TA-28VN "Fidget". Stock VTOL-SSTO for crew rotation on low orbit space stations.

[Ajiko]

Ok, guys, I did something especial for you. After the years of hard work - ummm, ok, months of hard work - I presented the "Fidget".

It doesn't a spaceplane which broken dV barriers, which can fly to the Eeloo, or did something similar. No, it's a workhorse. Cabotage ship, to orbit and back. But - with style, comfort, and without any recovery. Just refuel it, and fly to orbit again.

Characteristics

Ship class	Spaceplane
Wet mass	31 494 kg
Dry mass	19 994 kg
Part count	73
Cost	79 807 ker$
Engines	2 JX-4 Whiplash 3 J-404 Panther 1 T-1 Aerospike Dart 1 LV-N Nerv
Fuel mass fraction:	36.5%
Crew	1 pilot, 2 passengers
Max atmo speed on ramjets	1450 m/s

For vertical takeoff and landing used a group of Panther's, no LFOx engines. Transfer of center of mass close to zero for all flight time. Powerful RCS, reaction wheel, and good classic aerodinamic scheme did it stable on reentry, stable on vertical takeoff and landing and highly maneuverable (for spaceplane, I mean).

dV reserves on orbit - 150-200 m/s for Aerospike, plus 500-700 m/s for LV-N, so it more than enough to reach space station on low orbit, docks with it, and returns to Kerbin with good Lf (and Ox) reserve to vertical landing. Runway doesn't needed more.

Of course, its pure stock.

Some more pictures:

Full album:

Album a/5Ht1o will appear when post is submitted

Download craft from KerbalX: https://kerbalx.com/Ajiko/TA-28VN-Fidget

Flight profile and some notifications on the page of craft on KerbalX.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Ajiko

[sevenperforce]

This is tremendous. I love it.

Now to figure out a way to get a simple, reengageable bearing so that you can rotate your main engines for that VTOL and save on mass....

[Rocket In My Pocket]

2 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

This is tremendous. I love it.

Now to figure out a way to get a simple, reengageable bearing so that you can rotate your main engines for that VTOL and save on mass....

Same, I love the styling and look of it! Very unique.

I agree about the swing engine, that'd be pretty impressive for an SSTO!

(I have a working swing engine plane, but it certainly doesn't go to space!)

[Ajiko]

11 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

Now to figure out a way to get a simple, reengageable bearing so that you can rotate your main engines for that VTOL and save on mass....

Whats a million-ker$ question.

You forget what besides to be a simple and reengageable - hinge also must be light, kraken-free, and have the low part count. It's one of the reasons why I construct SSTO-VTOL's for low orbital flights only.

 

But, is it really required to? After you reaches stable orbit - I found no obstacles to refuel SSTO through the orbital infrastructure. I mean, it isn't a separate goal, it just the one way to increase dV reserves.

The point, which I seems to be more important for comfort-to-fly VTOL-SSTO - maybe Minmus, with landing (vertical landing, of course ), and I think it's achieveable.