Advanced Space Shuttle Orbiter w/ Launch Stack (All Stock)

[Rocketology]

Anyone that watches my stream knows I am more a spaceplane SSTO guy than a shuttle guy, but for you shuttle lovers out there, I think you will like this. It is not meant to be a NASA STS analogue but more a Kerbal version of what STS 2.0 could be. It is stock, but so much easier to fly using Atmospheric Autopilot in Rocket Mode as stock SAS has a major issue of over-correcting itself into a never ending oscillating roll. Or, with enough practice, pure manual flight.
It can put more than 50 metric tons into a 250KM orbit and return. It can re-enter stable with 50+ tons of cargo as well, but you will need to practice approach and landing as it doesn't want to slow down and you have to keep about 3 times the velocity vs. empty on approach in order to flare properly. 

I created this and many other vessels on my stream https://go.twitch.tv/rocketpcgaming

Here is the Advanced Orbiter + Stack: https://kerbalx.com/rocketpcgaming/Advanced-Orbiter-+-Stack

(The mod Kronal Vessel Viewer takes the blueprint screen shots.)

[Rocketology]

Much better images here:

[Aerospike]

Beautiful!

[NSEP]

It has this Sci-Fi sorta look to it that makes it 100 times better than the real shuttle.

Awesome build!

[MacLeod-Industries]

Gorgeous! It looks so frigging awesome.

I especially like how clean the boosters are, considering stock lacks large radius SRBs.

How well does it fly?

Honestly I'm almost temped to download it.

[Rocketology]

3 hours ago, MacLeod-Industries said:

Gorgeous! It looks so frigging awesome.

I especially like how clean the boosters are, considering stock lacks large radius SRBs.

How well does it fly?

Honestly I'm almost temped to download it.

It flies great if you don't use SAS for the reasons stated above. I tried to balance it out but since the SRB's do not gimbal and the only reaction wheels on it are in the cockpit and probe core but SAS excessively over corrects into complete loss. It is easier to fly manually, especially if you have a joystick or if you use Atmospheric Autopilot. Aero-control surfaces are inactive on ascent so you have to remember to program them prior to re-entry. Roll and pitch are completely controlled by the Vectors/ cockpit reaction wheels. (I rarely use extra reaction wheels on my vehicles unless it's a VTOL as you don't have much choice.)
The SRB's are actually 9 Kickbacks on both sides as it's the only way to get enough power to balance the 3 Vector's. The SRB's are thrust limited, off-set in pairs, so it mimics thrust trail-off and makes the control much easier as they start to burnout just as loss of fuel mass starts to push TWR over powering the Vectors. It is set for max payload so you would need to re-tune based on payload mass. I plan on making them sub-assemblies tuned for different weight classes to make that easier.
Re-entry, even from 250KM is uneventful and has great cross-range ability if empty. Re-entry at max payload is also smooth, but you have to re-enter with a higher AoA or you won't slow down and cross-range ability is obviously less and requires a more "shuttle" like high speed approach in order to be able to flare.

[Rocketology]

Here is the max envelope flight sequence:

Ready for lift-off! (Has 3 full large ore tanks totaling 51 tons of payload.) It really needs a launch tower....

And we have lift-off!

Pitch and roll maneuver! (Arguably the most difficult part of the ascent due to CoM off-set and non-gimbaling SRB's.)

Clean booster separation!

Secondary roll complete!

MECO and ET separation!

Aerospikes burning for orbital insertion! (Aerospikes don't gimbal either, the upper set are angled to 10 degrees above horizontal and the lower set to 5 degrees.)

And we have orbit at ~250KM! Go for payload deploy! 

Preparation for reentry burn!

 

We have contact with the atmosphere! (Plasma trail by Reentry Particle Effect mod.)

 

Finally slowing down! And right on trajectory!

 

Pattern approach! (Always aim for a slight overshoot and do a pattern approach, much easier to correct than an undershoot, especially if unpowered like this.)

 

On the base leg preparing for final approach!

 

On final!

 

Wheel Stop!

 

Top down view showing her sleek lines!

 

Baby Got Back!

 

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2017 by RocketPCGaming
I can't spell!

[linuxgurugamer]

Very nice.

Too bad I'm not a shuttle guy

[Rocketology]

7 hours ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Very nice.

Too bad I'm not a shuttle guy

I am not a shuttle guy either, I prefer SSTO's for low orbit but this was an idea floating in my brain for a while and since many do like shuttles, why not make a better one? Plus they are more of an engineering challenge.

[fourfa]

Love it

[septemberWaves]

A very nice design, especially the shape of the wings. And 51 tonnes is a rather impressive payload capacity for a shuttle.

By the way, for forum posts which have images followed immediately by text, it's usually best to hit Enter right after the image so that the text doesn't jump down so far. Just makes it a bit easier to read and to follow the post.

[Rocketology]

On 10/6/2017 at 4:33 PM, eloquentJane said:

A very nice design, especially the shape of the wings. And 51 tonnes is a rather impressive payload capacity for a shuttle.

By the way, for forum posts which have images followed immediately by text, it's usually best to hit Enter right after the image so that the text doesn't jump down so far. Just makes it a bit easier to read and to follow the post.

I need to remember my monitor is ultra-wide so for me all of the text is next to the image. Thanks for the reminder!

Edited October 11, 2017 by RocketPCGaming
Because I can't spell!