SSTOs! Post your pictures here~

[ScriptKitt3h]

I've managed to complete a pretty cool Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired SSTO...

Release Thread:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/102969-MU-Nebula-Class-SSTO

I also started work on some NASP-inspired SSTOs, starting with a prototype:

However, I think I'll make the cockpit inline with the main fuselage for the final version, as it kept wanting to flip in-vacuum.

[TrainWiz]

more like... Single stage to Eve.. Jk, I cheated after I escaped Kerbin; fuel be too demanding.

[Hodo]

Newest creation from HARM currently undergoing flight test and its shakedown runs.

SP-317 Stork

Crew 3 + 6 passengers.

Life support to last 1 year with a crew of 3.

VTOL capabilities with a 6 ton rover in the bay.

a 1.5TWR in VTOL for all of your landing and take off needs.

over 3km/s d/V in space with the LV-1N engines, at a TWR of 0.125! ((Ok it is a bit slow, but it isn't a fighter.))

[Brofessional]

Made a smaller version of my last design. This one only takes 2 Kerbals to a station, but it's super stable and can do a Mun flyby.

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[mark_mark]

[Frozen_Heart]

And the SSTO I finally fixed no longer even loads in KSP due to the parts being removed.

I can't even bring it up to remove the offending part.

[blowfish]

And the SSTO I finally fixed no longer even loads in KSP due to the parts being removed.

I can't even bring it up to remove the offending part.

Sorry to hear that

If you're feeling brave, you could dive into the .craft file and try to remove the part by hand. Be aware that it's probably referenced in multiple places

[Captain Sierra]

Sorry to hear that

If you're feeling brave, you could dive into the .craft file and try to remove the part by hand. Be aware that it's probably referenced in multiple places

The safer option is to turn it into a cubic strut. You avoid destroying references and corrupting the entire file, but you can at least clear it so the craft will load.

[Hodo]

Sorry to hear that

If you're feeling brave, you could dive into the .craft file and try to remove the part by hand. Be aware that it's probably referenced in multiple places

If you are running Steam you can revert back to .25 and load it up and remove the parts.

I reverted back to .25 just to play till my mods get updated.

[Jan Gaarni]

And the SSTO I finally fixed no longer even loads in KSP due to the parts being removed.

I can't even bring it up to remove the offending part.

I always copy the new version to a different folder and then add the Mods I want to use into a second copy, keeping 1 vanilla and 1 modded version in addition to the Steam folder.

I'm still on v0.24.2 sadly.

I can't get my SSTO up into space with the new FAR.

Thinking about switching to NEAR, but I don't know.

Haven't tried it in the beta version yet though.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Jan Gaarni

[Frozen_Heart]

How do I revert back to 0.24? I just need to remove this one piece.

I really liked the old Mk-3 size. Its shape and attachment nodes were horrible though. If that size had been kept while being made symmetrical with decent nodes I'd have really liked it.

Oh well I'm sure someone will mod it.

[david50517]

Space Craft 4-4

[Hodo]

I always copy the new version to a different folder and then add the Mods I want to use into a second copy, keeping 1 vanilla and 1 modded version in addition to the Steam folder.

I'm still on v0.24.2 sadly.

I can't get my SSTO up into space with the new FAR.

Thinking about switching to NEAR, but I don't know.

Haven't tried it in the beta version yet though.

If you can't get the SSTO into space with the current FAR, you have a design problem. What does the craft look like? How much power does it have, how much fuel does it have, what are the FAR diagnostic tools telling you about the craft, is everything green? Is your L/D line above your C/D line?

Notice how all of the numbers are in the green at 10km going mach 1.

Same craft, earlier version with a different command cockpit but same numbers.

Notice how the CD is .023 at mach .5 at that AoA. This is a low drag aircraft for its size. It is my most efficient SSTO.

[Captain Sierra]

I have discovered the Stock Drag Fix mod, and may have just built an SSTO capable of 11.7 tons to orbit. She makes it dry with enough fuel to run to the Mun and back, currently testing her out with payload.

EDIT 1: Yuup, 11.7 tons to orbit. Stand by for pics.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Captain Sierra

[ScriptKitt3h]

So, I've been experimenting with .90, and I have to say, it's actually pretty easy to make some unique (and functional) new mid-size SSTO spaceplanes now.

This bodes well for a certain... project... I have planned.

Also, hypersonic effects are awesome:

[Captain Sierra]

I proudly present: The Skyranger XL

I've discovered Stock Drag Fix, which lets you play on stock aero but fixes an oversight in the stock aero model (resource mass counting towards drag calculations). Throwing this into the equation has made making cargo capable SSTOs much more doable for me (i'm no SSTO master and I refuse to intake stack, so there's two strikes against me already).

As for her payload:

Assuming you remember to toggle off flow on those RCS tanks and disable crossfeed on the docking ports, thats 11.7 tons which she can put in orbit.

DL and more info: http://kerbalx.com/crafts/587

And big thanks to Wanderfound, who's awesome stuff I studied to help make this possible.

[Exothermos]

I just downloaded 0.90 tonight. Oooh this is going to be fun.

Those Mk3 parts are surprisingly heavy. This one's been to orbit, but not with the payload I expected. Some tweaking is in order for sure.

[Jan Gaarni]

If you can't get the SSTO into space with the current FAR, you have a design problem.

I know I do.

I just don't understand why since it's working perfectly (well, as far as I'm concerned anyway) with FAR for 0.24.2.

And I spent days and weeks working on different prototypes, all capable of reaching orbit and get back down safely, as I unlocked more stuff.

It flies, heavy to get off the ground (in 0.25), but it flies. I just can't get enough lift or thrust or both to get it into space anymore. I did note that the thrust of the SABRE engine has been reduced alittle.

