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[Dutchling]

Space planes are fun, although so far I have only been able to make rocket cars. They go fast but not very high. And they explode as soon as the runway ends.

[Fikes]

Space planes are fun, although so far I have only been able to make rocket cars. They go fast but not very high. And they explode as soon as the runway ends.

I have this same problem. I wish I would  have posted a screen shot...

Basically I have a plane that gets up to 130m/s on the runway. You have to keep ASAS on, hold down full "pitch up" and then toggle ASAS for about 0.8 of a second. Too much and the craft flips over backwards. Too little and you crash at the end of the runway.

Looking at other space plane designs, I think I need to add the rectangle wing sections to the plane instead of just the "delta wing" piece. Damn. Now I have to wait 8 hours to get home and try it.

[LoSboccacc]

Keep rear wheels not too much on the back so the craft will require left force to pitch up

If you have problem with the craft tumbling backward, it's because you either have too much lift surface in front of the center of gravity or you have the engines too much below the cog

[Fikes]

Keep rear wheels not too much on the back so the craft will require left force to pitch up

If you have problem with the craft tumbling backward, it's because you either have too much lift surface in front of the center of gravity or you have the engines too much below the cog

The problem with a natural pitch up (back lower than front) is that I always bang my engine on the runway. I haven't found a good way to increase the ground clearance of my craft.

How do you generally guess your COG? I guess it is probably best to look at mass values but does any one have a quick formula to help out?

Is it possible that I just don't have enough lift and instead of pushing my craft up the forces flip me?

[Sordid]

It would probably be best if you posted your .craft file. It's hard to diagnose what the problem is with only a vague description.

[LoSboccacc]

usually cog is where fuel is.


here is a standardish craft, has all those suggestion in a nice package.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

basically, it flies itself. will takeoff safely without any input at the end of the runway, or you can use the new trim feature, give a +25% trim on the pitch and see it raising softly from the runway

even untrimmed, when it reach the right speed it will rebalance itsel, raising the front wheel and getting a neutral attitude, even if there is still not enough speed/lift for taking off. will run like that as long as you want, perfectly balanced.

I'll post the .craft if anyone knows a mediafire replacement that doesn't suck

Spoiler: the suuuk (click to show/hide)

when landed with almost empty tanks, it may flip itself on the tail after stopping; I didn't fix that because landing is something I rarely do anyway

[sluissa]

Just an example of a space plane that can ALMOST get into orbit with careful piloting. I'm still working on balancing how much fuel I want to take.

Also a good example of how to extend ground clearance so you don't hit the tail when pitching. Not the prettiest, but not terrible and it works.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

After losing the side liquid boosters, she'll glide at a nice 50 m/s. Slow enough for very easy landings and that's still speedy enough for it to get a nice flare at the end to slow it to about 35 m/s by the time it hits the ground.

[sneakey pete]

I love it when a plan comes together!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

edit: and landing!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Sirus]

Any word on when they'll be adding more planets? I don't care about a second moon, I want to send probes to Kars.

[sneakey pete]

As neat as a second planet with an atmosphere would be, I really don't think there's much purpose of them adding any until docking is fully fleshed out and released. Otherwise it'd require you landing the entire rocket for the return trip in the atmosphere of another planet. Possible? maybe. Unrealistically crazy? yes.

There are no official plans on when another planet will be released, though there weren't any about this moon. Hopefully that means they might slip one into the docking update.

[sluissa]

People have managed to Orbit, land, orbit and land again all in one go on the current planet. Throwing a bit of distance in there to travel really doesn't make it that much harder. I believe there is/was a challenge to go Kerbal-Mun-Kerbal-Mun-Kerbal, all in one mission.

[LoSboccacc]

I love it when a plan comes together!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

edit: and landing!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Terrific! How did you plan that? Sheer luck? Is there something to help?

[sneakey pete]

Partly sheer luck. First i went into my settings file and changed the CONIC_PATCH_LIMIT to 4 so i could see the patches ahead (5 would be better so i could have seen the path as it would have been if i had not burned to stay in the SOI of minimus)

I was just intending to show off using the mun for a gravitational slingshot out to the orbit distance of minimus, however as i slightly overshot with the throttle i noticed the solution seen here come up, so i quickly turned around and slowed down just a tad and there you go. I went a long it perfectly and deorbited at minimus. My experience doing this shows me that i'm going to need to create craft with more RCS fuel and thrusters in future, rocket engines, even the smallest, are way to powerful to arrange the exact profile you want for multi slingshot maneuvers etc

[Sirus]

So how does Minimus look compared to Mun? Mostly the same? Different colors?

[LoSboccacc]

Quite smoother, has a distinct asteroidish look.