Jump to content

Cupcake's Dropship Dealership...


Recommended Posts

Just now, Cupcake... said:

Thanks for the info! :wink: I'm still trying to get my head round the whole SSTO thing, they've changed so much since I played around with them last. :P

 

Cupcake...

These days the key is TWR and flight profile. With 0.5-0.7 TWR (as indicated by KER, which uses static thrust, I think), you can basically fly level at about sea level speeding up in dense atmosphere until you hit 400m/s and the RAPIERs really wake up, then just let AoA increase and you vertical velocity climb for an ultra-efficient (and fast!) ascent to orbit, or actually pitch up a bit in order to not burn up.

If, OTOH, you do the old "steep climb to 10k, then speed run", the engines will give such low thrust at low speed and high altitude (little air getting to the combustion chamber, a good simulated effect!) that you need a lot more to go supersonic and wake up those high-speed engines.

 

Rune. RAPIERs can give out about 3 times their static thrust, if you get them into their proper regime... meaning three times less engines required!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Rune said:

These days the key is TWR and flight profile. With 0.5-0.7 TWR (as indicated by KER, which uses static thrust, I think), you can basically fly level at about sea level speeding up in dense atmosphere until you hit 400m/s and the RAPIERs really wake up, then just let AoA increase and you vertical velocity climb for an ultra-efficient (and fast!) ascent to orbit, or actually pitch up a bit in order to not burn up.

If, OTOH, you do the old "steep climb to 10k, then speed run", the engines will give such low thrust at low speed and high altitude (little air getting to the combustion chamber, a good simulated effect!) that you need a lot more to go supersonic and wake up those high-speed engines.

 

Rune. RAPIERs can give out about 3 times their static thrust, if you get them into their proper regime... meaning three times less engines required!

Maybe I should put a tender out for my spaceplane designs! I'm sure you could make me a good one in your sleep. :wink:

 

Also in the pipeline... :)

kwOUeT7.jpg

YrynNWU.jpg

Motherships don't have to be big, do they? :blush:

 

Cupcake...

Edited by Cupcake...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Cupcake... said:

Maybe I should put a tender out for my spaceplane designs! I'm sure you could make me a good one in your sleep. :wink:

 

Also in the pipeline... :)

kwOUeT7.jpg

YrynNWU.jpg

Motherships don't have to be big, do they? :blush:

 

Cupcake...

Oh hardly, what a cutie!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For some reason, I felt as though Cupcake's latest dropship needed a low gravity space lander counterpart...

So, I give you *drumroll*...

 

The Siren Ion Powered VTOL Low Gravity Dropship!!

13342935_10154066075771815_7795013614535

 

13412896_10154066075776815_8213633942437

 

I tried to land this on the Mun, but it didn't go so well... I'd recommend Minmus, Bop, or Pol if you want to land this somewhere. I'll get a better picture next time I mess around with it. Maybe I'll go and visit that Dead Space Kraken... This little craft certainly has more than enough delta-v for the ion engines to do it!! Between the two, they have 2,600 units of Xenon Gas a piece!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Speed_Kerman said:

For some reason, I felt as though Cupcake's latest dropship needed a low gravity space lander counterpart...

So, I give you *drumroll*...

 

The Siren Ion Powered VTOL Low Gravity Dropship!!

 

 

I tried to land this on the Mun, but it didn't go so well... I'd recommend Minmus, Bop, or Pol if you want to land this somewhere. I'll get a better picture next time I mess around with it. Maybe I'll go and visit that Dead Space Kraken... This little craft certainly has more than enough delta-v for the ion engines to do it!! Between the two, they have 2,600 units of Xenon Gas a piece!!

Nice man! :D I should point out that with Ion craft (especially Munar ones) you've got to be brutal in terms of weight, basically if not directly relevant to the craft its gotta go!

RtFqTZO.jpg

If you check out the Shrimp on the OP it'll probably give you a good idea of what I'm talking about. BTW you've also inspired me to work on a twin engine (stacked) heavy ion lander. :wink:

 

Cupcake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Cupcake... said:

Nice man! :D I should point out that with Ion craft (especially Munar ones) you've got to be brutal in terms of weight, basically if not directly relevant to the craft its gotta go!

RtFqTZO.jpg

If you check out the Shrimp on the OP it'll probably give you a good idea of what I'm talking about. BTW you've also inspired me to work on a twin engine (stacked) heavy ion lander. :wink:

 

Cupcake...

I'm glad I could inspire you, good sir. The only reason the landing went bad is because Mechjeb derped out on me, and never started braking despite having plenty of electric charge and fuel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CRAFT FILE:

https://goo.gl/ZkXGpx

 

Well folks it's taken a long time but I think my new mother ship design is just about ready for the spacefaring public. :wink: With some careful hammering I've been able to squeeze an LV-N mother-ship & long range droptanks into a MK3 cargo bay. A modular design allows you to load one of three different dropships each with a specially adapted cargo bay. All in all you've got a ship within a ship, within a ship! :cool:

kkvVaIy.jpg

Despite being the largest launch vehicle I've ever designed it's actually one of the easiest to pilot with plenty of margin for error. :)

AY2XwOQ.jpg

With it's long range drop-tanks the mother-ship can put out around 6k of Delta V which is enough for Jool missions and will even get you to Eeloo at a push!

Raefeja.jpg

When I get some time I'm gonna do proper thread for this craft with a full manual, so I'm afraid you're gonna have to figure out the operation for yourselves at this stage.

ygXMhx9.jpg

It's quite a complex design so any feedback you can give me will be highly appreciated! Ta. :kiss:

 

Cupcake...

