C-51 Zircon
by Concorde_Gaming
uploaded 2024-04-04
2 downloads /
2
points
SPH
stock spaceplane
#ssto #cargossto #unmanned #recreation

Description

The C-51 Zircon is a twin-hybrid engine SSTO designed to carry smaller spacecraft or small space station parts into low Kerbin orbit (LKO) and then return to the Kerbal Space Center (or other launch facility with a runway). As it is probe-controlled, there is no need to worry about the possibility of it crashing or being shot down with loss of life, unless it carries small, manned payloads.

The Zircon was designed by C7 Aerospace Division and WinterOwl Aircraft Emporium using parts from some pre-existing systems, such as the nose attitude thrusters and wing-mounted roll thrusters of an X-15, hybrid R.A.P.I.E.R. engines from other SSTO platforms, and the wings of a classified hypersonic spy plane.

Unfortunately, a fire occured in the hangar the Zircon prototype was stored in, and the aircraft was beyond repair, but the plans were successfully recovered and Project Zircon was restarted with additional funding, thus using freshly made parts from straight off the factory line.

Note: this spaceplane was designed off a post made by u/RandomGuyOnReddit-_- that showcased the C-51 Zircon, but the craft file was lost after their game crashed, so I decided to use the post to recreate what I could by eye. Though this recreation is built in an older version of Kerbal Space Program, it should, for the most part, still behave similarly to the original craft.

Modifications to the craft may be necessary but I did what I could per my specification that any craft I build should have a TWR of at least 1.1. As thus, 8 R.A.P.I.E.R. engines are put together into two, but that can be reduced by replacing the rear FL-T400 fuel tank in 1x symmetry, editing the symmetry of the Cubic-Family Struts that hold the engines on (1x without the strut, 2x, or 4x symmetry), and then replacing the FL-T400 fuel tank back to 2x mirror symmetry.

There is one major personal modification I did make to this, that being the placement of the landing gear. The original design had the nose gear under the payload bay and the mains on the wings, but I placed the nose gear under the forward Mk2 adapter and the mains inside the engine nacelles for a cleaner appearance. And according to BD Armory, perhaps a smaller frontal radar return.

A minor modification can be seen in the outer elevons, where when you press AG3, they split into airbrakes similar to the B-2 Spirit or A-10 Warthog.

Action groups are as follows:
AG1: Switch engine mode
AG2: Toggle engines
AG3: Airbrakes
AG4: Payload doors

This version of the C-51 is completely stock, and thus requires EAS-4 Strut Connectors to hold any payload in place, and these struts can be placed on the forward bulkhead in the cargo bay. I also have a modded version that uses Quantum Struts instead of EAS-4 Strut Connectors to hold a payload in place.

A stock aircraft called C-51 Zircon. Built with 116 of the finest parts, its root part is mk2DroneCore.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.5.1.

Details

  • Type: SPH
  • Class: spaceplane
  • Part Count: 116
  • Pure Stock
  • KSP: 1.5.1
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