Ssto to Mun ?

[Lohan2008]

Now I have Ssto plane, how do you manage fuel to the Mun ?

Do you use infinite fuel cheat ??

Edited November 14, 2013 by Lohan2008

[NASI Director]

If your looking for an SSTO, this this thread will be of help. If you're looking for just a regular hypersonic atmospheric plane, then there are several threads that are showcasing them. My advice is to make the plane as light as possible, to not use so much fuel it bogs it down. Also, while solar panels weigh the same as a battery pack (I think), the turbojets and the basic jets generate electricity.

[700NitroXpress]

Here's my first design for my HS MK - III, top speed in atmosphere is 1716 m/s without the afterburners on the sides. Once you shut down the main engines and fire the aerospikes it has SSTO capability.

This is my new design, HS MK - V

It has docking ports on the top of the afterburners now so I'm making a tug to take it out to Laythe.

Edited November 14, 2013 by 700NitroXpress

[Lohan2008]

This airplane is now ssto.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Lohan2008

[700NitroXpress]

This airplane is now ssto.

That's the smallest SSTO Plane I've ever seen... pretty cool.

[barrenwaste]

there are smaller, but it is a nice looking ssto. I like the more ethereal planes, the more delicate looking ones.

Edited November 14, 2013 by barrenwaste

[700NitroXpress]

there are smaller, but it is a nice looking ssto. I like the more ethereal planes, the more delicate looking ones.

Yeah, it's super cool, I like it. I just really like making planes like the SR-71 for around Kerban, but going to Duna, I have to downsize and make SSTO's with rocket propulsion only. So lightweight compact designs like that one are inspiring for me for planes that need to operate on other planets.

[barrenwaste]

Here is the link to my small hypersonic ssto. It carries 8 kerbals but is still the size of a small fighter. I've hit around 2k m/s in atmo with it, but it is to heavy with fuel to get much more than that.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/57914-KC-12-Pelican-8-Kerbal-SSTO

[Hodo]

It is stock and FAR usable. This was from the Maching Bird Challenge.

[700NitroXpress]

Here is the link to my small hypersonic ssto. It carries 8 kerbals but is still the size of a small fighter. I've hit around 2k m/s in atmo with it, but it is to heavy with fuel to get much more than that.

Very cool, I need to make a dropship at some point.

[Lohan2008]

The ssto works better with the lv 909 rocket engine in the middle.

[700NitroXpress]

Now I have Ssto plane, how do you manage fuel to get to the Mun ?

Do you use infinite fuel cheat ??

You have to either get your plane into orbit with a regular rocket, or your plane has to have retrograde engines. The moon has very low gravity so when the wheels hit the ground, they're not going to be very useful, but if you have reverse thrust as well as down force, you can stop. If your plane has an RCS system, you can use the translation controls to push the plane into the ground so the wheels get more traction. Then fire the retros and you'll stop.

Here's my design that I'm sending to Duna, it has retrograde thrusters to help it stop so it can land on the moon and on worlds with no atmosphere.

To refuel your plane in orbit, you need an orbital station of sorts to dock with and refuel it. Something like this, maybe smaller, but you get the idea. Notice the plane docked to my docking station for refueling in orbit.

Edited November 14, 2013 by 700NitroXpress

[Virindi]

Another option for the actual Mun landing is to thrust normally like a lander until you are hovering right above the ground, then use RCS to tip over on to the landing gear. I did this in my stock engine spaceplanes mission because the legs on the back were too narrow for the slope. In that mission I did not dock with a space station to refuel; rather, I launched one large carrier plane with a smaller lander plane on the top. Both planes then independently landed at the KSC runway at the end of the mission.

I used B9 spaceplane parts (only stock engines were used) but you could do exactly the same with stock parts.

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[barrenwaste]

Lohan, there are two ways to manage your fuel with a ssto. The first is to carry enough that you can make orbit around what ever system you are aiming for. My Pelican has enough fuel to leave atmo and maker orbit with the Mun. The second way is to use refueling stations. Have a refueling station or ship in orbit, have the ssto make rendevous and then fly the ssto to it's final destination.

Also, I prefer the atomic engines to the aerospike. You can't see them in my pelican build though, because I used an exploit in the game and clipped them inside the jet engines. It actually has four engines, not two.

[Hodo]

Here is two of my current Mun going SSTO Space planes. One can make it without stopping to refuel the other can make it to orbit the mun and come back, it can land on the Mun, but it has very little fuel left.

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I dont have any current pictures of my KerSta-2 at 100km X 100km orbit. I use it for refueling on missions outside of Kerbin orbit.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Hodo

[speedboiae86]

If you're looking for good VTOL-SSTO landers, I recommend checking out any of Cupcakeslanders' threads. He (or she?) is awesome at making VTOL-SSTO dropships that can reach the Mun, Minmus, Duna, and even as far as Laythe!!

Lemme fish around for a link here, hold on... Here we go: Cupcake's Spaceship Bazaar and Dropship Emporium

Also, here's a link to Cupcake's Youtube Channel: Cupcake's Youtube Channel

Finally, here's a link to my own Cupcake inspired design, The Bison Mk. VI: Heavy Utility Class VTOL-SSTO "Bison" Mk. VI (download link in description, flown with Mechjeb (download version requires it, stock available on request.), but I could probably fly it better now myself.)

Edited November 14, 2013 by speedboiae86

[Joco223]

If you know how to dock best thing to do is refuel at space station i think

[pinolallo]

Light weight SSTO

SSTO Mün and Mimnus land and back in a single mission without refuel, 5 kerman bros crew. Full optional (tested ladders vertical / horizontal), large structs for slope moon landings.

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