Finally managed to land a spaceplane in ksp.

[jfull]

I believe I have a curse of some sort. I have never been able to cleanly land an aircraft in any flight sim.

So even though I've explored the solar system in KSP, simple space shuttle-type landings have eluded me. Even the few SSTO missions I've flown have needed chutes to land, usually breaking their wings or fuselage in the process.

This time was different though:

The shuttle was equipped with chutes, just in case.

With the help of the B9 airbrake flaps, I managed a completely unpowered landing. The tail grazed the ground and broke the engines however, which could probably have been prevented with better landing gear placement.

[Vanamonde]

I love that George Pal launch configuration.

[jfull]

I love that George Pal launch configuration.

Is that what its called?

I just did it that way because I'd seen some concepts of smaller shuttles launched this way, and also didn't want to mess around with off center thrust and weight.

[Vanamonde]

Is that what its called?

That's not a real term. It's just that your ship reminded me of the wonderful old science fiction movies made by a director named George Pal.

[astropapi1]

That's one smexy shuttle! How did you attach both engines to the rocket?

[jfull]

That's one smexy shuttle! How did you attach both engines to the rocket?

Its probably hard to see in the pictures, but I used decouplers under both engines, and then attached the same kind of bicoupler the engines were mounted on beneath that. I was the only way I could see for it to work.

[astropapi1]

But then the rocket is only attached to one of the shuttle's engines. :/

Did it wobble too much?

[Geschosskopf]

Very **** spaceplane! Congrats on the landing

[jfull]

But then the rocket is only attached to one of the shuttle's engines. :/

Did it wobble too much?

Not really actually, just made sure to use lots of struts.

(also, B9 adds a strut that's stiffer and stronger than the stock one)

[KeithStone]

congrats to you! I too have a bit of this same curse...

[Cashen]

B9 also adds invisible struts which I really like.

Nice job with the spaceplane. The trick to landing, at least in my experience, is to have really good glide characteristics with lots of lift, so you can come in nice and slow. The slower the better.

Now try a landing back on the runway!

[jfull]

Now try a landing back on the runway!

But... but...

the fields around the space center are just as flat, and there's no risk of missing them!

Seriously though, I might, might try this eventually