The K Prize - 100% reusable spaceplane to orbit and back

[boolybooly]

The K Prize challenge is to make the obvious craft, a spaceplane, and make it work. All those who succeed will be included on the roll of honour and get a free back stage pass to hang with Kay Kool and the Kerbettes after their next live performance at the Dog and Booster (where free beer will be available).

Rules
1. The craft may not lose any parts in flight, no decoupling allowed.
2. The craft must lift off horizontally, reach orbit (PE > 70,000m) and land intact ready for 'refuelling'.
3. All fuel tanks, wings (lift generators) and engine parts must be stock, for fairness.

Provisos to rule 1.
A. Payloads may decouple from the craft providing all payload tanks are full on decoupling and any thrust generators on the payload were not used prior to decoupling.
B. Docking is permitted providing no fuel is transferred (net per fuel type) into the K-Prize craft (it can be transferred out). Crew transfers are permitted providing they do not alter flight characteristics of the K-Prize craft.

Kudos
1. Smallest ship (by weight). Minimalist record.
2. Largest ship (by weight). Maximalist record.
3. Highest orbit. Altitudinalist record.
4. Landing on KSC terrain. Pilot proficiency medal.
5. Landing on any KSC runway. Advanced pilot precision award.
6. Visiting other SOIs. Kosmokerbal Commendation.
7. Planetoid landings. Astrokerbal Distinction.
8. Payload to orbit. Utilitarial Commendation.
9. Payload to planet surface. Utilitarial Distinction.
Prefixes: Exploratory applies to planetoid missions and Expeditionary applies to planetary lander missions outside Kerbin's sphere of influence.


Guest List
(Roll of Honour.)

Version 0.20
Kuris Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with an unnamed small and agile spaceplane.

Version 0.19
Maxed Rockets Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award 1st Class, Utilitarial Commendation (36T) with SPO-18A, SPO-28 & SPO-48.
pa1983 Expeditionary Utilitarial Distinction to (36T to Duna) with Falcon X Jumbo Transport (video).
- Expeditionary Utilitarial Distinction (10.98T to Laythe) & special lifetime awesome award...
+ Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award to island runway with Falcon X Jumbo Transport (video).
- Expeditionary Utilitarial Distinction to (43.26T to Duna) with Falcon X Jumbo Transport (video).
+ Maximalist Record (v0.19) with 210.81T take off weight.
- and again.
zekes with Belle I.
- Exploratory Kosmokerbal Commendation with Debulist.
admiralducksauce Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Hot Dog II.
Tarsus Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award 1st Class with X-4.
AmpsterMan Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Daedelus.
Rosarium Astrokerbal Distinction with Nettuno SSTO.
SirJodelstein Pilot Proficiency Medal with Space Dragonfly.
boolybooly Astrokerbal Distinction, Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Gnat.
SecondGuessing Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award, Kosmokerbal Commendation with Almalgest I 'Swift'.
kahlzun with SSTO Prototype III.
Plur303 Astrokerbal Distinction, Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Nuke SSTO MK III.
JebDynamics Utilitarial Commendation, Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Extended Range.
pinolallo 2x Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award 1x Pilot Proficiency Medal with 3KPrize (triple mission).
bsalis Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with VTOL SSTO.
BikeKayakSki Advanced Pilot Proficiency Award with Better Glider.


Gate Crashers
(Dodged the bouncers.)

Stevenator1, borrowed someone else's spaceship...
sss, the public inquiry blamed a computer malfunction...
keptin, wings fell off...
dogon11, denies ever using black market engines...
Baneblade, engines dropped off at an inconvenient moment...
Phoenix Aerospace, confessed to using counterfeit rockets...
Shazi, advertising situations vacant in 'KSP Piloting News' jobs section...
Suzaku, still refusing to pay airport tax...
a7i20ci7y, insists that using uncertified boosters is perfectly safe...
Hooligan Labs, acquitted on all charges...
Maxed Rockets, didnt want to come back anyway.
evilC, denied accusations of short measures saying "I found it like that."
Climberfx parts did not conform with KU common market standards policy.
pinolallo, confessed to using experimental technology.

To start the ball rolling (I previously posted) a little screeny of one I made earlier. This space plane is in orbit, but it has yet to land successfully... can you do better :p

[hebdomad]

Craft files would be nice by the end of this challenge. Making space planes is hard! making SSTO space plane is extra hard.
Can\'t wait to see what people come up with...

One question. Vertical launches are perfectly ok right?

