Ok, so I need a spaceplane 101

[juanml82]

Here's the lastest iteration of my early test.

It used to have ram air intakes, but I've deleted them trying to see if the direct contact between the precooler and the wings eased the overheating. It doesn't.

Basically, this thing climbs incredibly fast, until the moment it reaches 15,000. At that point, whatever is at the front (in my latest flight, it were the canard wings. Before that the ram air intakes, and without either, the cockpit) heats really fast - it goes from some 300°C to over 1,000 in seconds and it blows.

Also, how is the flaps thing supposed to work?

And why is it that the outer control surfaces seem to counteract the inner ones? If I set all three pairs to control pitch, the inner ones bend upwards when I press "S" to take off while the other two bend downwards, and the planes ends up rolling to one side. If I deactivate pitch control to outer control surfaces, the inner ones and the canards put the aircraft into the air. But that doesn't seem right.

Now, I'm going to try a central ramjet and two Terriers (or something, I'll see) outwards and see how that goes. But at this point I think just like I had to go through tutorials to make spaceplanes in 0.90 aero, I'm going to need another spaceplanes 101 for the new aero

[Draekris]

I'm with you. I used to pride myself on my SSTO spaceplanes, in 1.0 I can't get anything into orbit because something always blows up from overheating.

[AmpsterMan]

It took me twelve hours of constant playing and testing to figure out new aero, but it works.

So don't be disheartened, it can happen

I'll give a hint: Wings generate a lot of lift but they also generate a lot of drag.

[juanml82]

It took me twelve hours of constant playing and testing to figure out new aero, but it works.

http://i.imgur.com/oILgRcY.png

So don't be disheartened, it can happen

I'll give a hint: Wings generate a lot of lift but they also generate a lot of drag.

Yeah, yeah, I want to dissipate heat

Now, one ramjet doesn't produce enough heat, but I'm not sure it produces enough thrust to be useful in reaching space. Which, IMHO, is realistic.

Two rapiers seem like a more powerful choice. But, again, heat. I just blew two wet outer wings and one air intake (oh, yes, the intakes didn't have the decency to at least blow up symmetrically)

[panzer1b]

This is my 1st ion SSTO that actually WORKS in 1.0, although its far from laythe capable as of now (it uses every drop of fuel to get out of kerbin after the massive nerfs to jet mode top speeds ect).

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Really its all about the profile. You want to eject at around a 30 degree angle going like 1200-1400m/s before u switch from rapiers to ions/nukes/whatever space engines you want to use (heck even a krakendrive would prolly cut it). Actually, IM SO TESTING DAT! If krakendrives still work ive got my solution to long range flight, rapier+ion+kdrive+IRSU, pretty much go anywhere, refuel, land anywhere, refuel, take off, and get anywhere using kdrive.

Anyways, krakendrives aside, the trick to SSTO anything is the ascent, you want to be just on the edge of burning up on ascent, but you dont actually want to do the burn up part. Without any ions and with rocket fuel drained, i can get this thing to a 150km AP on pure rapier with the right ascent.

[Van Disaster]

I made a little plane to test the jets out. Looked like it was overheating, so I pointed it up... and ended up in space. These jet engines are ludicrous .

The heat is annoying and needs tweaking for sure, whether that's the parts or the actual model. The rest of the aero has some really wierd drag issues and I'm not convinced it's much better than the old model, but going to space still looks like a case of just pointing up really.

[Alshain]

Also, how is the flaps thing supposed to work?

And why is it that the outer control surfaces seem to counteract the inner ones? If I set all three pairs to control pitch, the inner ones bend upwards when I press "S" to take off while the other two bend downwards, and the planes ends up rolling to one side. If I deactivate pitch control to outer control surfaces, the inner ones and the canards put the aircraft into the air. But that doesn't seem right.

Flaps are to get a little bit of lift for take off and landing. They lower the minimum safe speed a plane can fly at the cost of more drag, which is good for landing, not as good for takeoff. Unfortunately Squad decided to implement the most basic of flaps systems that can almost not even be called that. Most flaps have 4 settings that deploy them at varying degrees for take off, climb, level flight, and landing... we get 2, unless you use FAR.

They probably aren't suitable for a delta wing plane like yours there where you are using elevons instead of ailerons and elevators. Never the less, to set them up add the control surfaces near the center of mass. Right click one of them and set the State to deployed. Then go to an action group and assign the toggle option to it. Invert as needed so they go down.

That's it. Turn them on to stay in the air at slower speeds (for landing on that ridiculously bumpy runway) or to pick up off the runway a little quicker. If done correctly they can help your plane lift even when the wheels are significantly behind the center of mass, avoiding the awful tail strike.

As far as control being backward. Pick up the control surface and re-place it. That can happen if you move the wing sometimes in symmetry.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Alshain

[Claw]

Actually, if you could upload a .craft file so I can look at those flight control problems, I would appreciate it.

Cheers,

~Claw

[juanml82]

Actually, if you could upload a .craft file so I can look at those flight control problems, I would appreciate it.

Cheers,

~Claw

Here it goes

http://www./download/62v4m2l3abuqkq8/Prueba_Avion_1.craft

[Hodo]

Sorry but this is great, I played around in the stock new aero system for an hour lastnight and built a functional SSTO first go. But I am used to FAR so it wasn't a big deal to me.

It is nice to start to see more "realistic" looking craft starting to show up, instead of these contraptions from the nightmares of Jim Henson.

[locustgate]

I've launched the same space plane 3 times, x < 10km stay below 1km/s at around 20k you can get to 2km/s......reentry try to burn off as much speed as fast as possible (if you can get the plane below 1km/s your probably going to survive), all 3 survived, 1st one lost it's control surfaces after I hit 1.2km/s at 9km going up.

[Radam]

Im using mk3 parts and lately it tends to turn sideways at the last stretch of the runway...

Im not sure what is the best landing gear distribution.

[Cinocal]

Move the rear landing gears forward just behind the center of mass and you will get nice takeoff rotation and it won't swerve at high speeds further down the runway.

[Hodo]

Im using mk3 parts and lately it tends to turn sideways at the last stretch of the runway...

Im not sure what is the best landing gear distribution.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/532891784922104648/D9B6A534CF9C02B8376987B12242EAD368634D68/

Your landing gear are to far back away from your CoM. Your main gear, or your rear most gear should be no further back than your CoL, this is called the point of rotation for an aircraft. The swerving issue is because your front gear are set at a steep angle for caster. In other words they are tilted forwards. You may want to put a larger gear on the front and use the offset tool to shift it up into the body so it be inline or just below your main gear. Ideally you would like your plane to be level when sitting on the ground or with the nose slightly pointed up.

[antbin]

What Cinocal and Hodo said. Also be sure your rear gear are placed dead straight - sometimes the curve of the wing can give them a tiny bit of yaw in angle snap mode.

[Angezerus]

Here is almost the simpliest SSTO you can have:

1Cockpit, 1 air intake in front, 2 LFO, 1 precooler (just for fun, can drop), 1 RAPIER. Add some small wings and gears and that's all. Pretty stupid how easily this gets to orbit...

Oh yes, and how I got there: Take off, ~45 degree climb till the rapier switches mode, 0degree horizontal acceleration till orbit is high enough. Circularize and fin.

On this picture I have 160k-180k orbit.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Angezerus