What does the craft look like? How much power does it have, how much fuel does it have, what are the FAR diagnostic tools telling you about the craft, is everything green? Is your L/D line above your C/D line?

Page 243, top post, the F-304 Daedalus ..... that's what it looks like.

As for what FAR tells me, I couldn't tell you cause I don't quite understand it myself.

But I'll drop a picture of it tomorrow, if I can get it into KSP 0.90.

If not, then perhaps KSP 0.25 will do?

Tell you the truth, I haven't downloaded FAR for 0.90 yet, so I don't know if it will fly again in there.

But I'm unsure if I have all the mods required for it to load either. I'll check it tomorrow. I reeeaaally don't want to re-design it.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Jan Gaarni

[Jan Gaarni]

How do I revert back to 0.24? I just need to remove this one piece.

I really liked the old Mk-3 size. Its shape and attachment nodes were horrible though. If that size had been kept while being made symmetrical with decent nodes I'd have really liked it.

Oh well I'm sure someone will mod it.

Link me the ship file, tell me which part and I'll remove it for you.

Any mods I need to be wary of?

[Wjolcz]

I just downloaded 0.90 tonight. Oooh this is going to be fun.

http://i.imgur.com/6W65fOZ.png

Those Mk3 parts are surprisingly heavy. This one's been to orbit, but not with the payload I expected. Some tweaking is in order for sure.

Damn it! I can't give you anymore rep for some reason! Stealin your design, tho! Hope you don't mind

[Brownhair2]

I present to you: The Pulsar

Yes, this tiny little thing is capable of reaching orbit on its own, in case the fact that it is orbiting Kerbin in the picture above was not enough for you. It's not able to do much one it's up there, but it can do it.

The Pulsar reentering Kerbin's atmosphere.

The Pulsar, landed back on Kerbin. If you've burnt too much fuel (which you really shouldn't) then it's very aerodynamically unstable. As it was I had to constantly tap down to stop it from pointing too far up.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Brownhair2

[smartech]

Improved version of my SSLRRV Tough Bird. The plane has stock 0.25 parts and physics.

The album has pictures of a trip to Laythe's rarely seen north pole. The parachute landing was completely unnecessary since it turned out to be completely flat, although I did not know what to expect in advance.

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Improvements:

* 50% more payload: now 26 kerbals can make the trip to Laythe and back

* weight is down 12% to 207t, while still maintaining 6km/s delta-v.

* more robust plane because of the weight decrease with the same 10 landing gear, 40 roving wheels, and 18 radial parachute system. Survives up to 18m/s drop full of fuel (only needs tire repair).

The main improvement is going from 16 to 12 jets, which allowed me to eliminate a lot of fuel while maintaining the same mass fraction. I had to improve my ascent profile, and add some extra wings to compensate for going from 14t to 17t per jet engine. The lighter weight in turn enabled me to eliminate 1 atomic engine, now down to just 3.

The plane has pretty low TWR: 0.66 on jets during takeoff, 1.38 maximum at 1km/s, just 0.1 on atomic engines initially, but it is perfectly sufficient to reach Laythe and back to Kerbin atmosphere, still have 2km/s left on atomic engines and capable of flight for another 5 mins on jet power.

The low TWR necessitates the use of "stretching" burns, which raise the apoapsis nearly to the end of the SOI. To depart from Kerbin orbit to Jool, I first set up a maneuver node for the ejection burn (2.2km/s in my latest trip), then "stretch" the orbit to around 8000x100km just inside Mun's orbit (inside its SOI) keeping the periapsis exactly on the maneuver node. This sinks 850m/s, then I create a new maneuver node which should fall near the periapsis with around 1.2km/s. Then 8mins before the maneuver I start burning pro-grade for nearly 17minutes to attain the delta-v. I perform a similar stretching orbit when departing from Laythe. There I sink 600m/s in the SOI and complete the ejection with another 700m/s.

Original plane info is here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/33312-Showcase-SSTO-s!-Post-your-pictures-here?p=1555016#post1555016

Edited December 24, 2014 by smartech

[Wanderfound]

Sometimes, more is less. But at other times, more is just more.

Meet the Kerbodyne Cloudbreaker. With enough thrust, anything is possible.

Annotated flight test at http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/craigmotbey/Kerbal/Beta/Kerbodyne%20Showroom/Cloudbreaker/story

Alternate format at http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/craigmotbey/slideshow/Kerbal/Beta/Kerbodyne%20Showroom/Cloudbreaker

Craft file available at https://www.dropbox.com/s/2e3eq7xp84rvm9b/Kerbodyne%20Cloudbreaker.craft?dl=0

[vladd148]

Hey guys, long time lurker here, after finally tinkering with FAR enough to actually not only build a flyable plane, but get it to haul an orange can out of the little kerbosphere and into a stable orbit, I decided to up the ante.

Behold, the Kerbonov!

It weighs in at ~158 tons empty, and a whomping 233 tons with a full load. It is able to efficiently and effectively carry two orange tanks and an additional 5 or so tons of supplies. I've tested it at a 450km stable orbit, and landed back at the Kerbal Space Centre with plenty of fuel to spare so I reckon its possible to use it as a mun/minmus supply shuttle in the future. Each launch only costs 255,000 and is recovered at KSC for 251,000 making each trip extremely cost efficient. Still have a bit of tinkering and cleaning up to do, but it flies extremely smoothly. The only issues I have encountered so far have been during reentry, where the plane has a tendency to slip during the first s-turn (I use DRE as well) but that can be prevented with a less steep turn.

http://imgur.com/a/EwOPu

http://imgur.com/a/EwOPu

Edited December 25, 2014 by vladd148

[9t3ndo]

Unnamed tiny SSTO

Can reach 90k LKO with Nuke + Turbo Jet