[Stock craft] Turbojet + Nuclear 2 Stage Space Plane to Mun Range

[evader]

So an idea came up for one of the Kerbal engineers: why store oxidizer onboard when the space can be used for liquid fuel instead. After mounting twin turbojets on the back of 2 nuclear thrusters, an all liquid fuel space plane was born. It was extended to have a small cargo bay and MK2 docking bay. Despite its ugly look, it managed to reach slightly beyond mun range and (crash) land back on kerbin.

Without needing oxidizer, the size was able to be kept down to that of a leer jet. Note that this was created with about 50% of the tech tree researched in science sandbox mode.

Front View

Back View

Mun Range

Cargo Bay

Com Device in Cargo Bay

Edited June 8, 2015 by evader
missing / broke images

[Columbia]

Nice work! Very innovative

[Hobbes Novakoff]

No pics, no clicks. If you want to embed them, do [NOPARSE][/NOPARSE]

[SHiftER2O]

Well, there's the saving funds with no oxidizer, and then there's losing funds because of trashing those expensive turbojets XD

[evader]

After unlocking RAPIER engines, adding oxidizer to both MK2 bicouplers, shock cones, precompressors, and big-S wing parts, I did several test flights to see how it would handle in patch 1.03. To my kerbal's horror amazement, the space plane just kept going & going without stopping over or refueling in space. It came to a hair's length from Eve's orbit.

I think it's the smallest space plane I've seen to reach that far, if not counting fuel manufacturing or refuelling (though I did not look around the forums that much).

On the downside, it's much harder to take off since it became heavier and much less stable. Fuel transfer between parts must now be micromanaged while exiting the upper atmosphere so it doesn't flip over.

Edited June 23, 2015 by evader
inserted images using editor toolbar