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Heres my Super Heavy B9 SSTO to kerbin orbit and back to KSC

http://imgur.com/a/4X6QM#4

I hope you like it and reply to it! :D

Hi people! Im new to the forum and i love to build space planes with B9! I made super heavy ssto to orbit and back! Heres a link of it and i hope you like it!

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/57921-Super-Heavy-B9-Aerospace-SSTO-To-Orbit-And-Back

Please reply to it or inbox me if you like it! :cool:

Edited by Specialist290
Merging sequential posts by same user.
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Cross-posted from its own thread here:

RJ3GvBu.png

SjpOA9Q.png

ePuHAuF.png

.craft file

Mods used:

  • B9 Aerospace (most of the plane)
  • KW Rocketry (the rocket motors and nosecones)
  • Vanguard EVA Parachutes
  • LTech instruments
  • RealChutes
  • Aviation Lights
  • FAR (optional)

Action Groups:

1. Toggle ladders.

2. Log instrument readings.

3. Airbrakes.

4. Activate cameras.

5. Toggle jets.

6. Toggle rockets.

7. Raise/lower solar panels.

8. Drag chutes.

9 and 10: Flaps. (FAR only.)

Abort: Eject crew.

In-universe, this was originally something Wehrner and the rest of the Jet Propulsion Lab team were working on for the Air Force for a new bomber. They didn't end up taking it on for one reason or another, but some unsung genius noted the prototype's impressive operational ceiling and thought, "I wonder if we could nudge her up past the tropopause with a couple of rocket motors..."

There's plenty of room for underwing stores, and my medium-term aim is to use it as a delivery system for probes and satellites, maybe small landers once I unlock docking ports in career mode. Testing is however currently on hold until my new joystick arrives; I don't know if it's my piloting or a flaw in the design, but as soon as I haul back on the stick she attempts to perform Pugachev's Cobra and slams arse-first into the runway.

Anyone better at this game want to take it out for a spin?

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  • 3 weeks later...

B9 planes meant for use in FAR All are SSTOs but the last (which is trivial to modify into one from its current 8+ circumnavigation airliner version).

VL-310B: High-performance 8-Kerbal private SSTO spaceplane with extremely generous jet fuel for atmospheric flight.

uAJJyJp.png

VL-320B: Sleek commuter SSTO spaceplane capable of holding 32 Kerbals in its aerodynamic fuselage.

fACT4PH.png

VL-330B: Massive, nimble and tough jumbo Spaceliner. 51 meters long of sheer megaplane containing 146 Kerbals, 144 tonnes, 171 parts, and 500+ m/s of spare Delta-V after reaching Orbit. It actually can take off and pull into a vertical climb before reaching the SPH and yes, it will challenge your seat+engine fighter jet to a duel.

RuGW8db.png

A comparison of the three:

IdiPy1G.png

The VL-210A: extremely streamlined and sleek, designed for large but comfortable passenger capacity and unprecidented fuel efficiency while flying at mach 5 just under 40 km (as the challenge it was built for required it not to exceed that, so instead, it hovered between ~37,000 and 39,976 meters high during flight.)

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  • 11 months later...
Any new designs with the new B9 version? What about those huge new pieces?

I've been trying to build and SSTO, but I'm having some trouble...

Are you using FAR or NEAR or Stock?

Do you have pictures in the SPH of your craft with the CoM and CoL and CoT markers on so we can get an idea of what the current project looks like?

We maybe able to help you out, between Wanderfound and I, I am sure we can get it to space and back.

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Are you using FAR or NEAR or Stock?

Do you have pictures in the SPH of your craft with the CoM and CoL and CoT markers on so we can get an idea of what the current project looks like?

We maybe able to help you out, between Wanderfound and I, I am sure we can get it to space and back.

I dont' have pictures yet, but the CoM and CoL(*) were lined up or with a very small displacement (CoL ball is always inside CoM ball). CoT should be right (never checked) because I was either using a single engine, or symetric placement of engines.

The design I'm trying is very similar to the HCL-02 Fox from Kaname (2 posts above). Basically, anything capable of hauling the orange tank, or similar.

I'm using FAR. I've managed to take off, although most of the times it was right at the end of the runway (probably because of the placement of landing gear). Midflight stability was not very good, but it was possible to keep it in the air. I'm not very good at flying with FAR lol

* - lately, the arrow from CoL does not show up, only the ball... any fix? No idea about CoT's arrow, never checked.

Edited by PCanas
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Finally some pictures.

This is the best craft I got so far. It requires some attention to fly, specially in the first 10-15 thousand meters, but then it "stabilizes" (with SAS. It has 2 of them). It's allways wanting to pitch up, so I have to constantly pitch down to correct it. I guess it's because the CoM is too much in the back (??)

