I Present the Firebat

[HoY]

A VTOL SSTO Hybrid rocket, Constructed for Laythe Light payload delivery such as rovers and satellites

Lots of people are building them right now, I needed one and didnt like the ones I saw enough to use one of them, so I built one to suit my needs!

Craft can be downloaded here:

Firebat

This is what you get: Ignore the mod parts in the later photos they are simply part of the payload I sent to Jool

Firebat in the VAB:

On the pad:

Double tap G to lower the legs and turn on landing lights, then press Space to drop the docking clamps

Throttle up and press space again (or 1 and 2) to engage the jet engines

Fly straight up toll 9000m, pitch over like you would with a regular rocket ascent

Pitched over to 45º at 20km, still only using jets at full throttle

Leveled off at 30-31KM. Still on jets only at approximately 2/3 throttle.

Fired up the LVN's at 34KM, left all 5 engines on until the outer 4 engines only run at 1/3 throttle or 45kN each

Shut the outer engines off by pressing 2

Thruttle to max pitch up to 30º with the 2 LVN's and center jet stull running

Once apoapsis hits your target altitude (80km for this flight) turn off the LVN's and leave the center turbojet active. You wont realy be able to do this without MechJeb's Prevent Flameout.

At 69km, where the very last kN of thrust gives out on the center engine

Close Intakes with 4 and disable center jet with 1

I got another 20m's out of the jet engine between 40km and 70km, so circularizing only cost 50m/s of DV at 80km

The version pictured here has a payload of 8 ISA&Kethane Satellite Hybrid's powered by RCS and a single RTG. Uses KSPX parts as well.

Ship Pictured also has quantum struts and MechJeb installed on it, not included in the link above! (purely stock with no payload)

This was also the first time I flew it with 6 tonnes payload, i managed to hit 33km too quickly and while lowering to 30km again I undershot all the way down to 18km and had to climb back up. I have been flying this with half of the payload (4 sats 3tonnes) and easily achieved 100km orbit with 2400dV and 320 Jet fuel remaining (out of 600, about 55%)

Let me know if this was worth the upload and the 40 mins it took to launch for those screenshots LOL

I alt tabbed out while recording so KSP crashed before I could screenshot a landing for you folks, but I have mapped the 2 drogue chutes as well as the 8 radial chutes to 8, abort key opens all the chutes as well as killing the engines. 9 cuts the chutes!

Oh and the Ladders are on 7!

In case you were wondering. It's Called the Firebat because between 25,000 and 33,000m its under FULL re-entry effect due to the high TWR and traveling so much faster than Terminal Velocity.

I just noticed the Payload fraction on this launch was 89%. without my little altitude error it can easily make 92 or 93%.... By payload I mean mass to orbit, not simply the 6 tonnes of the craft thats not part of it!

Edited May 12, 2013 by HoY

[Conarr]

Hey question for you, using the ISAT and Kethane mods together, do you get the lag during launch from the mapping mod? If not, how did you get around it? I'm just about to give up on the mapping mod because of the launch lag

[HoY]

Oh there's lag..... I'm patient tho, and it seems to clear up ok. I don't know much about ISA tho just got it this week

[Penguinhero]

I wish i could design fuel efficient ships like that... and how to use a camera

<-------

[HoY]

just a heads up, you need Jet or Rocket assisted parachute landing just to kill a couple of meters per second before touching down if you plan on landing with a full fuel load! lighter will be fine on chutes until I move the legs around a little bit!

[firerider521]

Is not stock, please correct.

[HoY]

It loaded in my stock client just fine, what's not stock about it?

The version pictured here has a payload of 8 ISA&Kethane Satellite Hybrid's powered by RCS and a single RTG. Uses KSPX parts as well.

Ship Pictured also has quantum struts and MechJeb installed on it, not included in the link above! (purely stock with no payload)

Edited May 11, 2013 by HoY

[Mick2]

It loaded in my stock client just fine, what's not stock about it?

The mod parts make this rocket not stock.

I do like the design. looks great.

but to call it stock is not correct. if you do a fresh install of KSP and do not install any mods on the new install would you be able to load up this rocket ? if not then it's not "STOCK" ie uses only stock parts and no mod parts.

Still a great rocket, just rename the post so people that dont use mods (at least the ones on this rocket) dont think it will work for them.

[HoY]

I Do have a fresh install, did you read the first post Or my first reply to you? Not going to post it again its written in 3 places already on the thread... If you are having a problem loading it that's another thing.. Does it give you an error?

Just to clarify. the version pictured has anon-stock payload plus some quantum struts. The version in the .craft file does not have a payload or any other mod parts

Now if I missed a mid part, and somehow it still magically loaded in my clean install anyway please let me know!!

Edited May 11, 2013 by HoY

[Mick2]

I Do have a fresh install, did you read the first post Or my first reply to you? Not going to post it again its written in 3 places already on the thread... If you are having a problem loading it that's another thing.. Does it give you an error?

Just to clarify. the version pictured has anon-stock payload plus some quantum struts. The version in the .craft file does not have a payload or any other mod parts

Now if I missed a mid part, and somehow it still magically loaded in my clean install anyway please let me know!!

Ahh, I stand corrected, and apolagise.

The craft file you posted is most certainly stock.The craft file is for the lifter and not the pictured rocket.The picture has your payload attached which is the part with the mods on it causing my confusion.

I have downloaded your craft file and loaded it. I have mechjeb and mapsat installed. Your craft loads in my install fine and upon inspection I can not locate any mods parts on it as such it is most certainly STOCK.

Sorry for my confusion and thank you for your contribution. I feel this vechicle would make a nice platform for launching small payloads, as you stated.

[HoY]

Thank you I have a feeling it will get around 10-12 tonnes into orbit,, every time I've launched it with 6-7 tonnes I Always had loads of fuel left (75% or more) LFO with 30-40% jet fuel.

However, sticking with the reason for my build,, single stage to Laythe, land on Laythe then launch again. 3 tonnes max!

[Febin]

Uh, you do realize that you tagged this as "Stock?" please correct. No harm done.

[Mick2]

hehe

here we go again Hoy.

It looks like there is some confusion about your post......

I know for a fact that it is stock and have put it in the VAB to check.

Maybe you could edit your original post and add a pic at the top of what people will actually get when they download the craft.I think people are "reading" the pictures and not the words ... me included

[HoY]

Yeah I think that's a good idea lol

done!

Edited May 12, 2013 by HoY

[HoY]

Firebat's Big Brother the Marauder.

Just got it to orbit for the first time, had 300 liquid fuel left in the jet tanks (total) 900DV left on the LVN's and completely full orange tank and 2 RCS tanks.

Uses a couple mods,4-way splitters are KSPX, and there are quantum struts, lots of quantum struts. they are so much neater than regular ones I cant stop using them lol.

Gets to orbit almost completely on the jets alone, with a small bump to get the apoapsis above 80 (same as the firebat) but has more intakes than its little brother, so the last solo get engine has 5kN of thrust left all the way to 70km. Circularize at 90km with only 37 dV from the LVN's.

It does NEED mechjeb to do that kind of ascent, due to prevent flameout. If anyone's interested in it let me know. its also somewhat part heavy (

I could change it to completely stock relatively easily i think. its mostly just the 4-way splitter that will cost it a few extra parts.

[bacondeity]

Not sure, but I think someone likes Starcraft.

[HoY]

Just not wonderful at thinking up names... I almost exclusively name all my ships after what they do, thought I'd try something different.

[bacondeity]

I made a replica of the Hyperion and Bucephalus, both battlecruisers in SC.