SSTO/Spaceplane/Airplane Design Contest II: Akademy Awards

[Sirine]

@Sonertial: May I know the part count?

[Stratzenblitz75]

snip

Wow, those look pretty good! And they work in FAR? Color me impressed!

I also like your modular fuel tank system.

Although, why did you use the S3 engine cluster over the KR-2L? The KR-2L Advanced engine provides a similar amount of thrust, weighs less and is more efficient. Just curious...

[Noname117]

Alright, got a good entry for both "Best Looking" and "best non-space aeroplane" for stock physics (though I was expecting more non-space aeroplanes).

The NAFA-7 Mamba Multi-role fighter:

This beast not only looks insane compared to other fighter aircraft on KSP, but (near sea level) it can reach 150 m/s in a straight line (around 165 m/s in a dive), is maneuverable and easily controllable, is easy to take off (at around 45 m/s) without damaging tail strikes (it has I-beams beneath the engines), and can carry a decent weapons payload (though the version I'm providing will not come with weapons). The result is a good-looking, fun to fly and noob friendly (with SAS on) aircraft which can effectively bomb and rocket other vehicles.

Here's the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zab8f69befo46iq/NAFA-7a%20Mamba.craft?dl=0

Have fun!

More pictures:

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Sonertial]

Cool.

However, one of the few rules: only one entry per category. So, which one is the entry?

Sorry about that, I am still being moderated so I couldn't edit before bedtime. I have updated my post with category adjusted.

@Sonertial: May I know the part count?

Pretty hefty:

SSLS4c 654 parts.

TL2A 528 parts.

A large proportion of these are struts.

...Although, why did you use the S3 engine cluster over the KR-2L?...

One reason, impatience. The cluster is a little bit more powerful. I have an earlier version with the KR-2L too of course, but wanted just a bit more push. It definitely looks better with the single nozzle. The other thing is that actually the cluster is more efficient in atmosphere, where it's most needed. (I'd be lying if I said that was a conscious decision though, it just seems to work better)

Edited September 26, 2014 by Sonertial

[cakepie]

Wanderfound said:

little green Oskar statues

I couldn't resist.

*flees*

Edited April 17, 2018 by cakepie

[Wanderfound]

http://s1.postimg.org/bt8bop467/oskar.png

I couldn't resist.

*flees*

That actually wouldn't look too bad if you bronzed it...

[cakepie]

Wanderfound said:

That actually wouldn't look too bad if you bronzed it...

Getting the model of the punny little can is easy. Getting a suitably good model of a kerbal... well, I don't have a good solution for that I'm afraid.

[edit]

Actually, maybe a retexturing of the can + custom spacesuit texture using texture replacer might do the trick in-game...

[edit 2]

I went and did it. More here.

Edited April 17, 2018 by cakepie
Did it.

[BagelRabbit]

Okay, I finally have enough courage to create a "Reserved" post. I want to tweak these guys and add descriptions, but for now, here's some teaser images to build up the Hype!

S-4 "Stubby" - For Best Craft with Mk3 Parts

Isn't this one cute? It's a good, stable design that's easy to fly, but it's currently only barely capable of getting into orbit. Working on that right now.

Plover mk4 - For Best All Stock Parts Spaceplane

I'm really proud of this one, as it is capable of Mun return despite its modest profile and relatively low part count... and it looks pretty nice too It's very nearly done.

Anyways, that's what I'm working on right now. I'll post the .craft files when I have them.

[HafCoJoe]

So you can have more than one craft eh?

[Wanderfound]

So you can have more than one craft eh?

Yup, one per category.

- - - Updated - - -

Okay, I finally have enough courage to create a "Reserved" post. I want to tweak these guys and add descriptions, but for now, here's some teaser images to build up the Hype!

S-4 "Stubby" - For Best Craft with Mk3 Parts

http://i.imgur.com/b5OtaeE.jpg

Isn't this one cute? It's a good, stable design that's easy to fly, but it's currently only barely capable of getting into orbit. Working on that right now.

Plover mk4 - For Best All Stock Parts Spaceplane

http://i.imgur.com/7LHmlxU.jpg

I'm really proud of this one, as it is capable of Mun return despite its modest profile and relatively low part count... and it looks pretty nice too It's very nearly done.