I managed to climb to about 35/40 km, then the SABRE engines kicked into rocket mode, and the craft immediately started to go nuts, again, wanting to pitch up. The only way to keep it "stable" was keeping the throttle at about 10%. Needless to say, I didn't make it into orbit.

The flight test was made with no cargo.

The control surfaces work as:

- nose and tail (horizontal): pitch

- tail (vertical): yaw

- wings: roll

Pictures

(how do I get the imgur to show here?)

Craft File

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PCanas I see some minor problems with your craft that could be a major issue.

Your CoT is well below the CoM for the craft, which will cause the nose to pitch up, a lot.

And you post imgur albums here by just posting like this...

[ imgur ] 6EDHv [ / imgur ]

no spaces so it looks like this.

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Finally some pictures.

This is the best craft I got so far. It requires some attention to fly, specially in the first 10-15 thousand meters, but then it "stabilizes" (with SAS. It has 2 of them). It's allways wanting to pitch up, so I have to constantly pitch down to correct it. I guess it's because the CoM is too much in the back (??)

I managed to climb to about 35/40 km, then the SABRE engines kicked into rocket mode, and the craft immediately started to go nuts, again, wanting to pitch up. The only way to keep it "stable" was keeping the throttle at about 10%. Needless to say, I didn't make it into orbit.

The flight test was made with no cargo.

The control surfaces work as:

- nose and tail (horizontal): pitch

- tail (vertical): yaw

- wings: roll

Pictures

(how do I get the imgur to show here?)

Craft File

Wow that plane actually has a few issues, I'm surprised you've managed to get it up to 40km without getting pissed and remaking it

First the Center of Lift:

Imagine the center of lift to be where you attach a string that the rest of the plane dangles from. If your center of lift is in FRONT of your center of mass, the plane will want to fly backwards and will constantly try to flip around, especially while turning. If the center of lift is BEHIND the center of mass, the plane will try to face forward even after you go into a spin or come back into the atmosphere from space backwards.

You also want the center of lift above your center of mass, which you did do. This makes the plane want to fly with the top facing up. If your center of lift is BELOW your center of mass, the plane will try to fly upside down and tight pitch up maneuvers will be unstable

Now the Center of Thrust:

This is why it keeps pulling up, your center of thrust is below your center of mass. I generally like having my center of thrust a little bit below my center of mass, just to help get the nose up in planes that barely have enough lift to stay in the air, but generally you want your center of thrust lined up with your center of mass or it will push the plane unevenly. Imagine having a plane with an engine only on one wing, it'll just go in circles. For the same reason, your plane just wants to keep doing loops because of the uneven engine placement (if you look up at the plane I posted, my engines were set up similarly to yours but I placed some smaller engines up at the tip of the tail to counteract the uneven pushing of the lower engines, which get really noticeable once you get into space because your wings won't keep you straight, and rocket mode is more powerful so it pushes you around even harder)

Edited by Tripod27
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I love this hull. ( images are clickable )

15686024258_e1aa6ed221_z.jpg

15849998952_aa7921d9b4_z.jpg

Because it's crew change week, this is the station supply version, which is a bit of everything.

15251383664_7b5fb3978a_z.jpg

15251402974_d0991e7a57_z.jpg

Crew recovery version returning from rendesvous with a craft ( around Minmus ) that'd never manage re-entry, which will have some bits stuffed onto it & turned into a rather strange station eventually.

15847851646_f7e8ebd074_z.jpg

Heavy mob.

15230864973_7663a1cdf7_z.jpg

Even then, not enough cargo hold...

15251355034_48a8b1bf16_z.jpg

15687835677_5c13a4ffb4_z.jpg

Eve runabout

15253935243_949dbc3c11_z.jpg

Intakes convert LoX+inert atmosphere into IntakeAir, only really works for tiny engines & burns ridiculous amounts of LoX...

Combo STOL plane/rover/boat(!), massively overpowered, good fun. Uses Infernal Robotics and strut guns.

15873797775_8d748c3c96_z.jpg

15686470020_8e3f86e665_z.jpg

15871810781_e0e1953241_z.jpg

Obligatory Concorde...

15686468880_4070d65410_z.jpg

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I love this hull. ( images are clickable )

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7536/15686024258_e1aa6ed221_z.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8578/15849998952_aa7921d9b4_z.jpg

Because it's crew change week, this is the station supply version, which is a bit of everything.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7469/15251383664_7b5fb3978a_z.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8582/15251402974_d0991e7a57_z.jpg

Crew recovery version returning from rendesvous with a craft ( around Minmus ) that'd never manage re-entry, which will have some bits stuffed onto it & turned into a rather strange station eventually.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7553/15847851646_f7e8ebd074_z.jpg

Heavy mob.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8600/15230864973_7663a1cdf7_z.jpg

Even then, not enough cargo hold...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8595/15251355034_48a8b1bf16_z.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8635/15687835677_5c13a4ffb4_z.jpg

Eve runabout

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8626/15253935243_949dbc3c11_z.jpg

Intakes convert LoX+inert atmosphere into IntakeAir, only really works for tiny engines & burns ridiculous amounts of LoX...

