KerbalX

KSPCS Option A

Cost: ~32k
Recovery: ~28k
Payload: 6-7 Kerbals
Reach: LKO with 800dV
Rationale:

• Not hard to fly
• Passenger SSTO
• Well balanced, CoM barely moves at all (<0.1m)
• Cheap to operate - ~4k per flight!
• Drone core enabled!
• Early career tech options only
• Need something less advanced? Checkout the the smaller KSPCS Hope B

KSPCS Option A procedures:

Take-Off:

• Open and fix stats of a Panther
• <T> to activate SAS, <Y> for full throttle, <CapsLock> for more precise steering
• <space> to activate first stage (Panthers)
• At end of runway, <G> to pull gear, gently ascend at <10° AoA
• Activate RCS <R> to put Panthers to wet mode
• At 2500m height, go to level flight until 500m/s of speed
• Increase AoA to 8°
• At ~12km height, <space> to add Terriers, increase AoA to 20°
• Start observing apoapsis, when it reaches 65km turn off throttle <X>, SAS on prograde
• Create maneuver node in a bit in front of AP to push AP to 75km
• Retrieve required burn time by turning Terriers on/off (bug), burn accordingly
• Create maneuver node in new AP to circularize orbit, burn accordingly
• At 70km height, open cargo bay to deploy solar panels and antenna

Landing (wide approach):

• Create maneuver node almost on the opposite side on Kerbin, putting periapsis at 40km height onto KSC
• Deploy brakes, <G> to deploy gears, <V> to free view mode
• Execute maneuver node on Terriers
• Deactivate the Terriers, push <R> to turn Panther to dry mode if needed
• Aim at radial out, put full thrust
• Retract antenna if needed
• When impact area is at the mountains in front of KSC, put SAS on prograde - if a capable pilot is onboard, do it manually otherwise
• When impact area is getting to much in front, let AoA pull up slowly to 10°, undeploy brakes, <G> to undeploy gears
• When impact area is getting to much in behind, correct AoA to prograde, deploy brakes, <G> to deploy gears
• At 50km height, close cargo bay, <U> to turn off lights if needed
• At 6km above ground level, Panthers should start
• Between mountains and KSC reduce thrust to 1/3rd
• Undeploy brakes and gears <G> when coming in at ~200m/s and 500m above ground
• When reaching the plain around KSC reduce thrust to 0, deploy brakes and gears <G>
• Land anywhere on the plain at <120m/s and taxi to runway if needed

A stock aircraft called KSPCS Option A.
Built with 67 of the finest parts, its root part is Mark2Cockpit.

Built in the SPH in KSP version 1.10.1.

Details

• Type: SPH
• Class: ship
• Part Count: 67
• Pure Stock
• KSP: 1.10.1