KSP: NASA's secret MOON Spaceplane that never flew - The Lunex Project

[@LiarraSniffles_X3]

When I find myself wondering what to build in KSP, I like to make up or look up challenges with fun names and silly back-stories. Here's one I tried the other day with mixed results that you might like: *_"Media stunt."_* Launch a rocket with an internal payload consisting of wings/tail, get it into an orbit somewhere (could just be kerbin), attach the wings and fly it back to the ground as a plane. *!* Bonus points if it looks nearly indistinguishable from a regular rocket when launching (no signs of wings or plane engines) and just like any typical space plane upon landing. *!* Double points it you are able to swap the command pod to a plane cockpit once in orbit. *!* Lowne-stoppable combo if you can do it without permanently separating any parts and leaving them in space/to crash. *!* Manley approved if you can fully transform and de-orbit the plane in time to land back at the ksc in one orbit (no passing over it once launched). _"During a fairly simple space mission, Jeb decided it would make for better TV if there was a space plane coming in to land instead of the planned parachuting pod, unfortunately we've already built the rocket..."_

[@MlokLik]

holy cow, thats a cool challenge do it please matt

[@Zazecki98]

I'd love to see that challenge. You could add another part to say stock only. Cause I imagine infernal robotics would really help with stashing the parts in a cargo hold

[@Stratzenblitz75]

#MattMakeAnAccordion

[@cloverdove]

Yes Stratzenblitz75 Yes

[@primeribgaming2681]

I remember when i took off, i messed up my orbit around Kerbin and i got in an orbit around the Mun. It was lucky that i was testing a lander so everything worked out.

[@lonestarwolfentertainment7184]

Do you think the Lunex Project would've been better then the Apollo Project? I personally think so cause it may have lead to a permanent moon base

[@messiermitchell4901]

Three words, Matt: Big Fucking Rocket.

[@MattLowne]

Lol but everyone and their mother has recreated the BFR at this point, not sure what I'd be bringing to the table

[@messiermitchell4901]

Matt Lowne the BIGGER FUCKING ROCKET! 'scuse the language btw, whoever named this should be put on some sort of watchlist.

[@lucas13flu]

The MotherFucker Rocket?

[@messiermitchell4901]

lucas13flu there are limits to naming things, buddy.

[@lucas13flu]

lel

[@diabeticalien3584]

Whenever British People Say Moon or Mun, I can't tell which one they are saying. Love your videos!

[@henrythehoover4363]

Diabetic Alien how can you not tell tell the difference

[@eshafto]

Listen to Scott Manley say "Moon". It's exactly like you'd pronounce "Mün" if you spoke a language with a ü sound, like German, French, or Finnish, or English (if you're from parts of the UK). Now, Matt pronounces Mün to rhyme with fun, and he doesn't pronounce moon with the high rounded front vowel, so I don't see much similarity between them in his dialect. But yes, someone from Scotland pronounces moon exactly the same way that a pretentious language nerd such as myself pronounces Mün. If you were *both* from Scotland *and* pronounced Mün to rhyme with spoon and not spun, then you'd pronounce them the same.

[@spacious3544]

@@eshafto I'm from Scotland and don't do that

[@spacious3544]

@@eshafto A bit annoying how you assume all scottish people speak like God

[@JettQuasar]

The Air Force proposed a space plane to the Moon? How ironic!

[@maxwellmondo4857]

y'know i love this pun, but some factual information: the air force actually does rocketry things all the time

[@JettQuasar]

Yes the X-15 is one of my all-time favorite space planes. NASA learned a lot from it and used it in the Shuttle program.

[@delta9827]

Jett Quasar I get it You have a point

[@deanokken8960]

Maybe you shouldn't turn on all those lights at the moonbase? They could seriously impact the fps if I'm right.

[@Remaggib]

Sherlock Holmes it's more parts count with that. The lights count you can turn down in settings which I've had to do. My pc slows down with or without lights so I have it set to I think 8 light sources

[@videomaker5167]

i have an idea for a rocket: a garbage rocket. it should go and pick up all the space debris that is left in orbit. (i know that this is not an issue in ksp, as you can terminate the debris, but it might be a fun idea?)

[@krblus9565]

Lunex in Kerbal is munY

[@sipsterstudioz5598]

Matt says 10 fps is bad, but for my potato pc tht is amazing!

[@gaving.griffon2703]

My 2015 laptop cant even run morrowind, ... yet it runs half life 2 just fine.

[@snipesmith9741]

LOL!!! same here.

[@generalpatton8890]

I have always 60 fps because I limited my GPU :)

[@jidgeanimations6866]

Also my broccoli powered Xbox

[@martyr3378]

Get a job

[@SmurmBreep]

Multi launch solar space station

[@captt2779]

I just completed my first Apollo style Mun mission!

[@jamesthegreatbeast8171]

Kool!

[@Gallade082]

Nice job

[@KSPAtlas]

My first moon mission was Apollo style

[@camerondon3712]

Good for you (I know I'm late). I have yet to get beyond LKO.

