Stock ssto with 50 ton payload or greater?

[TeeGee]

Hi everyone!

Just out of curiosity, has anybody managed to get 50 tons of payload into orbit using a stock ssto? I've been looking around and only witnessed 2 or 3 crafts that are stock and are capable of doing this.

I've built a craft that can launch 71 tons on the launch pad, but I won't post it because it is a borrowed and modified craft from another individual named Mesklin.

Here is the proof:

Has anybody else been able to replicate or improve on this payload capacity for stock sstos?

[Fellow314]

Am I allowed wings?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/33312-Showcase-SSTO-s%21-Post-your-pictures-here?p=1068467&viewfull=1#post1068467

[Camaron]

Well, I Imagine if you make one of these the center, then attach like six more in a radial pattern to it, you would get seven times as much. That is, if you computer didn't catch fire during the attempt.

[maccollo]

Take 3 KR-2L engines. Stack as much fuel as you can.

Each engines is capable of single staging 24 tons.

Done.

It wont compete mass fraction wise with air breathing SSTOs, but 13% isn't bad, and it certainly beats them on part count.

[Overfloater]

A variant of my Venera is certified for 54 tons to LKO... But whatever for? x^D I'm too busy putting trucks and Jeeps on other planets instead... Just LKO trips are boring. It's like arranging a field trip to your backyard!

[Climberfx]

I have this one, that i use to put in orbit almost every payload i have. Is super flexible, and do not need the parachutes do land, it have a Hot Landing. (on Rocket only)

Below the SSTO Stock, i put pics from the latest version i use, that is not stock anymore. But still the same base model. Just mor optimized.

And they have ability to bring more then 50 Ton to 100km orbit, and come back on KSC with Hot Landing.

The most i put in orbit until now is around 55 Ton.

[TeeGee]

A variant of my Venera is certified for 54 tons to LKO... But whatever for? x^D I'm too busy putting trucks and Jeeps on other planets instead... Just LKO trips are boring. It's like arranging a field trip to your backyard!

Umm, well you could send up an interplanetary ship with nukes on it attached to a full orange tank and recover the booster for refuel at ksp. Fully reusable and a heavy lifter, sounds like a cheap way to get things into orbit to me..

[TeeGee]

I have this one, that i use to put in orbit almost every payload i have. Is super flexible, and do not need the parachutes do land, it have a Hot Landing. (on Rocket only)

Below the SSTO Stock, i put pics from the latest version i use, that is not stock anymore. But still the same base model. Just mor optimized.

And they have ability to bring more then 50 Ton to 100km orbit, and come back on KSC with Hot Landing.

The most i put in orbit until now is around 55 Ton.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/12778495745_cebfd1ac21_o.png

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2623/13107394404_6f43cc73b8_o.png

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3755/13107100765_666a91c943_o.png

Cool design! Is the top orange tank separable?

[TeeGee]

EDIT: I got her to lift:

But that's not her max payload... she lifted 88 tons into orbit (obviously that includes the craft herself).

Mesklin was onto something..

I used to get craft up like this:

Same result but more mess.

EDIT: Actually scratch that, I remember why I chose to stage the airbreathers, they are cheaper, lighter, and can carry much higher payloads. Proof:

Edited April 12, 2014 by TeeGee

[Mesklin]

TeeGee, Several days ago I tryed to combine 3 Hexagon in one and let me show you SuperHexagon with 145.6 t paylod on orbit, several seconds after detaching payload (4 big orange tanks)

Proof of weight:

Original Hexagon

Edited April 12, 2014 by Mesklin

[TeeGee]

TeeGee, Several days ago I tryed to combine 3 Hexagon in one and let me show you SuperHexagon with 145.6 t paylod on orbit, several seconds after detaching payload (4 big orange tanks)

http://i.imgur.com/qjpwRPS.jpg

Proof of weight:

http://i.imgur.com/o0PhpRbt.jpg

Original Hexagon

HEY MESKLIN glad to hear from you! Wow, your newest lifter is amazing! I have to say, your hexagon design was excellent, that's why I borrowed it's design for my own purpose as a solution to the "cluster bomb" issue after I decoupled the boosters from my payload.

I wonder if my original staging method will lift as much as yours does! Now when you say "proof of weight" was 145.6 tons, do you mean to include the launcher as well? I launched the 84 ton tank with my method NOT including the boosters. I wonder if I can do even better!

The only problem I have is that after I stage, the boosters reenter at spread out locations. I'm looking for an inexpensive way to keep them all together after staging but have yet to come up with a solution.

I've tried attaching docking ports, sepatrons etc but can't seem to keep these boosters together for reentry. Anybody have any ideas?

[TeeGee]

Am I allowed wings?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/33312-Showcase-SSTO-s%21-Post-your-pictures-here?p=1068467&viewfull=1#post1068467

Of course you are! How much payload does she carry?

[Mesklin]

Now when you say "proof of weight" was 145.6 tons, do you mean to include the launcher as well?

Hello, TeeGee.

Nop, it is only payload with weight 145.6 t, launcher is not included. I did not attach to payload any probes and I should use stock information system for weight, not MechJeb as usual for me. You can see 4 full orange tanks - 36x4 = 144 t + some addtitional details

Edited April 13, 2014 by Mesklin

[TeeGee]

Hello, TeeGee.

