Butterfly 20.2 - SSTO

[littlebattler]

Get craft here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e74twqznwfl73i9/Butterfly%2020_2.craft

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Features:

1 Turbojet

2 909s

4 Shielded Docking Ports, arranged using bicouplers for stable and less wobbly docking to your stations.

6 Ram Intakes (without too much stacking abuse)

Gratuitous use of the new side connector part

Lots of wing parts crammed into an elegant and unobstructive form

Sufficient RCS for a few docking attempt

The Butterfly line's signature Twin-Nose design

Lack of struts

Flight instructions:

For those familiar with how to fly SSTOs, the standard procedure works. Otherwise, here's a step by step:

- Deactivate 4 of the intakes using action group 2

- Roll down the runway and take off as soon as possible

- Climb at around 45 degrees until intake air levels drop to around .07

- Activate the rest of the intakes using action group 2 and climb until intake air levels drop to around .1

- Start levelling out and gain speed while climbing slowly to prevent the jet from burning out. In the event of a flame-out, the single jet design should prevent the craft from spinning. Simply lower your altitude and try again.

- Accelerate using the jet until you reach at least 1100 m/s. 1200 should be possible if done right.

- Angle up carefully while trying not to flame-out. Once sufficiently angled upwards (>30), stage to activate the rocket motors. (Staging does not shed parts)

- Once the jet finally flames out, shut it down along with all the intakes using action group 1

- Raise your apoapsis to >70 km. My own standard orbit is at 72 km so that's my target. Anything above 75 is not guaranteed to succeed.

- Coast to apoapsis

- Start circularizing at about 5 seconds to apoapsis, adjusting your angle so that the apoapsis stays under 5 seconds ahead of you.

- Congratulations, you now have reached Low Kerbin Orbit!

Let me know what you think and such ok?

Edited July 9, 2013 by littlebattler

[DisarmingBaton5]

That's a butterfly? Only kidding, it looks great!

[littlebattler]

That's a butterfly? Only kidding, it looks great!

Yeah, the Butterfly name is more of a holdover from my old planes. They all have that twin nosecone design, but vary a lot otherwise.

[MrTaxman]

Nice lil jet you've got there - well done.