[sal_vager]

Woot! I have an SSTO spaceplane in orbit at 230km, I\'ll land at the KSC and upload the pics, watch this post!

Update: Aircraft failed to return to Kerbin, the weight distribution was such that the engine flew through the airframe and the craft disintegrated, I have another more stable plane but I need to get out in this sun, it\'s been cold for so long here.

[boolybooly]

Edit : adapting the post to carry honour rolls from the previous versions.



Version 0.17.0

boolybooly, pilot proficiency medal, with Diamondback.
***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'Moon Wing'.
Return from Ike landing with 'MoonWing XL'.
Gossy, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Falcon 3'.
Archangel Lucifer, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with 'Widowmaker'.
with 'Space Wing'. And ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'Hellfire'.
Also with 'Maverick'.
G Addict, with 'Bifurcator XN'. *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with 'Bifurcator X'
sloth, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Daedalus K'.
bsalis, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with the VTOL capable 'Avenger'.
Suzaku, with 'K-17', v17 minimalist record holder with 'XK-17'.
kepicness, with 'NISP V.I' nuclear spaceplane.
*Advanced Pilot Precision Award*,with 'NISP V.II'.
***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'NISP IV'.
Klilidiplomus, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with the 'Sky Guardian'.
Foursch, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, v17 maximalist record holder, with 'Delta Wing IV'.
***Astrokerbal Distinction***, v17 altitudinalist record with 'Vulcan'.
zekes, **Kosmokerbal Commendation** with Zokesia Precision Lifter 4.
souza, with Nexus SSTO 2.
RadiationKing, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with 'Orbiter III'
Hooligan Labs, Kosmokerbal Commendation with 'Third Time Lucky'.
Rogue Mason, with the 'Ceres SSTO Soarer'.

[spoiler=Version 0.15.2]
zombiphylax, first to succeed, with 'Wespe'.
sal_vager gained an *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Starspark'.
silent_prtoagonist, with 'Daedelus'.
DeadlyPear, with 'Lunacy'.
Tarmenius, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, with a favourite spaceplane.
mager42, with 'smini spaceplaneplane', Pilot Proficiency Medal, ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'Skylon3'.
UmbralRaptor, with 'SpacePlane_mini' and current Minimalist record holder with Ultramin4D.
JellyCubes, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, with 'Orbiter'.
pushingrobot,*Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, with a commercial spaceliner. All this plus current Maximalist record holder with 'Sawfish'.
speedollama, with 'Spacemachine'.
antbin, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* by a pinky swear, with the 'KPS delivery van'. ***Astrokerbal Distinction***, with 'SSTmin'.
boolybooly, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* , with the 'Flyingfrog'.
hebdomad, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* , with the 'Jetmaster Aether'.
SteevyT, Pilot Proficiency Medal , with a spaceship.
The_Duck, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* , with 'Reusable Spaceplane 2'.
Xeo, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with the 'Vulture'.
Parabellum, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with the 'Berkut'.
Sean Mirrsen, with the 'Albatruss'.
Caldvan, Pilot Proficiency Medal ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with the 'Kerbin Express'.
tjoreilly, with the 'K Prize 5'.
Dobrodav, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award*, ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'Bobs XL'.
Aerzee, with the 'Joe III Mk4'.
Oggula, with 'smini lite'.
illectro, ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'sstm'.
geb, ***Astrokerbal Distinction*** with 'Archer Mk2'.
G Addict with 'KiG Spaceplane Mk2c'. Also Pilot Proficiency Medal with 'Wobbleboard'.
_Aramcheck_ with 'FFu3'.
Saaur with 'SimplicityIII'.
colmo with the 'Kotal SP Stock MkI'.
salda007, with Flying Pig-3 (after rescuing the crew).
Osterman A, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'untitled space craft'.
khyron42 with 'Ugly Duckling', (after a crash course in aerodynamics).
Maxed-Rockets **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, Altitudinalist record holder, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Fun1C'.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Version 0.16.0] (due to an intervention by the Kerbal Space Safety Standards Authority the fuel related special accomplishment awards are suspended while an inquiry into unsafe fuel mixers is under way).
Sean Mirrsen, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with the 'Radiant 2'.
CanuckOverlord, with 'Unity Orbital V'.
emkej, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'X-Wing 9000'.
martscht, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with 'Buraq 2'.
hebdomad, **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Jetmaster Aether v0.16'.
Tarmenius, **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with the 'Gannet'.
Maxed-Rockets, with 'Fun-1D'.
gyroscope, with 'The MIG'.
Guard13007, with 'Daedulus mk1'.
Suzaku, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'K-15 Recordbreaker'.
***Astrokerbal Distinction***, v16 Altitudinalist record, with Exelion.
... v16 Minimalist record holder, with Gnat.
bsalis, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Helios' and 'Zanix'.
... unique multiflight achievement using player made refuelling mod.
SargeRho, Pilot Proficiency Medal with 'S1 Valkyrie'.
EndlessWaves, with 'Fifty Tonner' also with Prancing Pony LXIII.
T2Cross, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with Pygmy.
Coldie, Pilot Proficiency Medal, with the SpaceLiner IV airliner conversion. (Made the 'brick' fly.)
a7i20ci7y, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'CircumNavigatorMk1'.
T10, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with the 'Defiant IVa'.
blspblackdeath, ***Astrokerbal Distinction***, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Dubble V4 Shuttle'.
vXSovereignXv, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with the 'X-2'.
Jakinbandw, with 'USP VZ8-988'.
zekes, with the 'Mexdool 1'. *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Zokesia Precision Lifter 1'.
TheHengeProphet, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'SF-1', also with the unusual O1-NKR.
djnekkid, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* using runway 27 with 'S01E02'.
Exclipse, with 'EX0-1'.
iplop, with 'SpaceX_3'.
razgriz86er, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with 'Star Ship Noob Prize Stock'.
Archangel Lucifer, **Kosmokerbal Commendation**, *Advanced Pilot Precision Award* with the 'White Raven'.
RogueMason, with 'Heavy 1'.
Foursh, with 'Space plane 3', v16 Maximalist record holder with 'Delta Wing III'.[/spoiler]



