1.0.5 Dreamchaser lifter/deorbiter

[Mikki]

This is a very "simple" but extreme reliable Crewreturn/ Crewrotationvehicle.
It has very few parts, 24 (28 with Kerbals), (lifter 38 plus 4 Crew here, "42" parts)
Cheap, safe, shiny, easy to fly and land, even watering and coasting on water is possible.
Space-Shuttle-like descend, "like a flowercrate"  Forget about making turns like an airplane if you miss the landingstrip and overshoot. You can glide strait, and adjust descend angle, and direction.
Make a steep descend, start reentry at the desert... The vessel tends to roll in certain flightsituation, but stabilizes allways by itself, no input needed.

Add some struts if you play all stock, i confess using KJR 

NOTE: maybe this vessel tends to flip when the tanks are all nearly depleted (if so, do not go to the mun with as it could)... 
NOTE, the second:This craft is flip-proof, in any fuelload situation, just tested it again.
This pic is taken after start with full RCS, empty LFO... looks like you can visit even mun with it, but you must refuel to return safely.

Craftfile:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5ruucwxawttgdh/Pegasus.craft?dl=0

Edited December 12, 2015 by Mikki
Changed title, thanks Majorjim! :) ceased possible flip behave warning..., added roll behaviour comment.

[Majorjim!]

That looks really cool! Very Dreamchaser-y. That led me onto the thought that you could probably get rid of the fairing and save yourself a bit of weight. It should still launch ok.

[Mikki]

[quote name='Majorjim']That looks really cool! Very Dreamchaser-y. That led me onto the thought that you could probably get rid of the fairing and save yourself a bit of weight. It should still launch ok.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes, i messed something up! It is a Dreamchaser inspired vehicle sure! :blush: Thought all the time about "pegasus"... Edited November 17, 2015 by Mikki
Typos yeah :)

[Castille7]

Neat little design, looks like a nuke would take it pretty far.

[Mikki]

[quote name='castille7']Neat little design, looks like a nuke would take it pretty far.[/QUOTE]

I has enough dV to orbit mun, make some maneuver and return to Kerbin by aerocapture i guess... its very lightweight.

[DMSP]

Cool, Downloading!

I may use it as a Laythe Descent Vehicle.

[DMSP]

It has a forward docking port, right?

[Mikki]

Yes, must have one to make a nice dockingmaneuver, and for fuelingup in orbit, its not visible clearly...

[NewTada]

I was pretty intrigued by this craft! I gave it a go and I found this:

1. Stock lifter design is not great. It is way OP, maybe skipper instead of mainsail?

2. It was tending to flip pretty bad - I had to change the fins for some bigger, better ones

3. I added struts to hold shuttle more steady

 

Once I got into orbit things were pretty sweet! I havent tried docking yet, but I´m sure it would work. Actually you have enough fuel to fly to Mün and make decent orbit, maybe even dock to station. That would be a great addition to its capabilities, if it would be capable rotating crews between Mün and Kerbin orbits. I love the simplicity of the design and low part count, it will be no problem to use it as escape pod for space stations and such aplications. I will gladly integrate it into my fleet!

 

I look forward to more crafts from you!

[Mikki]

7 hours ago, NewTada said:

I was pretty intrigued by this craft! I gave it a go and I found this:

1. Stock lifter design is not great. It is way OP, maybe skipper instead of mainsail?

2. It was tending to flip pretty bad - I had to change the fins for some bigger, better ones

3. I added struts to hold shuttle more steady

snipped

@NewTada

1. true 
2. never noticed any flipping, SAS should be on all the time however (I just watched the screenshot, it doesn`t even need SAS to descend nicely...?), airbrake mode Pitch true (?), maybe with the frontfuel tank depleted first it flips... i cannot remember. It really did not flip while i flew this, hardtested.
3. go ahead! How can struts keep a tiny craft more steady?

I confess using KJR, yes. Guilty by any means .

I added a warning to the Craft description, maybe when the RCS is full and the LFO is depleted it gets flippy... Not intendet really.

