Shuttle thread

[Fellow314]

I built this. Then made a thread. Then realised I should probably have put it here. So, erm, here it is.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/107692-Shuttle

[Yukon0009]

The KSTS, mostly safe to kerbonauts. Also has relatively wide margins for error in orbit. And even handles nicely in atmosphere.

[Captain Sierra]

All yall and your bog-standard swept wings. I got dis in the works!

[Frafor]

Here's mine, pretty useless besides looking and working like the real one. Main diference is 1 engine instead of 3.

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[Payload]

The issue with winged shuttles in this game is that it is just decoration. It's much easier for one to build a wingless SSTO that launches and lands vertically and just omit the drag of the wings altogether. I have one that can launch an orange tank into orbit and take it all the way to munnar orbit. Granted the orange tank wont be full when it gets there. However, it's 100% reusable and requires no external tanks or staging what so ever. It also has the side benefit of being balanced and relatively easy to fly into space.

That said, I do enjoy building them just for the challenge and the looks. Though I don't enjoy the stress of trying to land the buggers.

30 tons of Kethane mining equipment and extra fuel bound for Munnar orbit.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Payload

[inigma]

Time for my submission. My non shuttlecraft magnum opus:

STS-1 Space Shuttle Intrepid

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276 stock parts capable of lifting 42 tons to 200km orbit. See link in my sig.

[Loligoat]

I was bored one day and decied "You know what? I'm gonna build the Buran shuttle. 2 hours later I end up with this sloppy design. It's not the Buran, but it's similar... kindof. It isn't terrible, but there is definitely room for improvement. It can carry ~25t to LKO.

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[zekes]

[Sampa]

First off...ZEKES! You changed your avatar!

second: figured it was only a matter of time before you found this thread, Zekes!

[TeeGee]

[Naito]

Time for my submission. My non shuttlecraft magnum opus:

STS-1 Space Shuttle Intrepid

276 stock parts capable of lifting 42 tons to 200km orbit. See link in my sig.

I gotta say Inigma, every time I see your shuttle.....your wings are freakin gorgeous.

[inigma]

I gotta say Inigma, every time I see your shuttle.....your wings are freakin gorgeous.

Lol. Thank you Naito. Your shuttle was my inspiration. I'm about to release STS-3 with some much needed flight tweaks and visual improvements. And thank Claw. If not for him developing InFlightShipSave, these wings would never have seen the light of day. Anyone is free to use them or copy them. No credit needed. I like how our shuttle upgrades are pushing the development of creative shuttle ideas.

Im still amazed at your shuttle's balance. I tested mine for hours recently trying to remove even a single SAS unit to no avail. 30 SAS units is what the thing really needs to keep it noob friendly. I'll have to wait on reducing part count and new wings in 1.0.

Edited January 31, 2015 by inigma

[RocketPilot573]

My new shuttle

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[inigma]

The prettiest and most capable of all my STSs:

STS-4

[Norcurion]

Well then: my first and only successful STS right now.

Features: Staging just like the real one:

Liquid Fuel + oxidizer in the main tank, engines on the Orbiter

SolidRocketBooster

Mono propellant tanked into the Orbiter for final PA-raise and orbital maneuvers

2,375 tons payload + 2 kerbals to 150x150 incl docking

no payload and 2 kerbals to 600x600 incl docking

Only one reaction-wheel-system: the cockpit

It has a RP1/LOX RCS-system with vernor's for two points in the flight:

just before SRB-sep

second half of the external-tank-only-flight

The craft is pretty stable most points of the ascent and needs only the cockpit torque and the gimbal range of the

LV-T 45's but for those two phases of the flight (where some more range would be epic )

(Kudos to Scot Manley for the trick with this gimbal-work-around)

Any further descriptions are in the gallery-pictures. Note: Screen shots are from different flights, the new version has the Mechjeb inside.

As this is no challenge i think mixing up the pictures to create a "virtual" flight is acceptable

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EDIT: Just noticed that this is a stock thread. I used only mechjeb, all other parts are stock. The STS is perfectly working without mechjeb, im just too lazy to retake all the pictures

Hope that this is OK

Edited March 6, 2015 by Norcurion

[Rune]

Don't sweat it, mechjeb hardly qualifies as a mod, unless you put the part in the craft file, it should work just as good in stock.

Rune. Nice first shuttle, BTW!

[nestor_d]

Not just a shuttle, a Double shuttle! It now looks slughtly different, because of the changes to the canards and tail fins in 1.0

[wgering]

My first submission: the Libra I. Not a true Shuttle replica, what with the engine on the fuel pod and the LFO-powered engines...okay, maybe it's just a plane that got stuck to the side of a rocket.

Capable of hauling two kerbals and a small satellite up to a 100x100 orbit with 1500 m/s to spare (without refueling), this "shuttle" fills an early-game niche for launching communication satellites and small interplanetary probes, as well as servicing stations and Mun bases. It fills the gap nicely until you unlock R.A.P.I.E.R engines.

Here it is in action:

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With a net cost of ~20000 funds per launch (less if you use Stage Recovery), is it cheaper to launch your teeny sats the old-fashioned way? Maybe. Does that let you put a Kerbal on the Mun in the same trip? Nope.​

[Servo]

I just finished my own design. Handles well enough, though SRB separation is really dicey.

It has a hefty cargo bay, though I haven't tested its limits quite yet. I'm currently building a station exclusively using the STS.

It has a capacity for 8 crew, in the Mk3 and a hitchhiker in the cargo bay. Landing can be tough, but with some well-timed engine use can put it down safely.

[-M-TheDoctor]

The prettiest and most capable of all my STSs:

STS-4

http://i.imgur.com/8Gi6GDM.png

My friend, I cannot thank you enough for this design. It is nearly perfect. It's in orbit right now, building my first interplanetary mission. Bravo!! Bravo!!

[milbournosphere]

30 tons of Kethane mining equipment and extra fuel bound for Munnar orbit.

I've been trying something similar and have succeeded with a mk2 pod, but am having trouble getting a mk3 vehicle similar to yours into orbit. The ramjets have MORE than enough thrust, but I can't find an engine combo that is compact enough with enough fuel to bring my vertical ssto into orbit. I'm guessing that you have an engine centrally mounted on your heavy lift shuttle...how are you propelling your vehicle after the ramjets flame out?

[THE NARWHAL]

hm... i have something along the lines of a mk3 dreamchaser (minus wings) but it uses an apollo-sized rocket to get up ino orbit. does that count?