KerbalX

Kronus Dekathlon 4L-4 Micro SSTO

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: spaceplane
• Part Count: 61
• Pure Stock
• KSP: 1.10.1

Description

Part of the new Dekathlon series of SSTOs; the 4L-4 micro SSTO is designed to have the perfect balance of cost, capacity, reliability. The lynchpin of the Dekathlon series is a high Lift:Drag ratio, which is leveraged by reducing the TWR, thus saving mass on engines and maximizing overall efficiency. This allows the 4L-4 to carry an impressive maximum cargo capacity of 4 tonnes.

Takeoff Instructions

-Toggle SAS and set throttle to 50%
-Stage to toggle jet engines
-Set throttle to full
-Rotate at 100 m/s
-retract gear
-Pitch to 4° ( VERY IMPORTANT )
-Press 1 to toggle afterburners at 6000m elevation
-Stage to toggle rocket engines at 13000m elevation
-Alternatively press 2 to toggle rocket engines
-At 40km set SAS to prograde
-Stage to deploy cargo fairing
-Set throttle to 0% once the apoapsis exceeds 70km
-circularize at apoapsis

This craft should require no other control inputs to reach orbit. It reaches low kerbin orbit with over 100m/s of dV remaining, and an excess of liquid fuel.

Reentry maneuvers should be aggressive, to counter the high aerodynamic efficiency of the 4L-4.