What is a great way to get a spaceplane to land on minus and back

[zapy97]

one thing that has been bugging me quite abit is that spaceplanes are a bit downgraded compared to rockets, i have tried alot of techniques including massive space planes and having a shuttle strapped to 2 massive rockets so that i got into orbit, all i need to know is what a good design is like a typical space plane, VTOL, helicopter, etc

[Boex]

It's possible make a SSTO (Single Stage To Orbit) out of 5 tanks of fuel, so try small before going huge. My design for Minmus consists of 8 400L fuel tanks, an ASAS, 2 Atmospheric engines, 1 Aerospike in the middle and the smallest engines either side.

Key -

C = Cockpit

S = ASAS

| = 400L fuel tank

I = Structural fuselage

t = TurboJet

s = Smallest Engine

a = AeroSpike

C

|S|

|||

|||

I|||I

tsast

Lift off using just the TurboJets, head straight up. Activate other engines at about 10km, head for 45 degrees pitch and deactivate TurboJets when efficiency reaches 0.00

Fuel lines run from outer stack to inner stack, to ensure all engines (apart from the TurboJets) are working in space.

It's escaped my mind as to whether you need fuel lines to the TurboJets, or whether they're cross-feed capable or whatever.

If you fly well you'll make it to Minmus and back!

[Boex]

My silly diagram didn't really work, I'll dig out a screenshot -

[zapy97]

nice looks cool anyways this is a thread for newer players aswell as kinda a thinktank

[T10]

I can't remember the exact specs and design of my own ship, but I recently built and flew a spaceplane that could make it to Minmus and back. It wasn't complicated, and neither was the launch system. The more complicated you make the rockets, the harder they are to steer, the more fuel you need to carry up, and the more stuff can go wrong. So as others have said, start small and build up only as necessary.

My best spaceplane launchers have always been 'Apollo' style (with the plane mounted centrally at the top of the rocket) rather than 'Shuttle' style (strapped to the sides of rockets). It;s far easier to balance the rocket by keeping the centre of mass....well, central.

My spaceplane had a central mini-lander engine, and two of the new radial-mounted mini engines (one on each wingtip). I've taken the plane to both Mun and Minmus, and for both of those I performed a vertical landing on the big landing legs, but I suppose on a suitable section of terrain, a horizontal landing on the wheels would be feasable. I think the key stage was to use a conventional central engine rather than an aerospike or a backup jet engine, so that it could be attached atop the launcher.

For launch, I used five of the big rockets, with 4 boosters strapped to each of them. However you build your launch stage(s), remember to set up fuel lines so that you can be more fuel effecient. Make the 'external' rocket tanks feed the central engine(s), so they can be jettisoned earlier, for example. But as everyone says, keep it simple!

Good luck!

Edited September 1, 2012 by T10
I claimed my spaceplane wasn't a plane >.< I meant to say 'complicated'

[zapy97]

thanks for the tips

[SargeRho]

it's actually possible to make an SSTO with just 3 aerospikes.

Cockpit, ASAS, 4 fuel tanks, engine, and on the two sides of that, another stack of 3 tanks and another engine on each stack. Also wings, canards, etc. Gets you to orbit and back, and with a bit of luck/skill, even allows for a powered landing.

[trbinsc]

I was actually the first person to land a spaceplane on minmus. I just slapped my plane on top of a rocket, which worked fine. You can copy and pace .craft files from the SPH folder to the VAB folder to easily add a rocket to your plane.

[lalala41]

I was actually the first person to land a spaceplane on minmus. I just slapped my plane on top of a rocket, which worked fine. You can copy and pace .craft files from the SPH folder to the VAB folder to easily add a rocket to your plane.

You don't know that for sure. >.>

I'm not a big fan of aero spikes, any designs without them? Multiple stage or SSTO craft.

[Suzaku]

Here's a video of my 0.16 SSTO spaceplane with the fuel exploit patched landing on the Mun, Minimus, and then returning to Kerbin.

It does take a lot of fuel, but it's way cheaper than having to re-assemble a spacecraft for every mission. Edited September 1, 2012 by Suzaku

[Accelerando]

Now do it with the Mk1-2 pod.

[IWantSumCrusha]

A full proof method is to build a space plane, only usinging rocket engines and then stand it up like a rocket, and then attach boosters or whatever you want to get it into orbit. My ship can get to minus and back with 2 fuel tanks left with that method, but it is more like a space ship tho.

[Suzaku]

A full proof method is to build a space plane, only usinging rocket engines and then stand it up like a rocket, and then attach boosters or whatever you want to get it into orbit. My ship can get to minus and back with 2 fuel tanks left with that method, but it is more like a space ship tho.

It still counts as a Spaceplane if it can operate as an aircraft within the atmosphere during any stage of the flight. The real challenge is to get a Spaceplane that takes off and lands like a plane without losing any parts in the process.