Your favorite SSTO?

[Pds314]

Favorite is probably my new Gorgonops Spaceplane. Built using LLL's largest parts, B9's heaviest wings, KAX's only..ist landing gears, and FAR's uh... non-failing-ist aerodynamics, it is truly a sight (and sound, and smell, and taste, thank you 48 radial turbojet engines) to behold.

640 tonnes at launch, it make it to orbit with 589 tonnes of pure insanity left. I have yet to attempt a landing, but I did determine that the one's I've been able to get into orbit have had near their theoretical maximum 7110 Delta-V after reaching a 100*100-120*120 km orbit. (well, theoretical maximum until I try flying one with the oxidizer tanks closer to full).

I have no idea how much the massive cargo bay can drag into orbit, but I'm sure I can just leave some oxidizer and matching fuel behind if not, so I'd say a solid 340+ tonnes payload... if it could fit in the paylaod bay... The biggest things I've managed to squeeze in are 3.75 fuel tanks and engines (including the quad engine without it scraping the edge), so I guess a good test would be to fill the payload bay with a 28-meter-long stack of 3.75 meter fuel tanks and remove some of that fuel normally used for sun-diving and going to Eeloo and such. Let's see, that's a 287-tonne payload. That should be a decent test.

It's kind of hard to remember the scale of things when you are looking at it. Keep in mind that that cockpit is 5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide and that the cargo bay it connects to is 5 meters wide and tall.

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Main thread with DL link.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/82726-The-Gorgonops-Spaceplane-(LLL-B9-KAX-FAR-w-o-aero-failures)

Anyway, I think the best thing about it is it's ability to send hundreds, or even thousands, of Kerbals on an escape trajectory from Kerbol at a speed that they cannot return from and then burning retrograde and go back for more.

As for what motivation I had to build it? SCREW AERODYNAMICS! I'M MAKING AN SSTO SPACEBARGE! (That can go to 2230 m/s surface speed while climbing in atmosphere under jet power?)

Edited June 12, 2014 by Pds314

[Scarecrow88]

My favorite old SSTO would have to be my last one I did before working on SSTA's. Lol

That bears a remarkable resemblance to a ship I built in the last couple of days to test using a single Rapier engine on an SSTO.

[eempc]

My favourite SSTO aerospace plane is probably this, it only has a designation at the moment: 27-SKV. Fully capable of CTOL with its turbojets and RAPIERS. Also capable of VTOL in Kerbin or Laythe with its 3 vertically mounted basic jet engines. Can drop in and swim in the waters of Laythe and Kerbin at <6 m/s (crash tolerance speed basically).

It can be equipped with with its own integrated kethane accessories (detector, drill, refiner, storage, solar power for a total of ~2 tonnes) for those days when I don't feel like waiting and calculating the most fuel efficient trajectories.

Can also be equipped with 4 dumbfire missiles, and when I say missile, I mean an I-Beam with sepatron rockets attached to it.

Take off weight is around 40 tonnes, and getting it into LKO leaves around 2000-2300 DV, which is enough to reach Minmus for refuelling.

11 intakes and 7 air-breathing engines. The airhogging version (not shown) is way too easy to get into orbit.

Most of all, it looks like a plane using stock parts only!

[GeneralMDBK]

That bears a remarkable resemblance to a ship I built in the last couple of days to test using a single Rapier engine on an SSTO.

http://www.88qv.com/KSP/rapier.jpg

Ya, I designed and built that like 6 months ago at least. I just remember it was before they made that engine otherwise I would've used it. Lol

[SofusRud]

I should also post this one here, my Kylon-2 (such an original name amirite)

Capable of lifting a Jumbo and whatever else fits inside the bay.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/82913-Kylon-2-The-Re-SSTOening

[KerrMü]

My favorite one must be my K-33:

Sure, there are more efficient ones, and I´m still workin on it, but I love (and occasionally fly-) it to pieces.

[Exothermos]

Venture Star! Well done!

[hcalves]

I've created a prototype using a de Havilland Vampire inspired design. Very stable and maneuverable, doesn't suffer from going transonic, and maintains good pitch authority due to far behind placement of control surfaces compared to CoM and CoT.

Test flight album

[Hodo]

I've created a prototype using a de Havilland Vampire inspired design. Very stable and maneuverable, doesn't suffer from going transonic, and maintains good pitch authority due to far behind placement of control surfaces compared to CoM and CoT.

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

Test flight album

Looks like your running an old version of FAR. Good looking craft though.

[Fellow314]

Can I have two?

The first because it was the culmination of an awful lot of titting around and it worked:

The second because it's a woefully overcomplicated but (I think) cool looking way of getting half an orange tank of fuel into orbit and it can be weaponsied.

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[Tortoise]

It's almost a year old now and I've no idea if it will work with the latest KSP but my favourite is still my B9 based SLU

http://www.i2net.me.uk/files/Games/KerbalSP/Ships/B9XSSLU/B9XSSLU-LPandLanded-Crop.jpg

Six jumbos to orbit for those times when 5 jumbos are simply not enough

More info and pictures here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/33503-Show-off-your-B9-Designs%21?p=508910&viewfull=1#post508910

In my eyes, that is beautiful!!!