SSTOs! Post your pictures here~

[Deadweasel]

Dumb question..... but what does SSTO stand for? I get that it is about space planes, but whats the acronym.

Single Stage To Orbit.

And in case it comes up:

V/STOL: Vertical/Short Takeoff (and) Landing

[Cinocal]

Based on RUTAN ARES.

[Giggleplex777]

Dumb question..... but what does SSTO stand for? I get that it is about space planes, but whats the acronym.

Single Stage To Orbit

Doesn't have to be a plane; it can be a rocket too.

[Cinocal]

[Deadweasel]

X103-6 Banshee II

Much more stable and with engines that operate at higher speeds

Banshee lurches off the line with a short burst from the main rockets

She gulps down fuel like it's kool-aid, but the testing frame has a pair of fuel converters mounted. With some careful management, it will make orbit no problem

Orbital injection burn, snubbing her nose at the island locals below

The fuel converters are just as hungry for power as the ship itself is for fuel

Showing off her "boo" lights, used during hull inspection EVAs, and to scare off the kraken

Lock the ASAS and kick back until she's through the atmospheric transition phase. No swerves, no problem

Air brakes deployed, Banshee bleeds off excess speed as she levels out and makes for home

[Bothersome]

Here is last SSTO ship that I've made. This one uses jets and rockets to obtain orbit. Usually has enough fuel in orbit to get to a refueling station too. The purpose for this ship is for a future Lathe return Kerbals home mission.

Oh, the screenies...

[Blaylock1988]

I just built a SSTO Chairplane!

Totally stock except for mechjeb for dV stats and a port for KAS refueling on my space station.

Docked at my station at 200km

I didn't know you can get SSTO spaceplanes into orbit with those tiny little orange engines, I may have to try a new design...

Edited June 3, 2013 by Blaylock1988

[ZigZagJoe]

Latest and most favorite SSTO: Tubby X Cargo Spaceplane - Stock, 86 parts, 28 tons without payload, lifts up to 9 tons of cargo unaided with dV to spare for docking. Payload capacity dimensions roughly that of an orange tank.

Not much of a looker, but very useful. Mechjeb is optional but useful solely for the flameout prevention feature - it can be sort of really hairy managing the zoom climb unaided. Doable, but hard, especially with cargos near payload max.

Freshly deployed station core.

More pictures: http://imgur.com/a/cVKUh

Craft files (6): http://ridetheclown.com/downloads/TubbyX.zip

First spaceplane: Stubby X. Stock, 48 parts. VTOL capability - hence the two tiny rockets up front. It's been superseded as a SSTO, but retains a place in my heart. Originally based on a little VTOL atmospheric runabout design, just banged on two lv909 pods + extra tank and called it good.

Stublonger VI: first nuclear spaceplane. Stock, 50 parts.

Little Pig II: minimalistic spaceplane. 37 parts. Non-nuclear - two LV909s.

Edited June 3, 2013 by ZigZagJoe

[Killenger]

Shes fast for her size too, if I linger at 20 Km or so I'll beat 1 Km/s easy.

14 turbofans

2 nuclear

1 skipper

Edited June 3, 2013 by Killenger

[Deadweasel]

Shes fast for her size too, if I linger at 20 Km or so I'll beat 1 Km/s easy.

14 turbofans

2 nuclear

1 skipper

*picks jaw up off the floor

So.. does it, like, flap the wings to get airborne, or what? O_o

[Killenger]

What because of its size?

It's actually capable of vertical takeoff

Getting into orbit does heavily rely on its nuclear engines for a longer constant burn with the skipper only running when your going to lose your orbit without it.

The displayed mechjeb thrust to weight ratio doesn't account for the fuel it loses so it does rise to over 1 so it has the thrust to get into orbit.

The displayed 1900 delta velocity is also wrong because that doesnt account for the skipper being used in pulses with the nuclear engines running for a long efficient burn while getting into orbit.

Heres its younger brother btw: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/33379-Wing-Xero-MK2-Vertical-takeoff-SSTO

Went from 8 turbofans to 14 hehe.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Killenger

[n3m4x]

This is my main shuttle right now: Moonraker One

Here near Morning Star Space Station:

And here getting refueled around Mun:

I'm hoping it can get to Jool but i doubt it has the fuel cap. If not its going to Duna.

Just want to add a pic of my Voyager One probe around Jool:

Edited June 3, 2013 by n3m4x

[Killenger]

Dunt dunt dunt! I have no idea what I'm doing but here goes, should be awesome either way!

Using an older version because I don't have my new one fueled yet, hence it can be sacrificed.

later....

edit-

Aerobraking thru Eve's atmosphere, landing looked sketchy and I don't think I'd be able to leave.

and exiting eves atmosphere

Edited June 3, 2013 by Killenger

[RoboRay]

Well, since we're doing vertical launch/landing SSTOs too, now... This craft was inspired by the McDonnell Douglas DC-X Delta Clipper:

[Jod]

THIS is the newest Kerbal AeroSpace Association Heavy Tanker codename "Moth" model Mark XI, Extra Fuel tank variant. It weighs 108.78 tons, made from 339 entirely Stock parts. It costs 6600 Kerbucks to fly this craft for 30 seconds.

KASA Moth XI-F is a variation of a more baseline KASA Moth IX-C Heavy Cargo Carrier model, which instead of the extra fuel can lift payloads of up to 20tons into Kerbin orbit using the Large Clampotron bay near its center of mass for precise balancing. Here you see the craft leaving Kerbin on its way to the Mun on a test run without refueling. It sports two nuclear engines for interplanetary travel as well as 8 turbojets for Kerbin lift-off and a mainsail acting as a booster to reach orbit. Engine configuration is still in the works, with aerospikes being considered as a more efficient booster than the current skipper/mainsail variants.

