Hot Air Balloon

[Klapaucius]

File here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AsGzw_Ta858gaoBqXy0I6Mav0zMgwCuq/view?usp=share_link

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Klapaucius

[SoulCandy]

Having trouble copy/pasting the ship code into my VAB, so I tried to replicate the design myself. PHEW - left me w/ a couple of burning questions, lol.

• How did you achieve the tapered part of the "balloon?" I can only achieve that wide of a fairing w/ an actual payload fairing, but the base of the balloon isn't closed off. (it looks like a medium SAS into... perhaps a medium tube? 
• Are you holding the ship's fuel in the basket?
• Most importantly - HOW IS THIS FLYING? Is it actually possible to achieve upwards lift via heat in a closed system or is the lift being achieved within the balloon and hidden from view?

Either way, very creative execution from what I can tell in the photos.

[Klapaucius]

5 hours ago, SoulCandy said:

Having trouble copy/pasting the ship code into my VAB, so I tried to replicate the design myself. PHEW - left me w/ a couple of burning questions, lol.

• How did you achieve the tapered part of the "balloon?" I can only achieve that wide of a fairing w/ an actual payload fairing, but the base of the balloon isn't closed off. (it looks like a medium SAS into... perhaps a medium tube? 
• Are you holding the ship's fuel in the basket?
• Most importantly - HOW IS THIS FLYING? Is it actually possible to achieve upwards lift via heat in a closed system or is the lift being achieved within the balloon and hidden from view?

Either way, very creative execution from what I can tell in the photos.

I'm off to work (8 am here in NZ) but will get it uploaded to KSPBuilds this evening.

The tapering is done with three sets of procedural wings in 8 x symmetry.  I just adjusted the root and tip lengths accordingly.  That is also how I was able to get the stripes--I changed the colour on one set.

It is flying with a Vector rocket hidden in the basket. I turned it off briefly so I could get--a clean screenshot.

The fuel tank is in the top of the balloon.  I attached it to the outside node and then sunk it down so it was hidden.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Klapaucius

[Klapaucius]

@SoulCandy Here is a link to the build on KSP Builds:  https://kspbuilds.com/build/95c487e2-658c-41f1-94a8-fd5566

[SoulCandy]

On 4/14/2023 at 3:34 AM, Klapaucius said:

@SoulCandy Here is a link to the build on KSP Builds:  https://kspbuilds.com/build/95c487e2-658c-41f1-94a8-fd5566

*bows appreciatively*