Landing Pod, Rescue Pod, Escape pod...It's a Pod!

[Redshift OTF]

Welcome to Pod.

I was going to use this format to build the smallest SSTO plane ever but thought better of it and decided to make something a bit different. Pod is a jet and rocket powered SSTO VTOL capsule that can get Kerbals to orbit and dock with whatever station or mothership you have up there, get refuelled and return. Should be Laythe capable as well.

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Pod contains a fuel tank clipped into the hull and includes such luxuries as landing lights, RTG, battery, internal RCS system, accessible RCS tank and a small control ring just below the docking port for remote piloting. It also contains 2 internal parachutes making landing on Kerbal and Laythe a more fuel efficient exercise.

Stats:

Part count = 40

Starting Mass, (partially fuelled) = 4.1 tons

Mass (fully fuelled) = 4.4 tons

Starting Jet TWR = 5.54

Starting Rocket DeltaV (partially fuelled) = 537 m/s

Rocket DeltaV (fully fuelled) = 894 m/s

Operational notes:

Hotkey 1 = toggle Jet engine

Hotkey 2 = toggle Rocket engines

Hotkey 3 = toggle parachutes

Due to the large TWR ratio of the Jet engine you should be able to reach an apoapsis of 100km with the jet engine alone. This means you only need small amounts of Rocket thrust to finish the orbit and rendezvous with an orbital station. To access the internal fuel tank for refuelling it is recommended to zoom in under the Jet engine and right click there. The probe control ring is between the docking port and RCS tank and can be a bit hard to right click on but it is there. I have locked the landing gear suspension as the compression was causing the Jet engine to hit the ground and explode. The landing with the parachutes seems slow enough to handle it though.

Craft file

I built Pod in the Space Plane Hanger, (easier to clip stuff in there), so you may need to save it in your SPH folder for it to work.

Enjoy!

[Levelord]

This is a little off-topic, but what are the clod textures you are using? Which mod gives that effect?

[Redshift OTF]

I'm pretty sure it was This one. The folder in my GameData folder is called BoulderCo if that is any help.

[Rune]

I'm pretty sure it was This one. The folder in my GameData folder is called BoulderCo if that is any help.

Yup, that one. I'm not liking the city lights when flying, but during day or at all times in orbit, it makes kerbin look gorgeous.

[DisarmingBaton5]

TWR ratio

Thrust/Weight Ratio ratio?

Good craft, what's its electricCharge capacity?

[inigma]

shuttlepod! submit it!

needs a parchute though to be considered an emergency spacecraft too.

[Kinglet]

Would 2 little wings make it more efficient?

[Redshift OTF]

Thrust/Weight Ratio ratio?

Good craft, what's its electricCharge capacity?

Oops. Electric charge is 260.

shuttlepod! submit it!

needs a parchute though to be considered an emergency spacecraft too.

Heh, I will. It has two parachutes inside!

Would 2 little wings make it more efficient?

Perhaps but I wanted to keep it pod like and there's enough clipped into the capsule as it is. I may return to this to make it into a space plane but it won't look pretty.

[tyrant264]

um question what about other planets

[Redshift OTF]

I think the jet engine would have to be removed as it would be dead weight on non oxygen bodies. Depends on the gravity.