Firebreather Flyer SSTO

[Heretic391]

Hi everyone,

I made this craft below in KSP so that it would at least orbit Kerbin but it decelerates the higher in atmosphere I go. Could you diagnose the problem?

Download craft: http://www./download/ae84u6iugq3a821/Firebreather+Flyer+m13.craft

Regards,

Chris (Heretic391)

[Radam]

Im guessing too much drag, not enough engines. I havent looked at the craft but you could clit 2 rapiers together. Like place one after another and then offset one back into another.

[Roflcopterkklol]

Hi everyone,

I made this craft below in KSP so that it would at least orbit Kerbin but it decelerates the higher in atmosphere I go. Could you diagnose the problem?

Download craft: http://www./download/ae84u6iugq3a821/Firebreather+Flyer+m13.craft

http://www.igorstshirts.com/blog/conceptships/2011/gambino_cn/gambino_02.jpg

Regards,

Chris (Heretic391)

ill see what i can do, for 1.0.2 yeah?

[Heretic391]

ill see what i can do, for 1.0.2 yeah?

Sure is Thanks buddy.

[Heretic391]

Sure is Thanks buddy.

Well I made a fix to the craft just by adding more engines e.g. turbo jet. The new drag model is now an irritant for me.

[Scoundrel]

So your problem is twofold:

1. You don't need those radial intakes. Air hogging is obsolete now thanks to the new aero, and that drag (and there is a lot!) is keeping the craft from keeping its velocity when you zoom climb to orbit. You just need a couple of intakes per TRJ.

2. You're losing speed when you climb because the engines lose power with altitude. Air hogging won't fix it because it's about velocity. The TRJ doesn't come into its own until about 9000m when it will accelerate you to the point of destruction. You just need to pitch up to about 15 to 20 degrees and let the engines accelerate you into a low suborbital arc.

That said, the aerospike isn't providing enough thrust (175kN for 26ish tons = less than 1:1 TWR) to circularize before it goes back into the atmosphere. You should switch the jet engines to rapiers, which will do the trick without the aerospike (whose advantage is high thrust in the lower atmosphere, which we're not using on this craft since we have jet engines). You'll have to adjust your CoM and CoL again, but it'll simplify your fuel plumbing so it should be all right.

Also the craft is angled upwards for taxiing, which is great for launching, but causes hopping on landing which makes me overshoot, or I prang the front landing gear because I didn't flare enough. A neutral pitch would make landing much, much easier.

All in all a good replica and was fun to fly around with. Enjoy the rep!

Edited May 6, 2015 by Scoundrel
Bad Grammar! Gah!

[Heretic391]

So your problem is twofold:

1. You don't need those radial intakes. Air hogging is obsolete now thanks to the new aero, and that drag (and there is a lot!) is keeping the craft from keeping its velocity when you zoom climb to orbit. You just need a couple of intakes per TRJ.

2. You're losing speed when you climb because the engines lose power with altitude. Air hogging won't fix it because it's about velocity. The TRJ doesn't come into its own until about 9000m when it will accelerate you to the point of destruction. You just need to pitch up to about 15 to 20 degrees and let the engines accelerate you into a low suborbital arc.

That said, the aerospike isn't providing enough thrust (175kN for 26ish tons = less than 1:1 TWR) to circularize before it goes back into the atmosphere. You should switch the jet engines to rapiers, which will do the trick without the aerospike (whose advantage is high thrust in the lower atmosphere, which we're not using on this craft since we have jet engines). You'll have to adjust your CoM and CoL again, but it'll simplify your fuel plumbing so it should be all right.

Also the craft is angled upwards for taxiing, which is great for launching, but causes hopping on landing which makes me to overshoot, or I prang the front landing gear because I didn't flare enough. A neutral pitch would make landing much, much easier.

All in all a good replica and was fun to fly around with. Enjoy the rep!

Ahhh, thank you so much! I'll make the changes as required. Also, if it is okay I'll reference you in my future video for this craft.

[Scoundrel]

I would be honoured to be referenced (especially if its Harvard referencing! I'm so tired of APA...)

Also I should have been a bit clearer with the second point: you climb to 9000m, accelerate to 400+m/s, and pitch up to 20-30 degrees. The idea is to be at 1000m/s at 20000+m before lighting the rockets... your craft might behave a little differently so the process will have to be fine tuned some (40 degree pitch maybe, depending on its final configuration), but the process is roughly the same for all SSTOs.

