KerbalX

Description

The Czar Galactica Mk 3 EX represents a significant improvement over the original MK 3. While overall craft dimensions have been retained or reduced, cargo volume has been increased by nearly 50%.
Maximum gross vehicle take-off weight has been increased from approximately 900 tons in the MK 3 to approximately 965 tons in the EX variant.
A concerted effort has been made to reduce part count resulting in a part count of 587 compared to 705 in the original MK 3. Framerates are significantly improved on my machine.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.2.0.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: spaceplane
• Part Count: 587
• Pure Stock

The forward wings have been redesigned for greater strength, increased lift, and a reduced part count, even with the additional forward engine pods.

Likewise, the rear stabilizers have been redesigned and re-positioned. Their closer-to-vertical orientation increases yaw stability and reduces the tendency for rudder inputs to induce roll. They also have a reduced part count. Parachutes have been added to assist in landing in less than ideal conditions (such as those found on Duna).

The dorsal cargo bay now consists of 3 CRG-100 MK3 cargo bays.

Out-rigger bump-stop landing gear have been added to help protect sensitive engine pods and control surfaces while negotiating less than ideal terrain.

The ventral bay is now made up of 2 x CRG-100 cargo bays, 1x CRG-50, 1x CRG-25, and the forward loading cargo ramp. An airlock (a MK1 lander can) has been added inside the forward ventral bay for use as an ingress point during surface operations.

On a recent test-flight, I was able to lift 5 full orange tanks (180 tons) to a 100km orbit, with enough of a fuel margin to safely return and land on the runway at KSC. There was plenty of extra room in the cargo bays, but 180 tons is probably pretty close to the maximum payload mass to orbit for a safe return. Sorry, I neglected to take pictures. I’ll try to get some uploaded soon.

It seems I may have been a bit hasty in publishing some of these figures as maximums. After further testing I was able to lift a 236.8 ton payload to a 100km orbit, and return to the runway at KSC.
Imgur album: http://imgur.com/a/Z3oUU

Mining gear has been moved to the ventral bay and surface drills have been added as well as fuel cells for night-side surface drilling.