Loss of control, high part count/tonnage. (kraken?)

[TimePeriod]

Background info

So I recently built a new SSTO, capping at 970 parts and 310 tons at the start of the runway. It has so far managed 41km altitude and 2100m/s.

The question:

At 40km(!) I suffered a total loss of control what-so-ever. Any kind of input was unresponsive, sending the plane in a nose-dive until I returned back down under 40km altitude. Any idea why this happened?

My check-list:

- Plenty of electricity.

- Plenty of fuel.

- Engines running.

- Control surfesses are online.

- Plane is stable.

- SAS is active.

- Intakes online.

Conclusion: Kraken is lurking?

Edit: I did notice the thermal-fire/McGuffins you experience during re-entry/SSTO accent was absent.

Edited July 11, 2014 by TimePeriod
Pic or it didnt happend

[turkwinif]

Maybe you ran out of atmosphere for your engines?

Also, a picture or two would be helpful, along with a better description of what happened.

[TimePeriod]

Pic is up and I checked the intake air, it's at 0.03 as far as I can see.

[NoMrBond]

How much RW force do you have under the wings?

If almost all of your control authority is coming from control surfaces, and they stop working when there's no atmosphere for them to deflect, you're going to need quite a few reaction wheels (or RCS) to give you control outside of the atmosphere

[TimePeriod]

20x4 RW at front and back.

[magnemoe]

20x4 RW at front and back.

20x4=80? yes it should rotate 300 ton like a ballerina

You don't get any breakup? F3 to check?

My guess is uneven intake air distribution.

[FleetAdmiralJ]

Yeah, I am going with you ran out of air, and your engines flamed out (which will tend to spin your plane). Kinda surprised it made it all the up to 40km before it happened...