Please help improve my space-plane

[little8020]

I have been slowly building this design out from messing around and seeing similar ones at different times.

I'm trying to get it to be as good as possible while looking decent.

I have a few mods installed but this should be all stock.

I do use NEAR for the (easy) better aerodynamics, and don't want to use intake spamming.

This model does have an untested mini lander in the cargo bay to hopefully use or just represent some extra weight.

Image in SPH

http://imgur.com/CDs6k7y

Craft File

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vc3aix6zz6njmon/Falcon%20Mk2%20%28Micro%20Lander%29.craft?dl=0

[Guest]

What do you want to be improved?

Some ideas:

remove maximum useless weight

add structural reinforcement (cables) on needed spots for fluid mass transfer.

you can also play with wings profile or wing orientation (dihedral= jumbo jet; added stability per degree of sideslip , anhedral = paraglider/fighter; increased maneuverability, at the expense of roll stability), to get a wanted behaviour (it's better with ferram aerospace research)

examples of wing profiles

Edited November 21, 2014 by RevanCorana

[Wanderfound]

NEAR design is fairly similar to FAR design. If you have a poke through the designer's guides in post #3 of the Kerbodyne thread, you should find some things of use.

It'd be good if you could post a screenshot with CoM/CoL/CoT markers visible, with fuel tanks full and empty. But, going on what you've shown in that pic:

Not too bad, could work, but needs some polish.

You probably need more vertical stabiliser (AKA tailfin) and you've got more intakes than you need. I'd consider swapping the inline cockpit and forward intakes for a standard Mk2 cockpit. Your cargo bay is probably well forward of CoM, so your weight is going to shift after you release the payload. It may be worthwhile swapping the positions of the cargo bay and one of the rear tanks.

You have more wing than you need; you could cut the size of that delta by 30-50% with no trouble. The lack of dihedral may give you a bit of roll instability. I'd be inclined to use a proper inline port rather than building it into the cargo bay (unless that is one? Hard to see).

I can't see what the central engines are; LV-N's?