Greetings Mikki

Edited December 12, 2015 by Mikki

[Mikki]

8 hours ago, NewTada said:

I was pretty intrigued by this craft! I gave it a go and I found this:

1. Stock lifter design is not great. It is way OP, maybe skipper instead of mainsail?

2. It was tending to flip pretty bad - I had to change the fins for some bigger, better ones

3. I added struts to hold shuttle more steady

 

Once I got into orbit things were pretty sweet! I havent tried docking yet, but I´m sure it would work. Actually you have enough fuel to fly to Mün and make decent orbit, maybe even dock to station. That would be a great addition to its capabilities, if it would be capable rotating crews between Mün and Kerbin orbits. I love the simplicity of the design and low part count, it will be no problem to use it as escape pod for space stations and such aplications. I will gladly integrate it into my fleet!

 

I look forward to more crafts from you!

@NewTada

you wanna fool me eh ? I just tested it again, It never makes a unstable flight, even RCS full, LFO empty it flys perfect, CoM way ahead CoL... you can fly to mun, yes.

Greetings Mikki 

I know many crafts in this forum which do not fly as promoted, go ahead and ask these authors... 

Edited December 12, 2015 by Mikki

[NewTada]

It really was flipping like crazy once I get between 6000-12000m, it depended on speed.

 

But with slight tweaks and some careful piloting its now ok.

 

Kinda wonder, if it would be able to land on and get back into orbit of Duna.

[Mikki]

2 hours ago, NewTada said:

I"t really was flipping like crazy once I get between 6000-12000m, it depended on speed.

"As we use to say, we need proof."

As in the mission time in my original post pics you can see i build this for atmospheric descend aswell, there is no flip behave, i really think you just  me mate. I flew it again two times. The dockingport must be faced ahead while landing btw.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Mikki

[Mikki]

4 hours ago, NewTada said:

It really was flipping like crazy once I get between 6000-12000m, it depended on speed. But with slight tweaks and some careful piloting its now ok.
Kinda wonder, if it would be able to land on and get back into orbit of Duna.

@NewTada

Please excuse me NewTada, you are right somehow, it does roll in certain descend angles and speed if a correction must be made... In this forum "flipping" means to pitch uncontrollable up/downwards and then stalling, mostly...
i did not recognize you are maybe a new forummember, again please excuse me again...

You are right, i flew it again and it does indeed tend to roll in flightvector in certain circumstance, but it stabilizes allways by itself... however.

Start your descend at the beginning of the desert, aim forthe KSC, that should let you drop close to it to make a nice steep glide to the runway (if you need to hit the runway anyway).

And welcome to the forums!

Edited December 12, 2015 by Mikki

[NewTada]

I had Just problems launching it, but now its all ok with few tweaks...  

 

I just flew it for crew return to my space station - flyes and docks like a drem + it looks quite cool. Definetly my go to craft now!

 

And re-entry - one of the best I´ve seen - perfect stability even without SAS on! No problems with overheating when coming from Kerbin orbit! I will use it a whole lot! 

Edited December 12, 2015 by NewTada

[Mikki]

25 minutes ago, NewTada said:

I had Just problems launching it, but now its all ok with few tweaks...  I just flew it for crew return to my space station - flyes and docks like a drem + it looks quite cool. Definetly my go to craft now! And re-entry - one of the best I´ve seen - perfect stability even without SAS on! No problems with overheating when coming from Kerbin orbit! I will use it a whole lot! 

@NewTada

OMG i thought you mean the glider itself all the time! Really sorry but i am a stupid sometimes...
You can make smaller gaps between the lines with shift+enter, if you want to begin a new line in the text editor in this forum!

I wish you happy landings! 

[NewTada]

6 hours ago, Mikki said:

@NewTada

OMG i thought you mean the glider itself all the time! Really sorry but i am a stupid sometimes...
You can make smaller gaps between the lines with shift+enter, if you want to begin a new line in the text editor in this forum!

I wish you happy landings! 

Nono, I was meaning the lifter with shuttle during ascent  I think I will maybe redesign whole lifter...  

And I´m not so new to the game, I just have new forum account  I´m pretty seasoned space plane pilot and Laythe wannabe colonisator (Project BABYLON)