The K Prize - 100% reusable spaceplane to orbit and back

[kepicness]

Now that 1.0 is out, will having resource extractors and fuel converters on-board a plane be authorized? Sorry if this has been mentioned before, last time I played the game for real was in 0.18.

It's nice to see that the challenge lives on! (I'd be really surprised if anyone remembered me, but I used to frequent this thread a lot).

[Stochasty]

Decided to start playing again now that 1.0 is out, and... wow! Changes!

Looks like spaceplanes are hard again. The design I took to Moho won't even make orbit. Airhogging seems to be out as well; adding intakes reduces top speed, due to increased drag. The new jet engine thrust profile is going to take some getting used to; haven't managed to get a craft above 1300 m/s on airbreathers yet.

[zekes]

Yeah, SSTOs are dead thanks to 1.0..... I was planning a Laythe-and-return ship but that's not happening.....

[Stochasty]

Dead? What nonsense is this? Not even close to dead; just not easy as pie anymore.

[kmMango]

Yeah, SSTOs are dead thanks to 1.0..... I was planning a Laythe-and-return ship but that's not happening.....

Jeez man, lighten up!

How long did it take you to make your first SSTO? Probably more than an hour.

[TokiTech]

SSTO spaceplane is not dead. But SST-OtherPlanet is not possible without refueling in space as it appear.

2x RAPIERs 1x Turbojet make things easy. 45 angle up after takeoff, switch to closeCycle when the air-intake throttle is done to shoot out of the atmosphere 71km. Gaining speed to orbit is the part kill most of the fuel.

There should be better optimal flight path to be discovered.

[Rune]

Well I gave you guys more than enough time so... I claim first K-Prize entry in 1.0? And I also need to work on reentries, this supersonic glide thing won't carry you half as long as I thought it would. I was targeting KSC. Val will have to be picked from the desert island she set on, but she can chill out in the beach in the meantime. Also, the album is heavy on pics with UI, both for proving purposes and so you can refine your ascents under the new system. It's kind of easy: go as shallow as you can without burning up.

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Rune. Should have reentered without the airbrakes, I managed to stall myself at 30kms.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Rune

[panzer1b]

Yeah, SSTOs are dead thanks to 1.0..... I was planning a Laythe-and-return ship but that's not happening.....

I have one that works!

Well still tweaking it as it needs more LFO, but it gets into LKO with 6K dV to spare with ions. Its only cheaty party is abusing massless battery spam (over 200 of em). Aside from that, i think this qualifies as the smallest SSTO ive ever seen work in 1.0 with the range it has too!

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this thing is my minimalist when it comes to mass total (its under 12t), and it comes with 3 weapons hardpoints/docking ports if you arent actually shooting stuff to death with missiles.

That said, SSTO has become MUCH harder, as jet/rapiers just will not get you even remotely near LKO velocities, whereas before a single turbojet could get you to a nice 100km AP, and even a smallish PE too.

Also, is it just me or are any engines but rapiers worthless now? At least when it comes to SSTO stuff? And the new thrust levels are neat, 600kN from one engine, but it still doesnt make up for teh fact that they die off way to soon!

Edited April 28, 2015 by panzer1b

[Radam]

One interesting tidbit, intakes offset into the structure still provide air but no drag...

[FireFaced]

One interesting tidbit, intakes offset into the structure still provide air but no drag...

And this is how SSTOs to laythe can be made.

[Overfloater]

Hi I want to submit my new entry:

^·^

Nothing fancy, just figuring out KSP from start.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Overfloater

[panzer1b]

And this is how SSTOs to laythe can be made.

dis is not true, unless its inside a cargo/service bay, its gonna give you drag PERIOD, be it outside the hull, or inside it (certain drag at certain orientation).

[Radam]

dis is not true, unless its inside a cargo/service bay, its gonna give you drag PERIOD, be it outside the hull, or inside it (certain drag at certain orientation).

Really? Mechjeb, KER and actual flights indicate theres less drag... afaik. Or not, interesting.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Radam

[Jakinbandw]

Tried out something a little different this time

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I'm not sure this has any purpose, but I wanted to see how fast I could go with the new aerodynamic model. If you look you'll notice that my ascent actually used ablation, while my decent didn't.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Jakinbandw

[Sean Mirrsen]

Can't help but post this, because it's the first SSTO design I actually managed to sort of get to work this version. I'm sure it's only inconvenienced by having to use LV-Ns, but since this is basically the first spaceplane I made in 1.0, just gradually altered until it could make orbit, I'm still happy with its performance, abysmal though it is.

