Vector - VTOL SSTO Space Plane

[Jett_Quasar]

I always want to create something different yet useful out of stock parts. I've been thinking about this reverse V space plane design for a while and decided to try it out - as I tested it I realized that it made a great platform for a VTOL, so I played around with it and the end result turned out pretty awesome so I decided to share it. The craft has seating capacity for 2 Kerbals so it can be used for crew transfers or rescue, and there's more than enough fuel to use the vertical thrusters for easy landings. It actually flies better as a VTOL once most of the fuel is burned up. I call it VECTOR.

The default setup is for a short take-off since it is rather unstable fully fueled, and generally when you're heading for space it's best to not waste fuel messing around, just head straight out to space. This is an earlier version of the design without the take-off engines; it actually works better as a VTOL. I also added more RCS, and a controller so that it could fly without a pilot as a crew return vehicle. I was easily able to doc it with my Kerbin Central Station and do a crew swap. You can see another more conventional space plane docked at the other end of the station.

You will need to pilot it fairly aggressively in order to get into space, the single Nuke rocket engine is a little under powered, but extremely efficient. I'm not the greatest space plane pilot but I was able to consistently get to orbit by following the steps below:

1) Toggle on RCS and SAS (R & T), throttle up to full, and hit space to start both sets of jet engines. It should take off nice and clean in the first third of the run way and flies very nice.

2) Once in stable flight bring up the landing gear and nose up to about 40 degrees - keep both the takeoff and forward jets active during this phase it will get you through the thick lower atmosphere quickly and efficiently. Toggle off the RCS at this point - you should only need it during take-off, landing and docking.

3) At 10KM altitude hit Hot key 1 to toggle off the landing jets, and nose down to just below 20 degrees. This will drop your pro-grade vector to just above the horizon while you accelerate toward orbital speed.

4) Let the ship accelerate - you'll get the urge to mess with the settings but you should just let it gain speed. The ship will slowly nose up and your pro-grade marker will rise as you round Kerbin - just let it go.

5) When your intake air drops to .20 hit the space bar to engage the nuclear rocket engine. You'll need a surface speed of at least 1400m/s before disabling the jet engines in order to make orbit.

6) When the intake air drops to .05 hit Hotkey 2 to toggle off the main jet engines.

7) Nose up to 45 degrees and allow your ship to continue to accelerate until your apoapsis hits 75KM

8) Set a manouver node at apoapsis and continue to burn with the nuclear engine into orbit.

Once in orbit the nuke engine is very efficient and I was able to dock with my space station no problem. I've added a fare bit of RCS, but it gets used up rather quickly during takeoff and landing because I enable extra nozzles to keep the craft under control under vertical thrust. I'll leave the landings up to you, but I can say this is one of the easiest space planes to land that I have ever flown. Because of the radical design, it is a bit unstable at times and has a tendency to flip if you try turning too quickly, but with the RCS and vertical jets I haven't had any issues getting it back under control during flight.

The hot keys are:

1 - Toggle vertical take-off jets

2 - Toggle forward thrust jet engines

3 - Toggle nuclear rocket engine

4 - Toggle ladder

(These descriptions are included in the craft file)

Fully stock - Part count is exactly 100.

JR

Edited August 15, 2015 by Jolly_Roger

[Razz]

I downloaded the craft and it flies great this is my first VTOL space plane. How did you come up with such a radical design?

[Crafted leg]

Looks strange. Nice job!

[The14th]

This is an excellent SSTO, needs more rep!

You sound a little apologetic in your OP, but it's unjustified - the ascent profile you've listed is straight-forward and the Vector performs precisely to your specifications. Tested this a couple of times now and have never failed to make it to orbit.

Bonus points for:

• Fantastic looks
  
• Two-seater, so actually useful.
  
• Reliability
  
• Doesn't looks like it's broken out in "Intake-herpies".
  
• 100 parts or less.
  
• Not yet another RAPIER design.
  

All in all, well done!

[Jett_Quasar]

I'm glad you like it. Space planes are tough, I spent a lot of time trying to get this one right, but in the end it actually turned out exactly how I wanted it. There are so many great craft out there (I won't even try to keep up with Rune and Overfloater), it's hard to do something that people will like so I sort of did the opposite and turned the design around - the original idea actually came from an old sci-fi movie called the "The Last Starfighter".

JR

EDIT: I'm working on adding missiles

[Exothermos]

This is really different. Looks super Scifi. Very nice!

[Nik_601]

Great job!)

P.S. Were you inspired by Star Wars? That thing looks like some jedi fighter

[Jett_Quasar]

Influenced STAR WARS! LOL - You must have seen My Hangar...

JR