using twin liquid boosters, employing SpaceY Ratite engines and separator nosecones; the upper stage is also larger and more powerful, being driven by a Vector engine. LKO payload is about 80t.

 

XI-B - Light variant that started as an attempt to produce a boosterless version that didn't sacrifice TWR. It's a very simple and reliable rocket and really highlights the potential of the Thud engine (though I would recommend limiting their gimbal range so turns are smoother). It runs on twelve of them plus a central Moa, with a Skipper for the upper stage. This version is exclusively unmanned and has no RCS ability, being fully-expendable and intended to launch small spacecraft, though I may make a version with these in the future to serve as a crew transfer vehicle. LKO payload is 20t. It wasn't my intention to have the heavy variant deliver twice the mass and the light one deliver half, but it's nice that they worked out that way.

 

XII - A more high-tech model using hydrogen propellant (see Nertea's Cryogenic Engines mod) for the lower stage, while the upper stage is the same as on the XI-A Heavy. Stands well over 100m tall. Employs no boosters but does have a pretty skirt around the bottom, shrouding four Odin engines. Capable of I think 60t to LKO.

 

XIII - A kiloton monster with asparagus staging. In this case the RCS setup is different, with bilaterally symmetric pods on the main hull and pylons kept within the fairing. The upper stage/spacecraft is designed to be fully recoverable. Payload capacity isn't fully tested as I only made it for the sake of making it; estimated 150-200t. Should be useful to putting up entire station kits in a single launch, for unpacking and assembly by another craft.

 

 

Edited October 22, 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

Nobody else posting? Aw...

Anyway, not wanting to rely on Swords for my new science save, I've designed something else. Meteor, aka 'The Big Orange', has an as-yet scantly-developed cryogenic upper stage but is otherwise very simple and low-tech, consisting of one long tube with 9 nozzles poking out the bottom. 8 of these belong to Thud engines, as I am ever the fan of clipping them inside launch vehicles. The central one is a SpaceY Kiwi with gimballing disabled, though the first launch flew with a stock Reliant which works nearly as well. The rocket can be uprated simply by adding a pair of the lower stage stacks to the sides as seen below; and from then on the idea is to add six SRBs, 3 each along the ventral and dorsal axes.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Guest

[Majorjim!]

On 10/21/2016 at 11:43 AM, The Space Dino said:

I would really like to see some cool launch vehicles or replicas of real ones such as the Saturn V,

Here's my stock Saturn V and LEM:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[V7 Aerospace]

@Majorjim! May I ask why you made those awesome Radiator-Fairing-Thingies, instead of just using stock fairings?

Edited October 25, 2016 by V7 Aerospace

[Majorjim!]

Just now, V7 Aerospace said:

@Majorjim! May I ask why you made those awesome Radiator-Fairing-Thingies, instead of just using stock fairings?

Hi man, well firstly because I can. Secondly because the stock fairings cannot recreate the exact shape and operation of the Saturn V payload fairing. You have to have the ugly base exposed and its far, far too limiting. For example you cannot seat the LEM further down as in the real rocket and on my recreation.  The radiator fairings do nothing other than look awesome.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Majorjim!

[septemberWaves]

This thread has appeared at quite a good time for me. I've been designing some new launch vehicles to replace my old Cinnabar, Tano, Jool, Sarnus, and Gaia series lifters. The old ones were excellent, but I've spent enough time using them that I feel like it's time for a change. There was also no rocket line for the 1.875m diameter, which I'll be needing now that I'm making use of M.O.L.E. in my new playthrough.

[Firemetal]

Hey @Majorjim!. How did you make that adapter in your Saturn V? What part is that?

Fire

[Majorjim!]

Just now, Firemetal said:

Hey @Majorjim!. How did you make that adapter in your Saturn V? What part is that?

Fire

Hey man. Below the radiator payload fairing? That's an open ended stock procedural fairing.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Majorjim!

[Firemetal]

1 minute ago, Majorjim! said:

Hey man. Below the radiator payload fairing? That's an open ended stock procedural fairing.

Thought so. Thanks!

Fire