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Realistic Solar System Crafts - MEGATHREAD

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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Nice Launchers Razorcane! I have a possible suggestion or two:

  • Saturn 1 / 1B
  • Falcon X? (Is this even a thing? I have seen images, and scale photos, but never actually any designs.)
  • Ariane V
  • Vega
  • Atlas V 401 (Well. You have the 501. Would it be too hard to downsize the second stage and call it a 401? :P)

Actually the Atlas V 401 and 501 are the exact same size(or roughly). What makes them different is the placement of the fairing. The fairing on the 501 encompasses the Centaur Upper Stage, whereas with the 401 the fairing only covers the payload on top. The only real difference is the diameter of the payload they can carry. Also, I don't really want to do a Vega because I don't see any practical use for it. I already have the Saturn 1B and Ariane 5, though they still need extensive work.

Just a friendly reminder, if you are showing off a craft, please post the craft file :)

Doesn't that mean I also have to compile a mod list? I don't really have time to make a mod list, which is why I didn't include the craft.

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ANWRocketMan

ANWRocketMan

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Good day fellow rocketeers,

Here I present my two most used rockets and a "little" bonus:

Alpha MK.1

lAYrXDW.png

Alpha MK.1 Launcher with LunaSat 01 ready for launch. LunaSat 01 is a 400kg sattelite in a polar orbit around the Moon. The transfer stage(included in payload as separate stage) has enough dV for initial orbital operations and for de-orbiting of the spent stage.

Stats:

Payload to LEO[400kmx400km](equatorial launch): 7.5 metric-tons

Mass at launch: 250-mt

Stages: 2

  1. Boosters:
    • 4x 1m SRB[445.5kN thrust each]
    • Burn Time: 75s

[*]Stage 01:

  • 1x NK-33[1723kN thrust]
  • Burn Time: 299s

[*]Stage 02:

  • 2x RL10A-3 w/ shared pump[132kN thrust]
  • Burn Time: 306s

Total launch-to-orbit time: 605s approx.

Launch Profile[not perfected; for 7.5-ton payload]:

  1. Throttle to full, activate engine, activate SRB's, detach launch clamps.
  2. Once a speed of 80m/s is reached, pitch 5 degrees down toward desired heading.
  3. Once surface-velocity vector catches up, pitch down 5 degrees toward desired heading.
  4. Once surface-velocity vector catches up, disable SAS and begin gravity turn.
  5. If you are launching into an inclined orbit you want to thrust slightly to the sides now to make sure the orbital-velocity vector has the proper inclination.
  6. Once the vehicle reaches a 45-degree pitch turn SAS back on.
  7. Wait until Time-to-Apoapsis(TtA) is around 1:40 seconds away. Pitch down until you are not gaining or losing TtA and keep it as such.
  8. Once stage is empty, activate the second stage and pitch to 30-degrees above horizon.
  9. Once TtA starts rising, pitch down 5-degrees and repeat.
  10. Once the desired apoapsis is reached, shut down engine. You should already be in orbit with Periapsis above 100km.
  11. Coast to Apoapsis and activate engine prograde to raise Periapsis to desired height.

SLS Block-1A

TvYa1vd.png

The SLS Block-1A I use is slightly inaccurate, has a lower payload than the theoretical maximum of the real one, and is built to look like the old Ares V(with a much lighter payload). Here it ready for the launch of a small lunar lander(12-tons). The TLI-Stage and lander weigh 65-tons, as such, the TLI-Stage is required to complete full orbital insertion.

Stats:

Payload to LEO[400kmx400km](equatorial launch): 61

Mass at launch: 1 590-mt

Stages: 2

  1. Boosters:
    • 2x 2.8m SRB[14 280kN thrust]
    • Burn Time: 107s

[*]Stage 01:

  • 4x RS-25D[9 116kN thrust]
  • Burn Time: 285s

[*]Stage 02:

  • 1x J-2X[1 310kN thrust]
  • Burn Time: 356s

Total launch-to-orbit time: 641s approx.

NOTE: I do not have an optimal launch profile. I have not spent much time trying to discover it. So, just wing it for now).

NOVA C-8

yvXaAJ3.png

The first NOVA C-8 launch with test payload of 240 metric tons. This payload consists of a TLI-Stage with Lunar Payload of 100 tons(theoretical). The rocket is not fully developed and is still experiencing issues. The first stage has a diameter(including engine shroud) of 13.8m.

Stats:

Payload to LEO[400kmx400km](equatorial launch): 230-mt <=> 240-mt

Mass at launch: 5 512-mt

Stages: 2

  1. Stage 01:
    • 8x F-1[62 192kN thrust]
    • Burn Time: 184s approx.(having some trouble with Kerbal Engineer and detecting the engines, it only detects 1 engine attached so my math might be wrong on this)

[*]Stage 02:

  • 7x J-2X[9 170kN thrust]
  • Burn Time: 463s

Total launch-to-orbit time: 647s approx.

