"Argo" reusable heavy lifter

[Al-Horesmi]

"Argo" reusable heavy lifter

So here is what i came up with recently. This craft is capable of delivering 36 tons of cargo to LKO, which is enough for most of your space program needs. But more than that, it is fully reusable! That means that all it's stages can return safely to Kerbin's surface. I was trying to create a reusable launcher for a long time, but all my previous attempts failed or I wasn't satisfied with them. My goal was to create a launcher that is fully reusable, able to lift significant amounts of cargo and relatively easy to fly. So that is why I came up with that thing. I dont like using air engines because they give you all sorts of problems both in KSP and in real world. It has two stages because if it had more, then launch profile would be too complicated, one stage must have freaking a lot of fuel. So here it is, "Argo" reusable heavy lifter.

http://www./download/713aryk4jb4oclo/URB-1.craft

Launch profile

First of all, this mod is required: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/tt-neverunload/

For obvious reasons. So bevore start you need to activate neverunload modules on first and second stage.

So, the rocket goes just like your usual rocket. I usualy start gravity turn at 10 km. At 20 km rocket is 45 degrees inclined, and about here first stage runs out of fuel.

Separation is a little bit tricky. You press spacebar, wait until first stage is enough away, than you can start Mainsail of the second stage.

You continue your gravity turn and at 30 km your inclination is 20 degrees. When your apoapsis is 80 km, you can warp. Just use phisical warp and watch for the altitude of the first stage. At 2.5 km drouges open, you shouldn't be warping at this point. Usualy here you have to do your burn, so it is not a problem. When you are in orbit, you can switch to your first stage and see it splashing down safely.

Second stage is simple. You just need to deorbit it and land. Because landing in KSP is always simpler than splashing.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Al-Horesmi

[Captain Sierra]

This is clearly designed to be reusable first, and a heavy lifter second. The design is great and I certainly admire the effort that went into it. I personally just worry about de-orbiting stuff. HOWEVER, when budget and cities to avoid crashing on become a concern, I'll certainly give this some good technical analysis to make my own.