The RSS SSTO Challenge!

[HiAmerica]

You ever wonder, "Gee, why don't we have SSTO's IRL?"

Well, here's my challenge to you.

Install RSS, and any other mods you choose.   (No cheaty ones)

Make an SSTO.

Fly said SSTO.

Post pics or video here.

Best of luck, the best submission will get featured on my YouTube channel.

[Matuchkin]

I think I did that once. I'll see on the march break...

[winged]

What about Single Stage to Jupiter and back? With 15870 m/s delta V and free return trajectory it should be enough to accomplish such mission.

 

Powered by 24(?) RD0120 engines from Energia and single nuclear engine.

 

Here is reusable version with heatshield. This time I used 24 or 28 RS-25 engines. 4200 t launch mass or so. Obviously 33m heatshield makes it so heavy that probably only Earth - Mars - Earth trajectory with no useful payload is feasible.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2016 by winged

[HiAmerica]

1 hour ago, winged said:

What about Single Stage to Jupiter and back? With 15870 m/s delta V and free return trajectory it should be enough to accomplish such mission.

 

Powered by 24(?) RD0120 engines from Energia and single nuclear engine.

 

Here is reusable version with heatshield. This time I used 24 or 28 RS-25 engines. 4200 t launch mass or so. Obviously 33m heatshield makes it so heavy that probably only Earth - Mars - Earth trajectory with no useful payload is feasible.

 

 

Uuh 

Wow.

[KerbonautInTraining]

22 hours ago, winged said:

What about Single Stage to Jupiter and back? With 15870 m/s delta V and free return trajectory it should be enough to accomplish such mission.

Powered by 24(?) RD0120 engines from Energia and single nuclear engine.

Mein Gott

How high would the G forces get if you just let it plow to orbit at full thrust?

[winged]

1 hour ago, KerbonautInTraining said:

How high would the G forces get if you just let it plow to orbit at full thrust?

20-25 G

[KerbonautInTraining]

1 hour ago, winged said:

20-25 G

Jeebus. 

That thing would make for one hell of a lower stage.

[Nich]

Is this really possible in RSS I cant even make an SSTO in the tiny kerbal universe with 15km dv

[regex]

1 hour ago, Nich said:

Is this really possible in RSS I cant even make an SSTO in the tiny kerbal universe with 15km dv

That's because on Kerbin everything is way heavier than it actually should be to make things ~difficult~ ("game balance", something the real world does not care one whit about).  Remember that in the real world you need some 9.5km/s just to get to orbit.  Another 4.2km/s or so will transfer you to Mars or Venus.  Compare that to some 3.5km/s to orbit on Kerbin and ~1.1km/s transfer to Duna or Eve.

Edited March 10, 2016 by regex

[winged]

1 hour ago, Nich said:

Is this really possible in RSS I cant even make an SSTO in the tiny kerbal universe with 15km dv

As you can see it is possible in RSS. One of the biggest differencies between RO and stock KSP is wet/dry mass ratio for tanks and engines isp - both are (realistically) better in RO.

If you don't believe, look at the 10th picture in my first album:

-delta V expended: 9682m/s

-delta V left: 6192m/s

Edited March 10, 2016 by winged

[KerbonautInTraining]

@winged 

How much LH2 is left in that 10th screenshot? It looks to be quite a bit 

Nevermind, I saw the full/empty mass. 180t to LEO seems pretty dang good.

Edited March 11, 2016 by KerbonautInTraining

[Nich]

I thought I saw that 4% payload fraction was the best you can do in RSS and that is with a staged rocket

[winged]

6 % is achievable with baloon tanks and staging.