[STOCK] The Space-Turkey

[Corona688]

By using ramjets instead of solids to boost during the atmosphere, I\'ve been able to shrink my moon rockets dramatically and get there with more fuel than ever.

Added image attachments since my host is down(literally, hit by a power surge)

I made it to Minmus and back with it.

How to launch:

Throttle up to 100%, launch, wait for the ramjets to throttle up, then hit the boosters.

[Corona688]

5 downloads and no comments?

[shhhilent1]

It looks... interesting.

[closette]

Make that 6 downloads and I like it - a nice introduction to ramjets for those who just upgraded from the free version. It seems to be fairly efficient on ascent as well. Not knowing much about ramjets, I\'m guessing that you arranged for these to run out of fuel right around the altitude where they lose effectiveness anyway? (About 18000m I think).

[closette]

Ok tried it some more and have some feedback.

- The parachutes on the engines are a nice touch but they are destroyed anyway, so not necessary.

- As you promised, there was plenty of fuel left over once in orbit. It took me a while to make a Minmus-matching orbit, making lots of incorrectly oriented burns, but I still had some main engine fuel left until final descent. Speaking of which...

- Controlling the lander was a pain, in fact I crashed on Minmus. I would relocate the ASAS module to the lander stage above the tank. That should damp out any (my) control inputs to keep the landings vertical.

- I would also relocate the topmost stack decoupler to below the RCS tank, not above it. That way you can get back to Kerbin with a pod+RCS 'lifeboat'. As long as you retrofire or land in the ocean when arriving home, the crew will survive.

- I might add a second RCS tank since I used up most of the RCS fuel doing maneuvers in orbit, since the rotational inertia of the main engine stage is quite large (i.e. slow to change direction without RCS help)

Otherwise, as I said above, a very nice introduction to the advantages of ramjets as low-altitude boosters!

If you would like to make some of these suggested changes, please reply with the new .craft file. And post your craft to the 'stock' spacecraft exchange thread in the Exchange forum if you want more people to try it.

[Corona688]

I\'m guessing that you arranged for these to run out of fuel right around the altitude where they lose effectiveness anyway? (About 18000m I think).

Close to it, yes. If you want to be finicky, if you fly up with the green circle at the 45 degree mark, it runs out slightly before instead of slightly after that point. I\'m not sure if this is really an improvement however.

Ok tried it some more and have some feedback.

- The parachutes on the engines are a nice touch but they are destroyed anyway, so not necessary.

I\'ve got some debris in the ocean from landed engines from when I was playing with the ramjet-booster concept at low altitudes. Theoretically, they can survive. In practice, you\'re so far away from them by the time they splashdown, the game just declares them dead.

More importantly however... The ring-o-chutes looks fantastic

- As you promised, there was plenty of fuel left over once in orbit. It took me a while to make a Minmus-matching orbit, making lots of incorrectly oriented burns, but I still had some main engine fuel left until final descent.

I actually crashed on Minmus with 1.5 tanks of fuel left. (RCS fine-tuning the approach probably saved a bunch.) A better pilot than me could\'ve actually landed on the main engines. Sadly a master pilot I am not, but I am quick on the spacebar and managed to land the pod itself. (See the debris behind.)

- Controlling the lander was a pain, in fact I crashed on Minmus.

There\'s a reason I gave it six legs yes. I can lose up to two and still not tip

I would relocate the ASAS module to the lander stage above the tank. That should damp out any (my) control inputs to keep the landings vertical.

Putting any more weight on that tiny engine cuts thrust down a LOT. Landing might in fact be easier, but you\'ll use more fuel, and might not make it home.

Maybe if you moved the RCS fuel and thrusters to the main stage...

- I would also relocate the topmost stack decoupler to below the RCS tank, not above it. That way you can get back to Kerbin with a pod+RCS 'lifeboat'. As long as you retrofire or land in the ocean when arriving home, the crew will survive.

Hmmm. Perhaps RCS is all that\'s necessary to land on puny Minmus. Worth a shot.

If you would like to make some of these suggested changes, please reply with the new .craft file. And post your craft to the 'stock' spacecraft exchange thread in the Exchange forum if you want more people to try it.

I shall see what I can do, sir. Thank you.

[Corona688]

Ohhh, I see what you mean...

Mass of coupler: 0.8

Mass of RCS fuel: 0.9

Might as well ditch the coupler and move RCS there.

[Corona688]

The Turkey has landed! ALL of it. (Well, 90%.)

Three linear RCS thrusters near the bottom give it enough oomph to manhandle the main engines into falling straight. And look how much fuel\'s left! Just ignore the broken engines...

SAS has also been moved up to the top, and the coupler removed, as suggested.

[closette]

Kind of you to incorporate my suggestions - it\'s a great craft, and exciting to fly. I also appreciate having the extra fuel for messing around trying to get to the perfect spot on the Mun and Minmus.