fuel ship Mathz needed

[endl]

so this problem runs deep, what is the most efficient engine/container combo to deliver the largest amount of fuel possible. obviously this is a question of scale and doesn't have a definite answer so ill set an upper limit of

1 FULL FL-R1 RCS tank + 1 Full kerbodyne S3-14400 delivered to an orbit of 150km

Edited August 22, 2014 by endl

[Wanderfound]

so this problem runs deep, what is the most efficient engine/container combo to deliver the largest amount of fuel possible. obviously this is a question of scale and doesn't have a definite answer so ill set an upper limit of

1 FULL FL-R1 RCS tank + 1 Full kerbodyne S3-14400 delivered to an orbit of 150km

Have a look in the Challenges forum right now for some good examples: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/90337-Economic-Fuel-to-Oribit

(yes, the link does have that spelling; don't blame me)

[Kasuha]

The most efficient engine to deliver anything of reasonable size to Kerbin's orbit is Turbojet engine. Enough of them to be able to lift the payload. Plus one nuke to circularize. This is effectively limited only by part count your PC is able to handle, above that come crazy asparagus lifter using orange/SLS tanks and SLS engines - less effective but capable of the task under part limit.

[endl]

The most efficient engine to deliver anything of reasonable size to Kerbin's orbit is Turbojet engine. Enough of them to be able to lift the payload. Plus one nuke to circularize. This is effectively limited only by part count your PC is able to handle, above that come crazy asparagus lifter using orange/SLS tanks and SLS engines - less effective but capable of the task under part limit.

my intention wasnt so much of a challenge but just a short solution to my problem because im too lazy to do the testing/math since i have other designs i would like to devote my time to and this is just something i need to get out of the way.

in short im after something with a low part count. 150k is where i parked my station and id like to keep my future ship designs as light as possible while combining them with other craft as a staging area for other missions.

Edited August 21, 2014 by endl

[Red Iron Crown]

crazy asparagus lifter using orange/SLS tanks and SLS engines

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I made it for a challenge, but it's a dead easy way to get a pile of fuel to orbit. All stock parts, though the payload might not be untouched now that LFB's have had their efficiency nerfed a bit in 0.24. Only 78 parts including payload.

.craft file

[juanml82]

The most efficient engine to deliver anything of reasonable size to Kerbin's orbit is Turbojet engine. Enough of them to be able to lift the payload. Plus one nuke to circularize. This is effectively limited only by part count your PC is able to handle, above that come crazy asparagus lifter using orange/SLS tanks and SLS engines - less effective but capable of the task under part limit.

True, but you'll expend a lot more time ascending than you would by using vertical rockets.

In that thread Wanderfound posted you have a complex SSTO with FAR he made which probably takes a lot more time to reach orbit than the simpler design by Pecan which is a lot more CPU friendly and reaches orbit within minutes.

This is a game after all. Whoever likes to fly jets into orbit will enjoy expending a lot of time in the atmosphere. People who don't like the jets long ascend times will probably have more fun by firing rockets.

[endl]

I made it for a challenge, but it's a dead easy way to get a pile of fuel to orbit. All stock parts, though the payload might not be untouched now that LFB's have had their efficiency nerfed a bit in 0.24. Only 78 parts including payload.

.craft file

thanks this is a good starting point, now if only i can figure out how to do horizontal fuel transfer i can move forward with my modular rocket design. too bad vanilla doesnt have a fuel dock for radial coupling.

at least with this i can do a fuel relay system between stations and i can cut down on the size of any future craft i make since they would be using this "highway" to get to places.

True, but you'll expend a lot more time ascending than you would by using vertical rockets.

In that thread Wanderfound posted you have a complex SSTO with FAR he made which probably takes a lot more time to reach orbit than the simpler design by Pecan which is a lot more CPU friendly and reaches orbit within minutes.

This is a game after all. Whoever likes to fly jets into orbit will enjoy expending a lot of time in the atmosphere. People who don't like the jets long ascend times will probably have more fun by firing rockets.

actually one of my projects is a shuttle using the rapier engines. ive already got a fighter plane type working, i just need to design a booster system for it to extend its range. the fuel dump is one key step i need to expand its area of service.

Edited August 22, 2014 by endl

[SRV Ron]

KSP-0.23 Five Orange Fuel Cans to orbit, all stock with onion staging. There is sufficient fuel in the last stage to boost to the 150k orbit.

