Space Shuttle

[Frozen_Heart]

So after quite a few years of trying to build a working shuttle, I finally managed it!

Craft File: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pzjje909zpp09hx/Mk-1A%20Shuttle.craft?dl=0

Basically just play with the throttle during the ascent to keep a balanced. Gain altitude as a priority due to the low TWR after booster sep.

The OMS has about 420m/s of dV which is just enough to circularise, dock and then return.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Frozen_Heart

[sal_vager]

Pretty good Frozen_Heart, I bet a lot of people would be interested in the craft file for this too

[Roflcopterkklol]

Neato space shuttles are hard things to pull off, good job man

[Rune]

Good Shuttle! Now for the next one a little tip: if you put a tank between those two big orange ones, and then pump fuel from there to the main engines, then the external tank's center of mass position won't change during flight, and the whole stack will see its CoM only move slightly towards the shuttle as it empties. In practical terms that means that if the stack is balanced thrust-wise on the pad, then by the end of the SRB burn it'll be trying to pitch "up" (it'll tilt in the direction of the shuttle), but when you take out the SRBs huge thrust, wich is placed under the original CoM, things will again short of align themselves. That, and a few vernors on the tip of the ET, and you won't have to fiddle with thrust limiters during flight.

Rune. Actually, just the vernors would do. Those things can keep really unbalanced rockets flying straight!

[Frozen_Heart]

So far I can launch to orbit without using the thrust limiter or vernor engines. I just adjust the throttle a tiny bit to help keep thing balanced.

However I have noticed a problem where the SRBs de-wing the shuttle when jettisoned. Doesn't help its already poor glide slope...

[Frozen_Heart]

Ok this is very odd? After happily using this thing for yesterday and this morning for several launchers, the shuttle suddenly won't leave the ground after I came back to KSP this evening! I've not made any changes so not the faintest clue what's going on?

[Giggleplex777]

Ok this is very odd? After happily using this thing for yesterday and this morning for several launchers, the shuttle suddenly won't leave the ground after I came back to KSP this evening! I've not made any changes so not the faintest clue what's going on?

Check the tanks and see if the fuel is allowed to flow. Last time it took me an hour to find that little problem on my own rocket.

Also check the boosters in case you accidentally changed to thrust setting. If it still doesn't work, you can try reinstalling the game.

[Frozen_Heart]

Check the tanks and see if the fuel is allowed to flow. Last time it took me an hour to find that little problem on my own rocket.

Also check the boosters in case you accidentally changed to thrust setting. If it still doesn't work, you can try reinstalling the game.

Ah! Found that some of the SRBs had been moved to a different staging! Those damn VAB gremlins!