Introducing the A-3 Masamune, a versatile Mun & Minmus SSTO (1.0.2)

[Prince of Rockets]

Hello everyone! I had previously released a two kerbal SSTO called the A-2 Masamune, but it had various problems and the lander could only carry one kerbal. I looked at the feedback and decided to completely rebuild the A-2 from the ground up, fixing all the problems and giving it a proper two kerbal lander. I am happy to present the A-3 Masamune!

Improvements over the A-2:

~ Better design produces zero torque

~ 5.4% less mass and 9 less parts (only 56 parts!)

~ Lander has more delta-v and 2 seats

-Instruction Manual-

1. Use the air breathing engines to fly up to around 10,000m, while ending up around 350m/s in speed.

2. Get your nose around 5 degrees north of the horizon, then just let it ride to around 21,000m and 1,475m/s.

3. When you start losing power, press 1 to switch to closed cycle. Pull up to get your apoapsis above 70k before running out of oxidizer.

4. While coasting to apoasis, hit space to activate nuclear engines. Use oxidizer if any and nuclear to circularize your orbit.

5. Use your nuclear engine to do a orbital transfer to Mun or Minmus, then circularize your orbit when you get there.

6. When you run out of liquid fuel, enable the reserve tanks inside the wings while at zero throttle.

7. Press 3 to open your cargo bay doors. Then, have the two Kerbals go into EVA mode and board the "Bulldog" inside cargo bay.

8. Undock with the ship, switch to the Bulldog and use RCS to get out of the bay. Finally, click "control from here" on the probe core.

9. Press 0 to activate engines, then land and return to orbit. When close to the ship, click "control from here" on the docking port.

10. Lightly tap RCS to dock with the ship. The lander is extremely small and light, so only quick taps are needed.

11. Once docked, unboard the kerbals from the Bulldog and get them back inside the ship. Press 0 to disable the Bulldog engine.

12. Preform a orbital transfer back to Kerbin. You can easily aero brake to save fuel and / or slow down.

13. Once back in the Kerbin atmosphere, press 2 to disable your nuclear engine and 1 to enable your air breathing engines.

14. Cruise down to the landing site of your choice for a safe, powered landing.

15. *OPTIONAL: Build and load a refueling truck, then dock/refuel the A-3 to do it all over again!

-Custom Action Groups-

1 = Switch R.A.P.I.E.R. engine mode / toggle air intakes.

2 = Toggle Nuclear engine.

3 = Toggle Cargo Bay doors.

4 = Toggle night time landing lights.

5 = Toggle ladder.

6 = Toggle docking port heat shield.

9 = Toggle cockpit lights.

0 = Toggle lander engine.

-Basic Stats-

Max Weight: 29,637kg

Dry Weight: 13,857kg

Max AB speed: ~1,480m/s (normal end of air breathing stage)

Max CC speed: ~2,0??m/s (normal end of closed cycle stage)

Delta-V left in 75k orbit: ~2,700m/s (nuclear engines)

Variations in lander delta-V:

2,078m/s (with two kerbals, normal configuration)

2,225m/s (with one kerbal, unbalanced!)

2,397m/s (no kerbals, probe mode)

Click here to DOWNLOAD the CRAFT FILE!

Click here for SCREENSHOTS of a successful mission!

What do you people think of my second generation SSTO? All positive and negative feedback is welcome!

[waterlubber]

This looks great. Detachable lander was a good idea.

[SHiftER2O]

Quite the SSTO actually. Although I depreciate on visuals, the functionality of this SSTO does prove itself noteworthy.

- - - Updated - - -

Would you focus on improving this model of yours?

[Prince of Rockets]

@waterlubber: Yeah, I really wanted to make something for the small cargo bay. I spent the most time playing around with the tiny lander. You could remove the lander and have a decent payload capacity for launching small satellites as well.

@SHiftER2O: Thanks for the feedback, I'm all about functionality! What didn't you like about it visually? What did you have in mind for improvements? I was planning on making models that can do other missions, sort of a Masamune series. One that can make it to Laythe, one with a Gilly lander, etc.

[goldenpsp]

YAY, I can get this model into orbit Nicely done.

[SHiftER2O]

@SHiftER2O: Thanks for the feedback, I'm all about functionality! What didn't you like about it visually? What did you have in mind for improvements? I was planning on making models that can do other missions, sort of a Masamune series. One that can make it to Laythe, one with a Gilly lander, etc.