Nop, it is only payload with weight 145.6 t, launcher is not included. I did not attach to payload any probes and I should use stock information system for weight, not MechJeb as usual for me. You can see 4 full orange tanks - 36x4 = 144 t + some addtitional details

Awesome! I'm going to try and match that!

[TeeGee]

After staging to show payload weight:

In theory, the method I adopted before using your design Meskllin, could literally lift ANY payload up into LKO, the only restriction is PC lag (look at the part count!)

[Climberfx]

Cool design! Is the top orange tank separable?

Yep TeeGee. The up one is the one that get into orbit full, on Circular 100km.

Then i use it to refuel on my Space Lab Stations. Like the ones below.

Here i have a pic of the part that land on KSC.

[Climberfx]

Wow, The things are getting bigger. Wow.

The two last ones, one from Mesklin and the last of you TeeGee, are monstrous!!!

[TeeGee]

Wow, The things are getting bigger. Wow.

The two last ones, one from Mesklin and the last of you TeeGee, are monstrous!!!

Actually mine isn't that big, the 2 tanks are the PAYLOAD. And the fuel for them hasn't been touched. The way I got them up there was the stageable airbreathers surrounding the tanks like a starfish.

I place rocket engines on all of my payloads (like the Russians do) and shed the airbreathers because they are waste of weight in space, so even though technically my craft reach orbit in 1 stage, I stage my airbreathers before circularizing so that I don't carry them into orbit (and just add necessary debris or weight to my payloads).

[Climberfx]

I was talking about the Cargo you put in space. I see your design is much more compact then mine.

But i prefer to use only the Heavy Lifter to reach final orbit, and then put it back in KSC in one peace, without any debris left.

Then my cargo maneuver itself to the target. I do use the Jets to get most the job too. The reason i use the orange tank on it is to let it be flexible in cargo. Is rare when i use all the fuel on it. In most cases it come back with a lot of dV on it yet.

I think this type of Lifter is the most Cheap we can have. No new Parts, only cost the fuel.

Cheers!!!

Here the Last Big Cargo i put into orbit:

Edited April 13, 2014 by Climberfx

[TeeGee]

I was talking about the Cargo you put in space. I see your design is much more compact then mine.

But i prefer to use only the Heavy Lifter to reach final orbit, and then put it back in KSC in one peace, without any debris left.

Then my cargo maneuver itself to the target. I do use the Jets to get most the job too. The reason i use the orange tank on it is to let it be flexible in cargo. Is rare when i use all the fuel on it. In most cases it come back with a lot of dV on it yet.

I think this type of Lifter is the most Cheap we can have. No new Parts, only cost the fuel.

Cheers!!!

Here the Last Big Cargo i put into orbit:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/13831186093_cd085e86e4_o.png

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/13831927094_b56cd2c895_o.png

Awesome! What's the mass?

[Tangle]

Uhhh, I built one that's stock with 40 ton payload... No jets!

Somewhere in this post...

Edited April 13, 2014 by Tangle

[Climberfx]

Awesome! What's the mass?

The Cargo have 45 Ton's. I not remember everything, but i can check later. Something near 125 Ton's.

Awesome is yours, so tiny and so powerful!

Edited April 14, 2014 by Climberfx

[problemecium]

I've done it. As the above posts no doubt imply, the trick is not to build a spaceplane. Just make a big, fat single-stage rocket. My last one to do this had sixteen mainsails on it and something like 120,000 units of fuel.

[O-Doc]

Did someone say SSTO heavy lifter?

TeeGee, Several days ago I tryed to combine 3 Hexagon in one and let me show you SuperHexagon with 145.6 t paylod on orbit, several seconds after detaching payload (4 big orange tanks)

http://i.imgur.com/qjpwRPS.jpg

Proof of weight:

http://i.imgur.com/o0PhpRbt.jpg

Original Hexagon

Wow!

This is the Swordfish, my goto station builder and lazy lifter. Download: Swordfish v1.0

This is my primary work horse the Airwolf. Only about 600 parts so it's fairy pleasant to fly, except re-entry flat-spins(fully recoverable though) which has an easy fix that I'll do at some point. Download: Airwolf v1.0

And this is the Flyingfox and about the largest I've been prepared to go. At 1200 odd parts it gets too painful to use regularly but, very handy for special missions. Download: Flyingfox v1.0

[TeeGee]

I've done it. As the above posts no doubt imply, the trick is not to build a spaceplane. Just make a big, fat single-stage rocket. My last one to do this had sixteen mainsails on it and something like 120,000 units of fuel.

Yeah that's the best way, because when lifting payload into space, planes bring unnecessary mass up with it (wings and airbreathing engines). I started the game out with hopes of building a spaceplane that could lift that much weight like O-Doc's swordfish, but realized that was not very efficient (even though O-Doc did an AMAZING job building a spaceplane that was stock and could lift 2 orange tanks into LKO!!).

Mesklin has designed one of the most optimal lifters for single booster ssto's, but everytime one wants to increase the payload, the craft needs to be redesigned and its mass increased in order to account for more fuel and engines. I think that craft has a maximum lifting payload close to what Mesklin has achieved. The more weight that is added to the lifter, the harder it will be to lift every ton of payload into space.

Ultimately, I would like to develop my staging lifter to bring up over 500-1000 tons into LKO, which it can do if I keep adding my engine boosters the way I've been doing it. The only problem is part count and control (moving 200 tons with 6 reaction wheels was slow enough as it is).