[SHOWCASE] Screw the atmosphere, we're going to space today!

[Captain Sierra]

1.0 made building aerodynamic rockets actually necessary. This thread is dedicated to everything that is very much not . . . but we launch it anyways. (pre-1.0 crafts don't count, sorry Whackjob)

Screw the atmosphere, this fuel depot is going to the Mun today!

Now where are YOUR atmosphere defying rockets?

[Rune]

I was sad this sunk to the end of the forum. So I kept a tab open for when I tried this:

Not 100% there yet, but the only issues are staging ones, it laughs in the face of air.

Rune. Just don't try to go supersonic below 15kms.

[Roflcopterkklol]

Well this is by far the stupidest thing i have put in orbit for this version, and i have like 15 of them in orbit in one of my saves lol.

[StormKat]

It took two days of constant tweeking to get this thing to orbit.

[RogueMason]

I did try to make it somewhat aerodynamic before launching...

...the new aero system was still all up in my face like "WHOA, WHATCHA DOIN'? THAT'S AGAINST THE RULES!"

I did eventually get it into orbit with some extremely delicate flying, thanks to the aero overlay enabling me to keep tabs on the forces.

Looking at Rune's launcher there, though... even though I've seen it plenty of times before, I might have to adopt a similar design in place of the more typical rocket I somehow decided to use (a seriously modified Hephaestus V). Launching this torus was way more finicky that it needed to be. It was way too top-heavy, and as you can see, most of the drag was up there too.

Normally, for a payload like this, I would have stuck the boosters to the sides instead of underneath. I really don't know what I was thinking at the time

[eddiew]

Rules you say? Pff. Orange tank to LKO under nuFAR, don't talk to me about rules!

[problemecium]

While I'm pretty respectful of the atmosphere on the way UP, there have been times I was the complete opposite on the way DOWN...

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[Hotaru]

I mostly like to keep my rockets roughly rocket-shaped (even pre-1.0), but I thought I'd have a go at the torus problem. The key, I figured, was to design a launcher that carried the torus nearer the bottom than the top, so it acted to stabilize the whole thing rather than destabilize it. There were other keys, as it turned out, such as getting the boosters to not collide with the core on separation, making sure each stage had ample TWR, making sure the whole thing had enough delta-v to get to orbit, and adding enough struts so it didn't fall apart on the launch pad.

This one is the Mark IVB. You can guess at what happened to Marks I through IV.

Fortunately this was in sandbox mode. These things are 600,000 spacebucks each, I'd have bankrupted my current career mode on them after three attempts. Two, if you count the repairs to the launch pad after the Mark III booster-bombed it.

Not going to clutter up this post with pics of all the failed attempts, think I'll put those in the "post your fails here" thread.

[Roflcopterkklol]

While I'm pretty respectful of the atmosphere on the way UP, there have been times I was the complete opposite on the way DOWN...

http://imgur.com/a/rIgjT

Lmao is that what i think it is?

(A craft that grabs kerbals stuck in orbit with claws?)

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to parameciumkid again."

Edited May 23, 2015 by Roflcopterkklol

[Captain Sierra]

THREAD RESURECTION! yay.

I had to send up a new version of the fuel depot. This time I at least put it in a fairing.

And since the thread has partly turned into "post your torus station launchers here!", this is how I got mine to space.

[Rune]

THREAD RESURECTION! yay.

I had to send up a new version of the fuel depot. This time I at least put it in a fairing.

http://i.imgur.com/j1GcVm3.png

And since the thread has partly turned into "post your torus station launchers here!", this is how I got mine to space.

http://i.imgur.com/CrSPrp5.png

Well, At least I got it back.

I did it, BTW. With some care as to when and how to stage, Von Braun station is still alive and well in 1.0, to serve as a target for all my SSTO testing flights.

Rune. ...and with the small torus full already because I overbuilt the launcher "a little".

[Majorjim!]

Well, At least I got it back.

I did it, BTW. With some care as to when and how to stage, Von Braun station is still alive and well in 1.0, to serve as a target for all my SSTO testing flights.

http://i.imgur.com/S8J2BJT.png

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

Rune. ...and with the small torus full already because I overbuilt the launcher "a little".

Good to see that bad boy fly again Rune. Ooh, EVE is comparable now, cloudify that planet post haste!

[KarateF22]

Ok, I'll bite. Behold this monstrosity:

All in one craft is a lifter, refueling drone (powered by 3 nukes for orbital maneuvers and 1 Toroidal Aerospike for takeoff), and permanent ISRU + Science Lab station intended for Pol. I actually did successfully deploy this. Looks hilarious on the launch pad. Has good traction when fully laden with fuel, but if i try to drive it around without RCS assistance when nearly empty it slides around all over the place.

*EDIT* Some more pictures:

Edited May 24, 2015 by KarateF22

[Captain Sierra]

Ok, I'll bite. Behold this monstrosity:

http://i.imgur.com/t7YqcKL.jpg

All in one craft is a lifter, refueling drone (powered by 3 nukes), and permanent ISRU + Science Lab station intended for Pol. I actually did successfully deploy this. Looks hilarious on the launch pad.

The fact that you got to space through the asymmetric drag of those wheels impresses the heck out of me.

[KarateF22]

The fact that you got to space through the asymmetric drag of those wheels impresses the heck out of me.

I just followed the tried and true maxim of adding booster if not in orbit and adding struts if exploding before orbit. ^{Also couldn't use SAS at all during ascent or it would explode.}

[Chris_2]

Sooo, hmmm, more drag at the top than at the bottom flips the vehicle during launch... Found a solution to that

[Captain Sierra]

Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing with my life.

[The14th]

Sooo, hmmm, more drag at the top than at the bottom flips the vehicle during launch... Found a solution to that

Ha! Very Kerbal. Much approve.