Realistic Solar System Spaceplanes MEGATHREAD

[icemonkey]

I've finished MAKS re-usable system. Here's a video of launching, docking and re-entering the atmosphere.

Damn that is one shmexy spaceplane. What mod did you use for the long spherical fuel tank?

[Sparker]

The long fuel tank is made of four modular fuel tanks.

[TeeGee]

I did it with Real engines, RSO, RSS, real fuels, engine ignitor, far, etc. Unmanned and therefore 100% safe SHUTTLE. If this was real life, I'd use the same nose as the real shuttle but have the bottom of my tank fit over it like a glove and have it flush with the neck of the orbiter. The tank pumps would feed in through the nose, past the cargo hold and into the engines at the back. During decouple while coasting to apoapsis, undock with bottom of the tank, rcs thrust out of the nose pocket to free the head of the spacecraft, and continue on.

Edited June 23, 2014 by TeeGee

[Sparker]

I remember I saw somewhere in the add-on section an opened shielded docking port. Why not try and attach the fuel tank to that docking port? It will both give your shuttle more aerodynamic look and give opportunity to dock with space stations!

[TeeGee]

I remember I saw somewhere in the add-on section an opened shielded docking port. Why not try and attach the fuel tank to that docking port? It will both give your shuttle more aerodynamic look and give opportunity to dock with space stations!

Well the way I figure is that on the way up, the tank functions as my nose cone. In the way down, I need to increase drag so a blunt nose would help. I dunno. It looks ugly but she gets the job done. Besides, I don't believe in using shuttles for transporting payloads into space. They are too inefficient, too sloppy, too complicated and too expensive. I built this craft to prove to myself I can make a shuttle, I never intended on using it. I guess Im like Russia was...

I've already built an SSTO rocket that transports 3 kerbals into LEO and it only has 1 stage (the pod has extra 300 delta v for orbital maneuvers and is staged voluntarily). She has an LES tower I built myself and shes safer. When I try to reenter with my shuttle, shes in perfect control BUT requires constant monitoring to ensure she slows down enough AND reaches the landing strip. It's just too needlessly complicated.

I'm now looking to build 2 stage heavy lifters that are unmanned.

[Sparker]

Such re-usable vehicles are supposed to produce drag by increasing angle of attack to about 30-60. Well, if it works in KSP, then it's fine.

By the way, what L/D ratio does this shuttle have at subsonic speed?

It's just too needlessly complicated.

I totally agree with you. It takes me half an hour or more to deorbit a re-usable vehicle like that, and without guarantees that it will land at desired position or disintegrate into many pieces because of high temperatures. Just it's fun to fly it sometimes.

[Thrust]

This MAKS system is great, although the mid-air launch looks somewhat acrobatic. Nice video .

Shuttle with tank on its nose... crazy idea, very kerballike ^^'. You can use procedural fairings (interstage adapter?) and put it on bottom of this orange tank. I use it to hide engines on rockets/lifters.

Here's Shuttle prototype I've been working on...

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...It looks good, goes to orbit sideways (mechjeb), 800 deltaV left, 9 crew, docking ports, cargo bay etc... But its crap, it can not land (nose down below mach 2).

I don't believe in using shuttles for transporting payloads into space. They are too inefficient, too sloppy, too complicated and too expensive. I built this craft to prove to myself I can make a shuttle, I never intended on using it. I guess Im like Russia was...

True.

[Sparker]

But its crap, it can not land (nose down below mach 2).

Very nice Shuttle. It looks nice and I see no obvious reasons why it should point its nose down below mach 2. At the first glance, it should fly very well with these big wings. Maybe some parts are conflicting with FAR and produce, say, very much drag or not normal lift? I experienced it with some parts(VA pod from cosmos pack produced enough lift to build a subsonic plane around it ). B9 parts work absolutely fine with FAR.

True.

Well, not exactly. We only had Space Shuttle working and the fact that it was a financial disaster doesn't mean that any other re-usable spaceplane is inefficient. Unfortunately, development of many other re-usable spaceplanes was stopped, leaving only monstrous Space Shuttle and Buran as examples in history

although the mid-air launch looks somewhat acrobatic

To make a non-acrobatic separation I need to control both the carrier plane and spaceplane at the same time. I used to do it by making the carrier plane a root part. After the separation control switched to the carrier plane and I pointed its nose down until it was far enough from the spaceplane, then I switched back to the spaceplane and ignited its engine. But sometimes it lead to wrong behaviour of control surfaces, they deflected the opposite way. That's why I had to return to good old separating motors .

I've found in the Internat that the developers of MAKS say that they have precisely calculated dynamic separation from Mriya and it's completely safe. On another web-page I have found that this is a secret technology of NPO Molniya. I wonder how it is supposed to work in real life.

[firegeek83]

not valid post

Edited June 28, 2014 by firegeek83

[Nicholander]

Uh... This is for Space planes using RSS, and that one does not.

[firegeek83]

Uh... This is for Space planes using RSS, and that one does not.

....fair enough, didn't catch that until after the post. But you were helpful in pointing that out..

[Thrust]

I found a way to force my prototype space shuttle to flight...

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Center of mass is too far in front. But for now I leave it as it is.

Now I need to transport six kerbals, first in space, and later back into atmosphere (for "permanent moon base" project, and future manned mars mission), with something that is lighter than two capsules...

The X-13 STS testing platforms:

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Tier-1 - Good in space, has the aerodynamics of a brick, disassembled itself during re-entry.

Tier-2 - Is still at an early stage of development and testing, during its maiden flight had no fuel tanks or RCS (on the tips of the wings, which will be decoupled before re-entry), surprisingly well-entered the atmosphere (no flames! I did it before but not in RSS).

[Sparker]

That little nice spaceplane looks so fantastic! Both of them. Especially with a rocket attached to it with these struts, it's like a flying space hangar!

Having a main chute is a good idea in case you need to land it safely anywhere, but it would be even better to learn to land them on the runway.

Are you going to enter the atmosphere falling right from the moon? That looks interesting.

[borisperrons]

Wow, the An-225/MAKS combination is simply wonderful!

How much useful payload can it bring to orbit?

[Sparker]

Wow, the An-225/MAKS combination is simply wonderful!

How much useful payload can it bring to orbit?

Sorry, I don't remember, but must be something close to real life proposed MAKS - 7 tons.

[Rothank]

Not a spaceplane, but hey, it's made in RO, it flies and looks awesome. So, take a look folks, a Boeing!

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Edited April 9, 2015 by Rothank
Album wasn't working. It is now, isn't it?

[billbobjebkirk]

Your album's broken

[hypervelocity]

guys!! these are all great!!!! would anyone like to share the craft files for any of the above?? i'd love to study these planes & figure out how they work!!!

[Sparker]

Better try to make a plane yourself, it's not so hard and interesting.

You will have to download all the mods and maybe something will be broken if you try to use other people's crafts, everyone has one's special gamedata folder.

Rothank, that's a nice plane! I think you can find an application for it in KSP. For example, you can launch some rockets or spaceplanes from it.

[hypervelocity]

nah I know, I was just curious and its always fun to take a look at crafts from other people - believe me I am making lots of planes & crafts myself I just haven't managed to master the spaceplane art as I (believe) did with rockets

btw I watched your mission to Mars! the heatshield flower you built was simply amazing!!!