The SpaceJet

[CitizenAerospace]

[CENTER][SIZE=5][B][SIZE=6]The Space Jet [/SIZE]
[/B][/SIZE][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/fstMmNZ.png[/IMG][/CENTER]
The SpaceJet is a 1 Kerbal, Munar-surface-capable spaceplane. In constructing the SpaceJet (It went through 12 design iterations before I arrived on this final product) I had three main goals:
1. 2km/s of DV at a 100km orbit (without refuelling).
2. Aesthetically pleasing design
3. Get into orbit in under eight minutes.

You've probably noticed by now that none of these goals mention docking. And that's because this thing doesn't have a docking port. Not that this means you can't rendv with a station: I've done that multiple times. The reason this thing doesn't have a docking port is three-fold: One, it looks better, Two, it's got less drag, and Three, all of my stations have claw modules. I'm surprised more people don't do this, really. You can set the heavy docking equipment up on the station and leave the vehicle lighter. It also makes docking easier.


What I ended up with, after 12 iterations of the design (The SpaceJet here looks vastly different then the first one 0.o), is a spaceplane that is capable of landing on the Mun and (quite possibly) returning back to orbit. I stress the [B]quite possibly [/B]part because I managed to land it on the Mun after an inefficient Kerbin orbit, inefficient Munar injection, very inefficient Munar orbit and a very inefficient Munar landing. The first two are because I'm a bad pilot, the third is because the Kraken attacked my SAS and I spent a lot of time burning not burning prograde until I had the sense to turn my SAS off and on, and finally an inefficient landing because I was nervous about the low TWR of the Nerva (Again, because I'm a bad pilot). Despite all of this, I still had enough fuel to take off again and reach 150m/s after landing, so I imagine that you could *just* barely get back into orbit with mad piloting skillz.

[B]Flying Instructions[/B]
Making orbit is seriously easy; just point at 25-30 degrees up (probably lower then that would be good, I'm not the best pilot though). A tiny bit of kick from the rocket-RAPIERS will happen for half a minute or so before the oxidiser burns up. Then switch to the NERVA to fly the rest of the way to orbit and beyond! Technically this thing can get to a low Duna orbit, but i'm a horrible pilot and as such rarely fly past the Kerbin SOI (Despite having played KSP for almost 2 years... I'm getting there though. Besides, there is a ton of fun to had in the Kerbin SOI.)
Action Groups
[1] RAPIERS
[2] NERVA
Easy!

[B]Post-Note[/B]
You've been warned: this thing has 0 functionality. It doesn't take a cargo, it doesn't take science and it only takes 1 Kerbal. Unless you count fun as a function, this thing is useless.
Kind of like the Lamborghini of spaceplanes. Except not as good looking.
If you want the craft file, comment for it below.
[CENTER][imgur]oX1Ll[/imgur][/CENTER]

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

Great work! SSTOs that can travel to the Mun are very hard to build.

[X9Squared]

[quote name='Mad Rocket Scientist']Great work! SSTOs that can travel to the Mun are very hard to build.[/QUOTE]

Don't forget flying them... such a pain to land...

[CitizenAerospace]

[quote name='Mad Rocket Scientist']Great work! SSTOs that can travel to the Mun are very hard to build.[/QUOTE]

Thanks :D I got stuck in the tyranny of the Rocket Equation when I tried to stick with Rapiers alone.. the plane kept getting bigger, which meant bigger wings, which meant more fuel, which meant more motors... I just decided to bite the bullet and go with a NERVA in the end...

Now I just need to try and make a useful one :D

[quote name='X9Squared']Don't forget flying them... such a pain to land...[/QUOTE]

I presume you mean landing on the Mun? This one isn't too bad, although the TWR is only like a little over 2 or something when you go in for a landing so that does require a fair bit of foresight.

If you're talking about re-entry back to Kerbin... ooooh yes, not easy. You need to skim the surface of the atmosphere (50km or something ridiculous) and just keep doing that multiple times until you come in for landing.

Planes are very easy to overheat :huh: