KerbalX

Credit to pthigrivi for the original design! Brikoleur consulted on tuning the craft for a stock rendition. I balanced Spunk aerodynamically to make it glide to land. A real team effort! Thanks, comrades!!

Spunk will take 15 tons to orbit. It’ll take a larger load to a 70+ km apoapsis provided that load can circularize itself. Then switch back to Spunk and land it: it’s reusable!

Or, if you do take Spunk all the way to orbit, you can bring it home to land at KSC…

A standard ascent trajectory to 70km will place your landing on the next promontory east of KSC. I’ve set up a recovery area there specifically for first-stage boosters like Spunk.

Spunk lands on tail struts or – if you’re made of the Right Stuff – you can attempt a gear-down landing just like the Space Cadet’s Handbook says you should!

Deorbiting: fuel in the big tank for rear-first entry. Lock off a small amount of fuel in another tank to keep it in reserve. Lower your Pe to 50km. Burn hard when ready to nail the landing area (and before you lose control of the tail.) Pump fuel forward and turn prograde. Once slowed to maneuvering speed, DO NOT FORGET to pump all remaining fuel amidships (big tank) for landing.

This little bird has real spunk! Happy New Year!!

Built in the VAB in KSP version 1.3.1.