Wavey's RP-1 Craft Catalogue

[septemberWaves]

I've been spending a lot of time making these vehicles, so I figured I may as well share them. Here's a few examples:

These are all designed for RP-1 career mode, and I'll write some notes on how best to use them. All vehicles can be assumed to require no more than speculative technology level (the default for all difficulty levels) unless otherwise stated. All vehicles require only the RP-1 Express Install unless otherwise stated. Most vehicles are named for easy use with Project Manager.

 

Soviet (to be added)

 

US

Sounding Rockets

Spoiler

WAC Corporal

Spoiler

This is a nice easy sounding rocket to start a career, and entirely uses start-node technology. I've replicated it with precision to the nearest millimeter wherever possible. Science core includes active temperature and pressure experiments by default.

In its default form, this WAC Corporal can almost reach the Karman line. I recommend you launch a few of these to get early science and complete pre-Karman-line altitude sounding contracts, put your first research point into Early Tracking Systems, and then swap the science core to Post-War Avionics for all future launches of the WAC Corporal (and don't forget to retool it). Once you do this, the vehicle can easily pass the Karman line.

To fly, use Mechjeb's Utilities tab to activate auto-staging, enable hot-staging, and set the hot-staging lead time to 0.27 seconds.

 

Downloads:

• Craft: https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/WAC-Corporal-WAC-Corporal
• Flags: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/camcjitrduzmyyv/AABVmMGz4G5WSPlRnsNx6Y_Sa?dl=0

V-2 Sounding Rocket

Spoiler

A civilian version of the V-2 rocket used by Germany to bomb civilians during World War II, captured by the USA after the war and retrofitted for scientific use. Same livery as the Bumper rocket. Can be built from the start node.

The V-2 sounding rocket is guided and is easy to fly, especially using Mechjeb's Smart A.S.S. guidance system. There is a decoupler beneath the avionics core. I've designed this with functionality prioritized, so the nose cone is composed of three components sized for easy attachment of any of the early-game science parts (there is also enough space to clip any of these parts entirely inside of the payload section, if you don't want your sounding rockets to look hideous). The avionics core is oversized for the necessary control mass, but this allows the same sized part to be easily retooled for use with heavier rockets later. You can put sounding payload in the avionics core.

To fly, use Mechjeb's Smart A.S.S. and run a simulation beforehand to figure out what trajectory works best for your contract requirements.

 

Download:

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/V-2-V-2-Sounding-Rocket

RTV-G-4 Bumper

Spoiler

Bumper is a two-stage sounding rocket. The first stage is a V-2 rocket, and the upper stage is a WAC Corporal.

There are two versions of this vehicle. The first is buildable from the start node, and is (as far as I am aware) the canonical configuration. The second is a logical upgrade for a career game, for which I have upgraded the WAC Corporal's avionics core to Post-War Avionics (from tech node Early Tracking Systems), replaced the A-4 engine with the US-built and slightly-improved XLR-41, and lengthened the first stage tank.

The vehicle reuses most tooling from the V-2 and WAC Corporal, but the WAC Corporal nose cone is replaced by a sounding payload tank, and there is an additional sounding payload tank added. The rocket is loaded with 60 units of sounding payload by default, but feel free to adjust for whatever your mission requires.

This rocket is very much capable of completing most sounding rocket contracts for both altitude and downrange objectives, though it may be overkill for the former. If you remove all sounding payload, the upgraded version has a delta-v of about 5000m/s, which in my experience isn't quite enough for the 3000km downrange contract - but if you figure out a way to make that work, please let me know your method.

To fly, use Mechjeb's Smart A.S.S. to control the first stage, and run a simulation beforehand to figure out what trajectory works best for your contract requirements. Use Mechjeb's Utilities tab to activate auto-staging, enable hot-staging, and set the hot-staging lead time to 0.4 seconds.

 

Tech Required (upgraded version only)

• Early Tracking Systems
• Post-War Rocketry Testing

Downloads

• Normal: https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Bumper-RTV-G-4-Bumper
• Upgraded: https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Bumper-Upgraded-Bumper

Aerobee

Spoiler

The Aerobee rocket family is an extensive line of derivatives of the WAC Corporal. I've chosen to represent five versions of the rocket which make some sense for career progression. Colour schemes are a work-in-progress, and will be improved whenever I can find some historical documentation for the purpose. Currently, the colour schemes are mostly based on a few vague images that I can't definitively assign to the specific rocket versions represented here.

