Build the lightest and smallest lifting body - challenge

[TheCardinal]

Like many others i have a fondness for little craft. I'm fascinated by the liftingbody's the NASA developed (and flew in the past).

A nice example in KSP is the WEKA craft by Lunniy Korabl.

After watching a video from Billy Winn Jr. I wondered if it would be possible to create an even smaller and lighter craft than shown in the video. Hence this challenge for everyone: Build the lightest and smallest craft you can think of which can be used as a lifting body for the return journey from a stable orbit around Kerbin. There are three categories: Stock only, stock plus mods and "creative modding". Any craft with cfg modifications of parts (and/or "cheat"-parts) will be placed into the last category. To keep things simple, any addition to stock is considered a mod. If you need MechJeb or any other mod to fly your craft (even for just displaying data) the craft will fall into the stock plus mods category. The product of mass times length times width times height (as displayed by the Engineer's report in the VAB/SPH) will be used as indicator of size and mass but it is not the score of a craft! Rating a craft is a personal opinion as too many parameters are subjective, such as stability. To enter the challenge, submit a craftfile and a picture or a video of the craft.

With this challenge you can show your creative abilities and give others new idea's on how they can build craft, so give it your best!

Above a (recreation of a) craft from Billy Winn Jr.. It's fully stock, has a mass of 5.809 ton and it's dimensions are height 2.9 m, width 4.2 m and length 7.8 m. It's index  is 552. The main disadvantage of this craft is that the cockpit is not heat resistent and usually blows up during reentry.

 

 

 

Stock

• BWJr (552)
• LB2 (933)
•  

Stock plus mods

•  
•  
•  

Creative modding

•  
•  
•  

 

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by TheCardinal

[TheCardinal]

A slightly different design, LB2, a little larger and heavier than the BWJr. It's MDI is 933. Although it's index is double that of the BWJr, it has a lot more functionality and it's more stable. It's able to dock, perform some science experiments and has a deltaV of 2028 ms. The shielded docking port is quite heat resistent and can be used instead of a heatshield.

Edited October 10, 2016 by TheCardinal

[Avonix]

3 hours ago, TheCardinal said:

"The shielded docking port is quite heat resistent and can be used instead of a heatshield."

 

Never knew that, that would have saved my bacon (or kept my kerbals from becoming bacon) many times over. Thanks a bunch for the tip!

[Moarmau5]

Couple questions:

1. Does it need to be manned?

2. Is there any set orbit we should be in prior to re-entry?

3. Does it need to provide thrust while in the atmosphere or can it be a glider?

*Sorry if any of these were covered in the video. I'm not able to watch it at the moment.

[TheCardinal]

10 hours ago, Moarmau5 said:

Couple questions:

1. Does it need to be manned?

2. Is there any set orbit we should be in prior to re-entry?

3. Does it need to provide thrust while in the atmosphere or can it be a glider?

*Sorry if any of these were covered in the video. I'm not able to watch it at the moment.

1. Yes, at least one Kerbal.

2. Any stable orbit outside the atmosphere will do.

3. Your choice. However, you'll need thrust for reëntry.

Edited October 14, 2016 by TheCardinal

[Jonfliesgoats]

Kerbal X has a LB design called the Dreamcatcher that is absolutely tiny.  I like its aesthetics too.  Haven't flown it yet.

https://kerbalx.com/EJ_SA/BRC-Dream-Catcher

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by Jonfliesgoats

[SpacePilotMax]

There's a small-ish difference between the NASA liftingbody and KSP: we don't have ablator tiles.

Edited October 16, 2016 by PilotMax

[Tex_NL]

I've got this tiny, little MicroShuttle as part of my hollow rocket theorem. It is remarkable easy to launch and can ferry 6 Kerbals to and from a 250*250km orbit with ease.

Height 3.0m, width 5.8m, length 9.0m and a mere 8.270 tons without booster.

58.725 tons on the launchpad.


In flight just after booster seperation.

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by Tex_NL

[TheCardinal]

On 16-10-2016 at 8:09 PM, Tex_NL said:

I've got this tiny, little MicroShuttle as part of my hollow rocket theorem. It is remarkable easy to launch and can ferry 6 Kerbals to and from a 250*250km orbit with ease.

