[.20+] FatNose FatBob SSTO lifter project (ship Update)

[pinolallo]

FatNose space Inc.

the FatBob lifter Project.

The main idea.

This system will be a concrete answer to any Kerbal Space Program Manager that have this priority in mind:

• Budget: a 40+ tons payload rocket lifter is very expensive and the waste of materials (engines, fueltanks) is a limitation for any space program.
  
• Reliability: complex launcher will suffer too many failures that will have a cost not only in terms of materials but also in terms of kerbals.
  
• Large freedom of mission planning.
  

SSTO are the key for cheap missions: they work just with fuel and using Kethane you will have it almost for free. the FatBob cargo lifter cost 82M$ empty, and you will need just one to bring in orbit EA shuttles, spacestation modules or a 36 tons Jumbo fuel tank. So here the idea to use a SSTO to bring in orbit SSTO spacecrafts.

Ship design

This ship born within the FatNose space Inc. cargo SSTO expertize: 0.17 spacetruck, 0.18 SpaceTruck MKII and the bestSeller ship the BigMouth .

This is a fullwing aircraft designed around the HW21 b9 large wings coming from the experience of the experimental WildGoose. It's design will allow a balanced flight state in any fuel conditions and can land on KSC runaway or the Island Runaway with or without cargo. All fuel, engines and tanks are wing mounted in a single block that will allow a balanced thrust and cargo access. The ten turboJets will push this fat bird at around 2.200 m/s at 35k of altitude leaving 700m/s residual ∆v on a 100km orbit that will be enough for orbital maneuvers and sharp deorbit burns.

The large cargo bay of the FatBob can host a 3m module such as the H.O.M.E and the new bayDoor of the TouTouTorpedo's MKiv fuelage system will allow you also the redocking of a module or of a EA shuttle for a safe Kerbal Space Center return and this are unique features for any spacecraft.

The SSTO crafts:

This ship alone can easily be used to carry space station modules or fuel but it's exceptional design specs allowed an NEXT step on space colonization: boarding SSTO and bring to LKO SSTO ships.Like These ship are builded on the B9 M27 overview cockpit and the FatNose space Inc. Engine/Support/Landing block with 6 Landind structs, 2 nerva engines, the Kas connectors and winch. The modules comes within the HOME 3m parachutes allow smooth landing on atmospheric planets saving a lot of fuel. The double nervas are mainly for DUNA takeoffs.

HoneyBee

This SSTO ship main task is to refuel orbiting spacestation form kethane field bases: its design will allow full loaded takeoff from Mün, Minmus, Ike and DUNA, and the parachutes can allow cheap landing after the refuel missions in these SSTO's missions. KAS fuel conectors.

• cost 31M$
  
• weight 34Tons
  
• 7000m/s ∆v
  

CrewShuttle.

This SSTO ship main task shuttle crew to from spacestations and bases. Its design will allow full loaded takeoff from Mün, Minmus, Ike and DUNA. 8 crew members. Has the KAS fuel conectors.

• cost 30M$
  
• weight 30Tons
  
• 4000m/s ∆v
  

The file contains 3 ships. An unloaded one and two with Shuttles preloaded.

Download Ship

Full list of fatNose commonly used Mods (* will display the required for this released ships)

• MechJeb*
• H.O.M.E.*
• FatNose FuelTanks *
  
• BobCat
  
• KAS*
  
• VanguardTechnologies
  
• B9_Aerospace*
  
• QuantumStructs*
  
• Kethane
  
• ProceduralDynamics
  
• MPSS
  
• MKIV fuselage system*
  

Edited June 17, 2013 by pinolallo

[pasty2k2]

Hey dude, love the design, but I can't seem to get the Honeybee loaded ship into orbit, I tried using the guide sheet as usual from your pictures, but it runs out of intake around 19000... I can see you got the Honeybee into orbit on your pictures, I assume the guide sheet you made was for the empty ship?

Any advice

[pinolallo]

Hey dude, love the design, but I can't seem to get the Honeybee loaded ship into orbit, I tried using the guide sheet as usual from your pictures, but it runs out of intake around 19000... I can see you got the Honeybee into orbit on your pictures, I assume the guide sheet you made was for the empty ship?

