[Stock Craft] Hoenir SSTO Series by Mythology Industries

[chunkblaster]

Ohai there! Been a while since I've had a craft to post. I've recently begun work on my FIRST EVER successful series of SSTO's. I've tried something like this about a billion times, but I always shoot for very large cargo carrying SSTO's using not enough jet engines with not enough intakes and too many aerospikes for ascent, and they always failed to achieve full orbit. So I decided to start small, and try a different approach- a good thrust to weight ratio with jet engines and nuclear thrusters for final ascent and circularization. I broke down and started using air hogging (something I was never a huge fan of) and this was the result:

Hoenir Mk1:

The First of the Hoenir Series, and my first successful SSTO! Full RCS and docking capability, Ability to get to the Mun and probably Minmus and back to kerbin without refuleing.

Ascent Profile:

1) Press 1 to turn on Jet engines. Floor it, take off (careful not to clip the tail on the runway!) pitch up to 45degrees and let her eat.

2) At about 15km up, pitch over to about 30degrees. You'll start to gain some speed now.

3) At 20km, you really need to start controlling your ascent. I try to keep my climb rate at somewhere around 10-50m/s

4) Your goal is to reach about 2000m/s with the jets and at least 32KM altitude before lighting the nuclear engine. You'll need to throttle down a bit once you start closing in on 30km altitude. Keep the jets running as long as you can. Press 2 to light the rocket and 1 to turn off the jets.

5) Pitch up to 45 degrees again once under rocket power. You'll decelerate once the jets are off, but don't worry, if you met the requirements in Step 4, you'll make orbit. At this point its just like any other rocket, get your apiopsis to the desired height, coast, and circularize.

DOWNLOAD-->https://www.dropbox.com/s/ygkx8ewlqh568lp/Hoenir%20Mk1.craft

Hoenir Mk2:

Sorry for the picture spam, I couldn't just pick one, this plane just looks good from every angle!

The Hoenir Mk2 was developed to try and decrease time to orbit as well as increase thrust to weight, but retain efficiency and range. It can scream into orbit at least 5 minutes faster than it's predecessor (haven't actually crunched the numbers yet). I had allot of fuel flow and nose heavy issues at first, so now it just flows in the linear front-to-back method. Works well enough, but if you come in for a landing from orbit and your really low on fuel, you may want to move some of it forward. Other than that, its a very stable aircraft with enough range to possibly make a 1 way trip to duna (not tested yet). It is allot more parts intensive than I had desired for (40 intakes doesn't help =\ ), so the Hoenir Mk3 will be attempting to rectify that issue. Try it out and let me know what you think of it!

Same ascent profile as the Hoenir Mk1:

1) Press 1 to turn on Jet engines. Floor it, take off (careful not to clip the tail on the runway!) pitch up to 45degrees and let her eat.

2) At about 15km up, pitch over to about 30degrees. You'll start to gain some speed now.

3) At 20km, you really need to start controlling your ascent. I try to keep my climb rate at somewhere around 10-50m/s

4) Your goal is to reach about 2000m/s with the jets and at least 32KM altitude before lighting the nuclear engine. You'll need to throttle down a bit once you start closing in on 30km altitude. Keep the jets running as long as you can. Press 2 to light the rocket and 1 to turn off the jets.

5) Pitch up to 45 degrees again once under rocket power. You'll decelerate once the jets are off, but don't worry, if you met the requirements in Step 4, you'll make orbit. At this point its just like any other rocket, get your apiopsis to the desired height, coast, and circularize.

DOWNLOAD-->https://www.dropbox.com/s/7tapmz2s7na5hca/Hoenir%20Mk2.craft

Edited October 12, 2013 by chunkblaster
New Pictures, New Craft Files

[Cruzan]

It isn't the prettiest thing I've built, but function came before form this time for once.

I beg to differ! The way you used those wing connectors to give it a swept wing look is really cool. I hadn't thought of using them like that before. Nice job!

[chunkblaster]

I beg to differ! The way you used those wing connectors to give it a swept wing look is really cool. I hadn't thought of using them like that before. Nice job!

Why thank you sir! Just a litte trick I figured out recently, it does work really well for that purpose.

[KissSh0t]

I really like the docked image... that one is really cool.

[chunkblaster]

Updated the original Post. Made it to the mun!

[chunkblaster]

Updated original post again, New Hoenir Mk2 prototype image added.

[Cruzan]

I derped and thought that this was the Mk2...lol

The actual Mk2 looks sweet!

[chunkblaster]

Thanks Cruz! The Mk2 is coming together nicely, I think your gona like it. This sucker can really jet into orbit.

[chunkblaster]

Updated original post, Hoenir Mk2 added.

[pa1983]

They look nice. Good work!

[KissSh0t]

I am unable to get your craft file... it just keeps asking me to create an account at 4shared... Is there a trick to it?

The Hoenir Mk2 looks really nice, I like the body wing shape.

If you centralize your fuel tank, as the fuel drains there will be not as much center of weight shift.

[chunkblaster]

I am unable to get your craft file... it just keeps asking me to create an account at 4shared... Is there a trick to it?

The Hoenir Mk2 looks really nice, I like the body wing shape.

If you centralize your fuel tank, as the fuel drains there will be not as much center of weight shift.

Huh, ok I'll try to figure out what's wrong with the download link. And the fuel is pretty well around the center of mass, but I couldn't get the fuel to drain in the order I wanted it to, I think it had to do with the middle jet fuel tank being the root part, but I'm not sure. The problem will be resolved on the Mk3, I was just getting worn out with this design, had allot of strange issues I had to work around to get it working at an acceptable level.

EDIT: I never noticed it before but i guess you need a 4shared account to use it, thats lame. I'll try and use another website for the craft files.

Edited October 12, 2013 by chunkblaster

[chunkblaster]

Original post updated with new dropbox download links for craft files.

[KissSh0t]

Huh, ok I'll try to figure out what's wrong with the download link. And the fuel is pretty well around the center of mass, but I couldn't get the fuel to drain in the order I wanted it to, I think it had to do with the middle jet fuel tank being the root part, but I'm not sure. The problem will be resolved on the Mk3, I was just getting worn out with this design, had allot of strange issues I had to work around to get it working at an acceptable level.

EDIT: I never noticed it before but i guess you need a 4shared account to use it, thats lame. I'll try and use another website for the craft files.

Thanks... I got it

: >

[KissSh0t]

Very impressed with your Hoenir Mk2 design... some of the things you did inside the craft was nice to see someone else do xD

It is very maneuverable.. easy to take off, easy to land.

The only thing I did not like was the flaps passing through the jet engines as they move... other than that. I like the Hoenir Mk2 very much..

Edited October 13, 2013 by KissSh0t
Spelling

[blubbermonkeys]

Great work.

[chunkblaster]

Very impressed with your Hoenir Mk2 design... some of the things you did inside the craft was nice to see someone else do xD

It is very maneuverable.. easy to take off, easy to land.

The only thing I did not like was the flaps passing through the jet engines as they move... other than that. I like the Hoenir Mk2 very much..

Thanks for trying it out, and thanks for the review! Always good to here someone else's take on it. I'm sad to say the Mk3 Hoenir won't be as maneuverable, but should have a fair bit more Delta-V and a much less parts count That was one of my biggest issues with this craft. That, and that I couldn't get the fuel to flow how I wanted without a mess of fuel lines.

[Cruzan]

What's the part count on the Mk II? If it's under 150 I'll have to give it a go!