KerbalX

Description

A stock aircraft called Duna Science Lab SSTO. Built with 140 of the finest parts, its root part is adapterMk3-Size2.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.3.0.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: spaceplane
• Part Count: 140
• Pure Stock

-Basic Description

The KSC big wigs were unsatisfied by previous efforts to explore Duna, this led to the creation of an SSTO capable of carrying a full compliment of science equipment as well as an entire Mobile Processing Lab to Duna and back. This SSTO is capable of a long stay on the surface of Duna to process all of the precious science it will have collected on its journey. Like all of my Interplanetary Science SSTO’s, this craft was designed to reach it’s destination as easily as possible. Unlike my Duna Science SSTO https://kerbalx.com/Kronus_Aerospace/Duna-Science-SSTO This craft is too large to use parachutes to land, so to make landing as easy as possible the craft has a relatively large wing area and numerous large control surfaces to make it as easy as possible to land in Duna’s thin atmosphere. During the testing phase I was able to safely land the craft every single time. The lab as well as all of the science equipement is kept inside of the cargo bay which also includes ladders to make it easy to access on planets with strong gravity. Due to the nature of this craft it could easily be converted into a 10 Ton payload capacity cargo SSTO. The solar panels are inside of the fuel tank attached the ends of the main wings, this was done to protect them from shockheating.

-How to Fly

-When taking off from Kerbin: Do not activate the breaks and fly off the runway, once you do pitch up to 10 degrees, hold this attitude until you reach 8.5 kilometers at which point pitch down to 7-8 degrees. The craft should reach 1480 m/s, at 24 kilometers activate the nuclear engines and switch the R.A.P.I.E.R.s to closed cycle. Deactivate the R.A.P.I.E.R.s once oxidiser reaches 800 units.
-When landing at Duna: Pick a landing location with as low elevation as possible, such areas are easy to spot thanks to their dark color. Try to land at 90-100 m/s, as any slower would risk the craft stalling. There are also parachutes to help the craft slow down.
-When taking off from Duna: Find a nice, in the way hill to use as a ramp, activate the R.A.P.I.E.R.s to give the craft more thrust and controllabilty for take off, the craft doesn’t need to use the R.A.P.I.E.R.s to take off but it does make it alot easier. Once in the air, try to climb as quickly out of the atmosphere as possible. The TWR in nuclear mode is well over 1 so there’s no point in taking a slower climb.

-Known Issues

During testing the lab would cause an enormous amount of drag, despite being inside of the cargo bay. This absolutely crippled the crafts ability to fly. After making some more additions to the design this issue dissapeared. I have suffered from this issue ever since I started making SSTOs, and to this day I can’t figure out what causes it.

Also I posted this craft early by accident. To those who saw it before I added the description, I’m sorry for the confusion.