KerbalX

Description

After I published the first version of the Athena two weeks ago, I got a suggestion to do an SSTO to Eeloo. So here is the second version of the Athena SSTO, capable of getting to the surface of Eeloo and back to Kerbin with 192 Kerbals and without refueling!
This time, I’m also adding a little bit more information here on KerbalX for those who wan’t to try the Athena out themselves.
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GENERAL INFO:
The Athena in general is pretty much like other long-range SSTOs, a lot of RAPIERs and Ramjets, a few nuclear engines and a terrible TWR. What makes it special is its huge crew capacity of 192 Kerbals and therefore its mass and size. With a standard SSTO ascent I had 4,7-4,8 km/s of deltaV in Kerbin Orbit. That’s more than enough for a Laythe mission and pretty good for an Eeloo mission when you know how to use gravity assists.
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IMPORTANT NOTES WHEN FLYING THE ATHENA:
If you decide to download and try the SSTO, you should keep a few things in mind:
- The thrust of the nuclear engines is really low and if you plan to land on Eeloo, leave around 1500 units of Oxidizer in the tanks to slow down before hitting the surface and to get off Eeloo again
- The ring of RAPIERs around the back of the craft looks cool, but can be a little impractical when pitching up, so be careful when taking off the runway and landing back on Kerbin
- Look at the action group setup, all engines are controllable via action groups, to change the mode of the RAPIERs, use the action group 3 to close all the intakes
- watch the video :)
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CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST ATHENA:
- more RAPERs (of course)
- more Ramjets (of course)
- more fueltanks (of course)
- less nuclear engines (say whaaaat!? The nuclear engines are heavy and reducing the dry mass of a craft can give a significant amount of extra deltaV. The lower thrust is a downside but not a big problem)
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Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.2.2.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: spaceplane
• Part Count: 407
• Pure Stock