Previous post content...

I'm a watchin' sal_vager, I'm a watchin'.

Craft files would be nice by the end of this challenge. Making space planes is hard! making SSTO space plane is extra hard.
Can't wait to see what people come up with...

One question. Vertical launches are perfectly ok right?

I welcome your enthusiasm hebdomad. Did you see rule #2?

Rule #2, the launch has to be horizontal by which I mean has to happen on the runway and begin with horizontal movement, after which you can fly it any way you want. 8)

[hebdomad]

Damn... well there goes my one and only SSTO that might have parts 'accidently' fall off...

[zombiphylax]

Made this over the weekend,

The Wespe:

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]

Gets to at least 70km, all one piece, 2 stages, enough RCS fuel for orbital maneuvering, and enough jet fuel to do a controlled landing. All 0.15 vanilla parts.

[UmbralRaptor]

Looks like my glorified rocket approach is... iffy.
[spoiler][/spoiler]
[spoiler][/spoiler]
[spoiler][/spoiler]

It needs the drop at the end of the runway to get airborne, is barely capable of a 70 km orbit, and has a L/D of ~2 with empty tanks and below ~2 km altitude. It cannot safely ditch on water. Land capability is currently unknown. =/

[spike8760]

When the rocket fuel tanks finally get separated from jet fuel ones (0.16 i think), I\'m sure this challenge would be much more challenging. The Rocket fuel tanks simply carry so much more for their weight.

[Salda007]

Heh, looks like I need to step up my spaceplane game. The one spaceplane I\'ve gotten into orbit ran out of fuel doing so, partially due to mis-routed fuel lines, and ditched a pair of lower-atmosphere engines, an SRB, and the landing gear (attached to the engines and SRB) on the way up. (The pod decouples and lands via parachute. I\'m not that mean.)

First, though, I need to build something that can rendezvous with my stranded spaceplane and nudge it back into the atmosphere.

[Stevenator1]

Heh, looks like I need to step up my spaceplane game. The one spaceplane I\'ve gotten into orbit ran out of fuel doing so, partially due to mis-routed fuel lines, and ditched a pair of lower-atmosphere engines, an SRB, and the landing gear (attached to the engines and SRB) on the way up. (The pod decouples and lands via parachute. I\'m not that mean.)

First, though, I need to build something that can rendezvous with my stranded spaceplane and nudge it back into the atmosphere.

You have no idea how much I have tried to do that. Try and try, space is huge. I still haven\'t had a plane or ship that can do that.

Made this over the weekend,

The Wespe:

[spoiler]
[/spoiler]

Gets to at least 70km, all one piece, 2 stages, enough RCS fuel for orbital maneuvering, and enough jet fuel to do a controlled landing. All 0.15 vanilla parts.

Tested your design out, I really like it Worked fantastically, got a stable 150km orbit, and brought it back down on the pad