9-seater VTOL SSTO Spaceplane

[bsalis]

Have Kerbonauts to move to LKO and back in a safe and reusable manner? Perhaps to Minmus too?

Do you need to land anywhere you want?

Want to fly in style?

Well, wait no longer, the Excalibur VTOL SSTO Spaceplane is here!

****clicky here to download***

Key Stats

Game version: 0.23

Part count: 130

Wet mass: 46.46 tons

dV to LKO: ~500 m/s (that is proven performance from my piloting, you will get more or less)

Action Groups

0 : Toggle vertical lift engines on/off

9 : Toggle RAPIER mode - outer set

8 : Toggle RAPIER mode - inner set

7 : Toggle central Turbojet on/off and gimbal

6 : Toggle main Intake set

5 : Toggle thick atmo Intakes (3 of them)

4 : Toggle RAPIERs on/off and gimbals

3 : Toggle VTOL RAPIERs on/off and mode (for airless landing/ascent)

2 : Toggle Ladder

1 : Toggle docking port open/close

Notes

* VTOL ability, in Air and Airless bodies - tested on Kerbin and Minmus w/refueling.

* Engines at rear are >1:1 TWR, so it can climb balistic

* Ascent profile summary: Climb and accelerate while avoiding flameout. Use up most of the 600 units of fuel in the jet tanks to climb as high as you can get. Switch to RAPIERs (keys 9, 8) to ClosedCycle (while leaving the Turbojet on) to get Ap above atmo holding around 45 degree pitch. Close intakes and shutdown Turbojet to coast to Ap. Circularize.

* Fuel flow is all setup in a way where you should not need to manually transfer anything.

* More information upon request

Pictures

Taking off from kerbin, VTOL style.

In orbit above Kerbin.

On Minmus (after refueling in LKO), all crew present.

[Giggleplex777]

I like how the vertical R.A.P.I.E.R. engines was used as a lift engine in the atmosphere and in space.

[Albin Xavier]

Just noticed I necro'd this thread, sorry!

Edited April 28, 2014 by Albin Xavier