Height 3.0m, width 5.8m, length 9.0m and a mere 8.270 tons without booster.

58.725 tons on the launchpad.


In flight just after booster seperation.

 

It sounds good but Apache on your system reports that the files can't be found. Maybe i don't have sufficient authority to see them.

Edited October 18, 2016 by TheCardinal

[Tex_NL]

8 hours ago, TheCardinal said:

You can't link pictures on your own computer. It sounds good, though.

I am NOT some kind of internet n00b. I've been online since the early '90's I KNOW how to post images and links. I tested this forum thread on a different system that has never seen those links before. They showed up without and problem. If the images are not showing that's a problem on your end.

[TheCardinal]

-

Edited October 18, 2016 by TheCardinal

[n.b.z.]

My attempt at resolving a misunderstanding and to prevent bad vibes:

@TheCardinal: I can see Tex_NL's images just fine. He may be linking to his own server (I'm guessing this from the domain name), but he is not linking to his local private file system like some "n00b" would do.

In case you still can't see his images, I would guess that you have an ad-blocker running that thinks that Tex_NL's images are ads...?


OK... that's enough of me trying to act like a mod... I just want this challenge to remain as cool as it is, because I've got an entry coming this way. I've already flown the mission, and just need to compile an album and write some documentation. I should be posting my submission later today.

Spoiler-Teaser: considering we're doing lifting bodies here, I am seeing too many lifting surfaces for my personal taste. I do understand the desire to be able to actually, you know, control your craft, but every aerodynamic control surface is a "wing" in KSP, providing lift when moving through an atmosphere with an angle-of-attack.

Not to speak of Tex_NL, who possesses the brazen audacity to mount actual wings on his MicroShuttle! Sir, that is a very nice vehicle you have there, but in my book that's a powered glider and not a lifting body!

[ChaoticPheonix]

Weight: 3.8 tonnes (Without Booster) | 90 tonnes (With Booster), Height: 2.6m, Width: 4.1m, Length: 6.8m

Took inspiration from @Tex_NL for the booster, hope you don't mind. I love the design.

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by ChaoticPheonix
Wrong person mentioned

[TheCardinal]

5 hours ago, n.b.z. said:

My attempt at resolving a misunderstanding and to prevent bad vibes:

@TheCardinal: I can see Tex_NL's images just fine. He may be linking to his own server (I'm guessing this from the domain name), but he is not linking to his local private file system like some "n00b" would do.

In case you still can't see his images, I would guess that you have an ad-blocker running that thinks that Tex_NL's images are ads...?


OK... that's enough of me trying to act like a mod... I just want this challenge to remain as cool as it is, because I've got an entry coming this way. I've already flown the mission, and just need to compile an album and write some documentation. I should be posting my submission later today.

Spoiler-Teaser: considering we're doing lifting bodies here, I am seeing too many lifting surfaces for my personal taste. I do understand the desire to be able to actually, you know, control your craft, but every aerodynamic control surface is a "wing" in KSP, providing lift when moving through an atmosphere with an angle-of-attack.

Not to speak of Tex_NL, who possesses the brazen audacity to mount actual wings on his MicroShuttle! Sir, that is a very nice vehicle you have there, but in my book that's a powered glider and not a lifting body!

Wise words which i took to heart.

[n.b.z.]

My challenge submission:

The Bonkers Bonsai

A lifting body SSTO plane

            
            
Flown for this mission by none less than Valentina herself!

And if you know Valentina well, you will know that she needs none of them old-fashioned planks, or some weirdo flappy bits, on her vessel.

Not when she's going to spaaaacee!
 

Mass:     8.110 t

Height:   2.6 m
Width:    3.8 m
Length:   7.4 m

Size And Mass Indicator™: 592.93832, rounded: 593
Challenge Category: Stock Only
 

(I suspect that the rating for the handling will be utterly atrocious... just in case any test pilot survives and can provide one, that is.)

Clipping disclosure: there is a 0.625m cone attached to the rear node of the Rapier, then moved into it with editor gizmos.
Also, if the weight sounds suspicious, note that I'm not filling the OX tanks to full capacity.