Any advice

I do launch the FatBob with 42 tons payoald so easily to make that kind of payload a standard for my colonization program making a fatter HoneyBee.

I do the launch like that:

a) takeoff as usual

after the lift I rise up the gear using the button,

c) I engage the mj SMARTass surf to 90 degrees heading and 50 degrees pitch.

d) I wait until the ship is around 25.000 then I level the pitch to 0 degrees until veritical speed *set this value in you display windows* > 20ms/

e) when vertical speed < 20m/s I change the pitch to 15 degrees *and the ship is around 30.000 mts.

f) I keep the ship speeding up at almost leveled up ~7/10 degrees until the apoapsis is > 130km

g) I disengage the turbojets (key 1) engage the rockets (key 2) and activate the mj ascent autopilot.

+----+

I'm using KSP 0.20.2, B9 r3.0 (now is r3.2), mj 2.0.8

Did you have the latest B9 and mechJeb throttle airintake control set?

Is the problem related to the honeybee only? I can eventually update the ships.

Anyone else has similar problems?

[pasty2k2]

I do launch the FatBob with 42 tons payoald so easily to make that kind of payload a standard for my colonization program making a fatter HoneyBee.

I do the launch like that:

a) takeoff as usual

after the lift I rise up the gear using the button,

c) I engage the mj SMARTass surf to 90 degrees heading and 50 degrees pitch.

d) I wait until the ship is around 25.000 then I level the pitch to 0 degrees until veritical speed *set this value in you display windows* > 20ms/

e) when vertical speed < 20m/s I change the pitch to 15 degrees *and the ship is around 30.000 mts.

f) I keep the ship speeding up at almost leveled up ~7/10 degrees until the apoapsis is > 130km

g) I disengage the turbojets (key 1) engage the rockets (key 2) and activate the mj ascent autopilot.

+----+

I'm using KSP 0.20.2, B9 r3.0 (now is r3.2), mj 2.0.8

Did you have the latest B9 and mechJeb throttle airintake control set?

Is the problem related to the honeybee only? I can eventually update the ships.

Anyone else has similar problems?

Yo dude,

Thanks for the detailed guide - pretty much what I've been trying.

I've followed it and still can't get either the Honeybee or crewshuttle past 17000m without the left-hand engines running out of air - the 4 left side intakes all seem to lose air before the right side, they are about 0.03 behind. Not sure why as they look symmetrical...

You did mention the mods you have, but I just wanted to check, do you have FAR installed? I don't. Pretty obvious but I have no clue why it runs out on the left first unless the cargo is off-center and blocking it somehow (doesn't appear to be) or maybe if our aerodynamic models are different?

I'm using KSP 0.20.2, MJ 2.0.8, B9 3.2, no FAR. Also other mods but they shouldn't be affecting anything unless you know of any other that do (Firespitter maybe)?

[pinolallo]

No, I'm not using FAR but i'm using the Firespitter mod so I guess the problem is coming from the B9 3.2 (there is something changed in a plugin that manage the airintakes):

I'm going to do that: update my B9 version to reproduce the problem and fix it.

If I did not succeed to reproduce the problem I will in any case post here a version with the vanilla intakes.

Meanwhile I have update the HoneyBee shuttle after used it: this update version is able to liftoff with full cargo from Laythe, more fuel, better docking port position, better RCS and a brand new landing struct that will allow safe landing also in sloper surfaces.

edit: I do replicate the problem upgrading B9-pack. This evening I will update the rechecked ships with vanilla ram intakes.

Edited June 20, 2013 by pinolallo

[pinolallo]

*** SHIP UPDATE ***

here you can find the updated ships

Package Contains 2 fatBob lifters: one with the new HoneyBee shuttle and one with the CrewShuttle.

Both shuttle are update too with the new engine block (2 toroidal aereospikes for moon landings and Planets takeoff and one Nerva for Interplanetary transfers.) and with the Kas winch for eva fuel operations.

Enjoy.