Reliant Deep Space Crew Return Vehicle

[Jett_Quasar]

This craft is capable of flying to and landing on most planetary bodies in the Kerbin system, and has been christened the Reliant-CRV (Crew Return Vehicle). Currently it is launched into orbit via booster, however Space Cowboy is working on an SSTO space plane that will bring the craft into LKO and back to the space center in a first of it's kind effort to create an SSTO with truly infinite range (correction, I couldn't get the design to work so I built another one based on Rune's Longsword - see below).

Features:

- Houses a crew of up to 10 Kerbals

- Various repeatable science experiments on board

- Horizontal landing on most lunar class bodies including Duna

- Refuels on any lunar body with on-board ISRU & drill

- Able to drive around on the surface of any planet by engaging main engines.

- Rated for landing/refueling on the following 11 bodies: Mun, Minmus, Gilly, Moho, Ike, Duna, Drez, Vall, Pol, Bop, and Eeloo.

UPDATE - New Video

Hot Keys:

1) Toggle Whiplash turbojet engines

2) Toggle Rapier engines

3) Switch mode for the Rapier engines

4) Toggle landing engines

5) Deploy drill & solar panels

6) Start mining operations (drill, ISRU, fuel cell)

7) Stop mining operations

8) Deploy Reliant landing gear (this is necessary to avoid deploying gear while mated to the launch vehicle)

"Lights" button will toggle solar panels and antenna as well as cabin lights

Here is a picture log of my final test flight (Final Update):

Taking off using the SSTO space plane launcher/lander craft with the Reliant starship "piggyback"

Fly out to Minmus to refuel and gain delta-V for the transfer to Duna

Land on Duna and do science - and refuel again for takeoff

I just love this picture

Land on Ike to refuel and gain delta-V for the return trip to Kerbin

Mate with the orbiting space plane launcher/lander

De-orbit, re-enter and fly back to the Kerbin Space Port

Land and recover the almost complete vehicle - some parts were destroyed during re-entry.

Here is the original picture of the Reliant - note, design changes have been made to convert it to an SSTO launcher.

Reliant by Jolly Roger on Sketchfab

Download the craft file HERE

Edited November 9, 2015 by Jolly_Roger
Updated with new video

[Guest Space Cowboy]

SSTO launcher which actually does not do the job, going back to the drawing board. Fun craft to fly though.

DOWNLOAD

CRAFT editor's note: I placed a plate improperly under the large docking plate, on the spaceplane, in an attempt to stop the plane from drawing Reliant's fuel.... will be fixed on the forthcoming "working" spaceplane ...

Edited August 9, 2015 by Space Cowboy

[Jett_Quasar]

SSTO launcher which actually does not do the job, going back to the drawing board. Fun craft to fly though.

DOWNLOAD

CRAFT editor's note: I placed a plate improperly under the large docking plate, on the spaceplane, in an attempt to stop the plane from drawing Reliant's fuel.... will be fixed on the forthcoming "working" spaceplane ...

Sorry Space Cowboy I tried to get your space plane design to work but I just couldn't get it into orbit. I have been working on another design that I think will do the trick. I have posted an update on the main page of this thread.

JR

[Rune]

It is very interesting to see how you managed to put that, on top of a not-really-Longsword. Deliciously complicated! It definitely earns my approval. Also, you make me remember I haven't yet uploaded my infini-range SSTO, even tough it has a name by now and everything. The Javelin! I'll see if I can write the thread this afternoon.

Rune. It makes a surprisingly efficient tanker.

[Fisk02]

Your craft isn´t actually an ssto.

An ssto is an craft that only uses one stage to get to its destination.

Dont take me wrong your craft is very cool but you could maybe change its type of craft. maybe...

[Val]

Those are some very nice looking crafts, Jolly Roger.

But why does the Reliant Mk II have Rapiers? Wouldn't it be more efficient with all Aerospikes or LV-909s for in-space forward propulsion? Or are they needed for launch from Kerbin?

