Not Your Grandmother's Spacecraft: Steinsieker Shuttlet + Open Cockpit Delivery Spaceplane

[FlipNascar]

Not Your Grandmother's Spacecraft presents the Steinsieker ion shuttlet - 3.2k ∆V, Munar landing capable, personal utility craft and it's associated LD-1A3 delivery splaceplane.

"Handles like a dream", "easy to fly" are not phrases you can associate with this craft. However, it does offer a different take on the ubiquitous spaceplane (and if you abhor staging, it is capable of SSTO). The LD-1A3 is not designed for function. It's an open cockpit spaceplane that poops out an ion-powered personal spacecraft. Because optimising drag and having an inline cargo bay with a closed cockpit, is well, sensible.

This was never going to be well engineered because aesthetically it's hard to add bits to create different shapes without ruining the drag profiles. Subsequently, there are some tradeoffs. Namely handling, and the fact that without assistance it cannot push itsself through the sound barrier. Perhaps when I get better at this sort of thing I'll have a eureka moment. And maybe a little bit of part clipping while I naively tried to get it to space using just four Rapiers, and maybe some naughty fuel clipped into fuel tanks... There, I said it. This is not well engineered. It's crafted for the way it looks... I like it. But then clearly I'm biased. Frankly, it's ugly. But it's different. And different is okay.

Naturally this craft comes with a warranty that is voided the moment you spawn her. Do not use physics timewarp - you have been warned! 170ish Parts on the runway.

Criticisms, comments and feedback is not only appreciated, it is wanted! Nitpick it. Tell me what you don't like. What could it have done better.

If the delivery vehicle's not your cup of tea... Well Steinsieker will fit into a Mk 2 cargo bay and only weighs around 2t. You'll need to offset the docking port in the cargo bay slighty, and watch insertion to ensure the "strut landing legcumfeet" don't attach to the cargo bay... But y'know, if it were easy you'd be bored.

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If using TakeCommand (mod that lets you spawn Kerbals into command seats), you should load your Kerbal into the second command seat.

Action groups are also listed in the craft description.

Abort - Decouple Turbojets (explosions probably will occur, however in testing it has never affected the launch craft apologies if you become patient zero)

AG - 1 Rapier switch mode (switch it as soon as you dump the turbojets if staging, or when you stop accelerating if you are SSTOing)

AG - 3 Cut chutes (These are your panic button... She behaves badly, (not terribly just not well...) on the return from space. If you let your AoA become more than 10 degrees you may have undesirable rotation in the craft. Use the chutes in a panic!)

AG - 5 Toggle landing gear on Ion craft (because cute lil antennas make it seem more loveable)

AG - 8 Toggle Cargo bay

AG - 9 Toggle ladder

AG - 0 Toggle Cargo bay lights

Departure

Position Kerbal in seat.

Start engines.

Whisper loudly the Kraken's Prayer and have your Kerbal sign its last will and testament.

FULL POWER. Rotate whenever you want, there's the overrotational-proof wheel in the lower engine will save you.

You will now need to use SAS or a mod. Without assistance you will crash (I just use Mechjeb's SMART A.S.S. in surface mode and set 090 Heading, 30 degrees pitch. And wait for spaceflight to occur).

Pointy end at space - about 30 degrees. And you can just leave it like that until you hit space.

If you stage the turbojets you should be able to arrive into LKO with more than 700m/s ∆V (last test achieved 862m/s at 85x85km orbit). If you want to make a Munar landing with the mini shuttle, you'll want to launch it from a higher parking orbit (it's only got 3,400m/s ∆V and I doubt it'd enjoy aerobraking...)

Return from Orbit

You will need several ingredients - luck, faith and more luck.

1. There are two airbrakes near the cockpit - you'll want to enable these for Yaw control.
   
2. Ensure that staging has the parachutes as the next stage.
   
3. Do you have liquid fuel left? If yes - good! You'll probably need it. If no - get the insurance paperwork ready, you may need it.
   
4. Place deorbit manoeuvre node and burn...
   
5. Do not use extreme angles of attack - 10 degrees or less. Ideally track prograde on your way down with the airbrakes open
   
6. It is highly possible that you may end up spinning as you slow down, I've yet to find the exact conditions to replicate that. So the craft has two drogue chutes to help. And this is also why we have set the airbrakes to yaw control (the CoL is always behind the CoM but the drag created by the cargo bay, and the aesthetic parts, just seems to cause chaos). You will be able to regain control easily enough. Once control has returned and you are subsonic, you can cut the chutes. Keep her below Mach 1!
   
7. Land.
   

Typically the Kerbal will survive. I've yet to lose any parts or Kerbals on reentry. However, safety not guarnateed.

This little baby is cute and fun. She's packing 3,200ms ∆V with ion thrusters - and because she's got such a low TWR she also features the retro landing rockets. Perfect for when you realise that lithobraking will be fatal. This means it can add 200+ms ∆V in 5 seconds. Perfect for that panic moment before landing. Although, landing is ill advised as the solar panel can be fragile. Warranty void upon undocking. She is however more than capable of Munar and Minmus flybys. She can land on the Mun without the rockets! But you need patience and altitude. Also, you may not make it back to Kerbin if you do land... She does pack an RTG to allow minimal thruster operations when in the dark. Because if like me you don't plan very well, you may need to thrust in the dark, albeit at a snail's pace.

Instructions

Open cargo bay, EVA to the Steinsieker.

I prefer to manually start the engines because sometimes I get into that bloodlust staging frenzy. Undock. Craft will now gently float away.

Go and have some fun you lil' rascal...

As you'll notice she's got ample torque wheel power, and there is some torque in the thrust (less than 0.5kn). Again, you'll want to keep SAS on to ensure optimum handling.

Returning... Well no RCS. But she's light, and small, and it's easy enough to align it. Make sure the transport is not rotating. Play around to ensure you've rendezvoused and you're near, tinker until your velocity vector lines up with the docking port, turn retrograde switch of SAS and wait for it to hit. Usually the magnets take care of this. Failing that, EVA and push!

Shoutout to Majorjim's 0.90 Eagle + Eaglet inspiring me to build my own take.

[Majorjim!]

Wow man, that's a very cool looking SSTO! I love the rear cargo bay shuttle release.

Why do I see flames coming out of the back of the ion shuttle though?? Oh, and thanks for the name drop dude, I really appreciate it. I shall take this for a test run later.

MJ

[FlipNascar]

Why do I see flames coming out of the back of the ion shuttle though??

That's the not yet patented Grandma Button. In my quest to land the Ion lander on the Mun I kept failing to survive. So they're the emergency brakes. 200ms of ∆V added in 5 seconds thanks to four sepratrons. Munar TWR is around 1.5? So I figured they're a cheap addon (mass-wise) and potentially life saving.

I do seriously suggest you read the operating destructions before you take it out to play. She's not friendly when it comes to flying... Look forward to hearing your impression.

[Val]

It looks awesome. Totally awesome.

I shudder when I think of the drag, but sometimes looking good is more important than being efficient.

Well done!

[Dr Farnsworth]

Good news everyone!

Constipated SSTO finally delivers baby Ion craft!