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The mission's a gatecrasher one, since the solar panels exploded due to overheat on burning to orbit, and more importantly the LV-Ns were lost to a hard landing, but overall it's a craft I feel has some (eventual) potential.

[YellowApple]

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After having made the list with the Hummingbird Mk.1 on 0.90, I figured I might as well try my hand at adapting it for 1.0.0. Surprisingly enough, it worked. Barely.

[plotz]

Well.. I have sort of an entry which was invalidated by my impatience. Lost both front Canards (1 on ascent at ~26km, 1 on descent because of timewarp) due to impatience. Will return with more patience, though landing performance was not too bad. Meanwhile, here's the very basic Kerboyan Kerbowitsch K-21 Interceptor "Space Edition" .

80x82km orbit with just >600m/s dV left, enough to dock and move on elsewhere . I should add a docking port and RCS then.

Vessel highlights:

- Sleek appearance, artfully plagiated by Kerbal knockoff engineers (59 years later, though).

- State-of-the-Art R.A.P.I.E.R technology

- Attitude-neutral Airbrakes and Spoilers (flaps on trailing edges counteract each other)

- Built to order interiors by Kerboyan Kerbowtisch individual dept.

- 48h money back warranty (void if engine was started)

Dude, where's my c(an)ar(d)?

Apoapsis and Periapsis

Reentry - way too early, I need to fiddle with the Periapsis height and location

K-21 on short final for RWY09, cleared to land!

Right in the middle... well, sort of.

Mission stats

[Commissioner Tadpole]

- 48h money back warranty (void if engine was started)

If I try to start the engines but they fail to do so, would I still have the warranty, considering they never started at all?

[plotz]

Some underpaid paralegals are investigating your matter as we speak!

[plotz]

I hope it is OK to start a new post for a new entry. I am just having a lot of fun with the new and harder SSTO "rules" of v1.0.

The K-21 managed to do some more orbits and landing just fine (no parts lost), but has been superceded by another craft now: The Kerthrop RDP-29 (Reverse Delta Plane, these Kerbals seem to abbreviate everything).

Highlights:

- Comes complete with a set of intakes for efficient R.A.P.I.E.R. burns up to 26km and above

- Enough fuel for 75km orbit + 600dV leeway

- Cockpit H.U.D: Now working three out of five times!

- Ailerons that (usually) do not come off!

- Standard 48h warranty promises are currently pending.

Should be eligible for the Advanced Piloting Precision Award, but probably not for the "smallest craft" one (weighs 8.47 metric tons in take-off to orbit configuration).

Proof of orbit:

Little sunbath for the batteries prior to descent on the night side of Kerbin

We have just left our cruising altitude of 72.000 meters. Jeb is slowly waking up again.

Darn, too short once again (~80kms too early)

Short final. Jeb is anxiously looking for an ashtray to hide his "orbital cigar" in.

Surprinsingly, touchdown is smooth and occurs on the third set of piano keys. Airbrakes are deployed and our craft is ready to turn into the SPH main building for a refueling stop again!

[Merandix]

Ok, my 1.0 entry. Maybe some of you remember the Svadilvari, my 0.90 entry. While it could haul more, this does what it needs to do. Put loads in space. Not high, but it puts them up.

Meet the MA-HSP 02 'Sleipnir' while not particularly massive, it gets the job done, and I think being able to lift some of the other entries will qualify it as sort of a heavy lifter, but I don't think it'll hold any size related titles for long

If you put a few (a lot of) buckets below her, and drain her of all her fluids and gasses and other boomy stuff, she has a 38,1 tonne dry weight. Fully fuelled and ready to fly, she gains a 'few' kgs, and thus should avoid rolling over your toes at 80,3 tonnes. Obviously, such a thirsty lady is quite prepared to do some work, so give her a 10,7 tonne space station in her belly, and she'll merrily tip the scales at 91 tonnes, fully loaded on the runway. In this state, she can still power her way through the clouds, with a thrust to weight ratio of 1,63.

