[Showcase] 0.23.5 Lifter Designs

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Just wanted to see what kind of payloads people are already putting up with the new parts. My first test was an easy 200t on a double tall asparagus (200t is the payload above the decoupler, ended with 3/4 of a tank):

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[awarechris]

Can you supply the craft file?

Thanks!

[Giggleplex777]

Here's my SLS Block I without an upper stage:

About 90 tons to orbit.

This is SLS Block II:

Can't get this to lift 130 tons, unfortunately. I'll have to keep trying.

Everything above the decoupler is the payload.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Giggleplex777

[GusTurbo]

I see you're still using the old composite booster method. Why not cluster the new ones?

[Spartwo]

I've gone from ~550 parts to ~300,I love it!

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Just got over 400t to orbit with plenty of fuel left. 442 parts so the lifter itself is probably under 400. I can probably remove a bunch of struts, but even now that's less than half the parts of my current 400t launcher.

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[Giggleplex777]

I see you're still using the old composite booster method. Why not cluster the new ones?

What do you mean? I used a bundle of the big ones.

[Moar Boosters]

I call this the space launch system launch system.

[Woopert]

Somewhat of a Titan III/Titan IV style, with the dual nozzle engine in the middle, albeit with liquid rocket boosters. 37 metric tons to orbit.

[GusTurbo]

What do you mean? I used a bundle of the big ones.

Ah, my bad.

Anyway, here's my low effort Saturn V-ish lifter.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Holy crap the rigidity changes make everything so much easier. 517.94t payload, 242 part launcher (+90 part payload). That includes 36 cosmetic parts and 10 'clean-up' parts (probe body, rcs, and batteries to deorbit launcher). It even holds together during ascent with 4x physics warp! And the only connection to the payload is one decoupler and 6 struts (6 total, not 6 x 6).

[mhoram]

Got started on my new "Low Partcount Lifter" Series.

The Lopac 18 lifter needs only 0.34 parts per ton payload and can lift 180 ton.

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Edited April 2, 2014 by mhoram
link to picture updated

[godefroi]

I found it pretty easy to put 200 tons in orbit, without any fuel lines whatsoever. I made it on my 3rd or 4th try, even with a nasty ascent profile. The new solid boosters are Jebediah's dream part.

I have no doubt that I could put 500 tons into orbit reasonably easy.

A big asparagus-style lifter with the new size 3 parts would be a scary thing.

I shudder to think what Whackjob will accomplish with the new parts and stiffer joints.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

This is crazy. I just redesigned my eve return mission from nearly 2200 parts to 865. Probably 1000 just from the launcher, the rest from removing 3/4 of the struts on the lander. And now it can handle 12 parachutes opening at once when I had to open 2 at a time before.

[Alewx]

It was so late at night i only made a couple of test flights with some Basic launchers. felt really smooth in fps. sadly I was too tired to try out the old launchers with the new stability

Did anyone try an Asparagus staging with the new massive parts? My design was, well not really stable, it was spinning from the first decoupled parts on.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Alewx

[The Destroyer]

I'm pretty sure this can go anywhere in the Kerbol system, I massivley overbuilt it for a mere class A rendevous...

[mhoram]

I just got a 520 ton payload to orbit with a 191 part-lifter. (.craft)

Living quarters for 832 Kerbals

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[ScottyDoesKnow]

It was so late at night i only made a couple of test flights with some Basic launchers. felt really smooth in fps. sadly I was too tired to try out the old launchers with the new stability

Did anyone try an Asparagus staging with the new massive parts? My design was, well not really stable, it was spinning from the first decoupled parts on.

The original post is asparagus, didn't have any issues. It probably had a lot more struts than necessary though so that may have made it more stable.

[sgt_flyer]

Delta IV Heavy - roughly 100 tons to LKO (i got 92 tons on a 100x300 orbit - i tried to see how far the upper stage could lift me

438 parts on the pad (most of it being the fairings, i'm afraid )

i've hidden mainsails inside the KR-2L engines, the central one is toggled automatically with the staging, to emulate the Delta-IV heavy throttling of the central engine. (that's why there's two separatrons in the staging, those are empty with thrust set to 0) - basically, i've added the central mainsail to the 'staging' action group - first staging : toggle on and off (activated by the actual staging, and toggled of from the action group)- second staging : activate all remaining first stage engines and toggling back on the central mainsail. once i'm at 5000m, i stage the fake separatrons to turn off the mainsail, which will be reactivated when i eject the empty lateral boosters (that reduces the central booster to 62% of it's max thrust - and improves central stage ISP )

the fairing is ejected at the same time than the lateral boosters - it splits in half

Upper stage of the rocket :

[mhoram]

With the arrival of the new engines I think we have to adjust the meaning of "light", "heavy" and "superheavy" lifters

Did anyone try an Asparagus staging with the new massive parts? My design was, well not really stable, it was spinning from the first decoupled parts on.

I had no problem using Asparagus staging in my new lifter family.

[allmhuran]

I haven't built a whole rocket yet, because I can't think of something I want to lift. But I did need a kerbal to test out this new lifter subassembly...

[Technical Ben]

Holy crap the rigidity changes make everything so much easier. 517.94t payload, 242 part launcher (+90 part payload). That includes 36 cosmetic parts and 10 'clean-up' parts (probe body, rcs, and batteries to deorbit launcher). It even holds together during ascent with 4x physics warp! And the only connection to the payload is one decoupler and 6 struts (6 total, not 6 x 6).

[snip]

Wow, I thought my launcher was large!

allmhuran, what DV is that thing? <i>All of the DV?</i>

[jmiki8]

This rocket, which looks "tiny" compared to the ones here is my first 0.23.5 rocket. It delivered a 8 ton station core, and a full jumbo tank with a skipper engine to LKO. These parts are simply HUGE.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

I had no problem using Asparagus staging in my new lifter family.

It's hard to tell but it looks like you're using some sort of thrust plate system on your launchers. With the reinforced joints you might not need that anymore, could be able to reduce part count.

Wow, I thought my launcher was large!

I tend to test the limits, in my signature is a link to my pre-0.23.5 1200t lifter. But it had so many parts than any realistic payload (that wasn't just a cluster of tanks) made it not load. The 500t lifter is like 250 parts and can handle 4x physics warp, so I'm not sure I even want to test the limits now. Though I'm sure I will some day.

[mhoram]

It's hard to tell but it looks like you're using some sort of thrust plate system on your launchers. With the reinforced joints you might not need that anymore, could be able to reduce part count.

Yes it is a trust plate system for forcedistribution. I am not going to remove the central trust plates because I designed it that way to support all kinds of different payloads but for the outer boosters this might be a good idea to try.