SSTOs! Post your pictures here~

[_Aramchek_]

[Overfloater]

Aaaghh! I keep stranding spaceplanes at Laythe, somebody stop me!

Perhaps if you can get orbit, then refuel with a probe rocket refueler.. then send them back to Kerbin.

That's a rather wild idea... xD but no, the solution is a right balance. If it achieves orbit with less than 1/4 of its fuel it should do fine...

Astroliner II-B "Astroshuttle":

I don't know what was I thinking sending a plane with almost the same characteristics as the previous one for the rescue...

Still a good plane, though.

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Astroliner III:

It's a bird... it's an imperial star destroyer... it's a plane!!!

Heavy, waaay underpowered jet stage, wastes almost half fuel and one eternity getting to orbit... I'd be surprised if it even reaches Laythe!

This is how I learned I shouldn't have an underpowered jet stage. I just returned it immediately.

It almost passed the Landing-In-The-Wilderness test, I lost 1 control surface O_o

The Astroliner III-B was almost perfect, has the fuel capacity of 2 big reds, but WHYYY after all these fails I had that urge to put the HEAVIEST cockpit on it and a whole TWO passenger compartments...

Now it's a bit worse than the previous Astroliners...

And that's only to get a Jool interception!

Edited January 25, 2014 by Overfloater

[Fellow314]

I haven't done anything for ages, so I'm showing you this work in progress. Still needs a name and, as you can see, I haven't quite sussed the landing - nobody died - but I think it was pilot error.

Due to malfunctioning Mechjeb and an operator too lazy to work out how to fix it, I have no idea if it has enough delta V to get to the moon (and back, optionally), where it's intended to go. I also have no idea if the pods on the side have enough fuel to get down and back up again. (some of you might be able to guess this for me?)

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/9eh3ij2gy5sw9va/wip%20III.craft

edit - Mechjeb free...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/60h63w6tdnmxkte/wip%20III%20nmj.craft

Edited January 25, 2014 by Fellow314

[TAL]

Pepelats Mk4i

[Spartwo]

It's working!

IT'S WORKING!!

IT'S WORKING!!!

It worked:D

[velusip]

Today's little project. Stock parts SSTO (using FAR, KJR, KIDS, DRC) to laythe, but probably not back.

Leaving Kerbin.

Aerobrake 2 of 3 at Jool.

Landed at Laythe.

I'll see how far it gets trying to get home tomorrow. XD

[Fellow314]

Okay, this is the PodDropper.

I'm not entirely certain it counts as an SSTO, because it doesn't entirely come back with all it left with.

Goes up, transfers to Mun, drops two pods, picks them up (minus a little bit), and flies home, stopping perilously short of the end of the runway.

Horribly dark images, as I managed to do it all on the dark side for some reason.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2fxl6z9sqg2i70t/PodDropper%20II.craft

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Edit - and extremel dodgy air intake system, it's, erm, sonic...

Further edit - Moon shots, with added light!

(and I can't seem to sort the formatting on the album - what am I doing wrong?)

Edited January 27, 2014 by Fellow314

[Overfloater]

I like those little landers

as for the album, remove the #0 bit.

[Silverchain]

I'm not entirely certain it counts as an SSTO, because it doesn't entirely come back with all it left with.

If it gets To Orbit in a Single Stage, it's an SSTO. Staying in one piece when it's up there isn't mandated.

[Rezolution]

I posted this on the main Spacecraft Exchange thread, so if you've already seen this I apologize. This represents my first attempt at creating an SSTO around the new R.A.P.I.E.R. engine.

As you can see, it is capable of reaching a 200K plus orbit with fuel to spare:

Additionally, it has docking capabilities and a VTOL atmospheric flight profile.

I'm not sure how I feel about the efficiency of the RAPIER engine. It did well in atmo, but overall ISP in space did not seem to be as good as other rocket engine alternatives, despite the raw numbers. At any rate, I was happy with the overall results and will probably continue using it in certain designs, though I don't think it will replace the classic jet/rocket hybrid in all circumstances.

It does offer some new design options, as can be seen here with the radial mount rear RCS port.

Please feel free to let me know what you think. Thanks for the look!

[Fellow314]

I like those little landers

as for the album, remove the #0 bit.

Thank you.

And

Thank you!! That was bugging me.

[Silverchain]

The spaceship in the foreground lifted with three modular fuel pods but has shed two and docked with another; in the background, a spaceplane has taken one of the other tanks on board and the third spins off into the distance.

Being dim, I sent this one to Moho refueld in orbit but without the benefit of an attached fuel pod. It didn't make the deceleration, and is stuck in a fairly tight solar orbit that's going to be a bugger to rescue from.

It's not so much that I have a one track approach as that I really like this model. I try others, but keep coming back... two or three dozen active. ^^

[Exothermos]

There's some good stuff being posted lately! Weird designs and unconventional builds. I like it.

Just to show that I haven't completely fallen of the face of the Earth (relevant to those few of you who might have been wondering), there has been some progress on this SSTO group.

One is a VTOL / STOVL (depending on payload) craft for LKO payloads:

I still feel that VTOL on a payload craft is a silly gimmick, but it is a FUN gimmick.

