Lightest orbital ship possible?

[Agent86]

Wether it's ssto or not, I'd like to see them. Lightest launch weight to orbit.

This is the lightest one I could make:

It's just 5.76 tons at launch, and achieves orbit with still a decent fuel load. I tried using a smaller central tank, but every attempt just spun out of control at about 10km.

[astropapi1]

Artyom really did some awesome work on those turbojets, didn't he?

On-topic, you might want to take a look at ions.

[Kerbol Prime]

Have you seen Scott Manley's video? He made it to Minmus and back in under 3 tons...something I can only dream of doing.

[magnemoe]

This one is pretty small.

One oscar tank for the jet stage, three for the 24-S7.

Made it to orbit with good margin

Accent at the end of jet power stage. You could probably get an far better launch profile, I used mechjeb default only turned off limit to terminal speed at the end of jet stage

[Slugy]

Less can be more, under one tonne even.

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[futrtrubl]

I got it down to 1.0745t. 7 parts in 2 stages. On top an OKTO2 probe core, 2x ROUND-8 toroidal fuel tanks and a Rockomax 48-7S to push it. Under that I have a TR-2V stack decoupler, a FL-T100 fuel tank and another Rockomax 48-7S. You will have to do an efficient launch, not going over terminal velocity and doing an appropriate gravity turn. Finished in a 75km orbit with ~1unit of fuel left (~180m/s dV left) and about 1.5mins of battery.

Edward

[tavert]

.801 tons: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36419-Smallest-Craft-to-Various-Milestones?p=534061&viewfull=1#post534061

This was using 0.20 just before 0.21 came out, with KSPX parts that became stock in 0.21. I've gotten the same design to orbit manually in 0.21 without the solar panel, but the battery life is very limited!

Looks like Slugy's might be the lightest SSTO.

Edited August 24, 2013 by tavert

[magnemoe]

.801 tons: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36419-Smallest-Craft-to-Various-Milestones?p=534061&viewfull=1#post534061

This was using 0.20 just before 0.21 came out, with KSPX parts that became stock in 0.21. I've gotten the same design to orbit manually in 0.21 without the solar panel, but the battery life is very limited!

Looks like Slugy's might be the lightest SSTO.

Yes, difference is that he is using an life belt tank instead of decopler, it makes up for the weight of the 45 liter tank.

The jet engine is 1.2 ton making it to heavy for this, however its good for lifting a couple of tons to orbit.

More than 10 and the first stage would get too compex

[Spartwo]

Dis which is 2.09 has some fuel after orbiting

And this which is 2.7 can get to duna(not not land only 5k).

[TheDarkStar]

I think it was Zekes that made a sub-0.5 orbiter, but that might have been lost in the forum crash. Make this a challenge.

[Tollazor]

Does it have to be stock parts or can it include a few of the popular mods:

FAR?

Pizza and Aerospace Research (For the smaller, well scaled parts such as jet engines, air intakes, fuel stuffs all that)?

[Whackjob]

I think I'd like to try this!

*5 minutes later*

Ahaha! Yeeeaaaah... this challenge totally isn't for me. I bow out early.

[Scarecrow88]

I made this one, but looking back through the thread I see it's almost identical to Slugy's, but he beats me as he used one less fuel tank. My piloting skills aren't up to achieving orbit with anything less than what I pared my design down to. 0.975 tons and 5 parts, if you don't include the engineer add-on which is only there to give me the weight.

[Slugy]

I'm fairly sure that taverts's 2 stage (sans battery and solar panel) and my single stage can't be beaten - there are just too few options to play with.

The smallest challenge was very interesting

FAR would lower the weight results - but that's a whole new game

[Pbhead]

I think I'd like to try this!

*5 minutes later*

Ahaha! Yeeeaaaah... this challenge totally isn't for me. I bow out early.

I see you, and raise you this!

[astropapi1]

-Do you hear that, Johnny?

-What, dad?

-It sounds like a derailing thread. Call your mom, we're outta here.