Sleipnir measures in at 9,6 meters tall, 18,3 meters wide and 26,2 meters long. She has a spacious cargo hold, and seats four in the cockpit. Astute buyers may note that ladders are not fitted to the base version shown here, Meridian Aerospace would gladly install ladders as an option for only €963,38 (per ladder). Meridian Aerospace Industries does not accept any responsibility for any Rapid Unplanned Disassemblies, falling injuries, lost property or any sort of damages of what kind one may think off. Product can be gift-wrapped if so desired (though the responsible employee will be begging you to reconsider).

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edit: excuse the main crew being out of image for the first part of the series, there were seven Kerbals aboard that thing

only mods used are Intake build aid and RCS build aid. Non intrusive on parts or flight mechanics.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Merandix

[Sean Mirrsen]

A more serious, and far less explodey non-Gatecrasher entry into the challenge: the Stratoghoul Mk2.

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It still needs some tweaking before it can do the Munar lander circuit, but it's good enough to send a few tons of junk into orbit at least.

[boolybooly]

Congratulations to ...

Rune with White Dart 1.0 Prototype.

panzer1b with Tri-Fighter V Prototype.

Overfloater Advanced Pilot Precision Award with space plane.

Jakinbandw Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Speed Demon.

YellowApple with Hummingbird Mk.1 - KSP 1.0.0 edition.

plotz Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Kerthrop RDP-29.

Merandix Utilitarial Commendation (10.7t), Advanced Pilot Precision Award 1st Class with Sleipnir.

Sean Mirrsen Utilitarial Commendation, Advanced Pilot Precision Award with Stratoghoul Mk2.

For successfully completing the K-Prize mission. Thankyou for your mission reports and welcome to the guest list for the v1.0 K-Prize party.

There seems to have been a mix up with the bouncers Sean Mirrsen and for some reason your name kept cropping up on the gatecrashers list! If you want it removed then you are entitled so please say so else I will let the links and revised quips stay (see bottom of gatecrasher list).

There is no doubt V1.0 is hard, but then again we do these things because they are hard, to coin a phrase, which brings me to the issue of fuel drilling in v1.0. I would be happy to hear all arguments offered but IMHO while refuelling is a legitimate practice and a remarkable feat especially in a SSTO, the purpose of the K-Prize is to test the limits of the reusable spaceplane in KSP. From that perspective drilling is like fuel transfer. So while it is perfectly legitimate to drill and refine fuel and then deposit it say in a fuel store or bring it back to Kerbin for a Utilitarial Commendation or Distinction depending on source, it would not be within the spirit of the rules to use mined fuel to drive the craft. So yes moving or bringing mined fuel or ore back is a new aspect of the Utilitarial awards and the challenge is to do it with the launch fuel, I hope that makes sense and is agreeable. Speak your mind.

[Ion Man]

Hi,

here's my 98 ton "Guppy" SSTO spaceplane with over 30 ton payload capacity. It will get a red tank into LEO if you manage to have a perfect ascend profile. 30 tons, no problem.

You may need to shift your payload around or adjust a winglet here and there, but it's stable and easy to fly.

The advantage is the long payload bay for all sorts of crazy contraptions.

Pictures are from 1.0.2

O/

[sdj64]

I believe that this is the first SST(somewhere other than)O in 1.0. Travels to Minmus, with the help of ions. The plane is named Zanzibar.

I didn't take too many screenshots on ascent, sorry. The plane reaches about 1000 m/s on jets at 22km altitude before switching to closed cycle. I circularized with rapiers then used the ions to raise the orbit. I thought about going to Laythe, but it would have been a one way trip. The higher orbit allows the 18 minute burn to Minmus to go in one piece.

Landing on Minmus was accomplished with a few pulses of the rapiers to assist the ions. TWR on Minmus was just above 1 with the ions alone, and landing wasn't too much trouble. For takeoff, I tried to avoid using the rapiers as much as possible. Once it got off the ground, I switched them on for one pulse to make sure it didn't hit the terrain.

I used multiple aerobraking passes, and I was on a highly inclined orbit, which meant the plane had to travel a long way in atmosphere, using up all of the rest of the fuel.

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Edited May 7, 2015 by sdj64