"Monster" Fuel loader: A rocket that gets a full Kerbodyne S3-14400 tank to orbit!

[FlandersNed]

The Monster Fuel Loader: A 690 ton rocket with a 13% payload fraction!

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I recently put up my PLAR system probe into orbit before the transfer window to Jool arrives. However, the transfer stage is one of the new tanks, and it was almost empty from the climb into orbit!

Thus, I had to make a rocket to fill it up, and instead this was made.

It's got a sub 200 part count and is rated to 88 tons with fuel to spare. In this particular craft, the ARM claw at the front makes fuel transfer easy considering I don't have to strictly dock.

File is here: http://www./download/apc8vsenxhhr543/Monster_Fuel_Loader.zip

It contains the rocket AND the launcher sub-assembly. Put the Monster Launcher System.craft file in the sub-assemblies folder, and the other file in the VAB folder.

Ascent Profile:

1. Take off normally. Throttle should be 2 notches above halfway.

2. When the boosters are about to flame out, throttle down to halfway and start turning (You should be near or at 9km)

3. Once past 10km, tilt to 85 degrees and go full throttle.

4. Wait until your TWR is high enough to tilt over to 45 degrees.

5. Once the 2nd stage is lit, keep an eye on the map so that you don't go too high too soon.

6. At 35 km, you should be going fast enough and with a high enough TWR to tilt over to the horizion.

7. Achieve orbit. You should have about 700m/s of delta-v left.

Action Groups:

1 - Open the radio dishes.

If you like this rocket, perhaps you will like my other craft?

Edited April 12, 2014 by FlandersNed

[FlandersNed]

Does anyone have any suggestions into how to make this more efficient?

[Redshift OTF]

Interesting design using the rapier engines to increase efficiency. Personally I would use less complicated methods to get something like that into space but it wouldn't have the high fractional payload that you have used.