Spaceplane-like Mun Landing!

[MyNameIsNotPa]

Dear haters, notice the 'Spaceplane-LIKE' in the title.

So, I was thinking of landing on the mun not with a traditional rocket powered lander, but in a similar way to a spaceplane landing on Kearth. Now I know the mun has no atmosphere, so wings won\'t work. Use RCS to simulate lift if you need it. Or, just point your ship up and boost to slow your descent, geez.

Long story short: Land on the moon by gliding in.

You can use any fair parts.

[SteevyT]

You could just land at near orbital speed for the altitude I guess.

[NovaSilisko]

Slow your horizontal velocity enough, but keep faking lift, then gently touch down. Seems possible to me.

[lebull]

I wonder if RCS thrusters are enough to keep it up on a space plane.

Oh, ramping off the mountains sounds like it would be really fun.

[SmiteZero]

I wonder if RCS thrusters are enough to keep it up on a space plane.

Oh, ramping off the mountains sounds like it would be really fun.

Or a Mun-sized viagra?

I think you\'d need more than the standard amount of RCS. I\'ve tried bringing a really light lander down using just 4. I don\'t think it\'s possible with so few even for something that\'s little more than the capsule, tiny tank and rocket so assumably a larger spaceplane would scale accordingly. I foresee every available surface covered with RCS nozzles. and half your tanks being compressed gas.

[DYJ]

Landed on the moon with a 'plane' yesterday, but it was done with a horrendous mix of Siliskos and C7 parts. The ramping on a mountain style takeoff resulted in a aircraft sized fireball though.

I might do it again today if I can fix Siliskos fueltanks without too much effort, they currently attach in a messed up manner radially.

[Asmosdeus]

My first mun landing was a space plane.

Pic:

[SmiteZero]

My first mun landing was a space plane.

One of the cooler designs I\'ve seen! That\'s pretty awesome.

[Spider0804]

didnt know there was a challenge for it, thats how ive been landing to explore the mun today i take off up a hill or use rcs and stay around 500 m then come down hope for a flat spot and glide in

some kerbals were sacrificed but jeb always seemed happy with it

[Asmosdeus]

Today I landed one that\'s much more recognisable as a plane.

[Spider0804]

very nice, do you have problems with the small 1 weight 200 capacity fuel cells lagging if you have them en masse? i see you switched from them to the longer lighter option as did i

they seem to give me colossal lag

[Asmosdeus]

Nah I don\'t get much lag unless I\'m flying a HUGE ship.

I just use those RCS cells for aesthetic purposes.