[FAR] Kitsune Rescuebuddy - light, fast, economical rescue SSTO

[eddiew]

My first submission onto TSE, so please be kind

This is a tiny little 26 part, 5.7 ton SSTO who's entire purpose is to save kerbals who have been stranded in orbit. By complete accident, it turned out to be really easy to fly so I thought it was worth sharing. I also love the way it looks because... well, lookit! :3

This keen little craft just wants to help people, and its probe core gets it to space in ~6 minutes, with upwards of 650 delta-v left after circularising; plenty to go fetch your lost kerbal and deorbit. The built-in chute near the CoM means you don't have to be any kind of pilot in order to land safely. The forward tank has some oxidiser removed and replaced with an RTG.

craft file download (sorry about the .txt, my web host refuses to serve unknown file names like .craft)

Add a Kitsune Rescuebuddy to your fleet today and be some kerbal's hero!

Like it? Please let me know. Hate it? Let me know what you don't like so's I can do better in future!

Notes: all test flights were with FAR, with aerodynamic disintegration turned off; I don't know if it flies in stock, or if it survives with disintegration enabled. Probably fine with NEAR. FAR stats windows will complain about stability on the longitudinal axis, but the reaction wheel on such a small craft totally overpowers the problem. A few taps will keep Kitsune Rescuebuddy pointed where you want him to go, and he'll happily fly at almost any pitch you tell him to. Almost hands-free with the suggested flight plan.

Recommended: Kerbal Joint Reinforcement to prevent unsightly flex during 4x timewarp. Totally stable at all warps with KJR installed.

Protips: the science nosecone on the back of the cockpit is purely for looks, but adds a little drag. Feel free to remove it if this bothers you. Also feel free to put the rapier on manual switch if you prefer.

Dedications: thanks to Wanderfound and the helpful guys in the Kerbodyne SSTO thread for the inspiration and patient teachings about how to make SSTOs work.

Edited February 16, 2015 by eddiew

[Foxster]

Cute.

It works fine too if you get rid of the wings and landing gear and fly it as a rocket. Needs two more shutes is all for a safe landing.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Foxster

[eddiew]

It works fine too if you get rid of the wings and landing gear and fly it as a rocket. Needs two more shutes is all for a safe landing.

Lol, I guess that's certainly one option I feel like you'll waste some delta-v fighting gravity when you don't have any wings to give lift, however...

[Foxster]

Lol, I guess that's certainly one option I feel like you'll waste some delta-v fighting gravity when you don't have any wings to give lift, however...

I ended up with more spare dV, though that might have been because I used better intakes.

[eddiew]

Ahh, is that a ram intake clipped into the back? Cunning - that'll be a lot lighter than the radials I used