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

[Sean Mirrsen]

Hey sean can I get that craft file?

Sure. Be advised though, this thing flies like a slightly drunk brick.

Its turbojets are enough to lift it off the runway, surprisingly enough, and theoretically they can push it upwards as well (though the Mass/Thrust ratio is very close to 1), but it\'s nearly impossible to actually get the craft to point upwards without firing the rockets. Get as high and fast as you can before firing the rockets. The craft has a load of RCS thrusters on the bottom, for a presumed Mun landing, but as you can imagine I never quite got there. There are also no landing chutes, but that\'s an easy fix.

[rustymcclintock]

Sure. Be advised though, this thing flies like a slightly drunk brick.

Its turbojets are enough to lift it off the runway, surprisingly enough, and theoretically they can push it upwards as well (though the Mass/Thrust ratio is very close to 1), but it\'s nearly impossible to actually get the craft to point upwards without firing the rockets. Get as high and fast as you can before firing the rockets. The craft has a load of RCS thrusters on the bottom, for a presumed Mun landing, but as you can imagine I never quite got there. There are also no landing chutes, but that\'s an easy fix.

its not stock, needs a docking port and something...any idea what it needs?

[Sean Mirrsen]

Ah, darn. Yes, it uses a docking port from the ExPI station parts set, because that was part of the flavor for the LKO Tanker challenge.

Here, same thing without it. Should be completely stock now.

[rustymcclintock]

Ah, darn. Yes, it uses a docking port from the ExPI station parts set, because that was part of the flavor for the LKO Tanker challenge.

Here, same thing without it. Should be completely stock now.

That did the trick thanks, I snapped a, pic of a particularly awesome fireball after I crashed.

Has anyone else noticed a sudden increase in the visual candy of explosions? I have. I\'m starting to think maybe the devs slipped them in? Or maybe I just never noticed them so well before...

[Sean Mirrsen]

Have I mentioned that I hate landing in poor lighting conditions yet?

Because I do.

Thankfully, I got a quicksave on entry. Let\'s see if a more careful approach will be more successful. But really, I think I\'ll need to further reinforce the landing gear.

[colmo]

That did the trick thanks, I snapped a, pic of a particularly awesome fireball after I crashed.

Has anyone else noticed a sudden increase in the visual candy of explosions? I have. I\'m starting to think maybe the devs slipped them in? Or maybe I just never noticed them so well before...

The explosion graphics were redone with an accompanying big drop in frame rates in 0.15. C7 has been working on the explosions in 0.16, meaning fewer, bigger explosions, and much less CPU overhead as a result.

[boolybooly]

I have got some catching up to do.

So Australian Sloth did you complete the challenge? You can land in water and still succeed as long as nothing breaks off, though that is a difficulty. Your craft looks great btw dont listen to Kay.

Congratulations to MaxKSP on completing the challenge mission and additional objectives, duely added to the roll of honour aka the guest list. Yours is the honour of the Altitudinalist Record since you went to orbit with PE 83,440,130m which beat pushingrobot\'s Sawfish at PE 83,324,638m.

[Sean Mirrsen]

After four more failed attempts at landing, I have no choice but to admit that, while good enough for takeoff, the landing gear arrangement of the Turboloid is utterly inadequate for landing. (I really should give it a better name... given its shape and its landing capability, I think 'Crashamaran' sounds just about right ) Maybe I\'ll find a better way for it to take off while I\'m at it.

[G Addict]

> I hate lag. While my new plane seems a little too heavy when full to land, it should be able to get below 10 m/s vertical speed when empty of rocket fuel. However, I haven\'t been able to get the damn thing to fly properly due to lag while on (or even looking at) Kerbin. It didn\'t matter too much on the other plane because its glide characteristics were so good, but this one needs a powered landing as far as I can tell, and I can\'t fly it straight when the controls are going too far every time. At least I\'ve learned how to deorbit so that I hit (supposedly) controllable speeds while over KSC now. :

[Sean Mirrsen]

Remember what I said about finding a better way for my craft to take off? Well, this way isn\'t better, but it\'s prettier.

Meet the Voldeghurt. I have a knack for terrible names, don\'t I?

For expedience purposes, only the minimal required orbit was established. Fuel available at that point (~four tanks) allows for much further expeditions.

The craft returns to atmosphere without serious issue. It has to be constantly kept pointed forward during descent though, until the atmosphere is thick enough for control surfaces to properly maneuver, otherwise the craft flips out.

A little more... a little more...

Touchdown!

Er, unfortunately some smart guy planted a mountain range right in the craft\'s landing path, so ultimately the whole thing was lost in its entirety due to a sudden road bump. Landing parachutes would\'ve really helped there. When will I start remembering to add them? T-T

[Salda007]

In case people aren\'t aware, when using the stock wheels, \'B\' activates the brakes. Use carefully, though; I\'ve had ships flip end-over-end when I tried slamming them on too hard.

[Maxed-Rockets]

Congratulations to MaxKSP on completing the challenge mission and additional objectives, duely added to the roll of honour aka the guest list. Yours is the honour of the Altitudinalist Record since you went to orbit with PE 83,440,130m which beat pushingrobot\'s Sawfish at PE 83,324,638m.