---

...

An ssto is an craft that only uses one stage to get to its destination.

...

No. An SSTO is a craft that uses a Single Stage To Orbit. What you do after you get to orbit does not affect whether or not it is an SSTO.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Val
Clarified my question

[Jett_Quasar]

Those are some very nice looking crafts, Jolly Roger.

But why does the Reliant Mk II have Rapiers? Wouldn't it be more efficient with all Aerospikes or LV-909s for in-space forward propulsion? Or are they needed for launch from Kerbin?

---

No. An SSTO is a craft that uses a Single Stage To Orbit. What you do after you get to orbit does not affect whether or not it is an SSTO.

The concept that I'm going after is to build an SSTO space plane and put it into orbit. The craft then separates into two parts leaving one part in orbit for the return flight pack to KSP, and the other part is able to go off and fly to any or all of the planets and moons then return to Kerbin orbit, dock with the space plane and fly home. Taking the full space plane everywhere is not terribly efficient, and landing tail-first is extremely tricky (things tend to break), and I have moral issues with using nuclear engines. So I'm doing basically the same thing just changing the risk factors - also I like to do things differently than everyone else.

I changed the design slightly in order for this craft to get into space as a space plane so the rapiers have replaced the LV-T30 which actually aren't any more efficient. I have aerospikes on the craft for landing and those could be used for orbital maneuvering as well.

JR

EDIT: BTW on my last test flight I was able to get into orbit with enough fuel to reach Minmus, so now I can go on to Duna.

- - - Updated - - -

It is very interesting to see how you managed to put that, on top of a not-really-Longsword. Deliciously complicated! It definitely earns my approval. Also, you make me remember I haven't yet uploaded my infini-range SSTO, even tough it has a name by now and everything. The Javelin! I'll see if I can write the thread this afternoon.

Yeah I wasn't sure how you'd feel about me mangling your nice craft, I'm glad you approve.

JR

Edited August 13, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[Jett_Quasar]

I've updated the main post of this thread with pics from my latest test flight to Duna and back.

JR

Edited August 13, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[Dr Farnsworth]

Well any craft that does "piggyback mating" has my approval.

[Guest Space Cowboy]

Good on your SSTO! Clearly my approach is off.

- - - Updated - - -

Your craft isn´t actually an ssto.

An ssto is an craft that only uses one stage to get to its destination.

Dont take me wrong your craft is very cool but you could maybe change its type of craft. maybe...

You're actually describing an SSTD

[Jett_Quasar]

Between the discussions on "Piggyback Mating" and SSTD's the conversation in this thread has gone downhill REALLY fast!

JR

[Guerra]

Goodness me, these look like proper science fiction vessels! Nice job!

[Levelord]

It is very interesting to see how you managed to put that, on top of a not-really-Longsword. Deliciously complicated! It definitely earns my approval. Also, you make me remember I haven't yet uploaded my infini-range SSTO, even tough it has a name by now and everything. The Javelin! I'll see if I can write the thread this afternoon.

http://i.imgur.com/zEkMCCl.png

Rune. It makes a surprisingly efficient tanker.

Which mod do those mini hydroponics pods come from?

[Rune]

Which mod do those mini hydroponics pods come from?

That's the USI life support, put on the ground by exploiting KAS and KIS. They are too heavy to be moved by kerbals, but if you place them directly form a container, it works. Definitely a trick I loved when I cam up with it!

Rune. I've got to try with the larger one yet.

[Jett_Quasar]

Goodness me, these look like proper science fiction vessels! Nice job!

Thanks, I'm now working on new designs for infinite range SSTO's that don't require all that "piggyback mating"... (as much fun as that sounds it's pretty time consuming - LOL!)

JR

[Jett_Quasar]

I have updated the main page of this thread with a new video, as well as a new craft file with proper hot key bindings and some new features to make the craft more stable.

Enjoy!

JR

Edit: here's the link to the video -

Edited November 3, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[Dafni]

Nice one! Thanks for the video. I love the Reliant, I'll make a mission around it one day. (better do it soon! dreading the next patch!)