Future derivations[planned]:

  • NOVA C-8 A: 4x Additional SRB's to increase LEO payload capability
  • NOVA C-8 B: 4x Added Liquid Boosters(powered by F-1 engines) to provide even greater control and LEO capability
  • NOVA C-9: A very ambitious Falcon-Heavy like rocket to provide the largest payload capacity ever devised by mankind.

NOTE: I do not have an optimal launch profile and I'm having some problems with thrust on the second stage, adding an extra J-2X would solve the problem, but due to the engine bases that most modders add, it would look very ugly if I do that. I can add an extra J-2X in a different manner, but then I lose some efficiency on the design and would need a bigger second stage tank. I'm going to try replacing them with standard J-2 engines, which might work. But it would reduce the payload by some amount.

NOTE 2: My first second flight, for example, into polar orbit needed the TLI stage to complete the burn. This is, in part, due to a difficult take-off which is in part fault of low-TWR and in part due to KJR v2.0(with which I'm having a lot of instability). This causes the rocket to veer off course right at the start and you waste a lot of time and fuel trying to right the rocket, not to mention this makes accurate launching a huge issue. But I achieved that polar orbit with 187.1 tons left. Not the best of circumstances. My ascent was very inefficient as well, my gravity turn started too quickly and I spent a lot of time in thicker atmosphere. In addition, the low TWR of the second stage had me wasting a lot of fuel to keep my Apoapsis ahead of the rocket. Letting it fall behind causes me to lose the launch(as in a previous attempt).

NOTE 3: I reduced the payload to 220 tons. I added 4 very small 2m SRB's just to give some extra thrust at lift off. I also increased the diameter of the second stage by 0.6m to 10.7m(from 10.1m) wide and was able to add an 8th J-2X. After these changes, I re-branded the rocket as the C-8 R2 "NOVA". I was then able to launch into a equatorial orbit of 150km x 400km with that payload(which will have to provide an extra 100m/s or so dV to circularise). So, it seems to work now. Just some more small tweaks I think. I would still like more thrust in the second stage. It would make the rocket much more efficient.

UPDATE:

Here is the upgraded "NOVA" C-8 R2:

jW459ai.png

And the NEW "NOVA" C-9. Just a hint: It's big, and weighs 14,000 metric tons!

YzcMpjZ.png

p.s. Where is a good place to upload the craft files for the rockets?

Edited by ANWRocketMan
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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Razorcane, very nice!

Unless you've made your own changes to mods, we can figure out what's used from the craft file and the log entries it spits on trying to load if we don't have required parts.

I actually did. I added new configurations for the engines, and I edited RealFuels to support TAC Life Support so that Cygnus could carry Oxygen/Food/Water.

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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Oh! I have one! Delta II or Delta III would be AMAZING :D

I already have a Delta II, but it's rather unstable. Delta III is probably going to be along the same lines as well. I've also finished a Delta IV Heavy, and it's surprisingly stable, apart from the fact that it wants to turn so that the CBC's are vertical instead of horizontal.

Also, here's a video of Antares. I'm still tweaking it, but it's almost perfect.

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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Could I please have the Antares when you've finished? I really love the sleek look of it.

CP

I can give it to you, however your version might not fly, as I said before I have edited the configs of the engines and the tanks to make it work.

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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Ok. Captain Party, here you go.

Antares & Cygnus

For the NK-33 Engines, you'll need to set thrust to 1815, Isp(SL) to 297, and Isp(Vac) to 331. Also, the omni-directional RCS pod from AIES(it's got a golden mylar material for a texture) needs to have it's weight changed to .001 and it's thrust changed to .1.

For mods, you'll need all the usual. StretchyTanks, Bobcat's Russian Engines, Procedural Fairings, KW Rocketry. You'll also need AIES (specifically the square engine and the omni-directional RCS pod), and you'll also need Hullcam VDS. You might also want to alter some values as well, as the launch is different depending on your inclination and whatnot.

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Scripto23

Scripto23

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Energia-Polyus! (Now available with 100% less crashing into the Pacific Ocean) Craft and Realism Overhaul config for the Tiberdyne parts can be found in the Energia folder in the link in my sig.

Javascript is disabled. View full album
Edited by Scripto23
Fixed album formatting, thanks SFJackBauer
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SFJackBauer

SFJackBauer

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Awesome Scripto23!

I recorded a Saturn-V launch video to show off the roll authority given by dtobi's gimbal plugin, which is now included in the RealEngines configs zip.

