All Good Things Must Come To An End

[Red Shirt]

Today I moved my reusable heavy lifter into 1.04. Originally designed in .25 to carry a full orange tank to orbit. I have used it since to build interplanetary most extraordinary craft (Klaatu nod). I added airbrakes, radiators, and a heatshield to the center core. I launched with no payload, just to test it. Alas, with the new aero and the knerfed engines, it only climbed to 50k as it ran out of fuel. She was a beauty. Back to the drawing board.

[Vagani]

noo, well now you know what to do at least and all the new parts should help you make something more efficient:)

[Arsonik]

Today I moved my reusable heavy lifter into 1.04. Originally designed in .25 to carry a full orange tank to orbit. I have used it since to build interplanetary most extraordinary craft (Klaatu nod). I added airbrakes, radiators, and a heatshield to the center core. I launched with no payload, just to test it. Alas, with the new aero and the knerfed engines, it only climbed to 50k as it ran out of fuel. She was a beauty. Back to the drawing board.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n5-_y3jzdUs/VZ_hdFDj5hI/AAAAAAAAEbc/pRWkvQ9WVwk/s1600/Ezekial.jpg

That looks incredibly overkill for 1 orange tank....... Sorry for your loss though. RIP Hvy Lifter

[Red Shirt]

It will be interesting to see if I can come up with a more efficient lifter. Not that I play career, but if I did it was 100% reusable except for fuel, and the occasional solar panel, when I forgot to retract them.

[SkyRender]

That thing is really complicated. Why not go for a simpler option?

Safely orbits, safely deorbits, safely lands, drops no stages. Admittedly not very maneuverable in space, but then, why would you be trying to maneuver a massive juggernaut to move something like an orange fuel tank about?

[Red Shirt]

That thing is really complicated. Why not go for a simpler option?

http://www.skyrender.net/lp2/ksp/orange_ssto.jpg

Safely orbits, safely deorbits, safely lands, drops no stages. Admittedly not very maneuverable in space, but then, why would you be trying to maneuver a massive juggernaut to move something like an orange fuel tank about?

I've been contemplating a similar approach but I am still having fun tinkering with Zek. It turned well in orbit considering its size with thrusters, and I still have hope of giving it new life.

It really is simpler than it looks. I have a center core that is an RCS tank, an Octo2 probe core, two truss sections, and a jumbo docking clamp on top to attach the payload (full orange tank is only one of my launches - I've assembled huge space stations one launch at a time). Around the core are 4 orange tanks each with 4 RAPIER engines. Around each tank are 6 turbojet engines.

What I learned today is to remove all the excess ram air units. I had them everywhere to take advantage of the old aero system. Once in orbit it looked like it was covered with blue eyes - hence the Ezekial name. The ram air looks better now but kind of ruined the effect of this ship's cool look. Anyway, removing all but one ram air per engine allowed me to make it to 90k Ap but ran out of fuel before raising Pe.

What I am not understanding is in VAB, the vessel shows stage 1 having 10k Dv. That should be way more than enough even with a huge payload. Really not sure what is happening.

[Rainbowtrout]

It looks amazing. RIP 2015-2015?

[moronwrocket]

What's your launch TWR? What does your flight profile look like?

[Red Shirt]

What's your launch TWR? What does your flight profile look like?

I'll look next time I am in the game. What I recall is because of the type engines in gives SLT in Mechjeb. I think it was 8.something. My thought is the turbo engines shutting down at 26k or so, is working the RAPIERS too hard early on. They make up for it later as it was at 2.2k/ms when it ran out of fuel. In older versions the last of the turbos flamed at 50k. So I need to find a little more oomph between 26 and 50k.

[Franklin]

Alas, with the new aero and the knerfed engines, it only climbed to 50k as it ran out of fuel. She was a beauty. Back to the drawing board.

A far better response to the latest build than the usual, "None of my designs work anymore, Squad broke the game. The new <element> sucks," drag.

[Guest]

A far better response to the latest build than the usual, "None of my designs work anymore, Squad broke the game. The new <element> sucks," drag.

^ This. A worthwhile post acknowledging that the game has changed, OP.

[Robotengineer]

A far better response to the latest build than the usual, "None of my designs work anymore, Squad broke the game. The new <element> sucks," drag.

This xkcd covers just about every non-bug software update complaint ever.

[Red Shirt]

A far better response to the latest build than the usual, "None of my designs work anymore, Squad broke the game. The new <element> sucks," drag.

Ha. Thanks. I do confess to being less than enthusiastic with my first couple attempts at reentry. After a few fits I realized it is no different than getting your favorite guys stuck on Dres. Then having to figure out how to go get them with a new crew you never heard and don't want to use. With some effort you and the crew finally succeed. Then you are grateful the rescue wasn't headed for Eve - this time.