RAPIER Enigne SSTO

[700NitroXpress]

So I just took my old SSTO design and added the new engines to it. These things have very low power at sea level, but once you're at high altitude and use them, they're nice. SSTO's are now made easy. This is my first design with the new engines and I like it. Action groups are in the vehicle descriptions in the SPH.

Download it here: SSTO

Here's the test flight video:

Edited December 17, 2013 by 700NitroXpress

[spaceman1999]

What is in the rapier engines? And nice craft!

[Hodo]

What is in the rapier engines? And nice craft!

I have asked this question a few times.. I know of SABRE engines but not this RAPIER.

[Yalin Hawk]

Its a pun off of SABRE? Sabres are blades, so are Rapiers? The new Rapier engine is a stock ksp sabre.

[Hodo]

Its a pun off of SABRE? Sabres are blades, so are Rapiers? The new Rapier engine is a stock ksp sabre.

Possibly, and thanks for the answer, I will mess with them after I finish what I am doing in another game.

I can say I am not a huge fan of SABRE engines, even though I use them quite a bit. They are just to heavy, for the power you get. I use them because they cut part counts.

[Yalin Hawk]

Yeah I'm trying to write a final paper so I'll tinker more with the engines myself later. From a quick 5 minute craft build, they seem to make SSTO's cake. Especially with the tweakable ability to configure fuel tank loads on the ground.

[700NitroXpress]

What is in the rapier engines? And nice craft!

The new engines self toggle from air breathing mode to rocket mode. They use a liquid fuel oxidizer combo and seem to have a little less power than the turbo jets, until you get to high altitude, then they open up and you get to orbit with ease. This design would need to be refueled in orbit otherwise the center mass and center lift cause problems when you return to the ground. So I'll put up an SSTO refueling station and that will solve this problem.