Edited by Cupcake...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, Cupcake... said:

Well folks it's taken a long time but I think my new mother ship design is just about ready for the spacefaring public. :wink: With some careful hammering I've been able to squeeze an LV-N mother-ship & long range droptanks into a MK3 cargo bay. A modular design allows you to load one of three different dropships each with a specially adapted cargo bay. All in all you've got a ship within a ship, within a ship! :cool:

So basically,

Image result for shipping ships

And it was glorious. You always do great work, Cupcake. Don't ever change

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well folks work is continuing apace on the (newly renamed) Harlequin deep space transports. :)

QGgGfJd.jpg

Operating from MK3 cargo bays the smallest model can squeeze in enough drop tanks for 16k of Delta V! Somehow those Moho missions don't seem so scary anymore. :wink:

Gvr4G4S.jpg

Coming soon! :kiss:

 

Cupcake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 06/14/2016 at 0:17 PM, Cupcake... said:

It's quite a complex design so any feedback you can give me will be highly appreciated! Ta.

It looks very cute Cupcake! Why is it complex though? They look extremely easy to launch and pilot. Also few questions I have, why are there intakes on the outer fuel tanks ( I guess because they look cool) and what are those long tanks behind the craft in the picture above this reply?

 These remind me of the little high dv ships I used to make to visit all the outer planets back when I first started playing. Simple and very usable, nice work!

Edited by Majorjim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Majorjim said:

It looks very cute Cupcake! Why is it complex though? They look extremely easy to launch and pilot. Also few questions I have, why are there intakes on the outer fuel tanks ( I guess because they look cool) and what are those long tanks behind the craft in the picture above this reply?

 These remind me of the little high dv ships I used to make to visit all the outer planets back when I first started playing. Simple and very usable, nice work!

The ship itself isn't too complex, the hard part is making it easy to swap/replace modules and make sure each combination works properly! For some of the models I'm going to need to build a more powerful LV for instance. :P As to the intakes they are indeed there to make things look pretty :kiss:, oh and the long tanks behind the vessel are drop tank stacks which give the craft its very generous DV budget! :wink:

 

Cupcake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Cupcake... said:

The ship itself isn't too complex, the hard part is making it easy to swap/replace modules and make sure each combination works properly! For some of the models I'm going to need to build a more powerful LV for instance. :P As to the intakes they are indeed there to make things look pretty :kiss:, oh and the long tanks behind the vessel are drop tank stacks which give the craft its very generous DV budget! :wink:

 

Cupcake...

Right I see. I like the idea of these types of small long range craft. I might give making one a go during the wait for 1.2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Last SSTO I made was in .90, still better late then never right? Presenting the Indigo, my first foray into the world of space planes.  :) Lq4tR7V.jpg

I've taken the rather novel approach of using two Junos to get the crafts single Rapier into "ludicrous mode" just after takeoff. The same Junos can be used as low altitude cruise engines for flying back to base.

SGuxR1T.jpg

The design is capable of lifting a fully fuelled Mindy to a 70x5000k orbit which is pretty darn close to Munar insertion. 

VVNkOop.jpg

It's taken a lot of fiddling but I've managed to get the plane handling well at all stages of the flight, so you won't need to worry about pumping fuel around to tweak the balance. :cool:

fqW7cAs.jpg

I'll try and have a pre-release version out over the weekend. :wink:

 

Cupcake...

Edited by Cupcake...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Dafni said:

Looking good, cupcake, I like the design of that spaceplane. I cant wait to try it. How well does it re-entries and strip landings?

It handles both very well, especially now the landing gear has been fixed up. :wink: I'm sure you've found it already but if not...

 

Cupcake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Work is continuing on the Violet SSTO which is coming together quite nicely. I've made the decision to stick with 1.1.1/2 for now until the drag issues with the landing gear are fixed (hopefully 1.2). While I did manage to make a 1.1.3 model of the violet with detachable gear it limits you to landing on water and pretty much rules out refuelling or indeed future take-offs. :( 

 

While this new aircraft lacks the range of the Indigo it's much better all rounder featuring perfect 50/50 mass distribution on empty tanks. :)

VbEajJD.jpg

This means the design can easily be transported to Laythe using an interplanetary tug with the detachable docking module.

UDWBGjL.jpg

The plane is also capable of being refuelled/towed simply by folding the front landing wheel and letting the aircraft drop straight onto the vehicle's docking port. :) 

meyRnoM.jpg

I'm just happy I finally found a use for the tail connectors. :D

 

Cupcake...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cupcake... said:

They also double as arm rests and cup holders. :wink:

 

Cupcake...

I think you could use another pair of canards on the outside, like the ones on the rear, but placed backwards for symmetry. You can put control authority at some negative number now, and control surfaces will finally work correctly backwards. I think it would look really good (the side tanks looks like they are going to fall now), all symmetrical and that, and then you don't have to clip anything in the cabin.

 

Rune. Grabbing a part you never use and trying to build around it often gives good results.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 18/07/2016 at 7:26 PM, Rune said:

I think you could use another pair of canards on the outside, like the ones on the rear, but placed backwards for symmetry. You can put control authority at some negative number now, and control surfaces will finally work correctly backwards. I think it would look really good (the side tanks looks like they are going to fall now), all symmetrical and that, and then you don't have to clip anything in the cabin.

 

Rune. Grabbing a part you never use and trying to build around it often gives good results.

Trust me the last thing this plane needs is more canards, it's stupidly manoeuvrable as it is! I actually really like the look of the plane but each to his own I guess. :wink:

 

Cupcake...

 

PS Managed to load a Violet with fuel and get it to Minmus and back, good times! :D

Edited by Cupcake...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...