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[Sean Mirrsen]

It has plenty of power, a third engine will just weigh it down. I tried giving it a 58-SS or however it's called to give it a more efficient low-thrust push when in space, but it's not enough. It needs more air to stay in the atmosphere longer, but I don't use intake stacking. I might see about giving it more lift capacity, and some more fuel so it can accelerate in space longer. At this rate I think I'll need at least a halftank's worth.

[Aseaheru]

Stay in the upper atmo longer?

[Sean Mirrsen]

Stay in the upper atmo longer?

Yeah, that's what I'm trying. I can't get better than 25k/1400m/s, and even with RCS I can't get a steep enough ascent angle from there. And I still don't have enough fuel - there's just a long tank and a halftank, plus the fuselage of liquid fuel that gets used up during this.

[Aseaheru]

Ions?

[Sean Mirrsen]

Ions?

Not enough TWR to make a difference. The craft is at best 200 m/s short of an orbit, and the entire ascent takes a few minutes - not enough time to circularize with ions.

Even the AsterBuster Fairdyne, my SSTO Asteroid Tug with Near Future ion/plasma engines, barely makes it to orbit. It's just not feasible with stock ions and a craft this heavy.

[Aseaheru]

I meant ions in addition to the main engines, for the added little kick.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Yeah, I understood that, but the same principle applies. The time spent between takeoff and apoapsis is about three minutes, and the SSTO needs an extra 200m/s to circularize. Even if the ions and the batteries/solar panels didn't weigh anything, there wouldn't be enough time for them, with their low thrust, to make enough of a difference. Small and light as it is, the craft is still way too heavy to move with ions. And I'd rather not add a dozen of them just to SSTO, even if it did work out. Messes with the aesthetic.

So I just have to find better ascent profiles and work with the lift/mass balance some more. Probably just need to carry more fuel, and have some better lift capacity to reach edge of atmosphere with it.

[Aseaheru]

I need to show you macy deans Ion SSTO (hint, it was before the buff)

[Sean Mirrsen]

Yeah, I know it's possible. But it needs to airhog, it needs to be practically skirting the edge of space by the time it deploys the ions, and to get that far on turbojets alone requires a massive amount of intakes. I think his was also way smaller and lighter than mine, using stacking to pack the intakes as densely as possible.

[ank]

Radial intakes!
If you see a spot without an intake, put an intake there!

[MarcAFK]

I've been looking at making very large objects, the biggest ive found is this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xt6Z1kSS14 Kerboewing 747 with over 600 parts and wing span slightly larger than the runway's width.
I've flown it and my processor can't really handle it, However part welder did make the entire thing load really well, but it removed all the fuel and whenever I added more fuel tanks the whole thing kinda exploded on the runway, destroyed kerbin, ejected itself out into deep space at the speed of light and destroyed the map.
So anyway, I'm planning something that'll need maybe 40,000 structural panels, part welder might help.
Edit: Though It's taken around 10 minutes to weld the 760+ pieces of 2x2 panels I've made into a borg cube, and hasn't finished yet.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Well, it seems I've been right about the Rocketplane Pretty Fly. It just needed another halftank of fuel, some extra lift, and a better ascent plan.



http://imgur.com/a/OZ8mi

[BFEL]

the whole thing kinda exploded on the runway, destroyed kerbin, ejected itself out into deep space at the speed of light and destroyed the map.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

[MarcAFK]

Finished my first large scale test of part welder, It went exceedingly well.
The test vehicle is a ship comprised of what was originally 726 panels as well as a handfull of other parts. The panels were welded into 6 large pieces which were joined onto a frame built on top of the first large panel. Welded parts only want to attach near their center which requires a little planning. Also the connections between the parts are rather flimsy and require struts.
The finished ship contains around 120 parts and weighs about 320 tons(not counting fuel).

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Yes it's a cube.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It explodes rather spectacularly.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Jeb taking his 22 meter cube for a leisurely drive at 600 kph.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Needs airbags.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Coming home after taking the cube for a short spacewalk.

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Gentle landing.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Great view..... How do i get down?

The whole thing responded very well, wasn't laggy at all, just like any craft with only 100 pieces, I'm satisfied to start larger scale tests.

[miauw62]

That is great.