Realistic Solar System Spaceplanes MEGATHREAD

[Sparker]

We already have a RSS launchers megathread, but we don't have a thread dedicated to spaceplanes which are made to work with the RSS mod. I decided to correct it, I hope that you don't mind.

Well, let me start the thread. I was quite impressed by the soviet 'Spiral' aerospace system:

It consisted of a big hypersonic plane with a flourine and hydrogen powered rocket at its back. The payload of the rocket was a spaceplane. I tried to create an aerospace system with the same general idea and that's what I got:

Characteristics:

Whole system start mass: 97t

Whole rocket mass: 47.5t

Rocket 1st stage mass:25.8t

Rocket 2nd stage mass: 13.4t

Spaceplane mass: 8.3t

Spaceplane empty mass: 4.5t

Spaceplane max subsonic L/D ratio: ~5

Spaceplane max hypersonic L/D ratio ~1.4

The rocket uses LH2+LOX fuel, the spaceplane uses Kerosene+LOX fuel.

It works quite well!

And what are your spaceplane results with the RSS mod?

Edited January 26, 2014 by Sparker

[Captain_Party]

Bloody hell mate. Can it get into orbit?

[Sparker]

Sure. And it has enough fuel to perform some maneuvers there. And I even managed to land it at the KSC runway from orbit, it flies well.

[Sparker]

After succeeding with the spaceplane in the 1st post of this thread I decided to make another spaceplane of the same kind, but not so useless in practice. So, here it is:

It can deliver two kerbals to LEO space station and also some life support recources in a TAC life support Hexcan. Also I made foldable wings, almost like on real life Spiral. Folding the wings helps achieving high angles of attack at hypersonic speeds, and deploying them helps at subsonic speeds.

The spaceplane is launched using the same launch system as the first one. I'm going to replace my soyuz-style spacecraft with this reusable spaceplane.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Sparker

[Tankbuster32]

You are literally the only one who I've seen doing this. This thread deserves more attention!

PS: Wouldn't the 120 thrust KW engine be more efficent?

[Sparker]

You are literally the only one who I've seen doing this. This thread deserves more attention!

PS: Wouldn't the 120 thrust KW engine be more efficent?

Thanks!

What engine do you mean? Do you mean Vesta-VR1? Anyway, the problem here is to balance the cockpit and the tail section, because otherwise the 2-ton cockpit overweighs the tail and the center of mass moves too much forward, and it's not very good. Thet's why I had to install overpowered engine(Wildcat-5). Also, I wanted it to be both efficient in the atmosphere and in orbit. In this plane, as well as in the previous one, I managed to balance the tail and the cockpit, so the center of mass of the spaceplane is very close to the center of the fuel tank in the middle, and spending fuel doesn't affect the CoM position.

By the way, look what I've found in the YouTube:

The video is not mine!

That's an awesome re-entry!

[Sparker]

Has anyone succeeded in building spaceplanes with RSS mod in recent 5 months(since this thread was started)? Let's post RSS-capable spaceplanes here, separately from rockets.

Well, I was looking through RSS Crafts megathread and found an interesting design by maccollo. The airbreathing engines are combined with rocket engines in a single spaceplane which makes it possible to re-use more rocket parts than in Spiral-like aerospace system.

I've recorded a video demonstrating the launch and re-entry of the the second spaceplane mentioned in this thread. Here you can see how changing the shape of the wings can help at different speeds.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Sparker

[Hodo]

I had two SSTO space planes before AJE was worked out in RSS.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

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But both of those were made in the rescaled Kerbin, and don't work on the actual Earth.... I have a single stage to space plane that works now in RSS with RO on the full sized Earth system. But it is unable to achieve orbit, it is 450m/s d/V short.

[Sparker]

Very cool

And how much payload can they deliver into orbit?

[Hodo]

Very cool

And how much payload can they deliver into orbit?

The first one, nothing, it could get itself into orbit.

The second one, could haul about 5 tons.

I am working hard on getting a SSTO space plane to work in RSS+RO with the real sized Earth.

Took a break lastnight and designed a military single seat, single engine light weight multi-role fighter. That is a resounding success. So tonight may work on building a hypersonic aircraft to test the AJE engine limitations and speeds at altitudes.

The biggest problem I am facing is actually fuel use in the lower atmosphere. If I can cut what I am using from take off to 20km altitude I know I can get it to space from there.

[Aghanim]

I've seen that design before, is it at the RSS launcher thread?

[Hodo]

I've seen that design before, is it at the RSS launcher thread?

Yeah I posted it a while ago in the RSS launcher thread.

[Sparker]

What do you think about MAKS aerospace system? I dream of bulding it in KSP one day when I have more time. It seems to me that almost every part of it can be done in KSP by using stock and mod parts, but I doubt about RP-1+LH2+LOX RD-701 engine.

[TeeGee]

I had two SSTO space planes before AJE was worked out in RSS.

http://imgur.com/a/5AwCA

http://imgur.com/a/lYwdz

But both of those were made in the rescaled Kerbin, and don't work on the actual Earth.... I have a single stage to space plane that works now in RSS with RO on the full sized Earth system. But it is unable to achieve orbit, it is 450m/s d/V short.

Maybe kerolox will get you those extra few m/s.

[Hodo]

Maybe kerolox will get you those extra few m/s.

On my current space plane design I am using Kerolox....

Edited June 8, 2014 by Hodo

[icemonkey]

Maybe kerolox will get you those extra few m/s.

Psst.... What's Kerolox

[Hodo]

Psst.... What's Kerolox

Kerosene and Liquid Oxygen.

[TeeGee]

On my current space plane design I am using Kerolox....

http://i.imgur.com/xbUsrUK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Cp0HxcV.jpg

Awesome!!

Does it carry any payload?

[Sparker]

I've managed to build a good spaceplane for my copy of MAKS airspace system:

Thanks to the varieble wings he spaceplane showed good enough performance at all speeds.

I have also tried attaching a big H2+LOX fuel tank and "simulated" with cheats start conditions as if the whole thing was launched from ~10km at subsonic speed and it even managed to get into orbit.

Next step: I need to build something like a copy of Mria plane to lift 270 tons. With procedural parts it can be done, but will it fit into kerbal spaceplane hangar?

[Thrust]

My prototype rocket plane based on X-15, cannot achieve orbit.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Sparker]

Very good result. I think your next spaceplane will make it into orbit

I remember I also started exploring hypersonic flight with almost same design, had so much fun with it.

Btw, how does angling main wings down help? I'v never tried it...

[Thrust]

It reduces stability, but greatly increases maneuverability - anhedral angle. That's in theory. I wanted to make the plane controllable at supersonic speed.

[Spica]

Maybe kerolox will get you those extra few m/s.

Maybe MMH/N2O4 will five you a few more m/s

(I learned this from experience)

[Hodo]

Maybe MMH/N2O4 will five you a few more m/s

(I learned this from experience)

I don't think the Aerospike in RftS is setup to run MMH/N2O4.

[Sparker]

I've finished MAKS re-usable system. Here's a video of launching, docking and re-entering the atmosphere.