Andetch

So launching horizontally - I note your images don't show the craft on the runway... How did you get over the fact you have no wheels? Okay, got over that by using goo containers as skids. But now I am coming to the conclusion that this may not be possible...

I'm just gonna leave this here... It might bring up some bad memories for some pilots. This plane can make orbit and come back to land on the runway - IF you have the minerals to fly her. There is a video on the KerbalX page and images etc. (WMP stands for Widow Making Project) https://kerbalx.com/Andetch/ADX-WMP-SSTO

Interesting. So 0 science meaning incredibly limited part choices. Interesting. When ksp installs on my brand new laptop I just got home with I may have to try this.

I know it was my challenge, but I really enjoyed the caveman tech spaceplane challenge. Horizontal launch and landing ssto with only caveman tech and buildings. I found it to be very mentally taxing having to completely break the mould for my usual designs. In the end I convinced myself there was only 1 way to do it, so posted the challenge and was then shown how wrong I was and how many other ways it could be done. Someone even managed to nearly get a Duna encounter (we couldn't really tell as the tracking station wasn't upgraded - and there was no way that plane was coming back to Kerbin). I also enjoyed the STS missions as designing then redesigning a shuttle capable of the few missions I did was very mentally challenging. Lastly, the K-Prize because who doesn't love designing cool looking SSTO spaceplanes?

So you can get science upgrades or no?

Okay, so here they are. Images are in KerbalX already. I've tweaked them You might like the MiniMover as an orbital service vehicle for those times you need to send the someone to go get some more brews! https://kerbalx.com/Andetch/AdX-Mini-Mover - The single seat runabout. Very light and may be useful as a tug to place station modules in hard to reach areas. https://kerbalx.com/Andetch/AdX-Labs-Runner-Class-1 - The main runabout. 3 seats and 6 surface experiment spaces. Will need refueling after landing. https://kerbalx.com/Andetch/AdX-Mini-Fuel-Depo - The refueling element. Capable of flying or rolling around to find the best mining spots and then clawing onto a craft to deliver monoprop. Note: this craft is the only one of the 3 to use Lf/Ox mixture for it's own power. It can not transfer Lf/Ox out.

Can tourists plant flags, perform eva reports and collect samples?

I haven't tried placing tourists into external command seats yet, but is definitely worth a try!

So, I have just came across this and I have a submission for the latter stages. It was mentioned in the OP that there may be a need to Mun/Minimus exploration vehicles for the final stages. Well, way back in 1.4x I designed a fleet of shuttles, and the ones that were only LKO capable I equipped with a little RCS powered (like the place anywhere rcs port was the only engine, no puff etc) hopper vehicle capable of delivering Kerbals anywhere in the Kerbin system (apart from Kerbin surface) and then returning to LKO for docking or recovery depending on fuel left. The hoppers evolved into also a series of tugs, which would aid construction by being able to place small, fiddly modules. From what I can see in terms of payload size and shape already launched, your shuttle could carry a fleet of these things in a single launch, or start sneakily piggybacking them on other launches. The piggybacking method would give you the option to take custom ones for specific tasks that you might need to perform. They weigh bugger all Shall I dust them off, give them a lick of paint and provide them to your venture as a new model?

Definitely need bonus points for tourist EVA. Is there even a mod that does that? Methinks someone hasn't got much KSP experience. @TedJet Aerospace this is why you should always do a challenge idea first, exploring every angle you can before posting it. That way it saves you ridicule for getting things wrong or suggesting impossible things like tourist EVA. Welcome to the forum, and good luck on your next challenge.

Someone got an object into orbit from thrust purely generated by only jet engines. So surely this must be possible.

19.971 T at launch 3322.3 m/s at fastest by Navball, at around 9 mins 25 secs Remember, the lower your periapsis then the higher your speed boost from gravity. If I played with the flightpathI could probably get a bit faster. Took me very little time to build the craft, very simple design.

Seems to me that most dV into LKO under 20T launch weight wins this. Right? I just did a test flight in a little contraption and broke exit velocity. Had I just made an extreme transfer orbit, with the pp as close to Kerbin's atmosphere and waited until I approached the pp before burning off my remaining fuel probably could have got higher. The issue I think people are probably facing is how to get a tank, a kerbal and an engine into LKO for the least effort!

Mr Tiddles had 800 I think. So you got me there.

Not logged in for ages..... been super busy IRL... but... loving the quick review, thanks mate Actually this entry was a very tongue in cheek craft and I wasn't even expecting any pilot to ever review it, so even more kudos for that

Well I assure you the Night Fury family was actually very good. Good enough for purchases to be made. Good range, great handling, excellent comfort. The original G-Type works very well as a STOL aircraft and is an absolute pleasure to fly. Sadly, by adding passenger cabins as floats it ruined it. As for testing - it was the old thread and the front page wasn't updated so I rushed it through development and testing in the mistaken belief that there was no other seaplane on the market - alas, I was misled. Still, as far as flying fridges go, it rocks! It's just a shame it wasn't designed as a fridge, and it also struggles to keep things cold (apart from creating the cold, dead bodies of passengers after another messed up landing).

I've been gone for a while too, no worries However, I am sure I speak for everyone who has entered this thread that the above point is correct! As for me; I just wanna see you either say "Andetch this makes your G-Type Seaplane look good" or "We like this one as much as the Night Fury!"

Finally! A challenge that means I can deploy one of my many Kerbal Killers! The challenge of this is doing it in an interesting way I think.... Anyone can forget parachutes or attempt an atmospheric capture at escape velocity without heat-shields, but to be original and interesting; that's a challenge!

I just did this, with a video. The landing was a rather impressive go-around procedure which included touching the wheels into the cliffs! I will encode the video and upload here when done!

I agree. This is pretty much an easier version of STS-1a. I wouldn't need to change much on my Type-C shuttle as in STS-1a it lifts 40T into a circular orbit with a PP/AP variance of less than 100m. This mission you could have a highly elliptical orbit.

I am sure that cargo bays opening IRL will provide some airbrake qualities.... The Early 747's had an issue with that, and I think the DC10 ?

KSP at it's best.... The programmers make parts with one thing in mind, then the community uses them for something completely different! Cargo bays for air brakes, SRB for structural space station parts....the list is long and varied!

Yes, indeed vectors. Based around my Widowmaker SSTO project craft. All vector and no wing! You're very good at this ksp thing, if I may say so. There is a video of a land speed record using sepatrons. To give you an idea of how many it will take https://youtu.be/Ph9zbfsYwA8

I got sub 10 seconds to 1000 m/s but a no good time to land as it comes back dead stick - and I crashed......but i will land this thing..... watch this space!

I am sure it has been done before, although the 1.4x changes coukd invalidate previous achievements