Strap-On SSTOs -share your pics if you have them

[KerikBalm]

So I was previously trying to put payloads in/on SSTOs.

Large payload dimensions required making ever bigger and ungainly SSTOs.

example: https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10441055_10103614966504973_7518848353140663427_n.jpg?oh=300df8e2295a71acc4729a9f0a4fc200&oe=56286704

In many cases, I have to make a large frame and then add on more and more engine+intake+fuel pods until it can lift the required tonnage to orbit.

Then I tried a different approach, a Vertical launch, horizontal landing SSTO... payload fraction wasn't as good because it needs a TWR>1 to lift off, but it worked reasonably well and could accomodate large payload sizes:

But that was very ungainly, flew like a pig (and for some reason, I just couldn't get it to touch down without falling apart, even if it was in more or less level flight, <5m/s horizontal velocity)

- But these were my SSTO solutions until this weekend.

But then I started making my Duna Solar airplane... using custom electric propulsion:

https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/11535732_10103666692675313_4858596738621355008_n.jpg?oh=e206699c665fa6909d09d15ee51ea5b9&oe=55E9A971

I tested it on Kerbin (as best as I could... at high altitudes), I save file edited my way to Duna, and it flew there (with 1 version of the electric propulsion, it could barely maintain altitude at 5km, and a buffed version allowed it to maintain altitude at 9km.).

It flew well enough (though there were some things that didn't work as well as I expected, I decided to just let it be... mainly the lift fans aren't very useful, now that the thrust scales with atmospheric pressure, similar pre 1.0 deigns could pop chutes and use the lift fans for vertical landings).

I was satisfied, and needed to get this thing to orbit and then duna....

Once its in orbit, its simple enough to have a claw tug take it to Duna... but how was I going to get this thing to orbit?

The electric propulsion has a hard limit of mach 0.95, and a terrible TWR...

It has no attachment nodes, I can't put it on top of a rocket, or as a paylaod for any of my SSTOs

How would i get it to orbit in a single stage (because in my career mode, I've been SSTOing everything since I got turboramjets)

So.... instead of putting my payload on an SSTO, I put SSTOs on my payload....

I made a small unmanned SSTO, with not much in the way of lifting surfaces, a very good TWR, and everything needed to deorbit and return. After a few test flights to make sure they attain orbit easily, and land easily enough, I made it into a subassembly attached with the pylon that leaves nothing on the part it was attached to.

I tried slinging two of these under the wings of my electric plane... but it wasn't sufficient.

A 3rd one on top, some use of the offset tool to get the center of thrust in a good position, and I had my payload in orbit.

I now plan on using them as strap on supplemental boosters for a variety of things. their CoL and CoT are already balanced, so I should be able to stick them on something (that already flies well) without much precision needed in their placement (aside from Center of thrust considerations).

I've heard of some people making reusable boosters, but often this is in the form of a suborbital booster, or a single SSTO booster with a top mounted payload.

So far I haven't seen people doing strap on SSTOs as boosters, or doing anything like this for getting oddly shaped payloads to orbit.

Surely some of you have, and I just haven't seen it.

Have any pictures?

Back in 0.24, I had some strap on SSTO Rapier boosters for a similar electric plane for duna, but they weren't winged, and just came down on chutes, hopefuly near KSC

I'm hoping to get some bigger designs... Its already going to be a pain to land those 3... bigger payloads would result in a lot of SSTOs to land.

So I want fewer, bigger strap on SSTOs.

I also want designs with some more nodes so I can add turbojets for better static TWR (I imagine many payloads will require a vertical launch and >1.0 TWR)

[Vanamonde]

Showcase thread moved to Spacecraft Exchange.