What's the smallest craft you've launched that could be called a launcher?

[Draconiator]

I thought of asking this today, when I decided to test out what an ion engine could do for a small probe. I built this really tiny thing for it (I'll never be hired by Jebediah now...). The whole thing weighs just 14.6 tons, and watch to the end to see where I took the probe on top. Is this the smallest they can get while still being useful? Last part of the video is sped up 2x to save time.

[razark]

I've started career mode with a capsule on top of an SRB. That's a one part "launcher".

If you want useful answers, define "smallest", "useful", and "launcher".

[r4pt0r]

I'd like to see the smallest eeloo return launcher

[Streetwind]

In my most recent, heavily modded save I routinely launched commsats (which I needed for controlling spacecraft) on a launcher weighing roughly 6.5 tons. Just a trashcan booster, a decoupler, a smaller solid upper stage motor (from a mod), a fairing, and then a tiny satellite made from 0.625m parts. This is with FAR aerodynamics, which reduces the dV cost to orbit, but does add the need for fairings which are extra dry mass. The total cost without the satellite was roughly 1000 funds.

I don't have a screenshot, but think of a small ICBM

[Janos1986]

This one.

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[eddiew]

Does this count as a 'launcher'? Launches vertically from Kerbin - then just happens to continue taking the launch stage with it to Mun orbit and back again

(I hadn't discovered MK2 probe cores yet, or this might have been a tad lighter.)

[Janos1986]

I think he may refer to a lift stage for a separated payload, so SSTOs don't count.

[Brainlord Mesomorph]

The "X-10 Bumblebee"

My go-to vehicle for sub-orbital contracts.

The SRBs can be tossed, or kept and recovered with the rest depending on payload.

(EDIT: Add a BACC as a second stage and you have the x-11 Bottlerocket, it can make LKO. but that's not responsive to the OP)

Edited January 30, 2015 by Brainlord Mesomorph

[Pecan]

I thought of asking this today, when I decided to test out what an ion engine could do for a small probe. I built this really tiny thing for it (I'll never be hired by Jebediah now...). The whole thing weighs just 14.6 tons, and watch to the end to see where I took the probe on top. Is this the smallest they can get while still being useful? Last part of the video is sped up 2x to save time.

How about <5t for a return Mun mission.

The launcher is just a jet, intakes and fuel tank.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Pecan

[Jouni]

This two-stage rocket lifts up to 8 tonnes of payload to LKO:

The rocket itself weights less than 3 tonnes.

[magnemoe]

Has launched plenty of satellites who is: probe with power and required equipment, fuel tank, 48-7S, decopler and a trashcan set to give 1.6 g at launch.

For Mun or Minmus or I need to bring something like an material lab too high orbit I use two trashcans stages and a small reaction wheel on the top.

Using extraplanetary launchpads I have launched satellites on Minmus and Gilly who is probe with power and equipment, oscar tank and ant, it also need landing legs to stay upright after construction.

Yes with 600 m/s its kind of OP but we don't have smaller engines or tanks.

Benefit of legs is that you can use it as lander to do landing and science contracts after the satellite deal is done.

[Red Iron Crown]

Smallest launcher I've done that carries a separable payload. Though technically it's not a complete launcher, the payload had to expend a small amount of dV to circularize.

[SRV Ron]

About the smallest orbiter that can be made using stock.

Before 0.90 changed the Stayputnik, the launch vehicle on the left send this probe to a Duna landing.

When the probe landed, as it had no landing legs, it fell on its side but was still fully functional.

[katateochi]

What's a launcher? I mean, pretty much anything is a luncher, I once attached some septrons to a Kerbal (using the KAS mod), does that count?

He was launched (he was also dead shortly later, but that's a minor detail).

On a more serious note, I made this craft to do a manned Mun landing and return within the limitations of the starting tier buildings. (all because of this thread)

It's a 10.7 ton rocket/plane hybrid with three stages.

craft file on KerbalX

[Jouni]

I assume that a launcher is something that can deliver an inert payload to orbit. The launcher should contain all the parts necessary for reaching orbit, even if the payload is just a pile of bricks.

[Anister]

Assuming that it doesn't need to go to space: A danny-class launcher. Fuel tank and mailsail upside down, fires a probecore + chute + kerbal up in the sky

Assuming it does: Single mainsail + rocko tank to launch a sat.

[OhioBob]

Probably the smallest launcher that I've used is the following, which completed an "orbit around Minmus" contract. I don't remember ever having a need for anything smaller.