Combo STOL plane/rover/boat(!), massively overpowered, good fun. Uses Infernal Robotics and strut guns.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7496/15873797775_8d748c3c96_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7475/15686470020_8e3f86e665_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/15871810781_e0e1953241_z.jpg

Obligatory Concorde...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8611/15686468880_4070d65410_z.jpg

Can we have Craft for the Concorde?

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PCanas I see some minor problems with your craft that could be a major issue.

Your CoT is well below the CoM for the craft, which will cause the nose to pitch up, a lot.

Wow that plane actually has a few issues, I'm surprised you've managed to get it up to 40km without getting pissed and remaking it

First the Center of Lift:

Imagine the center of lift to be where you attach a string that the rest of the plane dangles from. If your center of lift is in FRONT of your center of mass, the plane will want to fly backwards and will constantly try to flip around, especially while turning. If the center of lift is BEHIND the center of mass, the plane will try to face forward even after you go into a spin or come back into the atmosphere from space backwards.

You also want the center of lift above your center of mass, which you did do. This makes the plane want to fly with the top facing up. If your center of lift is BELOW your center of mass, the plane will try to fly upside down and tight pitch up maneuvers will be unstable

Now the Center of Thrust:

This is why it keeps pulling up, your center of thrust is below your center of mass. I generally like having my center of thrust a little bit below my center of mass, just to help get the nose up in planes that barely have enough lift to stay in the air, but generally you want your center of thrust lined up with your center of mass or it will push the plane unevenly. Imagine having a plane with an engine only on one wing, it'll just go in circles. For the same reason, your plane just wants to keep doing loops because of the uneven engine placement (if you look up at the plane I posted, my engines were set up similarly to yours but I placed some smaller engines up at the tip of the tail to counteract the uneven pushing of the lower engines, which get really noticeable once you get into space because your wings won't keep you straight, and rocket mode is more powerful so it pushes you around even harder)

Tripod, I'm a good pilot :P

So, I guess the major issue is the CoT. I'm thinking about inverting the wings/engine placement, i.e., put the winds down with engines on top. Will it solve the problem? But then, it will change the CoL, and it will stay below the CoM, right? What if I put everything in the middle of the fuselage? Wings attached in the middle, and engines "incorporated" in the wings?

Edited by PCanas
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Tripod, I'm a good pilot :P

So, I guess the major issue is the CoT. I'm thinking about inverting the wings/engine placement, i.e., put the winds down with engines on top. Will it solve the problem? But then, it will change the CoL, and it will stay below the CoM, right? What if I put everything in the middle of the fuselage? Wings attached in the middle, and engines "incorporated" in the wings?

That is certainly an option, but you could also put a high(er) wing, and the engines under it. As Tripod said, having a CoL above the CoM is not a bad thing: at high angles of attack, that puts the center of lift behind the CoM, so it is actually good especially for climbs. To visualize how CoM/CoL works, I always picture an arrow: the mass is on the pointy tip (CoM) and the lift on the feathers (CoL). That is why it'll fly straight (with regards to its velocity vector of course... too much stability and you can't pitch away from it!). And consider that when you are flying level, or climbing, you are going to have a certain angle of attack. You can check that by tilting the plane on the SPH, BTW. At flight conditions, you want the CoL just behind the CoM, but that means behind and above when the plane is horizontal. A high tail would also raise the CoL, of course, and you can put the CoL too high, so experiment away, that is the best thing to learn really.

Rune. Good luck!

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A craft that i wanted to be a SSTO, and which failed miserably at the SSTO part, but still fly nicely (top tank is for adding storage as SSTO):

2C94DE547421C026FF46359D3AE1899BC585DC05

3DEB96394C2D1293E6849E86896A8C6FEF8DDC02

B77979A89FBAE61B8C5D1D66B5C717D5F293F89F

Bonus picture of SSTO failure: http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/39731145602940036/9C84EC3EB97585C233DD215811832661EEEF186C/

And finally a nuclear powered ion plane (stupidest design ever):

3D410CDD95D5A2A0D738E93290DA4E9B47AA4A7E

It flies.

The interior:

2C6A4F34237CB8FCC04FE4405D16872CC2D65D83

Edited by Vdragon
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I'll try both options: bottom wings with egines on top, and center wings & engines.

On another note, any idea on how to solve the problem with the CoL arrow not showing?

You are running FAR. The arrow was removed in FAR, because it is pointless.

This craft has its CoT below its actual CoM, but it actually counters this by shifting fuel to place the CoM inline with the CoT.

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