Interplanetary SSTO cargo delivery planes

[Kerbonautics]

Do you have any 0.90 crafts?

[exbyde]

VVery nice! How much payload can it get to orbit?

The mark 2 has been tested to 9,196kg with safe return margins (more than enough fuel for return burn, etc. By this number, the mark 1 can do around 10-12 at least. There is a transport version that can hold 16, and i'm fairly convinced could hold another 16 kerbal section. As for the test aircraft, unknown. Its got bugs that need to be worked out, like re-entry, and a very bizarre backflip that occurrs at SECO.

EDIT- 8 rapier version of the mark 2 capable of bringing 32 kerbals to LKO, meaning a cargo variant could probably do 15t safely.

EDIT 2- Stretched version of above 8 engine model capable of 40t LKO with minimal oxidizer reserves, plenty of liquid fuel.

Do you have any 0.90 crafts?

No, wasnt around much for .90

Edited July 16, 2015 by exbyde

[DMSP]

I still am waiting for this.

Overfloater, do you have any updates?

[Overfloater]

Nope. There don't seem to be any "broken" game mechanics to exploit this time, so i'll have to play it differently.

Maybe i'll steal Mesklin's unlimited range idea

[exbyde]

GENTLEMAN, BEHOLD! I (may) HAVE DONE IT!

This is the Stellar mk.2 LRS, though in the midst of the changes, it really should have been the named the mk.4 or mk.5. It runs on 8 rapier engines, 4 whiplash jets, and 2 NERVAs, and a LOT of fuel.

As you can see by this dirty pass pic, i've managed to cram a lot of things in this craft, including

-an ISRU

-2 drills

-storage tanks

-narrow band scanner

-LOTS of batteries

-2 PB-NUK for nighttime flight operations

-4 gigantor solar panels for daytime mining

-enough fuel to singlehandedly power small country

All this while keeping around 3km/s delta v while in orbit. Now, unfortunately, im not what you call "patient" or "a good pilot", so if you are at least 1/4 of these things, feel free to test it out. My only request is that you post some pictures! (and soil samples)

HOTKEYS

1: swap RAPIER flight mode

2. toggle RAPIER engine

3. toggle jets

4. toggle cargo bay doors

5. toggle flaps (key for landing/takeoff)

6. toggle drills

7. start drilling

8. toggle solar panels

9. toggle NERVAs

EDIT: There are possible CG issues on landing with this aircraft. It seems as though the CG shifts far aft while flying, or aerodynamics are unstable, making the aircraft unstable as well. If you plan to use, be prepared to move fuel to the nose towards landing. A pair of parachutes between the cockpit windows and the door seems to work well as an aesthetically pleasing last ditch effort to correct an unrecoverable event

Edited July 17, 2015 by exbyde