Is it possible to build an asparagus ship in the demo?

[SRV Ron]

I saw this question asked in an older post but wanted to run the demo to be sure if it was possible. The answer is yes. Fuel lines and radical decouplers, the two key components needed for asparagus staging are in the parts list. The ship does have reasonable control in flight to orbit. There is only a very minor spin issue easily controlled. Note, Use LV-30s on the asparagus and the LV-45 in the core stage. It should be possible to build a lander on top with maybe needing the use of SRBs for the initial launch.

[GamerMitch]

Yes,Asparagus is always possible as long as you have fuel lines and decouplers,though I haven't played around with it much lately,I just like to feed fuel from all the outer tanks into the center at once.

[SRV Ron]

Yes,Asparagus is always possible as long as you have fuel lines and decouplers,though I haven't played around with it much lately,I just like to feed fuel from all the outer tanks into the center at once.

I believe that is referred to onion staging. It works quite well with some designs while allowing ring bracing for stability. I combine the two concepts to an extent when I use a ring of SRBs around an asparagus design. I aim to have them push the rocket up to about 5,000 meters. It gives the asparagus much better performance to orbit.

Not sure how the SRB concept will work in the demo given the one supplied having overheating and exploding issues

[kurja]

I believe that is referred to onion staging.

What parts would you need for asparagus that you won't need for onion??? Fuel lines are required for both, and that's pretty much it. Probably wouldn't make so much sense without decouplers but those are there too.

[capi3101]

I believe that is referred to onion staging. It works quite well with some designs while allowing ring bracing for stability. I combine the two concepts to an extent when I use a ring of SRBs around an asparagus design. I aim to have them push the rocket up to about 5,000 meters. It gives the asparagus much better performance to orbit.

Not sure how the SRB concept will work in the demo given the one supplied having overheating and exploding issues

I cut my teeth on the demo - had a design that incorporated seven RT-10s on an initial stage, one centerline and six outboard. Never had any problems with exploding SRBs and that was with them in a tight cluster under the main stack, so I imagine they'd work just fine as an outer ring. If any part will give you problems with asparagus in the demo, its those crummy little TT38-K radial decouplers. Hard to tell when you've got a tank sitting on them.

My demo design was onion, incidentally - two FL-T800s in seven stacks (center and six outboard), LV-T45 inboard and LV-T30s outboard; the RT-10s were put underneath those engines with stack decouplers for the initial stage. Usually got up to about 3000 before they had to be cut loose. The design had enough juice in the center stage to circularize, transfer to the Mün, perform Münar orbital insertion, and deorbit for landing; it usually still had some gas left in it when I had to cut it loose to land. Lander was a Phallus 7 of course, but that's really the only kind of lander you can build in the demo (I say that - you could widen the stack with additional FL-T400s, it'd just give you way more gas than you need).

[SRV Ron]

What parts would you need for asparagus that you won't need for onion??? Fuel lines are required for both, and that's pretty much it. Probably wouldn't make so much sense without decouplers but those are there too.

The difference is in how the fuel lines and staging is set up. Asparagus is staged and dropped in pairs with fuel feeding in a ring before going to the center tank. Onion feeds fuel to the center tank and is dropped as a ring. Both setups use fuel lines and radical decouplers.

[SRV Ron]

Have tested the SRB using 12 of them in a ring with no braces. Some minor spin issue but otherwise a good flight. (Had to land one due to the three flight limit of the demo.)

And in 100 by 150k orbit.

Certainly feasible to place a lander for payload to Mun and return on this launch combo.

Edited November 16, 2013 by SRV Ron

[capi3101]

Definitely would not use an FL-T800 for a Münar lander fuel source. Speaking from experience here - that thing will tip over.

[kurja]

The difference is in how the fuel lines and staging is set up. Asparagus is staged and dropped in pairs with fuel feeding in a ring before going to the center tank. Onion feeds fuel to the center tank and is dropped as a ring. Both setups use fuel lines and radical decouplers.

Exactly so, looks like I misunderstood your post.

[SRV Ron]

Definitely would not use an FL-T800 for a Münar lander fuel source. Speaking from experience here - that thing will tip over.

Agree. A lander for this design would look more like this.

I would use onion staging on the four FL-T400 cans, four LV-909s, and the landing legs on the three outboard boosters. Land on the setup shown, launch with fuel left on the descent stage, stage as needed, and return to Kerbal. The decouplers from the Demo will work OK.

Two ships around Mun.

Edited November 16, 2013 by SRV Ron

[SRV Ron]

Lander in the demo based upon last night's design

With enough fuel in the core stage to place lander in low orbit

Have lowered the legs as this prototype places the engines too close to the ground.

[capi3101]

It looks like you've got three outboard lander stacks. Four -909s on the lander? I suppose that would give you good TWR for landing. Good idea - I never thought of that before. I assume there are fuel lines to keep the center tank full; I see the decouplers to jettison the outboard stacks.

I might recommend moving the front one so it's not directly below the hatch, unless you're planning to just use Jeb's pack for ingress/egress from the capsule (they do have the little yellow extendable ladders in the demo.