WernherVonKerman

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=1118.0 Just posted my first HLV with performance similar to the original poster.

This is by far the steadiest and most reliable design for a heavy lift I have gotten so far. The first one I am ready to share. I am currently working on a version of this design that will double the payload put into orbit with some success. Will post it here when i get it to the reliability of the Mk.1 And here she is... First stage is 12 LFEs fed by two tanks each, with an additional 8 SRBs for initial liftoff. After SRBs burn out you will lose about 10m/s velocity before it will begin to accelerate again. First stage burns out at 15km with a speed ~250m/s. Full throttle all the way. Second stage is 4 LFEs fed by 3 tanks each. Until a reliable retro is developed a few seconds will have to be given before igniting second stage or explosions result. I find slowing to around 190m/s gives enough distance without the losing to much. After ignition maintain vertical flight to around 25km before rolling to horizontal, lock STS to about 20 degrees above horizon and continue burn through till tanks are empty. Throttle may have to be adjusted a little as the tanks empty to keep it steady. Second stage should burn out with a velocity just under orbit speed. Third stage is an orbital maneuvering stage. With very little fuel needed from this stage to level out initial orbit you have nearly 3 full tanks to do any orbital testing. This is more than enough to do several transfers and have also used my preliminary design of this craft to reach escape velocity and a distance of 32000K before returning. The Sol Mk. 1 is the result of these missions. Final stage is for re-entry with more then enough fuel for several orbital adjustments to bring the CnC module home safely should anything bad happen to the orbital stage. (Like accidentally clicking spacebar instead of ctrl at 500km up. >.< ) Design uses all stock engines, fuel tanks, and SRBs. 2 Add-on couplers where used.. The Lateral Couplers from Sunday Punchs Wobbly rocket pack: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.0 The Red Stripes Advanced Decoupler(only cause I hadn't seen the yellow one yet.) From Quabit: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=537.0 Edit: after going over to make sure I didn't miss anything.. I found that I did. >.< You will also need Quadbits original sheath decouplers found in this link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6228295/quabits_ksp_parts.zip

Well.. yes.. not sure how this is all gonna play out as it is a test run. Wasn't sure how to best accomplish this so I just reversed course up to the speed at which I was travelling away before the burn. I'm assuming its just going to travel back along the same path at on which it departed and come into a perigee at roughly the same altitude and speed in which I departed. Whether this is the case or not I have no clue. If all goes as planned, I will have a ^v of roughly a 1000m/s to enter LEO with 1 and 1/4 tank of fuel left atm. My other concern is that I did the departure burn at 50km and 15km before hitting atmo is a small window to play with when coming in from that far out. The original drop in to 50km from 3000K was hair raising enough.

Nice. But get back to the parts workshop. -.- After the advanced decoupler I expect many great things from you. :thumbup:

Just received confirmation of the retro burn to bring them home with a final distance of 32410K. Velocity was 670m/s at time of course reversal. Mission started in orbit at 124km then entered into a bi-elliptical transfer out to 3000K and back in to 50km. Upon hitting perigee at 48km, the craft accelerated to 3330m/s for an exit trajectory with an excess velocity of around 470m/s. I aimed for the low excess velocity to insure having enough fuel to reverse course and achieve an LEO before re-entry.... If I don't crash back into the Kearth. >.< Was done with stock engines and tanks, with a few add-on couplers. I expect to achieve an LEO within about 6-7 hours.

It is extremely difficult to get an apogee-perigee within even a couple hundred meters. But the best way to level it out is just boost a tiny bit at every apogee till you get the speed fine tuned as best you can.

Always adjust velocity when at either apogee or perigee. If you want to control it, level your orbit out at the top or bottom of the eccentricity by accelerating or decelerating to the circular orbit velocity. Once leveled out you can accelerate into a transfer orbit that will leave you an eccentric orbit with perigee where you started and apogee at the transfer target. Once at apogee you can level out by accelerating to the circular orbit velocity for that altitude. Lesson complete. (it is the How To section. -.-) ;D

The Java and web based calculators here: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=647.0 help a lot with these. On my current mission I started at an altitude of 124km, did a transfer out to 3000K, at apogee I slowed slightly to come back in with a perigee of 50km. I actually leveled out at around 48km and accelerated so I should exit with an excess velocity of around 460m/s and enough fuel to hopefully reverse and actually bring them home safely.. hopefully. Did all my figuring with those to calculators, will see how it turns out tomorrow.