 

Aerobee RTV-N-8

Spoiler

The first version of the Aerobee rocket. Comes pre-loaded with a 50kg sounding payload tank, though if you empty the tank you'll be able to pass the Karman line and get some near-Earth science cheaper than a V-2 and sooner than any better rocket.

Tech Required

• Early Solid Rocket Engines
• Early Tracking Systems
• Post-War Materials Science
• Post-War Rocketry Testing

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Aerobee-Aerobee-RTV-N-8

Aerobee AJ10-27

Spoiler

The AJ10-27 engine allows you to build the first small sounding rocket capable of achieving a lot of major altitude sounding milestones, and capable of doing biological sample returns with very little modification. Comes pre-loaded with a 50kg sounding rocket tank. Reuses most tooling from the Aerobee RTV-N-8.

Tech Required

• Early Rocketry
• Early Solid Rocket Engines
• Early Tracking Systems
• Post-War Materials Science

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Aerobee-Aerobee-AJ10-27

Sparrowbee

Spoiler

A derivative of the previous Aerobee rocket. This one has a small solid upper stage. Comes pre-loaded with a 20kg sounding payload tank. Honestly, I'm not sure what this one is best used for - perhaps pressure/temperature science from space near Earth? If you've not done those already, anyway.

Tech Required

• Basic Solid Rocket Engines
• Early Rocketry
• Early Tracking Systems

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Aerobee-Sparrowbee

Nike-Aerobee

Spoiler

A slightly wider Aerobee with a more powerful solid rocket motor. This one needs to be retooled, but if you have a lot of high-mass altitude sounding contracts remaining, it might be worthwhile..? Comes pre-loaded with a 50kg sounding rocket tank.

Tech Required

• Basic Solid Rocket Engines
• Early Rocketry
• Early Tracking Systems

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Aerobee-Nike-Aerobee

Aerobee 350

Spoiler

An enlarged Aerobee derivative powered by four engines. I'm sure someone can find a use for this. It is at least very stable and quite reliable: even if one engine fails, it'll likely still complete its mission unless the margins are extremely tight. Comes pre-loaded with a 100kg sounding payload tank.

 

Jupiter-C

Spoiler

A sounding rocket derived from the PGM-11 Redstone ballistic missile. It's a bit overkill for the 3000km downrange contract, but it shares most tooling with Explorer 1 and the version of Redstone used for Mercury-Redstone, and it'll give you TestFlight data on the engines, so it's definitely worth using.

You don't need Early Avionics and Probes for this like you do for my Explorer 1, so I recommend researching that tech while building your Jupiter-C for downrange attempts.

This rocket requires at least a 28 tonne launch pad. I'd recommend building a 31 tonne launch pad if you eventually intend to launch Mercury-Redstone.

To fly, use Phase 1 of my standard flight profile (to be added to this post in my next edit). Following Phase 1, hold pitch at 20 degrees until main engine cutoff. At this point, you can jettison the first stage, activate RCS, set pitch to 0, and coast until time to apoapsis is two minutes. At this point, disable Smart A.S.S and hold either Q or E (your preference) to spin up the vehicle, and keep holding it until time to apoapsis is 5 seconds (feel free to physics-warp here). When time to apoapsis is 3 seconds, activate the first solid stage. Activate each subsequent solid stage right after the previous one burns out. If you follow these instructions and nothing goes wrong, you should re-enter the atmosphere over central Africa (assuming you're launching from Cape Canaveral), which is more than enough distance to complete the 3000km downrange milestone.

This iteration of the vehicle is slightly unstable around max Q, but you can still follow the flight profile as normal. It will be updated at some point with a fix.

Tech Required

[to be added]

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Jupiter-C-Jupiter-C

 

Science & Exploration Satellites

Spoiler

Explorer 1

Spoiler

The first successful US satellite. Launched on a slightly modified Jupiter-C sounding rocket. Reuses most Jupiter-C tooling.

This rocket requires at least a 30 tonne launch pad. I'd recommend building a 31 tonne launch pad if you eventually intend to launch Mercury-Redstone.

To fly, use Phase 1 of my standard flight profile (to be added to this post in my next edit). Following Phase 1, hold pitch at 20 degrees until main engine cutoff. At this point, you can jettison the first stage, activate RCS, set pitch to 0, and coast until time to apoapsis is two minutes. At this point, disable Smart A.S.S and hold either Q or E (your preference) to spin up the vehicle, and keep holding it until time to apoapsis is 5 seconds (feel free to physics-warp here). When time to apoapsis is 3 seconds, activate the first solid stage. Activate each subsequent solid stage right after the previous one burns out. If you follow these instructions and nothing goes wrong, you should re-enter the atmosphere over central Africa (assuming you're launching from Cape Canaveral), which is more than enough distance to complete the 3000km downrange milestone.

