I had a thought today.

[Whackjob]

Remember the big rover?

I thought I should take some time to attempt a newer version.  A larger one.  One that I actually took somewhere interesting.

But, I had a thought.  Why not not just a big rover?  What if it was a spaceplane?  What if it was an SSTO?  What if I put a refinery on it?  I have started testing large landing gear assemblies.  Per my usual proclivities I will keep it stock.

Friends, you know how my life is like, these days, so I feel like I can promise you nothing in the long term.  It could evaporate again in the fuzzy see of other greater responsibilities.

I will try.

[Mikki]

.. i have prepared myself for this occasion, go ahead...

Edit: Your thoughts have allways been appreciated in this forum, i highly suggest newcomers to follow this thread with appropriate selfprotection, ... and take out your sunglasses.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Mikki

[Whackjob]

Hallo, Mikki!

Wing construction has begun.  Barely.  Come see the mass inherent in the system!  Do you see it oppressing me?!

The only reason that appears airborne is because it was doing 200m/s and the end of the runway dropped sharply.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Whackjob

[Mikki]

... Whack is Back!

Hi Mr. Whackjob, yeah i can see the nifty engineering and the megalomanic assembly work of Kerbals... hold on, i have a cat in my shrappnel pants... okay, i really wonder what is your targ errm destination for this mahhvelous air... craft...? You want to go to Laythe, true? Confess!

Edit: Elevons Whack... ELEVONS!... and struts!

Edited May 11, 2018 by Mikki

[Whackjob]

I may very well have to create something more powerful than just elevons.  I'm considering setting up a control group of mainsails in lieu of elevons.  There's also the possibility of vernor thrusters, a dozen or so in each cluster.  

[Mikki]

27 minutes ago, Whackjob said:

I may very well have to create something more powerful than just elevons.  I'm considering setting up a control group of mainsails in lieu of elevons.  There's also the possibility of vernor thrusters, a dozen or so in each cluster.  

Oh-okay....I live near a bombshelter .

I see no problems doing so.

(I see you have revived the crew again, or are these copy-paste screencaps to disguise their unpresent-ness...?)

Edit: I have the impression the vessel you`re building would be called most accuratly as a "tank-plane-rocket"... is it?

Edited May 11, 2018 by Mikki

[Whackjob]

I'd call it a rover, if anything.  It just happens to, I hope anyway, have SSTO and refinery capability.   I'm putting it down for the night, but here's what I ended up at.

I was unable to get her airborne.  I'm not surprised, I've got a lot more wing to build.  The overall structure of it, the wings will comprise the "top" layer, and the rest will hang below.  Kind of like old-time planes... the fuselage center of mass is below the primary wing.  This should give me a little extra stability.  The engines in the front are purely for braking.  I really don't think the wheels braking alone will cut it.

To pick up another night.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Whackjob

[Gargamel]

I saw the thread title, and thought, "Oh god help us".

Firefox slowed to a crawl and somehow got a red colored clock in the corner viewing this thread. 

Looking forward to this.....

It looks like a 747 mated with a blimp hanger and traded in the roof tiles for rocket engines.....

[Majorjim!]

3 hours ago, Whackjob said:

I may very well have to create something more powerful than just elevons.  I'm considering setting up a control group of mainsails in lieu of elevons.  There's also the possibility of vernor thrusters, a dozen or so in each cluster.  

Launch it like a rocket.

[GrouchyDevotee]

A rocket powered bi-plane ssto roving refinery would probably be far too complex to implement.

Prolly needs a few more struts and a couple antennas.

[Snark]

Moving to Spacecraft Exchange.

[Whackjob]

Sigh.  What spacecraft, and what am I exchanging?  Is there a ban on me having a thread in general anymore?

[Snark]

14 minutes ago, Whackjob said:

What spacecraft, and what am I exchanging?

This one.

9 hours ago, Whackjob said:

I'd call it a rover, if anything.  It just happens to, I hope anyway, have SSTO and refinery capability.   I'm putting it down for the night, but here's what I ended up at.

 

 

"Hey everyone, look at this thing I made" is basically the definition of Spacecraft Exchange.  It's what that subforum is for.

[Dman979]

I, for one, welcome the return of our oversized, overengineered, overpowered, overlord.

Looking forward to seeing how this craft turns out!

[Whackjob]

8 hours ago, Snark said:

This one.

 

"Hey everyone, look at this thing I made" is basically the definition of Spacecraft Exchange.  It's what that subforum is for.

I must have missed the link where I offered it up for exchange.  Honestly, it's real tough to delve back in and lurk here where every thread I make is shuffled off to where it can be ignored and forgotten.  It's a crazy thing where general stuff about the game, like engineering, isn't general enough to stay in general.

I'll go take a walk.

[selfish_meme]

You won't be ignored here

My thought is make it AVTOL (Assisted/Vertical Take off and Landing), because it will be almost impossible to land that thing without a huge amount of wing. Some rockets can be hidden in cargo bays (makes them aerodynamic for the normal SSTO ascent) Just enough to help get you off the ground barely on Kerbin, should be plenty for Duna or Laythe. They won't cost much in fuel if you only use them to get the nose in the air.

Edited May 15, 2018 by selfish_meme

[SG Aero]

Well I think I’m gonna need to really push my potato of a pc to its limits to make something bigger. Also the fact that you’re already saying it needs mainsails for elevons scares me.

Edited May 16, 2018 by ShadowGoat

[Mark Kerbin]

You had a thought? OMG so did I!!!

*scrolls back up to top of thread*

Oh cool rover. Respect

Edited May 17, 2018 by Mark Kerbin