[SSI] Proton T (Type-3 Shuttlecraft)

[inigma]

This is the SSI Proton T. The first official variant of the Proton class, the Proton T is a crew transport shuttlecraft useful for those jaunts between orbiting targets and your closest planetary base. It is most likely capable of round trips to Minmus from Kerbin, but our test pilots have all taken a temporarily leave of absence to serve in the Kerbal Space Program (like those guys ever really need more test pilots) so we can't certify it as a Type 3A yet. We can only surmise the dearth of test pilots to be because KSP snacks are government funded and thus unlimited in supply, and well, at SSI we have to ration what few boxes of snacks we have left after resupplying a few stranded SSI test pilots on Duna who bravely stepped up and into our classified Proton H test program.

The Proton Class

Is the latest series of shuttlecraft designed by SSI engineers to meet your auxillary spacecraft needs within a planet's SOI and its surrounding stations and natural satellites. Heavier variants are even intended to allow one-way trips to other planets, and if refueled, able to make it back to Kerbin.

The Proton T:

Is a Type-3 shuttlecraft, meaning this Proton will send three orbiting Kerbals above 120km to KSC and back without refueling.

Certified by SSI engineers, it is ready for inclusion in the SSI General Catalog. Enjoy!

Part Count: 65

Weight: 16.62 tons of Larry, Moe, and Curly (and sometimes Shemp if he cares to strap on a spacesuit and bolt on a command chair to the roof)

Fuel Remaining at 110km orbit: 200+

Real Time to Orbit: 12 Minutes

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MEDIAFIRE: SSI Proton T (Type-3 Shuttlecraft) Craft File

Controls:

1. Basic Jet VTOL engine (BJE)

2. Two Rockomax 48-7Ss VTOL assist rockets

3. TurboJet engine (TJE)

4. RAPIER

5. RAPIER mode switch

6. Nuclear space egine (space engine)

Flight Profile:

1. Take off using BJE and turn on the Rockomaxes after BJE warmup for a boost to get airborne.

2. Turn on TJE and RAPIER for climb.

3. 70 deg until 20km

4. 0 deg until 27km

5. 15 deg until 40km

(TJE flamesout near 30.5km), turn RAPIER off to restart TJE, then turn RAPIER back on until next TJE flameout.)

(Keep toggling RAPIER on each TJE flameout.)

(Cease using RAPIER above 34km)

(Orbital Speed: 2280m/s by 40km)

6. 0 deg until 70km orbit

(TJE flameout by 42.4km. Decrease throttle 1 tick at a time until TJE restart. Do this all the way into orbit)

7. Circularize with the Nuke.

8. Land on airless bodies with the rockomaxes as needed.

If anyone can fly the Proton T on a round trip to Minmus and back, please let us know! If you have questions or comments about this latest craft from SSI, please post below!

Edited April 20, 2014 by inigma

[Santoron]

Updated KSP and installed the new craft! It's been awhile so I'll have to re-familiarize myself with the launch profile (not to mention landing has eluded me so far), but if/when I make a successful roundtrip to minmus I'll be sure to post it.

Quick Update: Not sure when I'll be able to complete my shakedown cruise (hopefully tomorrrow night), but I was able to reach 120km orbit with 258 units of fuel remaining. Optimistic on Minmus chances, and I love the ship. Thanks again!

Edited April 19, 2014 by Santoron

[inigma]

Updated KSP and installed the new craft! It's been awhile so I'll have to re-familiarize myself with the launch profile (not to mention landing has eluded me so far), but if/when I make a successful roundtrip to minmus I'll be sure to post it.

Quick Update: Not sure when I'll be able to complete my shakedown cruise (hopefully tomorrrow night), but I was able to reach 120km orbit with 258 units of fuel remaining. Optimistic on Minmus chances, and I love the ship. Thanks again!

Thank you for testing it! If you get a chance, let me know how it does!

[Redshift OTF]

Glad to see you're still working on these. They're amazing!

[Santoron]

Well, I've been to Minmus now a few times, but without sufficient fuel to return, though I've gotten pretty good at landing it on Minmus, which is an achievement for me, and a helluva lotta fun. I'm certain this ship can do it, more along the lines that I'm not good with SSTOs (Proton is the first that I could easily achieve orbit) and I've accumulated a couple of months of rust.

My short term goal now is to just get better flying the launch profile, and executing better trips to Minmus so that I have every drop of fuel I can muster, though I don't think I'll ever be as good as the test pilots that made your Proton to Minmus video! I'm now getting 120km orbits with right around 300 units of fuel left, so that's going to help matters, and I'm sure there's fuel to save on the Minmus trip as well.

Of course all of this won't mean much until I start getting the hang of Kerbin landings in the Proton, but that's just details atm.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Santoron

[inigma]

You can land a heavy Proton using the VTOL BJE and bursting your Rockomaxes to safe landing using the landing legs. If you are near empty on fuel you should be able to land on Kerbin using the BJE alone.