KerbalX

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: spaceplane
• Part Count: 113
• Pure Stock

Craft Description

This craft is a stock, Low-Tech SSTO with a 20 tonne payload capacity that only requires Tier 6 technology nodes. This craft represents a return to my roots, being built in a career mode save just as my earliest Low-Tech SSTOs. As such, it also is a good barometer to measure my own improvement. This SSTO is more efficient than my original set in every way, part count, weight, and cost, not to mention aesthetics. This was achieved primarily through improved aerodynamics as well as choosing better parts. This craft is also quite easy to fly and is quite maneuverable, in an earlier iteration of the design I pulled over 20g’s quite easily, this had to be removed due to the obvious risks of something this large pulling such maneuvers.

This craft is designed to deliver payloads in low orbit, and to do so with very little user input. This is generally inline with my cargo SSTOs to facilitate ease of use and consistency in a career mode setting, especially a scenario where quick saving/loading is not allowed.

Action groups are configured to function in either a level 2 or level 3 SPH.

Flight Instructions

-Take off by flying off the end of the runway with Panthers in dry mode
-Upon takeoff switch Panthers to wet mode and pitch to 10 degrees
-Let the craft fly until it reaches 15 kilometers, at which point activate the Reliants
-Let the craft fly until it reaches 1500 m/s, then hold prograde until apoapsis reaches 70 km, then shut down engines
-Circularize at Apoapsis