Roc Heavy Lifter Mk. 3 and Mk. 4!

[fermun]

I am trying to build a big rocket, here is where I am at so far with it:

It has 6 stages with engines on it, though there are more stages for jettisoning crap. Each liquid engine has 2 fuel tanks for it.

Stage 1: 24 boosters

Stage 2: 16 liquid, 8 boosters

Stage 3: 4 liquid, 4 boosters

Stage 4: 4 liquid,

Stage 5: 1 liquid

Stage 6: 1 liquid

Total rocket is:

capsule + parachute

6 SAS modules

52 fuel tanks

26 liquid engines

36 solid boosters

4 big fins

Various couplers and decouplers

Yes, this flies. Separating the stage of 16 liquid rockets and starting up the next stage requires a bit of a wait or the explosion will kill the boys. I think that I can fit more on it, but I'm getting close to the limit on what can actually be controlled as I fly it.

Here's a video of it taking off and getting into orbit.

Flying straight up with maximum burn the whole time, the top speed is 7131 m/s, so it is pretty fast as well.

This uses couplers and fins and nosecones from addons.

Fins made by Jaanus: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.0

Couplers and nosecones made by Sunday Punch: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.0

[duke_luke_em]

Very impressive. The shear size had many kerbals claiming it would be impossible for such a monster to ever reach the sky.

[fermun]

I have video evidence of it being able to reach the sky in such a way that it never has to fall back down!

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

[lars]

Very impressive. The shear size had many kerbals claiming it would be impossible for such a monster to ever reach the sky.

My enormous rockets never work.

[duke_luke_em]

Its a huge self launching space station, and when it rotates like that it creates artificial gravity.

[fermun]

Roc Heavy Lifter Mk. 4!

If you thought the previous build was too small, more boosters have been added to make it a little bit larger!

The change is 4 more boosters that fire on the first liquid engine stage. This makes the initial booster stage less wobbly, increasing its top speed slightly then really adds a lot of extra speed and lift to the first stage of liquid engines. Stage 2 now runs out of fuel 2km higher, giving you that much more fuel and speed to work with. A straight vertical burn at maximum throttle the whole time now reaches a speed of 7230m/s, running out of fuel at 1375K

Total rocket is now

52 fuel tanks

26 liquid engines

40 solid boosters

I've begun reaching problems when I add more to this, but this is the last stable rocket I've made on this theme.

edit:

This uses couplers and fins and nose cones from addons.

Fins made by Jaanus: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.0

Couplers and nose cones made by Sunday Punch: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.0

[Coffeeislife]

Wow.

I always try to build the smallest rocket that can do what I want, but I must say that I'm quite impressed by your work.

I feel... inadequate.

If you would like to see the results of my experiments in making small rockets, look here:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aor___PSxYVQdElWNkpjYS1GN3FQb0dQd3pZc01Zemc&hl=en_US