Linear Contracting Week 1: Mun-capable Space Shuttle

[Whirligig Girl]

The way this works is kind of like Better Stock Crafts. The goal is to build a vehicle that fits a certain need and a certain objective. No Ferram.

There is a week-long building period and a week long, two part voting period. The first three days of the voting period narrow down the 5 finalists, and then the finalists are voted on during the last 4 days. Like any good competition, the most votes win.

This week: The Mun Shuttle.

The Mun Shuttle must be a reusable winged spacecraft that is capable of landing on the Mun (or optionally Minmus as well), and returning safely to Kerbin, Intact. It does not have to be Single Stage, and it can not have any Jet, RAPIER, SABRE, or Ion engines. It must be a winged vehicle that can land at KSC, and can not land using parachutes, however a drag chute may be deployed on the runway. It must carry a payload to the Mun, and deploy it on the surface.

Inspiration:

Allowed Mods are:

B9 Aerospace

Kerbal Aircraft Expansion

Kerbal Stock Parts Expansion

Flight Manager for Reusable Stages

Space Shuttle Engines (Can not use modular tank system)

PorkWorks Mk2 Stock Expansion

Infernal Robotics

RealChute(Can only use drag chutes)

And Anything that does not alter gameplay or add parts. (Visual/Auditory Enhancement Mods)

Edited May 19, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Whirligig Girl]

Preview: Next Thread will be Heavy Lifter

Edited May 20, 2014 by GregroxMun

[Highlad]

The Mun Shuttle must be ... capable of landing on the Mun (or optionally Minmus as well), and returning safely to Kerbin, Intact.

So the shuttle does not have to achieve LKO under its own power?

[Whirligig Girl]

Correct. It can have Boosters or an external tank or whatever. But no part of the craft can have jets, rapiers, sabres, or ions.

[zarakon]

What about parachutes like this?

[Darren9]

That's quite a specific set of mods. Porkworks MK2 expansion seems perfectly suited to a space-shuttle type design. Also you pretty much have to use a cargo bay upside down and drop something on the surface, no IR to lift it out with an arm? That's what I imagine the space-shuttle would have to do if it had ever found its self delivering to the moon.

[Whirligig Girl]

I'll add PorkWorks and Infernal Robotics.

[Whirligig Girl]

What about parachutes like this?

http://media.courierpress.com/media/img/photos/2010/05/26/Space_Shuttle_John6_t607.jpg

I see no reason why not.

[Whirligig Girl]

That's quite a specific set of mods. Porkworks MK2 expansion seems perfectly suited to a space-shuttle type design. Also you pretty much have to use a cargo bay upside down and drop something on the surface, no IR to lift it out with an arm? That's what I imagine the space-shuttle would have to do if it had ever found its self delivering to the moon.

I never said you have to land it on it's belly.

[Horan]

Does the craft have to be fully reuseable?

Can we just drop stages and forget about them or does we have to use that reuseable stage thingy mod?

[vincespeedmk2]

This sounds awesome. I've been meaning to start a challenge like this for ages. Glad that someone less lazy than me finally got round to it.

[Whirligig Girl]

Does the craft have to be fully reuseable?

Can we just drop stages and forget about them or does we have to use that reuseable stage thingy mod?

As long as the winged spacecraft is reusable. That means that when in orbit, on the payload should be jettisoned. However, It's up to the voters to decide whether or not your craft is reusable enough. Voters act as the contractors.

[Noname117]

Can already-built space shuttles be modified for the competition?

[NavalLacrosse]

This is the third consecutive 'shuttle' challenge that I've entered in this last week. Even before the first one I had developed a shuttle launch system. Through the previous two challenges I've continuously found reason to refine and tweak the design. The latest version of this series of challenges brings about the most recent design.

I present, for your consideration, 'Shuttle 3'.

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[Darren9]

I think mine is ready, PorkShuttle 5. Fully fueled the 20 ton shuttle has 6900 delta-v available from initial LKO (without payload). The Lifter will lift the shuttle plus a couple of tons payload. Takes a 1.25m wide package with crane to offload at destination. Lands on tail-legs at Mun/Minmus with small forward engine to ease vertical to horizontal transition and to lift the nose for takeoff after cargo delivery. No idea how much payload a skilled pilot could carry to Mun or Minmus with the available delta-v, me and McJeb can get a small rover to Mun and return to KSC easily I expect more is possible. Uses PorkWorks, B9 and IR, other control surfaces are stock re-skinned to match B9 from D12-Tech-Packs-B9-Aerospace-Expansions, re-skinned 5m LFO tanks also from that pack, I haven't had plain B9 for a while.

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Edited May 21, 2014 by Darren9

[Whirligig Girl]

wonderful.

[Whirligig Girl]

PorkShuttle is also wonderful.

- - - Updated - - -

Tomorrow is the last day to submit a design.