my first SSTMO (single stage to mun orbit)

[katateochi]

Over the last couple weeks I've been trying that thing we all seemed compelled to do; build an SSTO space plane.

I've tried several smaller designs which got close, but just didn't quite cut it. Some didn't make orbit, others made orbit but didn't have enough fuel to de-orbit and land again, I had to de-orbit one using RCS thrusters. I had one attempt with something larger but with way too many wings, it got to orbit and de-orbited but as I got into the lower atmo it became a leaf, floating this way and that, falling one second and then soaring upwards again. With too many wings and not enough weight it was impossible to fly, never mind land. Thankfully I can eject the command pod, so Jeb parachuted to safety.

I persisted with this folly, pausing periodically to restart KSP as it crashed, having occasional yells at my screen and eventually got something that could reliably make LKO and return safely. But what is the point? Getting a single Kerbal into orbit, well that can be done much more easily with a rocket. OK so the SSTO is reusable but I'm not sure that it warrants the overhead in design. If I could make a SSTO that could do more than just take one kerbal to LKO then maybe we're onto something.

So I made my SSTO a bit bigger and thankfully it didn't take too much more shouting at my screen to get something that can now reach Mun Orbit on a single stage, an SSTMO. This is the craft I came up with; It has about 1400 dV left once it's got into LKO. It's called 'the Answer' as it weights exactly 42tons before launch.

On the first mission I just returned to land at KSC to make sure I could still do that.

One aspect of this design is having 3 rather than 2 or 4 jet engines. Just before they flame out I can shut the outer two engines down and then keep the central one running longer. When it flames out its not a problem as it doesn't put the craft into a spin. That one engine combined with the two aero-spikes get it out of the upper atmo nicely and then the areo-spikes do the rest. Also when coming into land I drop down to just one engine.

Then on the second mission I transferred to Mun;

but it doesn't have enough dV left to de-orbit and land or to return home from Mun orbit, I'll need to refuel it for that.

So it's still not as useful as I'd really like.

As it now is over powered for just the task of reaching LKO, I wondered if maybe it could be used to transport small payloads up to LKO. I tried to take a small (2ton) satellite up on its back.

Unfortunately that difference in weight meant the craft suddenly lost control as I reached 22km, flipping back on itself and tumbling out of the sky, with Jeb smiling all the way down. Perhaps Jeb now smiles because he trusts his ejector seat system, now a feature of all my planes, and although plane and payload were lost, Jeb parachuted to safety in his pod.

It's taken me a couple weeks to develop this craft, but contrast it took me less than 10 minutes to throw together a 2 stage rocket that could take 2 of the same satellites up to orbit.

I'm now trying to make an SSTO which can actually take a payload up to orbit, or bring something back down. But so far that has gone like this;

So do you have any SSTO planes that can do anything useful, like taking payloads or crew up to orbit. Post your useful SSTO designs plz (so I can steal them) muhahaha.

[chainedlupine]

Nice! I've considered something like that, because I have a very active Mun station (with Kethane refinery for refueling).

However, I've yet to build a spaceplane that has enough dV left to get to the Mun. I usually have just enough dV left over to return to Kerbin.

[Aladran]

For an space plane to work with payload, you'd need a cargo bay, aligned on the center of mass, so adding payload won't modify your center of mass.

(But there is a reason we use rockets to deliver payload, payload management is far easier and it require much simple design, so it's cheaper

[GROOV3ST3R]

I can't even make a simple lander....

[ComradeGoat]

I have a useful spaceplane (as in it can go places and land on moons, with landing struts), but design compromise is such that it can't seem to land back on its wheels on Kerbin (it comes down *hard* at any angle of attack that won't smash the engines off), so it's not that reusable. It will, however, land vertically on Kerbin, so I guess that's something.

Currently got one flying to Jool. It'll make a nice vehicle for exploring Bop, Pol and possibly Vall (thrust is a bit maginal from a single NERVA for that, maybe).

[katateochi]

I have a useful spaceplane (as in it can go places and land on moons, with landing struts), but design compromise is such that it can't seem to land back on its wheels on Kerbin (it comes down *hard* at any angle of attack that won't smash the engines off), so it's not that reusable. It will, however, land vertically on Kerbin, so I guess that's something.

Currently got one flying to Jool. It'll make a nice vehicle for exploring Bop, Pol and possibly Vall (thrust is a bit maginal from a single NERVA for that, maybe).

Is that single stage to Jool? That's quite impressive. You got any pics?

I found my problems with landing these things was the exact reverse. mine glide and don't really want to come down again, so they touch down very gently, just takes a very long approach to land on the runway or I just float off into the sea.

[bsalis]

With a reasonably large SSTO using one or two LT-Ns it's not hard to get to Mun orbit and back.

I have one that can land on the Mun and get back without refueling. I have also sent it to Eelloo, landed, and put it back in orbit all from a full fill in LKO. With some modifications it should do a Duna landing and return to Kerbin without refueling - others have done it.

[ComradeGoat]

Is that single stage to Jool? That's quite impressive. You got any pics?

I found my problems with landing these things was the exact reverse. mine glide and don't really want to come down again, so they touch down very gently, just takes a very long approach to land on the runway or I just float off into the sea.

I refuelled in orbit. Jool would be marginal without, but it'll do single stage to Duna. It'll also fly to the Mun, land, take off and reestablish low Kerbin Orbit.

Pics here, but it's … functional rather than beautiful (polite way of saying I built an ugly plane!)

[RawChicken]

Great! Now, try adding a small manned lander attached on the spaceplane with a docking port, and once in LMO, you go and land with the lander, then, back to the spaceplane and off to kerbin!