Among the high points of the craft - it can:

-Refuel entire fleets in orbit

-Easily transport cargo without changing position of its center of mass

-Glide and land on Kerbin with no engine thrust

-Fly without a kerbal pilot

-Leave Kerbin orbit on 2 aerospikes without refueling

-Launch medium-sized space stations

-Itself be a space station

Insurance does not cover rapid part separation during time warp while in atmosphere, no money back guarantee or any other form of compensation will be provided.

Here are some screenshots of its test run.

I'm considering making this craft public when I finally figure out the most fuel efficient configuration for getting into orbit within reasonable amounts of time and piloting effort. Do note, however, that lift, thrust and drag centers are already balanced so it handles well even during reentry, I even managed to land it right back on the space center runway once. RCS is consumed in ungodly amounts though, especially when ASAS is turned on.

The test run was a success btw, so I decided to visit Minmus and leave the craft in its orbit.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Jod
added trip to minmus

[KissSh0t]

Your SSTO is just crazy Jod..... just crazy ＼(。ヮ°)ノ

[pa1983]

Falcon X Jumbo Transport ( plus B and C sub Variants)

Falcon IX

Falcon VIII and VIIIB Transports

The Jumbo is nonstop SSTO to Laythe and Duna and back.

Falcon IX is crew trasnport to Duna and back with out refueling, Laythe not tested.

Falcon VIII and VIIIB Trasnport is LKO craft, 350-500km LKO depending on Sub version, maybe more haven't flown them in a while.

All of my transporters can take at least 36 tons. My record to duna stands at 45 Tons with the Falcon XC Jumbo Transport.

There all stable with Keyboard and ASAS so no mechjeb or joystick required.

Videos and craft files and some flying tips can be found here.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25918-Versatile-SSTO-Spaceplanes-with-no-need-for-refueling?highlight=jumbo+transport

Edited June 5, 2013 by pa1983

[ApocSurvivor713]

Here's mine.

She flies about as well as she looks, but she's more of a proof of concept thing than anything. No RCS thrusters or docking ports means that this version will never go much further than LKO. I've been trying to make her useful, but she can't take the weight of the required equipment. I'm still trying, though!

[Jod]

All of my transporters can take at least 36 tons. My record to duna stands at 45 Tons with the Falcon XC Jumbo Transport.

There all stable with Keyboard and ASAS so no mechjeb or joystick required.

I'm aiming for the orange tank payload as well. Hopefully I will someday be able to finally achieve my dream of a non-stop SSTO carrying full orange tanks to Eve surface, unloading cargo, and making it back to Kerbin.

[diegzumillo]

Falcon X Jumbo Transport ( plus B and C sub Variants)

Falcon IX

Falcon VIII and VIIIB Transports

The Jumbo is nonstop SSTO to Laythe and Duna and back.

Falcon IX is crew trasnport to Duna and back with out refueling, Laythe not tested.

Falcon VIII and VIIIB Trasnport is LKO craft, 350-500km LKO depending on Sub version, maybe more haven't flown them in a while.

All of my transporters can take at least 36 tons. My record to duna stands at 45 Tons with the Falcon XC Jumbo Transport.

There all stable with Keyboard and ASAS so no mechjeb or joystick required.

Videos and craft files and some flying tips can be found here.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25918-Versatile-SSTO-Spaceplanes-with-no-need-for-refueling?highlight=jumbo+transport

*images*

That is insane D:

[IceShade]

I made this a while ago, but the much much longer and detailed story was lost in the devastating forum crash.

It's a regular space plane, but with a twist. I made it, because I wanted to go to Laythe and fly around there. It took a lot of developing and trial and error.

I'll keep the story short:

On the runway, ready for its flight to Laythe.

After some burning, and aerobraking around Jool, it has arrived at Laythe and docked with a station.

You can see the "twist". It takes off with a standard liquid engine, swaps it for a NERVA in Kerbin's orbit, and swaps it back for a regular liquid in Laythe's orbit.

Flying around Laythe.

Back on Kerbin, it can get rid of the now unnecessary engine module...

...and head for KSC.

[NapoleonBorntaparty]

I believe this was made in version 0.19. This plane can take off from the runway, go to duna, land on duna, and return to kerbin without refuelling.

NISP 7.1 Whitebird

I should probably remake it in 0.20 .

Do you have the .craft?

[pa1983]

I'm aiming for the orange tank payload as well. Hopefully I will someday be able to finally achieve my dream of a non-stop SSTO carrying full orange tanks to Eve surface, unloading cargo, and making it back to Kerbin.

Question is how one gets of eve with its high gravity using rocket engines on a SSTO with limited fuel.

[Deadweasel]

Question is how one gets of eve with its high gravity using rocket engines on a SSTO with limited fuel.

Burn.

Burn like hell.

Throw everything out the back as hard and fast as you can. Fuel, your co-pilot, wife, kids and the kitchen sink, fire it all off to achieve orbit and claw your gasping, desperate way to the gleaming oasis of the fuel station above.

...or turn on the cheat. >_>

[Mekan1k]

Well, since we're doing vertical launch/landing SSTOs too, now... This craft was inspired by the McDonnell Douglas DC-X Delta Clipper:

Can you post the mods you used for this one? I would love to re-create this.