The other is a conventional profile drone craft with vertical rocket landing for Munar Base payloads:

The Jet VTOL is essentially finished, however the stripped-down and lightened Munar Drone is really proving to be a challenge. That's a lot of DV that's needed. I feel like I am close to cracking that nut, but this has been a very difficult build for a variety of reasons.

[Ravenchant]

Strela III deploying some satellites in Munar orbit:

Technically, it did a flyby and the sats had to circularize under their own power, but...close enough

[Captain Sierra]

This actually technically isn't an SSTO (YET!!). It has the power, but since it was designed not to be, I have not tested it without the separation at flameout. Yes, the center stack breaks away and goes to orbit. Because only I would throw away 75% of a perfectly good SSTO purely to get to orbit an extra 30 seconds faster*.

*It actually does have the fastest time to orbit of any craft I've ever launched.

Exothermos and Ravenchant . . . Craft files by any chance?

[Ravenchant]

Craft files by any chance?

Sure, as soon as I resolve the handling-like-a-pregnant-whale issues

[Rezolution]

Classic look, Captain Sierra. I like it. Looks like it has enough smash for an SSTO. Keep us updated.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Rezolution

[Rezolution]

Okay, this is the PodDropper.

I'm not entirely certain it counts as an SSTO, because it doesn't entirely come back with all it left with.

Goes up, transfers to Mun, drops two pods, picks them up (minus a little bit), and flies home, stopping perilously short of the end of the runway.

Horribly dark images, as I managed to do it all on the dark side for some reason.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2fxl6z9sqg2i70t/PodDropper%20II.craft

http://imgur.com/a/gTagR

Edit - and extremel dodgy air intake system, it's, erm, sonic...

Further edit - Moon shots, with added light!

http://i.imgur.com/PvhUSRp.png

http://i.imgur.com/VYY4R1R.png

(and I can't seem to sort the formatting on the album - what am I doing wrong?)

I love your little landers. Very unique and neat design. Might have to steel the idea .

Edited January 28, 2014 by Rezolution

[KissSh0t]

There's some good stuff being posted lately! Weird designs and unconventional builds. I like it.

Just to show that I haven't completely fallen of the face of the Earth (relevant to those few of you who might have been wondering), there has been some progress on this SSTO group.

One is a VTOL / STOVL (depending on payload) craft for LKO payloads:

I still feel that VTOL on a payload craft is a silly gimmick, but it is a FUN gimmick.

The other is a conventional profile drone craft with vertical rocket landing for Munar Base payloads:

The Jet VTOL is essentially finished, however the stripped-down and lightened Munar Drone is really proving to be a challenge. That's a lot of DV that's needed. I feel like I am close to cracking that nut, but this has been a very difficult build for a variety of reasons.

That second one is really cool.. interesting fuel placement.

[Rezolution]

So, I came up with this...

And, it can do this...

It can almost make it to Minmus with the fuel load, though not back home. It does reach high orbit without any problems.

Practical? No. Fun to make? Yes.

Enjoy!

[Rezolution]

There's some good stuff being posted lately! Weird designs and unconventional builds. I like it.

Just to show that I haven't completely fallen of the face of the Earth (relevant to those few of you who might have been wondering), there has been some progress on this SSTO group.

One is a VTOL / STOVL (depending on payload) craft for LKO payloads:

http://i.imgur.com/ZWp5mnT.png

http://i.imgur.com/clL7KoJ.png

I still feel that VTOL on a payload craft is a silly gimmick, but it is a FUN gimmick.

The other is a conventional profile drone craft with vertical rocket landing for Munar Base payloads:

http://i.imgur.com/ZPsOO4v.png

http://i.imgur.com/XHcxfRR.png

The Jet VTOL is essentially finished, however the stripped-down and lightened Munar Drone is really proving to be a challenge. That's a lot of DV that's needed. I feel like I am close to cracking that nut, but this has been a very difficult build for a variety of reasons.

Impressive. I'm not great at big SSTO designs and it's always interesting to see ones that work well.

[_jack]

Here's my boringly named SSTO, SSTO Mk.1

It can get in LKO and has enough fuel to get down to the surface.

[Fellow314]

I love your little landers. Very unique and neat design. Might have to steel the idea .

Thanks. They're a product of design constraints, really, they had to fit in the bay.

Steal away, I'd be flattered.

[BahamutoD]

A warp capable VTOL SSTO after being flown by an incapable pilot.

[KissSh0t]

So, I came up with this...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a4df09b3127ccef56dcf5cbeab00000030O00AbOWbhs0btWwPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00605746839620140128155342485.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

And, it can do this...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a4df09b3127ccef56d25b7be3500000030O00AbOWbhs0btWwPbz4Q/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00605746839620140128155342586.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

It can almost make it to Minmus with the fuel load, though not back home. It does reach high orbit without any problems.

Practical? No. Fun to make? Yes.

Enjoy!

You're images do not work Rezolution.. I recommenced using Imgur >> http://imgur.com/

*edit*

Now they are working : >

Edited January 28, 2014 by KissSh0t