[juanml82]

thanks this is a good starting point, now if only i can figure out how to do horizontal fuel transfer i can move forward with my modular rocket design. too bad vanilla doesnt have a fuel dock for radial coupling.

at least with this i can do a fuel relay system between stations and i can cut down on the size of any future craft i make since they would be using this "highway" to get to places.

You can use of the B52 attachment things to attach ports radially. Or you can use girders to do the same. Or, if you're using 1.25m parts, use the radial clampatron.

For instance, I'm not using radial ports on this screenshot, but they are there and available:

Edited August 22, 2014 by juanml82

[Pecan]

...now if only i can figure out how to do horizontal fuel transfer i can move forward with my modular rocket design. too bad vanilla doesnt have a fuel dock for radial coupling...

Not sure I understand the problem you're having. Docking ports fit well on the sides of fuel tanks if you wish to dock them that way, otherwise just use fuel lines. Docked ships count as one and to transfer fuel manually between any tanks on a single ship just right-click one then alt-right-click the other. Failing that you might want to try something like:

Tractor Medium Without Engine Modules

Which gives you inline docking around a command/payload "core" and can be much easier to handle in terms of alignment and in-flight wobbling. Similar designs were also discussed in http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/83368-A-reusable-transfer-stage-a-good-idea and you might just like to read chapters 7 and 8 of the tutorial linked in my signature, which deal with building a reusable infrastructure based on space-stations and transfer vehicles.

Note that I don't usually lift more than 40t in a single go, assembling anything bigger by dokcing in orbit. My 110t 'heavy' lifter, mentioned in but not posted to the thread Wanderfound linked, is a larger and more efficient SSTO rocket if you really feel the need to lift a whole S3-14400. However you do things I'd recommend not taking the large RCS tank, you just never need that much monopropellant in practice.

[Sirine]

100 tons lifter, Part count 41. (for Lifter only)

http://www./download/u5x55w6puql0p25/100_tons_lifter.craft

Here you go. Read Here on how to fly it.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Sirine

[endl]

thanks for all the help ive managed to build a Orange fuel tank transport with modular coupling i can now send up as many thrusters/tanks as i need to reach any destination, all that remains is building the actual vessels for delivery. you can set up your ship in serial or parallel as everything has a 4 way dock except for boosters which have 3 because you cant dock on the end of a rocket exhaust ;p

Fuel unit:

4 nuke Booster drive:

Docked at space station:

[Pecan]

thanks for all the help ive managed to build a Orange fuel tank transport...

Congratulations. It looks like a nice modular design and I think I made something similar for 40t when I started making SSTO rockets. The 1x2 engines aren't too efficient but they do make a simple and reliable design :-)

[endl]

Congratulations. It looks like a nice modular design and I think I made something similar for 40t when I started making SSTO rockets. The 1x2 engines aren't too efficient but they do make a simple and reliable design :-)

those are definitely a quick and dirty solution to transport, im not looking for efficiency in my ground to orbit stages, thats why my space booster system runs on nukes. i probably should have been more clear in my original request when i said i was looking for a effective design i wasnt looking for some crazy scheme to get fuel up cheap with a complicated design, i was looking for something low on the parts count that can do the dirty work of sending something heavy up with reliability and a good range.

[Pecan]

Yep - there are many different criteria for 'efficient'; lowest mass, cost, part-count, fastest, etc. etc.

Yours is actually optimised more than mine, but mine is fully recoverable. I've moved on from this but I think you'll see the similarity *grin* they're almost brothers.

[endl]

Yep - there are many different criteria for 'efficient'; lowest mass, cost, part-count, fastest, etc. etc.

Yours is actually optimised more than mine, but mine is fully recoverable. I've moved on from this but I think you'll see the similarity *grin* they're almost brothers.

lol they could be twins lost at birth, im not worried about recovering the boosters since im playing sandbox for the fun of designing what ever i feel like.

im glad you noticed my optimization, its tuned to hit 150k with exactly enough fuel for a full tank after docking with my station or at least as close to it without making it so heavy i have to tear down the staging again.

[Sirine]

Damn, I'm being fully ignored.

[endl]

Damn, I'm being fully ignored.

sorry dude, i tried checking out your ship but i got a error message from the game when i tried to load it

[Sirine]

sorry dude, i tried checking out your ship but i got a error message from the game when i tried to load it

What did that message said?