Notable features... or rather... notably absent features: no wings, no fins, no control surfaces.
 

This contraption uses ONLY reaction wheel torque and engine gimbal for control, and ONLY the fuselage parts (the Mk2-parts and the small LF tanks) for lift.

And holy Kraken, that was a lot of work to make this vehicle capable of taking off and landing without exploding every time. But it has now reached a degree of maturity where it usually, mostly, isn't exploding a whole lot. At least not every time.

I only managed to solve landing at these speeds by deploying drogue chutes while still in the air, a few meters above the runway. However, it's still a horizontal landing on wheels.

The entire descent on this mission, from reentry to final approach, was flown in a powerless glide. However, the final approach must be flown under significant power.
 

I will try to get around having to write image captions by posting the detailed flight profile here. Given that, there is a long Imgur album linked at the bottom.

Ascent:

• SAS HOLD, throttle 100% (which will stay there all the way)
• at 100 m/s: try unloading the nose wheel to reduce risk of fiery death
• at 200 m/s: strong pitch-up input to rotate - retract gear - keep pitching to about 50°, and allow SAS to fall back to 45° after stopping pitch-up input
• at 3000 m: SAS PROGRADE (transonic phase begins)
• at 5000 m, and about 400 m/s: SAS HOLD, pitch should be around 25° at that point
• at 10000 m: SAS PROGRADE
• at 15000 m: SAS HOLD, pitch should be around 15° now - allow it to rise from there
• at 25000 m: switch Rapier to rocket mode (the control group also closes the intakes)
• when APOAPSIS > 60000 m: SAS PROGRADE
• when APOAPSIS > 77000 m: Engine Cutoff - Apoapsis is expected to fall back to 75K-ish from there
• at 70000 m: extend solar panel and antenna, plan circularization maneuver and execute as required

Descent:

• Exactly over the center of the large "west continent" crater (marked by the little island), perform RETROGRADE burn to lower periapsis to ZERO
• While still above 70000 m:
  - Retract solar panels and antenna
  - Switch engine to airbreathing and OPEN THE INTAKES - this is important!
  - SAS PROGRADE
• At 50000 m: SAS HOLD - then KEEP HANDS OFF ANYTHING until almost over the mountains west of the KSC. Allow pitch to rise over time
• Approaching the mountains, use TINY control inputs to decrease pitch by about 20°. (Too little pitch gives not enough lift, but too much pitch will cause too much drag!)
• Should be passing over mountains at well above 20000 m, and well over 1000 m/s
• From there, fly visual approach to KSC: maintain some good altitude at first - the powerless subsonic glide will be rather steep!

Final Approach:

• Set engine to about one third throttle for final approach, THEN extend gear
• Stay well above 130 m/s airspeed, going 150 m/s won't hurt
• Fly HORIZONTALLY 5 to 10 m above the runway
• Cut power, IMMEDIATELY deploy drogue chutes, and CLOSE YOUR EYES - whatever happens now... will just happen
• In case you still live, gently apply wheelbrakes. It would be too bad to just roll into that ocean to die, now that you survived THAT touchdown, wouldn't you think?

Link to Imgur album:
http://imgur.com/a/fyURw
No image captions; this post shall suffice.

Craft file:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ephrshvehftnbqq/Bonkers Bonsai.craft?dl=0
This vehicle is not for the feint of heart! You have been warned!

Action groups:

GEAR    Toggle gear + landing lights
LIGHT   Cabin light + vehicle illumination

1       Toggle engine ON / OFF
2       Toggle engine MODE + intakes

6       Toggle solar panel + antenna
7       Park mode: shutdown engine + landing lights OFF

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by n.b.z.
Added category info. (Stock Only.)

[Tex_NL]

Even smaller:

1.5 * 2.5 * 7.7m and just over 5 tons.
I could shave off 20cm from the length by removing the probe core but this also serves as a battery. It has no landing gear so landing has to be done on parachutes.

And I have some ideas to go even smaller than this.
Going even smaller did not turn out that well. Jeb received 11th degree burns and will not be going to space again any time soon.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Tex_NL

[foamyesque]

Pft, fins are for the weak.