[Showcase] 0.23.5 Lifter Designs

[ScottyDoesKnow]

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...

http://i.imgur.com/aVCLpqT.png

Is there a reason you used adapter to adapter to medium nose cone instead of adapter to large nose cone? Would save you a few parts and personally I like the look better.

[sgt_flyer]

Is there a reason you used adapter to adapter to medium nose cone instead of adapter to large nose cone? Would save you a few parts and personally I like the look better.

personally, i use something similar, adapter to rockomax adapter to FL-A10 adapter to small parachute as nosecones - because all those parts together (including the new 3.75m to 2.5m adapter) is lighter than the large nosecone also, the result does not have too much altered drag compared to the large nosecone - which can be a pain in the ass sometimes when those nosecones are lower than the center of gravity of the rocket (it can happen when you use boosters around a serial staging - when the lower stages are almost empty - which makes the rocket unstable)

[allmhuran]

Is there a reason you used adapter to adapter to medium nose cone instead of adapter to large nose cone? Would save you a few parts and personally I like the look better.

Weight... the large nose cones are heavier than the combination of the other two. Or at least, they used to be...

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Weight... the large nose cones are heavier than the combination of the other two. Or at least, they used to be...

You're right, I never really looked at the weights of them before. Something I noticed was that the medium nose cone is something like 0.03 and the small one is 0.1, kinda strange. I never worried too much about the weight with my rocket being 4000t

[NeilSterkarm]

I used the new parts to recreate the ARES I rocket from the cancelled Constellation program.

The rocket (all stock) consists of:

1^st stage: Two new big SRB's clipped using cubic struts

2^nd stage: 3/4 full orange tank with Klipper

3^rd stage (ORION): Mk1-2 Pod with LES, X200-8 Fuel tank and Poodle engine. Parachutes are hidden beneath the decoupler and RCS tanks and solar panels are hidden within the engine shroud of the Poodle engine using VAB clipping.

Launch profile

a. Launch straight up until SRB's are depleted

b. Start the gravity turn with the 2nd stage

c. Press '1' to release the LES

d. Continue the gravity turn (while staging the 3rd stage there is a non harmful explosion for Jeb to enjoy)

e. Press '2' to deploy the solar panels

f. Finish orbiting (you have about 500 m/s of dv left) and go find something to dock onto (claw^tm not included)

.craft file

Special FAR version with control surfaces for more controllability

[allmhuran]

I decided see how far I could go without a thrust plate and with a reasonably rocket-like looking rocket - ie, long and pointy and without any giant "steps" in width along its height, except as limited by the game - so in other words, the width of one fuel tank is the minimum possible step width, and therefore the maximum step used.

So far this is what I have, with a payload of 1250 tons to 100x100.

[mhoram]

Wow! How many parts does this monster of a launcher constist of?

[allmhuran]

About 600 launched IIRC. It could probably be a lot less if you got rid of aesthetic parts (not just nosecones, also multi-point-docking attachments), and there's still quite a few struts on there per previous versions that may not all be necessary anymore.

[Moar Boosters]

I can't think of a nicer way to get into space than inside a giant Disney castle.

[Redshift OTF]

10,000 tons! That has to be some kind of record.

[Moar Boosters]

It might just be, although I expect it'll be broken soon with these new parts.

On another note, I'll never have to send fuel into orbit ever again! (probably should have put some solar panels on this)

[Camaron]

After realizing that my largest Asteroid Tug hit orbit at 1,015 tons, I went ahead and retrofitted a version that served as a fuel ship. Got 88,560 Fuel into Orbit with an 1138 ton result. It was over 1,350 before throwing off what was left of the launch boosters. But I figured dead engines and tanks shouldn't count just because they're still stuck to the ship.

Before clamoring about what I should have used, please realize I only have access to about half of the tech tree. The heavy rockets and large dock are the only last-step techs I've got.

Early in the launch:

Final Resulting Fuel ship after a quick refresh to clear the nubs:

Edited April 6, 2014 by Camaron

[Redshift OTF]

Currently experimenting with clipping multiple engines to the bottom of the new SLS fuels tanks.

I now have this Behemoth to work with.

[Ravenchant]

I tried to forgo fuel crossfeed on the new launchers. It won't last- this just about suffices to send 50 tons up. Oh, and also anything more powerful than a Skipper wasn't used.

[notfirestorm]

This looks like a good place for this.

So, with the new stability enhancements and the giant new SLS Rocket parts, I wondered just how crazy I could get. I wondered if I could 'Whackjob' something.

I wondered if I could build something that would rival a Class E Asteroid.

Apparently.

On the Launchpad, it masses 6118.78 with only 747 parts (at least according to the vessel info screen on the Map view). And this:

is what remains when its achieved orbit. I'd tell you what it masses in orbit, but then I'd ruin the answer to this question: What do you think masses more? This, or some random Class E Asteroid I (barely) managed to capture previously?

Some other interesting stats:

The Quad NERVA setup shown has enough fuel to burn for approx. 1 hour 20 minutes.

If you swap out the NERVAs for the large Kerbodyne engine, you can achieve Kerbol escape velocity while inside the Kerbin system.

The thing that really scares me is this: As a complete noob to 'Whackjobbing' stuff, I did this. What could Whackjob, the master himself do once his computer is fixed?

[sgt_flyer]

The thing that really scares me is this: As a complete noob to 'Whackjobbing' stuff, I did this. What could Whackjob, the master himself do once his computer is fixed?

Mmh, make a grand tour with a Class E asteroid ? (or even landing one on tylo )

[Technical Ben]

Whackjob cannot fix his computer because it's caused a singularity from the giant rockets... in the future. Every time it's almost up and running, the feedback loop from the future back to the present breaks the machine again.

[GusTurbo]

This launcher is looking for a real payload. This placeholder is about 100 mT, which easily achieves 100x100 orbit, and TWR at launch is still > 2, with 24,000 kN at launch.

Edited April 8, 2014 by GusTurbo

[Minarkhaios]

A small one, but my first one in direction of an asteroid.

It delivers this small baby in a low orbit

To help with size comparison, here in final approach (less than 500 meters) of a class D

And yes I know, it is overpowered and its a total waste of fuel.

Edit : Even with the strange shape, it still fly with FAR installed.

[Technical Ben]

What about 680mT? It's not a perfected launcher yet, as it self disassembles unless I skip one of the stages. So it will need a little... a lot of tweaking.

PS, wow, those clouds in the mod make me wish Squad add such features to game real soon. Nice design and launch too.

[Camaron]

What do you think masses more? This, or some random Class E Asteroid I (barely) managed to capture previously?

Given that my 13-tanker shown earlier weighed in around 1,138 tons, (1,350 before tossing what was left of the launch boosters), and has around 88,500 fuel vs your 81,000 remaining. I'm going to guess that the asteroid is still considerably heavier since they pretty much start at 2,000 tons. That ship is till surely one heavyweight boss though.