Anyways, that's what I'm working on right now. I'll post the .craft files when I have them.

Cool. Stock aero or FAR?

[HafCoJoe]

All these entries are 100% stock. Air model and parts. Also none of these planes reach orbit. - New cargo plane category maybe?

---

* Best sporty pleasure craft.

Avera9eJoe's Stunt Plane

"The plane I love so much I named it after myself"

Part count: 48

Note that the main engine has been limited to 15% of it's full thrust. This is so it can 360 buzz the tower within 20 meters (theoretically) . Mainly though it's so it doesn't infiglide and the nose-rocket can fire on full throttle while moving slowly.

Action groups:

2. toggle ladder

RCS. toggle nose rocket

NOTE: as soon as you press space to launch, quickly press RCS to disable the nose rocket until needed. The ship will flip up if you don't hit RCS!

Javascript is disabled. View full album

Avera9eJoe's stunt plane (dropbox)

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* Best non-space aeroplane.

* Best heavy-lift cargo spaceplane. - This plane doesn't reach orbit, but it is most certainly a heavy lift cargo plane. Score as you feel necessary .

Spruce Moose

Part count: 266

First I want to point out a technical building thing the pictures don't show. The plane's body isn't a block. It gets narrower farther back. Like an actual plane. Try it out!

Action groups:

1. Toggle door

2. Toggle directional lights and payload bay lights

NOTE: Don't pull up fast or the door will scrape off!

NOTE 2: that the kerbals can't actually exit this plane... frustrating as the door has absolutely nothing covering the hatch and the only obstruction is a clipped wing inside.

Spruce Moose II (dropbox)

---

* Best all stock parts spaceplane.

Aurora II

"the black aircraft... which isn't black"

Aurora II (dropbox)

Part count: 190

---

Well that's all I shall post for this competition. Score and place accordingly . Later!

[mythic_fci]

I'm officially announcing my new entry here. I'd like to withdraw the KSV Globemaster from the competition and replace it with it's newly-built and tested successor, the KSV Raven. More details in my entry post.

Edited September 28, 2014 by FCISuperGuy
added link to entry post

[BagelRabbit]

Video for the Plover mk4 is up! Unfortunately, as a result of the additional RCS, this thing is no longer capable of anything better than Single-Stage-to-Minmus-and-back... unless, of course, you refill it in orbit. Still, though, it's pretty cool.

I'm going to post the Dropbox link and the stats on this on the other post in a bit... but for now, the video's nice too, amirite?

Cool. Stock aero or FAR?

Stock aero, of course. As soon as I post the .craft file, though, I would love for someone to test this in NEAR/FAR. I kinda want to see how well it works with different aerodynamic renderings.

Let me know what you think of the video, and thanks for watching

[GoSlash27]

My (not so humble) entry for the greatest stock vertical launch SSTO in the history of ever!

TR5 SS.craft

I'm not going to include a huge sales pitch for this one. Once you play around with one and ponder all the things you can do with it, I'm confident that you'll see why I submitted it.

No special instructions necessary

Release the hounds!

-Slashy

[O-Doc]

That Aurora looks hot Avera9eJoe! I'm going have to get the rest of my entries in order when I find the time.

[HafCoJoe]

That Aurora looks hot Avera9eJoe! I'm going have to get the rest of my entries in order when I find the time.

Thank so soooo much ^.^

Oh A note I didn't mention,

[spoiler=Click here if you want to ruin your current opinion of me - or if you're a judge ]I don't want more than one award so if I happen to, please just defect the craft - These are all NON-Spaceplanes anyways. They only operate in atmosphere so you could disqualify them for that right off the bat.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Avera9eJoe

[O-Doc]

I need to rebuild every plane in my hanger so all my entries are in suspension until I can figure out which planes I want to salvage and which planes need to be replaced. *sad face panda*

[Wanderfound]

Now that everyone has recovered from the shock of 25, it's time to get this kicking again. Kerbodyne entry updated with the first 25-compliant entry.

[Pecan]

... Still ... too ... busy.

