Practical (mod) Eve SSTO?

[PocketBrotector]

Just now, Sharpy said:

Aren't these tanks really lousy against atmospheric heating?

Not sure. I've used them unshielded on Kerbin launches without issue but never tried reentry with them, let alone on Eve. But if you're willing to put up with boil-off, you could just use a regular lifter tank without active refrigeration. Ascent shouldn't take more than a few minutes, and not much propellant would leak out in that time. You would still either refrigerated tanks to store the liquid hydrogen prior to refueling, or the converter capacity and ore storage to produce it faster than it could boil off.

[Kergarin]

On 6.12.2016 at 11:13 AM, Sharpy said:

@Kergarin managed a stock Eve SSTO; a monstrosity of 8 Mammoths and nearly 1500 tons. To work, it needs to land on, and start from the highest peak of Eve. It's an impressive feat, but hardly practical.

...

Have you seen the small version too? It's also launching from a lower landing site.

Maybe you can build something based on this, or split it into a two stage version?

Good luck 

 

Edited December 11, 2016 by Kergarin

[Sharpy]

2 hours ago, Kergarin said:

Have you seen the small version too? It's also launching from a lower landing site.

Maybe you can build something based on this, or split it into a two stage version?

Good luck 

 

Whoa, nice! Zilch payload again makes it unpractical again, but that's certainly a design I could work with.  Say, give lower booster a pair of wings to glide 'back home' using FMRS... Or launch from the blimp with non-token payload (but damn, returning that could be tricky...

[Kergarin]

21 hours ago, Sharpy said:

Whoa, nice! Zilch payload again makes it unpractical again, but that's certainly a design I could work with.  Say, give lower booster a pair of wings to glide 'back home' using FMRS... Or launch from the blimp with non-token payload (but damn, returning that could be tricky...

Thanks

 

I don't have time to try this, but I would start adding some vector powered boosters/drop tanks, if you want to increase payload.