Kerbal Transportation System (Space shuttle) Construction

[xzxvrx]

I haven't abandoned this. I have been occupied with schoolwork lately. I have been getting back into KSP, work will resume shortly.

[Woopert]

I haven't abandoned this. I have been occupied with schoolwork lately. I have been getting back into KSP, work will resume shortly.

That's always good to hear! School comes first. In terms of this space shuttle though, great work so far and whatever comes out of it will be awesome! The caro bay doors are sick.

[Janggoth]

very glad to hear xzxvrx, it would be a shame to see something this far developed be thrown away. Can't wait to see your work continue with it

[xzxvrx]

Would everyone by ok if the doors only opened this far?

I originally intended them to open further, but this seems good enough to me.

[GusTurbo]

That would be totally fine by me.

[xzxvrx]

Great, then all that's left to do is a few tweaks to the body then i'll mate it to the launcher and get some test flights going.

[xzxvrx]

Sorry for the delay, but i still couldnt live with how little those doors opened, so i have been doing some tweaking

This is good enough for me now

[KissSh0t]

Very nice.. Opening doors is something I am also working on.

: >

it is hard.

[xzxvrx]

Yeah, I am trying to get a new gif to replace that one in the OP, but now I cant get them both to open nicely like that.

[xzxvrx]

First picture of the shuttle in the VAB.

Current part count is 1113, but that will change.

Haven't even put it on the launchpad yet so this design will most likely change.

[montyben101]

Hmm are all the orange tanks full? Or do some of them feed into the boosters?

[xzxvrx]

Hmm are all the orange tanks full? Or do some of them feed into the boosters?

Right now they are all full, but I am thinking of changing the ET because to me, 24 orange tanks is a bit overkill even for this.

[GusTurbo]

Do you use Kerbal Engineer? What's the TWR?

[xzxvrx]

Do you use Kerbal Engineer? What's the TWR?

Since this is on my stock install, I dont have Kerbal Engineer, but when I put it out on the launchpad (and turned on unbreakable joints for testing) First thing, only 2 of the SSME's had fuel running to it, and even when i turned on infinite fuel and lit the LRBs, it still couldn't get off the pad. I am going to design it to be able to lift at-least 1 orange tank to orbit.

This has typically been the result of simply clicking the "Launch" button.

I got some work to do.

[GusTurbo]

I think you'll need to empty some orange tanks.

[xzxvrx]

Ok, I don't have any pictures but here is a short update:

Still been quite busy with schoolwork and such. In the small time that I do get to play, I have been coming up with more designs for much lighter EFTs. The one in the picture above is just overkill, don't think ill need that much to get into orbit.

Sorry if this was a kinda useless bump, just wanting to remind everyone that this isn't abandoned.

[xzxvrx]

Some progress is being made:

Still needs a lot of work, it pitches over 45° by the time it reaches 4km.

[GusTurbo]

Which way does it pitch over? Forward or backwards?

[xzxvrx]

It pitches towards the East, from the CoM shifting while burning the fuel in the EFT. I am trying to lower the max thrust on the most westward mainsails on the LRBs, I just cant lower them too much so that they still provide sufficient thrust. I am trying to run fuel lines to the side of the EFT closest to the orbiter, to help with keeping the CoM close to the CoT after LRB jettison but its not working out so well. I am also thinking about running fuel lines from the EFT to the OMS pods to help keep it straight, the real shuttle did that sometimes to boost its orbit when carrying heavy payloads.

[CaptainGiblets]

Amazing shuttle! Can't wart for when it is ready launch, considering it doesn't melt my little Dell