Ssto only using small engines

[Player21ssto]

I challenge the ksp community to build an ssto only using small engines like the poodle. And it must be able to reach medium orbit and then land again. Good luck!

[MaverickSawyer]

1 hour ago, Player21ssto said:

I challenge the ksp community to build an ssto only using small engines like the poodle. And it must be able to reach medium orbit and then land again. Good luck!

Small engines as in "low thrust", or small engines in terms of physical size? Because the Poodle is not exactly an ideal lifter engine, due to the fact that it's, y'know, vacuum optimized.

 

As for SSTO... are we talking SSTO as God and Heinlein intended it, as a tail-sitting Vertical takeoff, vertical landing rocket, or as it's more commonly considered around the forums, as a spaceplane?

[Player21ssto]

I am referring to small thrust. And i use the forum definition 

Edited January 3, 2019 by Player21ssto

[Snark]

1 hour ago, Player21ssto said:

I am referring to small thrust.

I think you need to be a lot more explicit in your original post above-- exactly what is or isn't okay?

It's really important to be specific when you're laying down the rules for a challenge.  Otherwise, people don't know what to do.  Even worse:  someone could build and fly a craft that they think is okay (based on how they read what you wrote), but which you don't-- which then means either you need to accept a result you didn't want, or else you tell them "no, this is not okay" and then they've wasted their time.

So, what exactly do you mean by SSTO?  There's no "forum definition".  Technically it just means getting to orbit without staging anything away.  Is any design okay that does that, or do you have something specific in mind?

Second, exactly what engines are allowed?  You've just made hand-wavy statements like "small", which are meaningless.  What's "small"?  You either need to give a concrete number (i.e. "only engines where <some physical trait> is less than <some number>"), or else you need to provide a list of all the allowed engines.

[Geonovast]

 

[AeroGav]

On a winged ssto,  this is incredibly easy because you don't need twr over 1.    Even more so if jet engines are allowed.

My KerbalX shares include a 1 Terrier, 4 juno ssto ,   and numerous panther/nerv liquid fuel only ssto.    I have also built a Juno nerv winged ssto which worked, though wasn't particularly capable.

Poodle is not a small engine.   It is a beast !     I made this ugly career mode thing with a Poodle and 2 Panthers, lifted a Science Lab to orbit with gobs of fuel to spare

I am not the master though.

That title belongs to this guy -  NERV from sea level to orbit,  no jet engine or thruster of any other kind.

[Triop]

I love newbies, reminds me of my first challenge post.

Welcome @Player21ssto