Soon

[BagelRabbit]

Yeah, I'll have to rework all of the planes that I've made so far. I will be entering in this competition, but I have some projects to work on first, both in KSP and (shudder) in real life. I expect to start posting entries a week from now, maybe?

...and it was all going so well! Nuts.

[INTERKOSMOS]

Orzel-4DSR H1HO-V3M

http://www.speedyshare.com/g22zV/Orzel-4DSR-H1HO-V3M.craft

Stock Aero:

Best sporty pleasure craft

Best interplanetary science explorer spaceplane

Best all stock parts spaceplane

Best-looking craft

No mods required, stock parts only (KSP v0.25). This is the most versatile, efficient and good looking SSTO i've built so far (kind of compromise between these three). "Deep Space Researcher" was designed to be highly independent, interplanetary SSTO, that can take crew of two to any place you like, and (in many cases) return. It's VERY stable and easy to control, even without SAS. This space plane is capable of both horizontal (planets/moons with atmosphere) and vertical (moons, dwarf planets) landing. NOTE: space plane should be refueled at LKO if you think about interplanetary travels (orbital refueling station not included QQ). However, i'm pretty sure that you should be able to land on Minmus and return to Kerbin, even without refueling. Anyway, with fully fueled plane I was able to go to Laythe, land, get back on Laythe orbit and ALMOST return to Kerbin (i was less than 100 units of oxidizer short). But who kows? I'm not the most fuel efficient pilot out there, so it may be possible. So far, I have successfully completed following missions with this plane:

1. I picked up a crew form Eve orbit and returned to Kerbin (plane can be used as drone).

2. Landing on Mun, take-off, landing on Minmus, take-off and return to Kerbin.

3. Landing on Duna, take-off and return to Kerbin.

Action groups:

1. Toggle turbojet engines

2. Toggle nuclear engine

3. Toggle monopropellant engines (Horizontal landing on planets with thin atmosphere, especially Duna, can be very difficult. Due to low drag, your landing speed will be dangerously high. You should activate these engines [and disable all others] seconds before touchdown. This might be tricky, but should kill your horizontal speed fast enough to land safely)

4. Toggle air intakes

5. Toggle landing legs (should be used to assist your vertical landing on moons etc.)

6. Toggle solar panels

Stages:

1. Turn on turbojet engines

2. Turn on nuclear engine

3. Turn on monopropellant engines (can, but should not be used this way)

Some more data:

Mass empty/full/take-off: 8,5t/17,25t/15,08t (NOTE: SSTO Is not (and should not be) fully fueled for launch. I also do not recommend to pump too much mono propellant into it. Default 35 is more than enough for docking or two, 50 should be max. for interplanetary travel. Of course, you can take more [up to 122.5] if you feel you will need it for something).

Parts count: 65

Price: 66.208

Flight instructions (not most efficient, but fast and easy):

1. Full thrust, engage Stage 1, take-off at 100 m/s, enable SAS, pitch 30 deg.

2. At 10.000 m pitch 25 deg.

3. At 15.000 m pitch 20 deg.

4. At 18.000 m pitch 15 deg.

5. At 20.000 m pitch 12-15 deg (watch apoapsis, build up your orbital speed)

6. At 28.000 m and orbital speed around 1.900 m/s (don't worry about it too much) engage Stage 2, pitch 30 deg.

7. At 31.000 m disable turbojets (1) and close air intakes (4).

8. At 45.000 m pitch 25 deg.

9. At 50.000 m pitch 20 deg.

10. At. 55.000 m (maybe even lower, depends on your current speed, and your apoapsis) pitch 15 deg, and slowly go to horlizontal flight.

If you have achieved round orbit at 200 km (this is where I usually place my refueling station) with still over 350 units of oxidizer, it means that you've done everything right. You can now deploy solar panels, communication antenna (you have two - small for orbital, and big for interplanetary communications - a bit of roleplay never hurts). You can also use extra ladder so your EVA Kerbals can grab something during hull inspecions/maintenance). You can also turn your lights on, for better illumination of your craft (quite handy while docking at the dark side of celestial bodies).

Sorry for not-so-good English. Enjoy your flight!

