The Reliant Rocket Mk II [A Space Shuttle]

[Halsfury]

Here's my most dependable shuttle.

It doesn't have a classic space shuttle engine arrangement but it flies very well and can deliver 2 kerbals to your space station.

Really It's not based on the space shuttle, it's based on real life kerbal rocketry

In the case of the Top Gear rocket the external tank had solid sustainer motors in it, since it didn't need to carry liquid fuel the only reason to bring it along was balance and so that it might be a mounting point for more rockets.

http://www./download/za3f4tf9rfzc838/Reliant_Rocket_Mk_II.craft

Now a few notes on flying this thing:

1) Not for beginners, but on the plus side, no action groups

2) At launch it may stray a degree or two from vertical, it is HIGHLY recommended to correct for this

3) Directly after clearing the launch clamps you should ROLL the rocket so that the shuttle is facing EAST or 90 degrees, if you don't do this, you will not go to space today

4) The SRB's are two stage, this is to make up of KSP's unfortunate lack of good, long burning SRB's, this setup will extend the burn to about T+90 seconds

5) as the main tank depletes, you might want to consider turning on some stabilizing rockets, to do so just press the space bar

6) Before getting rid of the external tank, turn yourself the right way up so that the tank doesn't hit you when you accelerate away from it

VERY IMPORTANT: More thrust WILL exacerbate any control instabilities which you may have, so THROTTLE DOWN even to the point of having less than 1 g of thrust, you have plenty of time (at least 2 minutes to troubleshoot) if all else fails, Detach the external tank and glide down towards the nearest land.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Halsfury