[1.0.5] Personalized Shuttle (Stock)

[Shadow dream]

I've been playing KSP for a long time now, and I have enjoyed many of the mods that you guys have shared here. Now I think it's time to share back!

This is the first craft I am uploading. It's based on the shuttle-design, but fitted to my needs. She gets into orbit quite easily and behaves well at reentry. I enjoy the flight much, so I decided to share her with you. Actualy this design here is not 100% what I have been using. I noticed she is lightly mod-dependent, so I decided to make her STOCK before uploading. This ment to replace a KIS container with a fueltank, change the wheels from procedural to stock ones and ... that's it. She's a bit heavier now, but should still perform decently.

 

Action Groups:

Abort - Deploy Chute

1 - Toggle 3 Main Engines

2 - Toggle 2 Assist Engines

3 - Toggle small Cargo Bay + Solar Panels (The panels won't open with the bay closed, just wait for the bay to open then toggele twice to open the panels too)

4 - Toggle large Cargo Bay

 

Get her into Orbit:

1.) Pitch upwards ("S") to about 95°-90° right from the start, or you risk toughing the clamps. Make SAS hold the ship there.

2.) When the SRBs burn out, ditch them, set SAS to Prograde and switch from Surface-mode to Orbit-mode

3.) Stage off the Mainsails when they burn out and keep going Prograde until you reach desired AP. Then stop the Engines.

4.) At AP lift your PE up to 40km and ditch the last tank - except you don't mind debris or need additional dV, then you can keep the extra fuel. Keep burning until you reach desired orbit. (Note: Staging the big tank fires up the 2 Assist Engines! You don't really *need* them, so feel free to press "2" to toggle them off and save fuel.)

 

So far I mainly launch stuff up to a Rockomax Jumbo-64 into Orbit, which means about 40t of payload. (With support of that Jumbo-64 it's enough dV to visit Mun!) If you can fit in more, feel free. She should be capable of taking the punishment! If you have managed to overload her, just make sure that all three Main Engines fire on launch (instead of only 2 now). A few seconds just before the SRBs burn out are the most critical because when fully loaded she risks to run out of torque to counter the SRBs. The third engine (or maybe even the Assist Engines) should be enough to counter that.

Talking about that Jumbo-64: I have added two Subassemblies into this pack. One is said Jumbo, outfitted with Docking ports of 2.5m and 1.25m, a Probe to prevent "debris-ing off", batteries for easier docking and landing legs. To those who remember Scott Manley's 100% reuseable Space program, build your own spider and start mining Mun! The other Subassemblie is the same thing but with a Rockomax 32 tank (both can be seen in the album). This leaves some space in the shuttle i.e to bring a satelite with you, or SCIENCE!

 

Download:

Download Buran Kai (Stock)

 

Here are some screenshots:

http://imgur.com/a/0sKP0

 

Edit: Due to popular demand, I have tested a version without additional Reaction Wheels on the Launch Tanks. You can simply remove them ingame and save the craft. Here's a copy-paste from a future post:

I have done a few flights to test the behaviour without the reaction wheels. My Conclusion: The more you load in, the more I recommend to use the third Main Engine from the start on. I have done an empty flight without any other change than to remove the RWs. Went straight to Mun (circular at 10km) and back. Then I did one with a Jumbo loaded, same config. I had to turn on the Assist Engines to prevent her from pitching over - the SRBs get too powerful with the shifted CoM. She almost fell over, luckily the SRBs depleded before that. But any more mass might make that dangerous - so be sure to launch that third engine early on! Just keep an eye on your AP and don't pitch too much at start (rather 95° than 90°).

Cheers!

Edited July 31, 2016 by Shadow dream
Typo

[selfish_meme]

Thats a lot of reaction wheels 

[Matuchkin]

I think the wings here are too large. Perhaps remove the little stub at the end of each one? Otherwise, amazing shuttle.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Matuchkin

[Red Dwarf]

That's some impressive work you've done there! I'm amazed you have the delta-v to get all of that out to the Mun.

Just a thought, but I bet you could drop some of those reaction wheels on you boosters if you angled the Vectors. Personally, I hate doing that, cause it's really finicky to get right, but once you do, it'll practically fly itself!

[Shadow dream]

Thanks for your comments!

I have done a few flights to test the behaviour without the reaction wheels. My Conclusion: The more you load in, the more I recommend to use the third Main Engine from the start on. I have done an empty flight without any other change than to remove the RWs. Went straight to Mun (circular at 10km) and back. Then I did one with a Jumbo loaded, same config. I had to turn on the Assist Engines to prevent her from pitching over - the SRBs get too powerful with the shifted CoM. She almost fell over, luckily the SRBs depleded before that. But any more mass might make that dangerous - so be sure to launch that third engine early on!

Oh and by the way, I noticed that you can safe fuel when switching to Orbital-mode when the SRBs burn out, instead of at 20km as I posted above. Just keep an eye on your AP and don't pitch too much at start (rather 95° than 90°).

Edited July 31, 2016 by Shadow dream
Typo