Yeah for just barely beating people! Thanks for this wonderful and well run challenge!

[G Addict]

Haha! Proven that my shuttle can land while full! It\'s really sensitive though - it exploded at just 5m/s downwards velocity. Had to bring it down like a feather to avoid explodification. Now to do it after going to space and back.

EDIT: Well, I just landed it on the terrain. That\'s enough for one of the pilot proficiency awards, right? I overshot KSP and went into a spin when I tried to turn, but this plane seems rather good at recovering from them. Once it was under control it flew fine.

Shot 235: orbit achieved

Shot 236: Oops, missed KSC

Shot 237: Coming in to land

Shot 238: Coming to rest while braking.

[Maxed-Rockets]

I went back and redid this finally, and have a successful run! I was trying to future-proof it, so the rockets only burn rocket fuel, the jets only burn jet fuel, and the jets have air intakes.

Shortly after takeoff. Due to the sticky terrain issue, the Ugly Duckling only takes off when the runway ends.

Climb at 45 degrees until altitude, then light the rockets and pitch up to 60 degrees. Disable the jets at 15- or when they\'ve about used up their first fuel tank, whichever comes first.

Burn at 60 degrees up until your Ap is about , then tip over to 0 degrees and burn until your Ap is about . Then coast until you\'re almost at Ap and do the orbital insertion burn.

Orbit established!

After a partial orbit, de-orbit burning and using up all remaining rocket fuel.

Once that\'s done, I flip back over to be nose-first, cut the throttle, and re-enable the jet engines anytime before I drop to . I use a very low throttle setting once I start seeing significant strain on the ASAS compensation, but overall this is a more stable craft than my previous attempt.

Once I\'m pretty low I can cut the throttle again and just glide to a landing, using the natural pitch-up tendencies to keep the nose up and descent rate down.

Landed! No where near either KSP, though.

Full 20-image gallery.

Could you put up the .craft for this one?

Thanks

[zekes]

Ha! I finally made it!

My plane- modified, can vertically accend and just barely get into orbit, but it does!

And comes back!

[gameassassin1020]

So when you say orbit do you mean around the planet orbit or up into space then arch back down orbit. If this makes sense

[boolybooly]

Did you make an intact landing there zekes?

Congrats on getting the shuttle down G Addict, assuming that is KSC terrain then you qualify for a pilot proficiency medal to go with the previous success with the KiG Spaceplane Mk2c.

[G Addict]

Ah, sorry, the new craft\'s called the \'Wobbleboard\' for its tendency to lose control and oscillate wildly above 3000m. Gave me quite a scare when it flipped out, but recovered, stalled again then flew just fine until landing. Should\'ve got the KSC into the landing shot, but was too happy at finally getting the damn thing to not disintegrate to consider, you know, actually having proof that I was in the right place. I was, but... :

[Maxed-Rockets]

So when you say orbit do you mean around the planet orbit or up into space then arch back down orbit. If this makes sense

It means a stable, out of atmosphere, orbit.

[Salda007]

So when you say orbit do you mean around the planet orbit or up into space then arch back down orbit. If this makes sense

Just get your periapsis above 70km or so. If you want to de-orbit immediately without doing a full orbit, that should be fine, but you should show that your ship is capable of it.

[zekes]

Did you make an intact landing there zekes?

Congrats on getting the shuttle down G Addict, assuming that is KSC terrain then you qualify for a pilot proficiency medal to go with the previous success with the KiG Spaceplane Mk2c.

Trying... I have an ejection capsule to save crew, but keep coming in over ocean...

Ill tell you when I land for reals, but it flies fine in atmo...

[dargie25]

Success! A completely reusable craft which takes off vertically, lands on wheels and can reach a stable orbit with a periapsis above 70km. I call her the 121 (yeh very imaginative)

Take off using two tubojets located on the tip of each wing. The rocket engine isn\'t activated until about 13000m, and once the turbojets reach below .10 efficiency I turn them off. The fuel lines run the remaining fuel in the wings to the rocket since the jets are now not needed past this point.

Soon after the gravity turn is started heading at 90 until the apoapsis is above 70k, then performing the usuall manoeuvres to raise the periapsis above the atmosphere.

And here is the periapsis above 70k, at this point I have 421kg of fuel left in the last tank.

Just a fuller close shot of her in space:

I consider trying to land close to KSC but play it safe and aim for one of the larger flat continents. This is deorbiting:

[imghttp://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk186/dargie25/DEORBIT-1.png]http://

And landing, I found her very easy to control throughout the atmosphere right down to landing.

And finally landed safely and compleatly in tact:

I think that qualifies me for a K Prize

Heres the craft file if anyone wants to check it out: http://fileflush.com/file/5703/121.craft.html

EDIT: ah deer it seems the challenge was to take off horizontally, my mistake :/ Ill give it a bash with exactly the same design from the runway later.

[Sean Mirrsen]

So, did anyone else notice that 0.16 kinda... nerfed the rockets? Less fuel in tanks, more fuel expenditure...

..and this thing I built fails to reach orbit.

[Johno]

Why? Why shouldn\'t that . . .

That . . .

That THING reach orbit?

[Sean Mirrsen]

No idea. I\'m trying to see if replacing the single large engine with an array of smaller, higher-efficiency ones will work better.