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

[Just Jim]

Oh wait...... no refueling at all??? I can't use the SSTO I was going to use, I think I refueled her all ready.

I can still do this, but I'll need to launch a new mission with a different ship.

[boolybooly]

OK, good luck.

Fluburtur thanks for your mission report, did the K919 actually make orbit there (>70Km AP and PE) ? I looked at the images and text but they didnt show or state this.

And while I am here congratulations to Gojira1000 for completing the K-Prize mission with "Lovely little stock scooter", you will have to give me the name if you want it changed! Thanks for your mission report and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

Edited November 4, 2015 by boolybooly

[Gojira1000]

OK, good luck.

Fluburtur thanks for your mission report, did the K919 actually make orbit there (>70Km AP and PE) ? I looked at the images and text but they didnt show or state this.

And while I am here congratulations to Gojira1000 for completing the K-Prize mission with "Lovely little stock scooter", you will have to give me the name if you want it changed! Thanks for your mission report and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

If I recall correctly (I'm stuck at work) the shuttle was my basic "Bee"

[Fluburtur]

My plane did make it to orbit, between 73 and 80Km or else I wouldn't have made it to the other side of the planet (I know, I tried the circumnavigation with it)

This plane is really amazing, I made it quite quickly and he can do everything.

[Kagame]

Finally got around to doing a K-Prize compatible cargo spaceplane.

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[boolybooly]

Okydokey Flurburtur, thanks for the clarification, in that case there is no no question that your mission earned its place on the K-Prize party guest list

Congratulations to ....

Flurburtur Advanced Pilot Precision Award with K919 Interceptor.

Kagame Utilitarial Commendation, Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Heterodyne 1.

... on completing the K-Prize challenge mission successfully by returning to land unscathed from an orbital trajectory around Kerbin. Thanks both for your mission reports and welcome to the K-Prize party guest list aka the roll of honour.

[xiej]

Does the 'SSTO' have to have wings?

Edited November 6, 2015 by xiej

[SpaceplaneAddict]

It probably would have to, seeing as a horizontal takeoff is required.

[xiej]

Meh... Elevons are enough

[boolybooly]

Does the 'SSTO' have to have wings?

It is not a stipulation, so please yourself, the only stipulation is that the liftoff begins horizontally but that can be as short as you like. The point of that rule is to exclude rockets. See the first page for the rules.

[Mister Dilsby]

It is not a stipulation, so please yourself, the only stipulation is that the liftoff begins horizontally but that can be as short as you like. The point of that rule is to exclude rockets. See the first page for the rules.

Ooh, careful, you're just inviting some pedant to make a liftoff that shifts the rocket a few meters then thrusts straight up. I think the intent of the rule (and the way I interpret "horizontal liftoff") is that the thrust vector must be entirely horizontal until the ship leaves the ground.

[boolybooly]

Ooh, careful, you're just inviting some pedant to make a liftoff that shifts the rocket a few meters then thrusts straight up. I think the intent of the rule (and the way I interpret "horizontal liftoff") is that the thrust vector must be entirely horizontal until the ship leaves the ground.

Has already been done though I wouldnt call Cupcake a pedant exactly!

[SuicidalInsanity]

I think boolybooly was intending to prevent things like this.

[JeSuisPret]

Here's my first SSTO :

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I was able to dock my spaceplane to my orbital station in LKO at 150km and land in the Badlands (precious new science!).

EDIT : the ship's name is the "Gala".

Edited November 8, 2015 by JeSuisPret
Precision

[Just Jim]

I'm gonna wait until 1.0.5 to do this. I have the perfect SSTO, but it's just a prototype, and waiting for the new little 2 seat passenger section from 1.0.5. This way I can bring along tourist or 2.

[Mikki]

Hello there!

Here is my entry:

http://imgur.com/a/KSjij

Craftfile:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jke1at7adugsh4j/K-Prize.craft?dl=0

It is a MK3 SSTO, and it drops a M-700 satellite in Munar orbit, then returns to Kerbin with several aerocapture maneuvers. Landing at night at the KSC Landingstrip.

(The planes name is K-Prize, excuse me for the lack of imagination...)

Ahh maybe i forgot to tell that i used KJR... have i crashed the gate?

Edited November 10, 2015 by Mikki

[Lothsahn]

Congrats to Kokanee on completing the K Prize, duly added to the roll of honour. Though I am not sure if you want a gatecrashers link for the failed mission after the successful one, so say if you do.

