inigma

Thank you! will download and fly tonight. you rock!

KSP craft keep getting more and more beautiful. GJ Gus.

Advice for compulsive screenshot takers: twitch your gameplay and then screenshot your playback. Much easier to get the perfect shot than to spam the key in the middle of a complicated operation.

No pics? No trusted download. Can you post a pic?

Then the prob is either wings or misaligned torque.

Will it fly without wings? Rip em off and lauch vertical and see what happens. Balance problem should be obvious then.

Nice job Rune. Simple enough to inspire me to develop my own orange tank lifter SSTO spaceplane... hmmm

Westi, here is your shuttle delivering a station core into orbit. All I had to do was add fuel to your existing tanks, and remove fuel from some of the solids, and simply fly it. Makes 128k orbit easily with fuel to spare.

Looking forward to it.

I was thinking of the following challenge to see if anyone would be interested in meeting it. This challenge represents an extreme in KSP engineering. Not only must one design a NASA space shuttle look alike in KSP, but it should be able to fly empty, as well as heavy, and not only that, but also bring the ultimate crowning achievement into orbit: a full, untouched orange fuel tank. And after all of that, the shuttle must deorbit on its own, and land safely at KSC. Any deviations from this ideal is penalized. Who can do it? Who has done it? The above picture is from Naito's successful run with his space shuttle. Point Legend: Realistic Shuttle Launch: 500 points (Two boosters or dual cluster of boosters, no engine on external fuel tank, 3 main engines on shuttle, 2 orbital engines or 2 orbital engine clusters on shuttle, RCS thrusters to maneuver shuttle) Standard Orange Tank Payload: 1000 points Full Orange Tank w/ Sr. Docking Port Heavyweight Payload: 1500 points Full Orange Tank w/ Full Large RCS Tank w/ Sr. Docking Port Heavyweight Plus Payload: 2000 points (Download) Full Orange Tank w/ Full Large RCS Tank w/ Sr. Docking Port w/ RC-L01 Remote Guidance Unit w/batteries w/solar panels w/RCS thrusters to maneuver tank around Return to KSC: 500 points Orbital altitude: Average periapsis and apoapsis above 70km, but below 120km: 500 points Average periapsis and apoapsis above 120km: 500 points: 1000 points Rules: 0. No modded parts allowed. 1. Mods are permitted to be used to fly and/or land your shuttle. 2. Must post screenshot showing apoapsis and periapsis information 3. Must post screenshot showing full tank(s) as applicable in orbit. 4. Must post flight manual and craft file, or link to forum thread containing such. Hall of Fame: Remkeau - Mk.7-XT (extended body) 4000 points (Heavyweight Plus Payload) Average Alt: 165 km 0x0h - Shuttle 4000 points (Heavyweight Plus Payload) Average Alt: 134 km Naito - FAR Compatible Jumbo Shuttle + Spacehab - 3500 points (Heavyweight Payload) Average Alt: 106.5 km lirg03 - SSTO Shuttle Eye of Kerbin - 2000 points Average Alt: 100 km foamyesque - Shuttle - 2000 points Average Alt:72km Red Dwarf - Lepton - 2000 points Average Alt: 71 km

So you designed a Mark 3 class realistic Space Transportation System capable of putting into orbit a full orange fuel tank and a full large yellow RCS tank? You sir are awesome!!!!!!!! You seriously have outclassed 99% of all current space shuttle designers. If there was a Challenge for sending up an orange tank into orbit with true class and style, this would be a winner. (Edit: scratch that, I posted the challenge here!) Can I haz craft file of such epic fuel truck? And don't worry about returning with full tanks. I don't think it's something NASA would do anyways. Lightening loads would be the name of the game for safety, not bringing home liquid gold from orbit. I just won't plan on doing an RTLS with your up-goer-5+OMS with this kind of cargo from the pad.

More than my free imgur album allows. Anyone know a free unlim or near unlim alternative?

Crowning achievement is just an orange tank. Epic would be orange tank and rcs. In stock. But my multiplayer group would be happy if we can just find a shuttle that can orbit a full tank and a bit of docking hardware (two Sr ports on the tank). Westi's shuttle is one bay too small but can lift pretty much anything else. Your shuttle is practical once I can certify it for fuel delivery. If so, then it should be able to launch most any hardware that can fit in your bay, which would be saying a lot. If the fix is as simple as tilting an engine... great!

Well I got orbit and landed at KSC runway. Empty. Not bad. Stock, not FAR. I am curious though if your shuttle can ferry a full orange tank and large full RCS tank into orbit... the ultimate proof of a vessel's cargo utility. I'm working on tweaking the shuttle fuel settings to accomplish this. I do know that such a full orange tank and full rcs tank is not a good idea on a return from orbit though. The shuttle falls faster than a stone. heh.

Im looking forward to trying it out. Including your carrier.

I'm happy to inspire!

Double up on your wings by sandwiching them together. See Westi29's shuttle for ideas.

Big ship. Well at least you managed to get it all up there in one piece. good job.

Rune, looking at Westi29's shuttle which is a very stable glider, I recommend you double the wings, and use offset to sandwich them on top of each other.

Well I succeeded in transporting and drop testing your shuttle for glide tests: Your shuttle has a horrible glide slope. I was unable to land it at KSC, but again I was only dropping from 1200m. Maybe I should drop higher? Also you have to pretty much cut the engines on the I-80 to successfully peel away from the shuttle's falling style lest you crash the tail. If you could post a video of how to land this things, let me know. I was able to land the I-80 with your Shuttle on top without any issues.

You know I had a thought to do something like this with your shuttle... hmmm I might need an upgrade. For now I'm working on a Rune level carrier. http://i.imgur.com/OidZkcM.png

I updated both craft files to include mobility enhancement ladders and set to key 1. Same craft name. If you downloaded already, simply download and replace.

Mk. 3 jets are so totally possible. Just takes some creativity. I made this passenger jet turned shuttle carrier. Westi29 made the shuttle. His shuttle is orbit capable. This is a video of a NASA style drop test for the shuttle. Enjoy!

Great job! Now I wonder who can land the I-80 with the Space Shuttle on its back... on the island.

The space shuttle is orbit capable. It's Westi29's Space Shuttle: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/105539-Mk3-Space-Shuttle-with-Solid-Boosters-Monopropellent-OMS-and-Easy-to-Fly! All I added was a cubic strut to give me an attachment end point so I could mate it to the I-80, and emptied its fuel tanks just like the real Shuttle was emptied when it was drop tested. Enjoy!