This iteration of the vehicle is slightly unstable around max Q, but you can still follow the flight profile as normal. It will be updated at some point with a fix.

Tech Required

[to be added]

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Explorer-Explorer-1

 

Aircraft

Spoiler

Beechcraft Bonanza

Spoiler

This is a start-node US aircraft that's perfect for practising flying. If you're using planes for the first time in RP-1, the Beechcraft Bonanza is a great starting point. It's also effective for those very early X-plane contracts which only require a few minutes of sustained flight at a given altitude.

To take off, throttle up to maximum and pull back at about 65m/s. Once you're in the air, press P to activate Aircraft Autopilot, which will stabilize the plane during flight. You don't need any kind of stability assist when on the runway, and trying to use S.A.S or Smart A.S.S can destabilize the vehicle. I would recommend pressing CAPS LOCK to activate fine control.

To ascend, make use of NavHud to keep track of your speed to two decimal places; try to maintain as high pitch as you can while just slightly gaining speed. When turning, apply the same technique but with a very slight roll in the direction you're turning. This plane has an approximate service ceiling of over 7000 meters, based on my testing, though it takes a while to get there. It may be able to go to 8000m, if you're very patient.

To land, approach the runway at between 60m/s and 80m/s. Set the engine to reverse thrust (action group 1) and throttle up to maximum when you're almost at the runway. Try not to hit the runway too hard. Activate the brakes when you hit the runway, and throttle the engine to zero once you stop moving. Remember to toggle the thrust reverser off again before you recover, so that the plane doesn't start its next flight with the thrust reverser active.

I would not recommend flying this plane with more than two crew members, despite the fact that it can hold six. It does not fly well with the higher mass of added crew members.

 

Download

https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Beechcraft-Bonanza

Bell X-1

Spoiler

The Bell X-1 was the first crewed vehicle to break the sound barrier. This rendition of the X-1 is extremely easy to fly, and as easy to land as I could possibly make it.

To fly, follow my video guide:

 

Tech Required

• Post-War Materials Science
• Post-War Rocketry Testing
• Supersonic Plane Development

Downloads:

• Craft: https://kerbalx.com/hallucinogender/Bell-X-1
• Flag: https://www.dropbox.com/s/17qpfbtgq9axejc/usaf roundel.png?dl=0

 

 

European/British (to be added)

 

Other (to be added)

Edited March 11, 2023 by septemberWaves
Added to flight instructions for Beechcraft Bonanza.

[septemberWaves]

Working on Aerobee next. I'd appreciate if anyone could link some sources on historical Aerobee colour schemes.

[septemberWaves]

Behold!

Colour schemes will be updated as soon as I can find some source documents, but the Aerobee family of sounding rockets has been added to the catalogue. Some of these are of... less certain utility than others.

Next project is Redstone, because it's the only thing that makes sense for the 3000km downrange contract.

[Majorjim!]

What an awesome way to play! Building up the program from sounding rockets. I approve and keep up the good work! 

[septemberWaves]

19 minutes ago, Majorjim! said:

What an awesome way to play! Building up the program from sounding rockets. I approve and keep up the good work! 

It's how you have to do it in RP-1. That's not a criticism of course; I like the sounding rocket phase, I think it's a good part of the RP-1 gameplay progression.

EDIT: I think it may be possible to reach orbit with start node tech. I think I vaguely remember seeing someone do that. But it's not very practical, and messes with the progression.

Edited March 9, 2023 by septemberWaves

[septemberWaves]

Jupiter-C and Explorer 1 have been added. If I can make a version of PGM-11 Redstone that can accomplish the downrange milestone early, I'll add that in here, but until such time you have Jupiter-C for that. I won't add PGM-11 Redstone unless it's actually useful for career mode.

Next update will be the Bell X-2, which I've already built but need to record a flight and landing guide video for, and Vanguard 1 (plus Vanguard without a payload).

I'm also working on Mercury-Redstone and Mercury-Atlas (very WIP at the moment), and trying to see if I can make Viking out of the first stage of Vanguard and have it be able to complete the downrange milestone without needing an upgraded launch pad.

The colour patterns for the fins of Bumper and Redstone-derivatives will be added once I can figure out the best way to apply the proper colour pattern. In the latter case, I suspect I will run into some difficulty because you can't place conformal decals on the all-moving procedural winglets.