Lothsahn, thanks for your contribution, to win the K-Prize there needs to be a statement or demonstration that a specific mission was completed. In your post you were clear about putative capabilities and that a mission had demonstrated certain mission objectives but did not show or state that these same missions had resulted in a successful landing and completion. Could you please clarify about specific completed missions, if you would like an official link on the front page, thanks

And the K-Prize rule is that if it is in the stock game you can use it, applies to all engines, rules are on the first page.

The mission I flew was with the Galaxy Heavy to launch, deliver the 94.5T payload to LKO (demonstrated in screenshots) and return to the KSC runway. The mission was successful, and I did land without incident. I also had NO fuel transfer to/from the payload during the time. I also ran a mission with the Galaxy to dock and refuel my orbital station, although I didn't provide full screenshots of that mission as well (one was included). Both were successful with a landing at KSC.

As you can see in the screenshots, I do run with the DMP mod (because I play with my friends), but that mod is just a multiplayer mod, and doesn't affect parts, performance, etc. Only stock parts were used. If I must run it without the DMP mod, I'm happy to do so.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Lothsahn

[Kokanee]

Well, Squad f*&!ed us again....

The revamped jet engines have even less power at altitude than before in 1.04; I hit 16-17km and start losing thrust. Not an air issue, plenty in the intakes.....well crap.

[Red Iron Crown]

The revamped jet engines have even less power at altitude than before in 1.04; I hit 16-17km and start losing thrust. Not an air issue, plenty in the intakes.....well crap.

Only the models have changed, the cfgs and thrust curves are exactly the same.

[Kokanee]

Only the models have changed, the cfgs and thrust curves are exactly the same.

Something has changed then, they're performing quite poorly compared to 1.04. I built the same aircraft in 1.04 and it made it to orbit no problem.

[Mr. McClendon]

I have a good design (I think), but I can't seem to get the darn thing in to space. The only up shot is my plane design-fu is getting much better.

[RCgothic]

First entry of 1.0.5!

I've gatecrashed previously using FAR, but I thought I'd use the opportunity of a clean install with the new patch to do things properly.

On the runway:

Orbit achieved:

Preparing for re-entry:

Getting hot:

Safe return!:

For certain definitions of safe. Unfortunately didn't quite stick the landing and hit quicksave instead of screenshot, but that's just a case of re-doing the mission later. I assure you nothing had blown up by the time wheels hit tarmac. My landings still leave a little to be desired.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Non-(gate)crash entry for 1.0.5!

It is possible that you may remember the Space Harrier spaceplane I made long ago. It had a lot of versions and upgrades, but the changes to parts and physics have over time completely killed the original craft.

I decided that it was good enough for a remake. Introducing, the Space Harrier 3.0:

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Found a very good use for the "flaps" mechanic, solving a problem that plagued the old design. By adding an inverted "flap" mode to the tail elevators, you can now compensate for the CoM shift when the fuel has all run out.

The craft is docking-capable, although carrying payloads is difficult to do without further modifications.

[RCgothic]

Redone! This time with a 'Perfect' as opposed to merely 'Good' landing.

On the runway:

Ascending rapidly:

Angled down for acceleration:

Rocket mode activated:

Orbit achieved:

In orbit:

Re-entry (note I spent basically a day in orbit so as to have optimum sun position on approach to KSC):

Like Sean I overshot:

But that just meant I got to touch down into the sunset:

Complete!

[Lothsahn]

Here's my new cargo SSTO, in 1.0.5. Hauls over 100T to LKO!

My new SSTO is much easier to land than my previous version. This is only revision II, I'll update the post as I continue to refine the craft.

Specs:

Loth SSTO 200 II

126 parts

242 T

101.15T to LKO demonstrated

Minmus VTOL capability (rockets on bottom)

Docking capability

Easy Landing and stable re-entry (be sure to transfer fuel and oxidizer to the front tank for stability)

Action groups:

1) Disable most engines for orbital maneuvers. This is necessary to maintain thrust along the COM

5) Toggle control between air and closed cycle mode

0) Toggle solar panels

Mission:

Takeoff from KSP, place a 101.15T fuel depot in LKO and return to land safely!

Craft Files: (Right click and "Save Link As")

Loth-SSTO 200 II

Edited November 14, 2015 by Lothsahn