Oh, you don't REALLY need improvement, I was only speaking on behalf of my tastes

I'm all supportive for your Masamune series, and would gladly feature you in Blackbird Aviation's Air Support As of now I cannot lend a hand, but if the time comes, I will be more than glad to work with you in developing this series

[Prince of Rockets]

@goldenpsp: I'm glad you could get it in the air!

@SHiftER2O: Right on. Now that I've made a really good base Mk2 model, I might take a break and try my hand at a Mk3 cockpit based space plane!

[Hobbes Novakoff]

Can you embed the images? I'm not sure if you can do so with Google Drive. Try uploading to Imgur and embedding the album. You should be able to figure out how to put everything into an album. Once you have that, type in [NOPARSE]

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[/NOPARSE] to embed.

[Prince of Rockets]

Can you embed the images? I'm not sure if you can do so with Google Drive. Try uploading to Imgur and embedding the album. You should be able to figure out how to put everything into an album. Once you have that, type in [NOPARSE]http://imgur.com/a/(the numbers and letters that come just before the "#0" on the album URL)[/NOPARSE] to embed.

Embed the images? Clicking on the screenshots link takes you to a photo album. Clicking on one of the pictures starts a slide show. Each image can be downloaded individually. If you want to embed one of them inside the forum, right click on one of the images and pick "Copy Image URL". Then, [NOPARSE] [/NOPARSE].

[Hobbes Novakoff]

Embed the images? Clicking on the screenshots link takes you to a photo album. Clicking on one of the pictures starts a slide show. Each image can be downloaded individually. If you want to embed one of them inside the forum, right click on one of the images and pick "Copy Image URL". Then, [NOPARSE] Paste it inside here. [/NOPARSE].

Okay then... So why aren't the images embedded?

[Prince of Rockets]

Okay then... So why aren't the images embedded?

OH, so you want the entire slide show embedded right here so you don't even have to leave the page? Well, I've got good news for you then. Since Google has amazing geolocation services for their content, clicking on my link will probably load them faster than if I had embedded them with Imgur (with the added benefit of me not having to sign up for Imgur). Enjoy!

[Hobbes Novakoff]

OH, so you want the entire slide show embedded right here so you don't even have to leave the page? Well, I've got good news for you then. Since Google has amazing geolocation services for their content, clicking on my link will probably load them faster than if I had embedded them with Imgur (with the added benefit of me not having to sign up for Imgur). Enjoy!

Yes, but when people glance over your post, they'll be looking for pictures, not links. You want your post to pop out. And if you don't like imgur, you can still post photos. However, the way Google hosts photos on Drive is royally ****ed up, so you are going to need to use one of the bazillions of image-hosting services. And if you don't like that, make a website and host the photos there. But really, just sign up for a proper image hosting service. Or you can have your craft languish in the bottom of the forum because when people glance over the OP, they think you're a forum noob who doesn't make good craft. Your choice.

[goldenpsp]

Yes, but when people glance over your post, they'll be looking for pictures, not links. You want your post to pop out. And if you don't like imgur, you can still post photos. However, the way Google hosts photos on Drive is royally ****ed up, so you are going to need to use one of the bazillions of image-hosting services. And if you don't like that, make a website and host the photos there. But really, just sign up for a proper image hosting service. Or you can have your craft languish in the bottom of the forum because when people glance over the OP, they think you're a forum noob who doesn't make good craft. Your choice.

I think Prince of Rockets will do ok, with or without your expert opinion. He already had a nice screenshot of the plane embedded in his OP, which is all you "really" need IMO. I prefer the slideshow of it getting into orbit to NOT be embedded as I believe he can get it into orbit so I didn't really care about viewing that entire album and am just as happy it wasn't more to have to scroll through.

[SHiftER2O]

Prince Of Rockets will do fine

Edited June 4, 2015 by SHiftER2O

[Hobbes Novakoff]

I think Prince of Rockets will do ok, with or without your expert opinion. He already had a nice screenshot of the plane embedded in his OP, which is all you "really" need IMO. I prefer the slideshow of it getting into orbit to NOT be embedded as I believe he can get it into orbit so I didn't really care about viewing that entire album and am just as happy it wasn't more to have to scroll through.

Oh, wow. The picture didn't show up on my internet. Sorry for being rude.

Comcast is so evil that they deliberately withhold images just to start online flamewars