Single Stage to Orbit in 1.7

[Zalack]

Hello All,

In 1.5 I had a great little space plane I called the Chariot.

However, it seems 1.7 has changed enough where the design no longer works if I recreate it EDIT: There is not enough fuel to reach orbit. Does anyone have a good starting place for a single stage to orbit space plane?

My thought is if I can make a fairly light one like my original chariot, I can refuel it in orbit using the refueling mod, dock it with a mother ship, bring it to Duna, land, get back into Orbit, re-dock, and bring her home again.

But this all hinges on being able to recreate a ship like my original Chariot (Screenshots from orbital 1.5 model):

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34405[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34406[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34407[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]34408[/ATTACH]

Thanks for anyone who answers! This is my first time trying to build a space plane since 1.5

Edited October 7, 2012 by Zalack

[bsalis]

Doesn't work in what way? Not enough fuel for orbit? Or something else, like it cannot be controlled.

[Accelerando]

I have no examples right now, but for me, the usual starting point in building an SSTO spaceplane is building the smallest SSTO vertical-launch rocket I can, with an inert payload equivalent to however many jet engines and wings i think i will need. This puts a rough upper limit on the fuel mass I will need, since the vehicle does not benefit as much from lift or the efficiency of jets. I try not to have any more jet engines or wings than necessary to give decent initial lift  for a small spaceplane such as yours, only one jet engine is probably necessary.

[Zalack]

Doesn't work in what way? Not enough fuel for orbit? Or something else, like it cannot be controlled.

Sorry about leaving that out: It does not reach orbit. It controls decently when I have the mechjeb kill rotation on.

[bsalis]

In 0.16 there was a lot of nerfing of parts as part of the introduction of bigger parts. However due to a fuel bug, some of that was masked. But with that fixed, it is just harder now in 0.17.

So basically you just need more (well, regained) delta-V, which means a better full:dry ratio, which typically means a bigger craft.

Edited October 7, 2012 by bsalis

[Temstar]

Yeah they fixed all the fuel and throttle bugs in 0.17 and nerfed performance of parts. I had to increase fuel load of my SSTO to make up the difference, end result being the plane's performance became more sluggish at take off.

Craft file is attached. Mark 1 is all stock, Mark 2 supports docking and on orbit refuelling using Erkle and ORDA docking mods

[EndlessWaves]

Try stripping out the decorative parts (intakes/nosecone) and see if it can get to orbit with less weight attached. Your machine doesn't look like it's too far off making it.

[Zalack]

Yeah they fixed all the fuel and throttle bugs in 0.17 and nerfed performance of parts. I had to increase fuel load of my SSTO to make up the difference, end result being the plane's performance became more sluggish at take off.

Craft file is attached. Mark 1 is all stock, Mark 2 supports docking and on orbit refuelling using Erkle and ORDA docking mods

Thanks! I appreciate you uploading the craft files as well! That's a beautiful craft.

Try stripping out the decorative parts (intakes/nosecone) and see if it can get to orbit with less weight attached. Your machine doesn't look like it's too far off making it.

The screencaps are from my original orbital model in 1.5. It has quite a ways to go in 1.7, and even if it did make orbit, I doubt I would have the fuel left to do a deorbital burn or make a rendezvous :/

[Thobewill10]

SSTO's can be remarkably small. This is the Starhawk

(Note: the central three tanks are actually rocket fuel, via a cfg edit. They have the same exact stats as the FL-T400, but they look nicer)

Edited October 7, 2012 by Thobewill10

[AncientAstronaut]

Rockets>spaceplanes.

And rockets can be pretty easily SSTO.

[Zalack]

SSTO's can be remarkably small. This is the Starhawk

(Note: the central two tanks are actually rocket fuel, via a cfg edit. They have the same exact stats as the FL-T400, but they look nicer)

Do you have a .craft file for it? I would love to take it for a spin.

[Thobewill10]

Yeah, let me just remake it with the other fuel tanks. Hold on a sec.

[Enture]

SSTO's can be remarkably small. This is the Starhawk

(Note: the central two tanks are actually rocket fuel, via a cfg edit. They have the same exact stats as the FL-T400, but they look nicer)

Hey, that looks very similar to my Aspic-2X aircraft!

It was my first stable and controlable plane in 0.17 (first ever, actually), but I never achieved orbit with it, "only" suborbital flights culminating at 85km altitude... I guess I'll replace the central fuselage with FL-400 tanks, then. Still, could you tell me how far/fast/high you go with the jet engines before switching to rocket engine?

Also, AncientAstronaut, how does a SSTO-rocket of yours look like?...

[Thobewill10]

I usually go until i can't sustain positive acceleration on the jets alone, and kick the aerospike on. At 20km i switch the jets off.

EDIT: Here's the craft file:

Edited October 7, 2012 by Thobewill10

[Zalack]

Yeah, let me just remake it with the other fuel tanks. Hold on a sec.

Awesome!

Thank you!

[(An Original Name)]

I usually go until i can't sustain positive acceleration on the jets alone, and kick the aerospike on. At 20km i switch the jets off.

EDIT: Here's the craft file:

I downloaded the file but when I tried to load it in the SPH, it says that the file could not be loaded because it was missing "MK1FuselageRocket". What does that mean?

[Thobewill10]

Ah, i must have swapped the wrong tanks out. Hold on while I redesign it with stock.

Here's the redesigned version. Can get you into a 75x75 km orbit with just enough fuel for deorbit.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Thobewill10