Also I managed to match almost to the second the marks of the real Apollo 11 launch, using Braeunig's table as a quick reference.

Careful with the audio volume though!

And here is the craft file for the Saturn V - http://www./view/5puapixgfgh79so/Saturn_V.craft

Mods used

And very important - KJR - there are ZERO struts in this, and its solid like a... rocket!

Edited by SFJackBauer
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Scripto23

Scripto23

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Awesome Scripto23! You may want to fix the album embedding though, it should be just [[imgUR]](five-letter code)[[imgUR]]

I recorded a Saturn-V launch video to show off the roll authority given by dtobi's gimbal plugin, which is now included in the RealEngines configs zip.

Also I managed to match almost to the second the marks of the real Apollo 11 launch, using Braeunig's table as a quick reference.

Careful with the audio volume though!

And here is the craft file for the Saturn V - http://www./view/5puapixgfgh79so/Saturn_V.craft

Thanks for the formatting tip. And that was a really nice launch, I think anytime somebody asks how to get to orbit in RSS I'm just going to link them that video.

Also, what mods are used in your Saturn V? I can't open the craft, though I've deleted a lot of parts from the mods I do have. (edit: thanks for the mod list!)

Edited by Scripto23
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HoneyFox

HoneyFox

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screenshot54.png

:D My Delta III (Enlarged version though), LEO ~28t. The first stage uses the same way as D III in RL: Kerosene tank is inside the fairing's bottom section and LOX is all stored in the smaller diameter tank with that symbolic blue painting. And 9 SRBs, though I haven't setup three of them to use the vacuum version. :P

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SFJackBauer

SFJackBauer

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Thanks for the formatting tip. And that was a really nice launch, I think anytime somebody asks how to get to orbit in RSS I'm just going to link them that video.

Sorry for the delay in answering, I couldn't get near my computer anytime soon (and then when I can, the forums crap out...)

Thanks! Although I really used what NASA engineers did some 40 years ago, so props to them in designing such a large rocket and a proper guidance program to accompany it.

You can really appreciate how accurate today a game like KSP can be, as long as the numbers and formulas are right you can do such simulations... I ended up 9 kilometers higher in altitude than Apollo, but I think its because I didn't turned fast enough in the first 2 minutes like I should've.

Also, what mods are used in your Saturn V? I can't open the craft, though I've deleted a lot of parts from the mods I do have.

I have updated the above post with the mods list, if you still can't open then send me the part name it is missing and I'll check it.

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Razorcane

Razorcane

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Awesome Scripto23!

I recorded a Saturn-V launch video to show off the roll authority given by dtobi's gimbal plugin, which is now included in the RealEngines configs zip.

Also I managed to match almost to the second the marks of the real Apollo 11 launch, using Braeunig's table as a quick reference.

Careful with the audio volume though!

And here is the craft file for the Saturn V - http://www./view/5puapixgfgh79so/Saturn_V.craft

Mods used

And very important - KJR - there are ZERO struts in this, and its solid like a... rocket!

Looks like you are about 200-300m/s short of being able to reach the moon!

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Blipser

Blipser

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I've recently been trying my hand at recreating realistic launchers, mainly trying to make them look realistic but also have the right diameters, engines and approximate max payloads. So far I've made every Atlas 5 apart from the heavy, every Delta IV apart from the heavy and started work on the Ariane 5. Ill post the later two when they're completely done but since I'm probably never going to make the Atlas HLV since it will probably never be used ill just show and share it now:

Just a few different Atlas launches.

Javascript is disabled. View full album
.

And a full trip to GTO with a 411.

Javascript is disabled. View full album
.

They tend to outperform their real world counterparts, so you can add some ballast to the centaur if you want.

They also require KOSMOS for fuel lines, FASA for the launch clamps & this for tank textures and fairings. Ill just post the 411 & 525, you can just swap around boosters using subassembly & switch the centaur engines from there. Get them here.

Thats just everything, see you soon with some Deltas.

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Swifty

Swifty

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Some real nice launchers here.

After hearing the rumors of a 1000tn to orbit rocket. I've been having a go myself this evening. I think I've finally worked out how to do it - Very large radius tanks.

So far I have a 500tn to orbit launcher, if instead of only having a huge bottom stage I have a second stage of similar radius I think I can get 1000tn up easily.

But just why??

h3K9YLK.png

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Swifty

Swifty

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First 1000tn to Orbit proof of concept launcher!

More details, refinements and cosmetics to follow later

bKxxW2u.png

White Bit on top is 1001tn Payload with the 4m Mk1-2 Command Pod at the very tip.

Orange Tank Radius 15m - 17 Space Shuttle Engines

White Tank Radius 35m - 9 Saturn V engine Clusters

Edited by Swifty
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