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[SSI] Ion Class Shuttlecraft (Smallest Operational VTOL SSTO Spaceplane Ever)

inigma

By inigma
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inigma

inigma

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This is the Ion. It is a closed cockpit Amphibious Autonomous VTOL SSTO, perhaps the smallest ever closed-cockpit VTOL SSTO designed in KSP by anyone anywhere. It represents the best of SSI engineering and its design principles.

The Ion Class:

Is an SSI original Type I Shuttlecraft capable of undocking from 120km, landing at the KSC helipad, and redocking at 120km without refueling.

Part Count: 48

Weight: 7.7 tons of pure joy.

Fuel Remaining at 80km orbit: 100+

Real Time to Orbit: 12 Minutes

The Ion is flameout resistant, and lands on its runners or in the sea using VTOL.

The Ion Heavy Class:

For though who love their wheels, the Ion Heavy is also seen below with standard gear bays that are recessed into the hull. I prefer this one myself for basic shuttling operations.

Part Count: 52

Weight: 9.1 tons of pure happiness

Fuel Remaining at 80km orbit: 100+

Real Time to Orbit: 16 Minutes

The Ion Heavy lands on landing gear or nothing at all.

1hjHRAL.png

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLd7In_hiW8

SSI Type I Ion Craft File (runners)

SSI Type I Ion Heavy Craft FIle (landing gear)

Flight Profile: (100+ units of fuel @80km)(80 rcs)

1. Full throttle 85 degrees up to get above 10km.

2. At 17km pitch to vector.

3. At 22km pitch to horizon.

4. Cruise at 32km picking up speed until 2150 m/s or more (2300 preferred).

5. Keep gaining altitude and speed throttling down at flameouts until 1 tick throttle near 48km.

6. Coast to apopasis (should be over 51km)

7. At apoapsis, engage rockets full throttle 20 degrees up until desired new apoapsis target is reached (above 70km).

8. Thrust rockets occasionally to keep apoapsis above 70km until 70km is actually reached by the craft.

9. Circularize or adjust orbit to a parking orbit of 80km, and then circularize there.

Controls:

1. Forward Jet

2. Rockets

3. Hover Jet

4. Air Intakes

Your comments, thoughts, or suggestions are most welcome in this thread! :)

Let me know what you think!

Edited by inigma
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inigma

inigma

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7.7 tons ONLY for 2 trips to orbit and back!?! Well, I guess when I get to work on Laythe I'll take one of these with. Well done!

Actually, its undock from 120k, land at KSC, and fly up to 120k and dock without refueling. However in my certification run, I think I had enough fuel to attempt another landing at least. It might work in reverse. I just haven't tested a double trip yet. It would be pushing it for sure. In fact, it was because I had so much fuel remaining in my test flights that I am convinced to try shedding a fuel tank in a later version of the Ion, or maybe in an even smaller new ship class. We'll see.

I recorded the certification flight. Took 40 minutes. I will be condensing it down to a 5 minute or less presentation and posting a link to the video soon, as well as the craft files for the Ion and Ion Heavy.

The Ion is why SSI was created - to glean the best ideas from everyone and develop the smallest closed-cockpit VTOL SSTO capable of docking with a station, or even dropping down from one and back up again! I want to see the Ion docked at a station near you. :)

Our next development goal is to design a craft with capabilities to land and return from both air and airless bodies from 120km.

Edited by inigma
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inigma

inigma

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That is beautiful :)

aw thanks. I was aiming for exactly this. I hope to develop larger capacity craft that look similar going forward. I'm already developing the Type II (capable of carrying two Kerbals).

The craft reminds me of the Delta Flyer from Star Trek. :)

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inigma

inigma

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Both are great fun to fly. Although I couldn't reach a stable orbit (I suck at SSTOs) I had fun mocking around KSC.

BHa1OCw.jpg

Took one for a spin, and well... It ran away leaving me on the control tower.

Did you try following the flight profile in the op? Ill be glad to help teach anyone how to fly the Ion into orbit. The video should also be fairly clear. If not, let me know.

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Wjolcz

Wjolcz

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Did you try following the flight profile in the op? Ill be glad to help teach anyone how to fly the Ion into orbit. The video should also be fairly clear. If not, let me know.

It is clear! I just wasn't following it strictly.

EDIT: Made it. With more than a half of fuel left.

GVtanw5.png

Great job, dude. Your SSTOs and Cupcake's are the best.

Edited by Veeltch
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inigma

inigma

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Ha.

I've already thought of ways to make it even smaller. I'm thinking about dumping a fuel tank and an rcs fuel pod, and maybe a winglet or two, and aileron. Not sure why though. I love its corvette-like appearance.

In all likelihood though, my next goal is to engineer an interplanetary ring that the Ion can attach to so it can travel to the Mun and beyond. The Ion should already be capable of landing on any atmospheric rocky body. The next major iteration will be working on a balanced horizontal rocket system so it can actually land on airless bodies like the Mun, as I want to see the Ion attached to stations orbiting such bodies.

I've started designing a two-seater Ion... but to be honest I don't think there is a need. Your SSI Viper craft fits the design stream that the Ion (I hope) becomes a bedrock example of for other Types. Once moving crew around pods becomes part of the game itself, we can finally start clipping that second cockpit pod without worries its Kerbal can't EVA out. In fact, if you clip the Mk2 cockpit behind the Mk1 cockpit on the Ion, it looks very awesome. Very. So very awesome I have a craft with it just waiting for the game to allow crew transfer. Darn thing is, poor kerbal is stuck inside until then.

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inigma

inigma

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It's a Christmas miracle!

Bri7qYO.jpg

lol. I got it to work, I just had to redo how you mounted your VTOL jet. Full access in and out!

Mediafire download if you want to check it out. http://www./?j1pfoum2rrf8j9b

Eureka. All I had to do was move the engine mount down. Awesome. Ill be adding a Type II shortly. :)

Here is a preview. This design actually works as intended and could certify as-is. But I want to center the hoverjet more. I imagine I have more tweaking to do.

Tb18XiP.png

What's really cool is turning the mk2 cockpit on its side, and sticking out like this:

8pTk64Y.png

unfortunately such kerbals are stuck inside without a crew transfer mod. :)

Edited by inigma
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