Attaching spaceplanes to rockets?

[Tassyr]

So I designed a drone spaceplane in the Hangar, using B9- and decided that it -must- go to eve, and possibly jool. There's just one itty bitty catch.

I can't figure how to strap the thing to a rocket! Help?

[WhiteKnuckle]

I'd strap two (to keep the load balanced) to the side of your lift rocket. The lower the better, if you put it on top then you're going to have the COL way ahead of your COM and the whole thing will flip out.

[Tassyr]

That's the thing. I can't figure how to build the lift rocket and get this thing onto it.

It's built in SPH, not VAB. And I can't cross somehow.

[WhiteKnuckle]

That's the thing. I can't figure how to build the lift rocket and get this thing onto it.

It's built in SPH, not VAB. And I can't cross somehow.

You'll have to save it as a sub-assembly to move it from the SPH to the VAB.

[Tassyr]

You'll have to save it as a sub-assembly to move it from the SPH to the VAB.

I move it how? o.o

[WhiteKnuckle]

I move it how? o.o

Sub assembly. It's the parts tab all the way to the right, looks like a rocket broken into pieces. It lets you save collections of parts and then paste them back in, great for making things like rovers or probes.

[Pecan]

If you save something as a subassembly it's automatically available in both the VAB and SPH

[Tassyr]

ah, hm. Now to make the game realise that a radially attachable part is in fact radially attachable. *grumble*

[Claw]

Alternatively, you can copy the .craft file from you saves/ships/sph directory into the saves/ships/vab directory. Then you can open the file in the VAB and continue to build the rocket from there.

However, this method won't allow you to build a rocket and slap the plane on the side.

[Pecan]

Don't you also have to edit the file itself (specifically "type = VAB" at the top of the file) to do that Claw?

[Tassyr]

all right, I got it into VAB from SPH. Another question; anyone got any advice on how to get an air-breathing engine from orbit to atmo?

Well, kludged together something that might work. Sacrificed the high efficiency engine for a RAPIER engine, and attached twin ox-pods with decouplers. At the activation of "0" group it switches the engine from "Closed Circuit" to "Air Breathing" and drops the pods.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Tassyr

[Pecan]

You said it's a spaceplane - use it's vacuum engine(s). If it's really only an aeroplane you'll need your transfer stage to deorbit it or GOAP.

[Tassyr]

I used said kludge. What's a GOAP?

[RoboRay]

Don't you also have to edit the file itself (specifically "type = VAB" at the top of the file) to do that Claw?

You don't have to, but I recommend it. That line in the text file controls which building you go back to if you "revert to the VAB/SPH". If you move the file but don't change the line, you can build and fly just fine. However, if you use the "revert" option you'll end up in the wrong building.

[WhiteKnuckle]

I used said kludge. What's a GOAP?

Get Out And Push.

Only works if you have a Kerbal with an EVA pack

[Mmmmyum]

Try messing around with asymmetrical rockets perhaps? If you adjust thrust between the spaceplane and the rocket it's attached to it's possible to keep it under control with default gimbal ranges

[Claw]

Don't you also have to edit the file itself (specifically "type = VAB" at the top of the file) to do that Claw?

Like RoboRay said, you don't have to edit the file. You do have to manually copy the file over though. If you only edit the file, it will not show up in the other editor. "VAB"/"SPH" just tells the game which editor to revert to out of flight mode.

[Taki117]

You could also get Select Root to choose the root part of your craft. Then you can put a radial attachment point on the underside as the root part to facilitate making it a subassembly, and attaching it to the side of a rocket.