Edited October 26, 2014 by INTERKOSMOS

[Farex]

Hello there,

may I reserve this Post for a few pictures of my SSTO-Series? As I get home I will be uploading a few Pictures of them, maybe some of you like them.

Yes of course, then I will post my best one.

Greetings!

Hello Everybody!

I present to you the new SSTO mk4 from Farex Industries.

It is made for Crew Transportation and can carry up to 6 Kerbals into Orbit and return autonomously, thanks to the advanced AI-Tech that's build in.

It takes off at 120m/s get's a Top-Speed off 1700m/s and can go up to 28km, only with it's Airpowered Mode.

Great stability and structural enhancenment on the bottom off the craft makes it the most secure transport for your Kerbals.

Comes for 55,462 Funds and weights less than 15t.

Fast, secure, cheap - a dream SSTO!

https://www./?57ahz1xx12620fl

(please check the Fuselage under the craft)

Stock Aero

Best passenger transport SSTO

Best all Stock Parts SSTO

Best looking craft

1 - nothing

2 - nothing

3- Toggle Engine

4- Switch Mode and toggle all Air-Intakes

Edited October 23, 2014 by Farex
Post below me

[Wanderfound]

Hello there,

may I reserve this Post for a few pictures of my SSTO-Series? As I get home I will be uploading a few Pictures of them, maybe some of you like them.

Greetings!

That's all cool, but read the first post. No more than one entry per category, and if there is more than one picture per ship, hide all but the first behind a spoiler tag so as to avoid cluttering the thread. Keep in mind that it's a design contest, not a showcase thread. Don't post anything that isn't entering the contest.

That all said: welcome!

[Batz_10K]

Serpens-C

Time to warm up the 0.25 stock parts entries, with a simple, clean, good-looking easy to fly light-cargo spaceplane that won't break the runway, or the bank!

Stock Aero

* Best light cargo spaceplane

* Best all stock parts spaceplane

* Best-looking craft

Download (OneDrive)

Climbout from the KSC

Here she deploys a space scooter for crew rescue in career mode.

Exploring the mountains west of the KSC

Action groups:

1 - Open/Close intakes

2 - Switch rapiers between AirBreathing and ClosedCycle

3 - Toggle inner set of rapiers on/off

4 - Toggle outer set of rapiers on/off

5 - Toggle cargo bay lights

8 - Open/Close inline docking port

9 - Open/Close cargo bay doors

Notes:

Max cargo weight - 5 tons. The long bay is there for light but bulky items (e.g. station truss). Attach cargo to the front cargo docking port

On-orbit dV is around 600-1000ms (empty, and depends on ascent profile)

Takeoff and orbit procedure

- SAS on (optional, flies ok without it)

- Throttle up to max, brakes off.

- Takeoff speed is 120m/sec. Be careful not to over-rotate or you *will* strike the tail. The tail is very close to the runway in takeoff attitude. feel free to use the entire runway.

- Once you get high enough, pitch up to 45 degrees and fly up to 10000m

- at 10000m, pitch down to 30 degrees, and climb to 20000m

- at 20000m, pitch down to 10-15 degrees, keep an eye on intake air and throttle back to 2/3rds when it reaches 0.

- at 24000-27000m (speed around 1300-1500ms), the rapiers will switch to closed cycle. Throttle up to 90% (first notch below max) and close intakes. pitch up to around 30 degrees, and burn until Apoapsis is around 75km.

- At Apoapsis, circularize as normal.

Landing

- Deorbit and land as normal.

- Shut down outer or inner pair of engines if required (you don't have much fuel left, for example)

- Minimum flying speed is 80ms. Recommended approach speed is 110-120ms.

- It is safe to go to maximum braking as soon as the rear wheels touch down

Above all have fun!

[Guest Space Cowboy]

Stock Lifting body SSTO using 25

Stock parts category

Very stable

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/97872-Mid-Size-Lifting-Body-SSTO-25

I apologize I do not know how to do a spoiler.

It has RCS, and "1" toggles engine mode.

Thank you

So sorry - no name - naming is my favorite part too. May I present the Generation Twenty Five Lifting Body Pilot Trainer

Edited October 23, 2014 by Space Cowboy
Craft name not given