Phoenix IX / My first spacecraft to escape Kerbal's gravity (Vanilla parts)

[Zefram Cochrane]

Gentlemen! Behold, the 9th incarnation of my Phoenix spacecraft since I started playing this magnificent game last night (been pretty much glued to the monitor). The previous ones crashed & burned, but with this one I've finally succeeded in shooting Jebediah & Co. into infinity. She's not exactly a beauty queen, but like many fat girls, she's fun to ride.

Stage 1:

• [li]1 x LV-T30 Liquid Fuel Engine (Separated @ 2000 meters.)[/li]
  [li]1 x FL-T500 Fuel Tank[/li]

Stage 2:

• [li]5 x LV-T30 Liquid Fuel Engine (Fired at the launch.)[/li]
  [li]20 x FL-T500 Fuel Tank[/li]

Stage 3:

• [li]5 x RT-10 Solid Fuel Booster [/li]
  [li]5 x S.A.S. Module [/li]

Stage 4:

• [li]1 x LV-T30 Liquid Fuel Engine [/li]
  [li]3 x FL-T500 Fuel Tank[/li]

Stage 5:

• [li]1 x LV-T30 Liquid Fuel Engine [/li]
  [li]1 x FL-T500 Fuel Tank[/li]
  [li]1 x S.A.S. Module [/li]
  [li]3 x AV-T1 Winglet[/li]
  [li]1 x Command Pod Mk.1[/li]
  [li]1 x Mk16 Parachute[/li]

YouTube - Man or Astro-man? - Escape Velocity

'Liftoff!'

Main engine separation @ 50 000 meters.

'WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO' ???

The final stage.

8)

[ludsoe]

Mine goes faster!!!!!! But really. Nice rocket. Strange enough when i see yours, i think of mine..... Maybe its the vanilla parts.

[SteevyT]

Here is mine that reaches escape velocity, launches a probe, and then returns the crew. I tilt it to horizontal burn at about 30,000 meters. It goes up to about 80,000-100,000 meters during the horizontal burn, then falls back down about 40,000 meters, then begins rising again. It reaches escape velocity between 80,000 and 120,000 meters with about a half-tank of fuel left. Then I launch the probe (an extra sas and command module) and retroburn to return.

[zombiphylax]

I've never tried escape velocity before, but wouldn't it be easier to orbit first and pick up speed that way?

[SteevyT]

I've never tried escape velocity before, but wouldn't it be easier to orbit first and pick up speed that way?

It is much easier to pick up speed with horizontal burns than vertical burns. It my not be faster over short distances, but over long distances, a horizontal burn will get you farther, faster than all vertical.

[foamyesque]

I've never tried escape velocity before, but wouldn't it be easier to orbit first and pick up speed that way?

That's correct, in terms of dV. In terms of easiness to fly, it depends on your rocket. If you've got a beefy enough rocket, but one that you've got trouble controlling in turns, straight up is the simplest, but because you're directly fighting gravity the whole way, it chews up more propellant and needs much better TWRs.

EDIT:

I believe your stage listing in the OP is mixed up, Cochrane. Surely you fire your 5 SFBs after the LFEs?

And, when Tim_Barret shows up: I told you so.

[ludsoe]

Here is mine that reaches escape velocity, launches a probe, and then returns the crew. I tilt it to horizontal burn at about 30,000 meters. It goes up to about 80,000-100,000 meters during the horizontal burn, then falls back down about 40,000 meters, then begins rising again. It reaches escape velocity between 80,000 and 120,000 meters with about a half-tank of fuel left. Then I launch the probe (an extra sas and command module) and retroburn to return.

Well.... Well.... :'( My rocket is smaller. Take your trollket back home.

[Tim_Barrett]

And, when Tim_Barret shows up: I told you so.

You just got 20% cooler in ten seconds flat c:

[General Buttercrust]

Call me new ('cuz I am), but how do I get the file from this build? :-\

EDIT: Or does that paperclip not mean what I think it means?

[foamyesque]

Call me new ('cuz I am), but how do I get the file from this build? :-\

EDIT: Or does that paperclip not mean what I think it means?

Save the link by the paperclip at the bottom of his post to your Ships directory.

[General Buttercrust]

Save the link by the paperclip at the bottom of his post to your Ships directory.

Thanks, Foamy.