Denebola SHLV: Payload Rating Certification Flight = Report (Mission Success)

[Flixxbeatz]

Figure 01: Denebola SHLV viewed from the underside, showing the Mainsail clusters firing during Stage 0.

Denebola SHLV Certification Test Flight - Full Report

Launch Vehicle Background & Statistics:

The Denebola is the product of ATOR S&S Inc. during its study and research of developing a powerful 100+ mass units-rated lifter that can still adhere with the laws of physics and aerodynamics*.

The Denebola Super Heavy Lift Vehicle (SHLV) is a modular (can exist as solo, any SRB straps, 2-core, and 4-core configurations. a 6-core configuration has been envisioned, but the feasibility study for building something that enormous are still on-going**), aerodynamically-designed rocket, built using only indigenous kerbal technology***, that has 3 primary stages: Stage 0, Stage 1, and Stage 2. Here is the breakdown for each stage:

Stage 0: 12 x 2m Mainsail engines (core + straps)

Stage 1: 4 x 2m Mainsail engines (core)

Stage 2: 1 x 3.25m KR-2L engine

For the cores, 4x 2m Mainsail engines was favored instead of 1x 3.25m S3 KS engine for higher thrust and increased lifting power (1x S3 KS = 3200kN max; x 3 on stage 0 9600kN max. Compared to mainsail: 1x = 1500kN max; x 4 per core = 6000kN max; x 3 on Stage 0 = 18000kN max output), at a cost of increased part count, mated on the main lifter body using the (almost) long-forgotten special engine clustering techniques (SECT).

The core is kept in full fuel by the fuel lines running from the straps going to it, until the straps separate couple of minutes into the flight. Number of stages per launch depends on the payload's need and mission objectives.

Mission:

Denebola was set to put a disclosed heavy payload (measured in mass units, not parts count) in LKO, as a part of its certification process. All stages already underwent individual static fire tests prior to being reproduced and finally used in the final vehicle assembly.

Figure 02: Denebola SHLV launch, few minutes after clearing the space center.

Results:

Stages 0, 1, and 2 performed nominally during the flight. Payload successfully launched into a ~78.9km x ~78.9km LKO, with Stage 2 at ~40% fuel remaining. The rocket will now be part of ATOR S&S, on its Heavy Crafts Division (HCD), and will be used for launching larger station modules and interplanetary spacecrafts.

Payload consists of:

1 x 3.25m Full-size LFT = 82.0 mu

1 x 3.25m Half-size LFT = 41.0 mu

1 x 2m Probe core = 0.5 mu

1 x 2m ASAS = 0.2 mu

1 x 2m RCS tank = 3.4 mu

8 x RCS blocks = 0.05 mu each = 0.4 mu

8 x Static solar panels = 0.005 mu each = 0.04 mu

8 x Rockomax engine small = 0.09 mu each = 0.72 mu

TOTAL PAYLOAD WEIGHT: 128.26 MASS UNITS

Figure 03: Amount of fuel left on Stage 2 after attaining ~78.9km x ~78.9km LKO.

Figure 04: Fuel reserves for the payload after attaining orbit, indicating that no fuel reserves from the payload has been used. RCS used measly 34 units of fuel during the whole ascent (716/750).

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*A rocket that would look like something that would work IRL, not an abomination filled with rocket fuel.

**A six-core while powerful, might not be as efficient as it looks.

***Stock parts.