Black Arrow rocket and prospero

[sgt_flyer]

Hello here's a recreation of the Black arrow rocket, with the Prospero X-3 satellite as a payload, for KSP 1.04

it's slightly bigger than the real life version, notably because of the size of KSP's solar panels (ended up with a satellite bigger than the original, so the rocket is scaled in proportion)

also, those MK-55 engines generate looots of drag

weight : 44 tons

part count : 272.

here's the mission album

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Flight profile :

stage once to retract the upper stage fueling arm.

throttle to max, and stage to liftoff

i try to make a pitchover of around 5° between 60 m/s and 100 m/s (the MK-55 gives the rocket good control autorithy, but the rocket can still flip if you wander too far off the prograde marker )

after the initial pitchover, follow the prograde marker. (you can speed up or down the pitchover either by moving a bit above or below the prograde marker still - or simply throttle down )

try to have the prograde marker reach around 45° above the horizon when you reach 15000m. the 1st stage usually burns out at this point.

stage once to separate the 1st stage, and ignite the ullage ring separatrons. while the ullage ring burn, stage another time to start the second stage engine, and once the ullage ring stopped burning, stage a third time to drop the ullage ring. activate the RCS to help you control the second stage

continue your ascent, (try to reach 30000m with the prograde marker around 35° / 30° above the horizon. you can stage to drop the payload fairing after 30000m (below 30000m, the payload's drag would flip the rocket )

try to get your apoapsis to 80000m, and increase your velocity (once your apoapsis is at 80000m, aim for the horizon or even below it to maintain your apoapsis altitude while increasing your orbital speed)

after 2nd stage burn out, let the stage coast until roughly 20 seconds before apoapsis. aim prograde with the 2nd stage RCS, stage once to separate the 3rd stage and ignite the spin stabilisation engines. stage a 2nd time to fire up the solid upper stage. (it gives roughly 400 m/s of delta-V, should be largely enough to get a full orbit )

once the stage finishes it's burn, stage a final time to release the Prospero X-3 satellite

here's the .craft file

http://www./download/rhqj58x3qc82civ/Black+arrow.craft

Have fun

(P.S. as some will ask for the 'fake' nozzles of the upper and third stage, the corresponding engine and SRB nozzles are partially clipped inside those - so their exhaust is not blocked by their geometry )

Edited September 24, 2015 by sgt_flyer

[Yukon0009]

Psst, the gravioli detectors can be used as mini solar panels. I've been using them for a while.

Very nice rocket btw.

[Sharkman Briton]

Love it! Nice to see British Rockets get some attention!