[ChrisD]

This is a really cool craft but I'm struggling to get it into orbit. I'm consistently coming up about 100m/s short even if I reduce the amount of ore at launch and run the ISRU to top up the Oxidizer fuel (I have heaps of LF left over).

Can you suggest your optimal launch profile for this craft?

[Jett_Quasar]

You'll need to keep it on a fairly shallow glide path, I'd say around 20 degrees above the horizon until about 12Km altitude. Drop the nose down to about 15 degrees between 12Km and 20Km to take advantage of the good acceleration of the rapiers at that altitude, then nose back up to 30 degrees and hit HotKey #3 to toggle the rapiers to closed cycle mode above 21Km. Soon after that the turbojets will flame out so hit HotKey #1 to toggle them off. Once in orbit you'll need to transfer all the remaining fuel into the Reliant craft before decoupling and heading to Minmus to refuel.

The craft is actually over powered on takeoff and it will allow you to fly a steeper glide path than you should. The objective is to get as close to 1100 m/s as you can before switching the Rapiers to closed-cycle mode so you should generally choose speed over altitude and that means keeping your nose down. Also the fact that you have too much LF left over is a sign that you should be taking more advantage of the atmospheric Ox which means you need to stay lower in the atmosphere for longer and that again requires a shallower glide path.

I hope that helps.

JR

Edited November 4, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[ChrisD]

The man knows his spaceplanes! Hit 1250m/s at 21km then toggled the RAPIERS over and achieved orbit. After I had transferred the fuel to the CRV I had over 1100m/s DV left, not counting Ore, so I headed for Minmus!

That's when the next round of problems hit! The indication on the DV remaining in the node stopped running down but the fuel kept burning. When I reloaded from a Quicksave all its clothes had fallen off, the Kerbals were Kraken fodder and Kerbin had become a white dwarf. Interestingly this is the same skeleton craft that I saw if I 'Revert to Launch' on previous failed launches.

http://imgur.com/Ks9gk5y

I think I'm allergic to SSTO!

[Jett_Quasar]

The man knows his spaceplanes! Hit 1250m/s at 21km then toggled the RAPIERS over and achieved orbit. After I had transferred the fuel to the CRV I had over 1100m/s DV left, not counting Ore, so I headed for Minmus!

That's when the next round of problems hit! The indication on the DV remaining in the node stopped running down but the fuel kept burning. When I reloaded from a Quicksave all its clothes had fallen off, the Kerbals were Kraken fodder and Kerbin had become a white dwarf. Interestingly this is the same skeleton craft that I saw if I 'Revert to Launch' on previous failed launches.

http://imgur.com/Ks9gk5y

I think I'm allergic to SSTO!

SSTO's are tricky - if it wasn't for Rune I probably wouldn't have even started working on them by now...

That's a really strange glitch you have there. I was going to say that has never happened to me but I did experience something similar in my Kerbal Galaxy modded install. I haven't had any issues like that lately though.

With respect to the spacecraft, landing it is tricky, but if you have any kind of piloting skills it shouldn't be an issue. I have an instructional type video on how the three engine landing system works for a different craft with a similar design

. Basically you use the thrust limiter on the front engine to control the pitch as the fuel burns off. Another trick is to watch the RCS thrusters to tell if you need to throttle up or down and it's best is to control the craft from the top docking port when using the landing engines (that way you can just hit auto retrograde to help control it). The only recommendation I can make is that you practice landing it on Minmus a few times until you get good at it before tackling other larger moons. Duna is more complex yet, since the atmospheric drag will toss the ship around if you descend too fast. If you make it that far I would suggest that you keep your velocity below 500m/s under 20Km altitude and below 300m/s under 8Km.

I guarantee it, if you can land that ship on Duna and return it to KSP you have entered the upper echelon of pilots. You got some mad skills then; there should be a Jebediah badge or something! LOL

JR