Pointing correct end towards space... (the upside-down rocket)

[Xyphos]

So, the loading hint gave me an idea: the upside-down rocket.

basically, you build your rocket, then flip it upside-down and add the sub-orbital launch stage. since your rocket widens at it's bottom (now the top) it's a perfect spot for radially-attached engines for sub-orbital flight. all you need to do is add a fairing/nosecone to your main engine and viola!

the reason for doing all this, is you won't need to flip your vessel over for the circulation burn, as it will naturally point in the correct direction.

not sure how useful this is, but it was still fun to test.

Spoiler

 

[Snark]

Certainly you could have fun with it, but a few practical considerations:

1. You could attach the radial boosters to the wide part anyway, even for a right-side-up aircraft.
2. It would likely be more aerodynamically stable that way, since the heavy core stack would be farther forward, with the lightweight (as they burn fuel) radial boosters far behind.
3. Doing it the regular right-side-up way removes the need for the fairing.
4. You're also going to have a screwy, brain-bending experience with the nav-ball pointing the opposite way to what you're used to, unless you mount a right-side-up probe core somewhere.
5. Is it really that much of a chore to point your rocket the right way for a circularization burn, when you have several minutes to get ready?

[cubinator]

18 minutes ago, Snark said:

practical

This thread is about upside down rockets. Practicality is light years from the objective here!

I made an upside-down rocket once, just for the fun of it. And it was fun!

[p1t1o]

I don't get how this points your rocket on the right direction, I've never had to do a 180 flip to circularise after launch...?

Edited May 21, 2016 by p1t1o

[Xyphos]

20 minutes ago, p1t1o said:

I don't get how this points your rocket on the right direction, I've never had to do a 180 flip to circularise after launch...?

It depends on the rocket and how you launch it, actually.
most of my rockets fly straight up for the first 10k just to get a reduced drag and increased ISP then start to gravity turn, with an end-turn of -15* and finish out at ~500KM which enables better time warps.
using that launch profile, my AP usually ends up on the opposite side of KSC and require a filp-over.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Xyphos

[Venusgate]

This is kind of my lay way to design station launches. The problem with dragging your load, however, instead of pushing it, is your thinnest part will dangle like a tail if you don't strut the heck out of everything.

[Jovus]

On 5/21/2016 at 9:18 PM, Xyphos said:

It depends on the rocket and how you launch it, actually.
most of my rockets fly straight up for the first 10k just to get a reduced drag and increased ISP then start to gravity turn, with an end-turn of -15* and finish out at ~500KM which enables better time warps.

No! It hurts! Someone make the bad man stop!

 

Much more seriously, whatever works for you. Just checking, though: you know this is horribly inefficient, right?

[Xyphos]

27 minutes ago, Jovus said:

you know this is horribly inefficient, right?

be it rocket design or rule 34, whatever gets it up there.

[Superfluous J]

I've never done this in particular but several times I've found it easier to launch a ship upside-down. Sadly, I can't think of a good example right now but it's not THAT hard, and in my case at least it was more efficient to do it that way than any other way. Any other way than rebuilding the payload, of course

Though I made sure I was well on my way to orbit (Ap out of the atmosphere and Pe near the ground if not above it) when I had to do the flipping. Don't want to be rushed during that step of the sequence.

[Mjarf]

I can see how it works when you launch the way you do, but I don't see it working when doing a more aggressive gravity turn. I do the circularization burn about 1/4 around the planet, so it's a 90 degree rotation at most before the burn. I guess aerodynamic drag is less of an issue for me as I tend to grossly oversize my first stage anyway.

[JoeNapalm]

 

I sometimes use this technique...but you have to watch your staging:

This did not end well.

Chad and Philman put the black stripe on my Duna ribbon.

 

-Jn-

Edited May 23, 2016 by JoeNapalm

[The Optimist]

7 hours ago, Xyphos said:

be it rocket design or rule 34, whatever gets it up there.

ick

[Mjarf]

That screencap pretty much sums up KSP.