[Roflcopterkklol]

Here ya go man i hope you do not mind that i changed a few things to the aesthetics, it was a bit uncontrollable at 1200m/s i kept breaking the plane on my orbital maneuver

Anywho hope you like it.

Part count: 141

Weight: 51 Tons

Cost: 107,803

Download link:

http://www./download/oazn578s4dfjbai/Firebreather+Flyer+m14.craft

btw heretic while you are having a go at 1.0.2 you should have a crack at my Nuclear Comet, fairly sure you will like it

The Nuclear Comet mk1

120kmx120km orbit remaining resources

Description:

Cost: 216,566

Part count: 243

Weight: 126.2T

Quite maneuverable in the atmosphere and capable of 1,000,000km+ orbits (More if you add more fuel in the cargo bay, less if you put a load in the craft other than spare fuel) the Nuclear Comet is about as good as it can get when it comes to single stage to orbit, With a choice of Nuclear or Rapier engines depending on how far out you need to go, once refueled this craft is an interplanetary explorer.

As an added bonus there are emergency parachutes for easy landing.

Flight instructions:

On launch it is easiest to just let it fly off the end of the run way before touching the controls, once in the air pitch up to 40 degrees until 12km.

At 12km bring the pitch down to 5 degree and gain speed until 1200m/s, at 1200m/s pitch up to 30 degree until orbit, at 22km engage nuclear engines, at 24km switch rapier engine mode. once apoaps is at 100km you can kill the Rapier engines and use the nukes to orbit.

If returning to kerbin after orbiting without refueling you will need to move fuel into the forward most fuel tanks for stability.

Action groups:

1- Toggle Rapiers

2- Toggle Rapier mode

3- Toggle turbo jets

4- Toggle Nuclear engines

5- Toggle solar panels

Download link:

http://www./download/9q7m4i8s3ymdit5/Nuclear+Comet+mk1.craft

[problemecium]

you could [AHEM] 2 rapiers together

Please check your spelling of "clip"

[Heretic391]

Here ya go man i hope you do not mind that i changed a few things to the aesthetics, it was a bit uncontrollable at 1200m/s i kept breaking the plane on my orbital maneuver

Anywho hope you like it.

http://i.imgur.com/WnIfi6S.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kAjUKWp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0cWfk4g.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YnxdjXX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/BF7A8wS.jpg

Part count: 141

Weight: 51 Tons

Cost: 107,803

Download link:

http://www./download/oazn578s4dfjbai/Firebreather+Flyer+m14.craft

btw heretic while you are having a go at 1.0.2 you should have a crack at my Nuclear Comet, fairly sure you will like it

The Nuclear Comet mk1

http://i.imgur.com/XOHLykW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/it4k29D.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CivwyI5.jpg

120kmx120km orbit remaining resources

http://i.imgur.com/5H9DjgQ.jpg

Description:

Cost: 216,566

Part count: 243

Weight: 126.2T

Quite maneuverable in the atmosphere and capable of 1,000,000km+ orbits (More if you add more fuel in the cargo bay, less if you put a load in the craft other than spare fuel) the Nuclear Comet is about as good as it can get when it comes to single stage to orbit, With a choice of Nuclear or Rapier engines depending on how far out you need to go, once refueled this craft is an interplanetary explorer.

As an added bonus there are emergency parachutes for easy landing.

Flight instructions:

On launch it is easiest to just let it fly off the end of the run way before touching the controls, once in the air pitch up to 40 degrees until 12km.

At 12km bring the pitch down to 5 degree and gain speed until 1200m/s, at 1200m/s pitch up to 30 degree until orbit, at 22km engage nuclear engines, at 24km switch rapier engine mode. once apoaps is at 100km you can kill the Rapier engines and use the nukes to orbit.

If returning to kerbin after orbiting without refueling you will need to move fuel into the forward most fuel tanks for stability.

Action groups:

1- Toggle Rapiers

2- Toggle Rapier mode

3- Toggle turbo jets

4- Toggle Nuclear engines

5- Toggle solar panels

Download link:

http://www./download/9q7m4i8s3ymdit5/Nuclear+Comet+mk1.craft

Will do! Looks great

- - - Updated - - -

Will do! Looks great

Do you mind if I include it in a future sub designs video?

[Goodle...]

hi! this is an awesome craft.

[Roflcopterkklol]

Will do! Looks great

- - - Updated - - -

Do you mind if I include it in a future sub designs video?

Not at all man, be happy for you to feature it or any of my craft that you like

[ZLM-Master]

Hi ! It's a really good looking craft i'll try it now . & yes , not easy to fly high with the new aero !