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Stratolaunch / Horizontal Pegasus launch.


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I think this is the right forum for this question, I've looked else where but have not found this answer.

Does Kerbal allow horizontal launches from different altitudes on earth ? or just launch pads ?

If not can I raise a launch pad to a 50,000 ft mountain side (though it would be stationary) ? I'm interested in the academic math and physics involved.

Specifically how big (mass) a rocket would need to be to put a 3 kg payload in LEO.

TY, Patrick

Edited by Patrick C
forgot abit
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Easy way to do it is probably just to stick your rocket on another rocket, and tune the apoapsis upon ascent before jettisoning it and proceeding with your real rocket.

Starting a plane at altitude is likely to result in problems, because many planes in KSP require ram compression to get enough intake air, especially at altitude—some even require it on the ground. Even if the engines are able to start, you'll have problems getting enough air under your wings—the only reason planes can fly at the low pressures of the upper atmosphere is because of their great speed.

Launching a rocket from altitude is probably feasable—however, very little of what is gained from Stratolaunch is due to altitude. Much more important is the "free" velocity. This is not accounted for in a static launch from high altitude.

Finally, 3kg is really light for anything in KSP. You're going to need either a sounding rocket pack or Tweakscale to examine that regime with any kind of accuracy.

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1 hour ago, Patrick C said:

is "tweakscale" an add on pack type thing ? i dont own KSP yet.

 

No. It is a module that let you manipulate the size of existing parts - it doesn't add any part of its own. But you can make those parts bigger or smaller according to needs.

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3 hours ago, Patrick C said:

Does Kerbal allow horizontal launches from different altitudes on earth ? or just launch pads ?

Stock KSP has a single vertical launchpad at near sea level. Furthermore, the reduced scale of everything (Kerbin has a radius of 640 km, yet 1 g gravity) mucks up any attempt to mode real life.

Edited by DDE
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Welcome, @Patrick C, to the forum :-)

Besides all the other valuable info, mods like Kerbinside offer launch sites at different places. Well, not at 50.000ft amsl because such a mountain does not exist. Get the game and try it out. You will not regret it :-)

- you can launch horizontally with a space plane. Which is somewhat advanced.

- math and physics: a good place to start is the wiki. Academic math and physics, well, an archaeologist can play it ...

- mass fraction of payload is higher than irl. It is hard to give numbers, but ... 10% ? When you are through with the wiki and things like the rocket equation you will calculate the abilities of your designs on your own or use mods to display the numbers while you build.

To start: dive into calculation of dV (Delta-V), the ability of a rocket to change its speed by a certain amount of m/s. To reach a low orbit outside of Kerbin's atmosphere you need ~3.3km/s (if i recall that right ...). For a real world earth that'll be around 8km/s. If you don't mess up the ascent too much, that is.

Hope i don't get to big a correction now :-)

Edited by Green Baron
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6 hours ago, 0111narwhalz said:

Finally, 3kg is really light for anything in KSP. You're going to need either a sounding rocket pack or Tweakscale to examine that regime with any kind of accuracy.

With RO suite of mods you can launch even 0,25 kg payload to orbit.

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Yes I want an earth like approximation. alright after looking at other programs like "orbiter" ill buy Kerbal. Ive been watching "Everyday Astronaut" and want to play with some "tyrannical" physics.

Ill try to figure it out so ill keep posting if you'll all keep helping.

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  • 1 month later...
On 12/30/2018 at 7:04 AM, Patrick C said:

But how do i use the "tweakscale" or find sounding rockets ?

Find sounding rockets by searching.

Tweakscale is just tweaking size of stuff. Other variables such as volume will increase/decrease accordingly.

Edited by Xd the great
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