[@BetterDays]

@@camerondon3712 How about now?

[@kovacszsolt6005]

"It's probably how you (and I) did your first Mun mission" I don't understand. To this very day I do every Mun mission like this haha.

[@GreenthumbGaming_GT]

I really wanted to recreate the Apollo mission so I did it with a separate lander my first time. So proud I achieved it!

[@TBone-bz9mp]

Hello Mr Lowe, an idea for the future would be a ‘Flyback’ booster, such as what NASA originally planned for the Space Shuttle.

[@clouds-through-a-window8942]

if you wanted a old unsuccessful space plane that you could copy the design of you could have used the Dyna soar also known as the X-20. The reason I mention the Dyna soar is the fact that it was originally planed to be the first mission to the moon by not NASA but the American navy. p.s I am still wondering about you response to my previous question about you maybe supporting my channel.

[@byeah8225]

My first Mün mission was using a small shuttle to lift a Ion powered lander to LKO, deploying it, and using a small liquid fuel engine to help

[@normalviewer740]

Lowne you glorious man! Love your videos and keep up the great smashing work!

[@newsomaliandemocratofbrazi3214]

This is a challange for matt lowne Rules: Use Realism Overhaul Easy Mode: Go to the Moon and land back at the Kennedy space center With a spaceplane Harder Mode:Go to mars and Back to Kennedy space center with again a spaceplane Hardest mode:Go to Pluto and back to earth and land at kennedy P.S You don`t have to do it

[@FnShiftend]

I like what you did at the end with the video pop ups. It’s pretty nice

[@Drainslime]

My first mun mission was having the mun directly above me and shooting straight at it, I made it and then found out thats not a cheep way to get to mun.

[@ur_pilot_4_2day82]

Is it just me or does Matt day “this is a bit different from my normal videos” in like every video

[@honeydew5022]

Make the BFR next

[@dcs_0]

10:44 *9g smash* "a little bounce" - i would hate to see what a big bounce is xD

[@linushalvorsen1941]

Can you build some sort of big mothership that can send down landers

[@aronthomas9594]

Wow. A bold move for a planet coaster channel to try producing KSP content.

[@blaes7460]

You clearly are a new wiewer. Matt is produces mostly ksp content and he has done 2 movies of it.

[@blaes7460]

I hate typos

[@liskers]

nice

[@blaes7460]

O hey liskers

[@spasthing3057]

He was sarcastic.

[@blaes7460]

Thats a beautiful video matt, keep it up! -@ElytraHero/@AstroHero

[@jidgeanimations6866]

Matt, Matt, Matt, 10 FPS is a legend for me

[@zakebee8298]

Awesome vid once again mat!

[@ibol13l3]

"Slightly bigger." You mean like the Nova rocket? Because you might want to redefine "Slightly."

[@hugovankeulen5115]

I hate planning too, and that is why i attach paracutes to my spaceplanes. Great video =)

[@blaes7460]

YES! DISCORD EXCLUSIVE!

[@Ivan-fz3ou]

Excellent Job Realism and OCD satisfying(don't ask how, i don't know) Good luck getting 100000 subs(the silver play button will make you happy) PS: You should send a giant space station(space city maybe lol) into deep space and out of the solar system. You can assemble the space station in space and use the biggest engine to blast it into deep space. (don't judge my idea) see how far it gets also ps: if you can push asteriods, can you push planets or moons? also also ps: love your vids

[@alynbaylon1226]

Keep up the Good work Matt

[@camfahn7332]

Hey, make a plane that uses propellers, runs entirely on solar power, can travel faster than 300 meters per second, while using only stock parts.

[@danpettersson4671]

Thank you, I liked that it was a bit out of the ordinary.

[@archdornan4389]

Jesus, that landing approach... That was something of nightmares

[@enbycloud]

Hey Matt!Hope you have a great time!

[@michaelevenhuis4683]

Great vid!

[@planefan082]

Awesome, Matt Lowne :D

[@bohhymobile9984]

I looking for new ksp video and boom Matt Lowne add new video

[@barefootalien]

"Moon" is the correct pronunciation, as they write it "Mün". The diaeresis (the two little dots above it) mean it's the "ooh" sound of "youth" or "rule".

[@eshafto]

Do you have an authoritative source for that? I read it as a u-umlaut, as it would be in most Germanic languages.

[@barefootalien]

Which is pronounced basically the same as "Moon". I would say the most authoritative source I know is that Scott Manley says it that way. Actually exactly that way with the slightly sharper "oo" of the umlaut. Definitely not "Muhn".

[@nathansouva426]

Maybe you can try this again with Ferram aerospace. As it allows for lifting bodies.

[@lightspeedvictory]

Originally posted this challenge BEFORE I watched the asymmetric VTOL SSTO challenge video so I'm modifying my challenge: Build a VTOL space plane SSTO for a Duna mission. Must b equipped with/able to carry a science team, a lab, and an exploratory rover. Must b able to take off and land vertically multiple times. Must land at the KSC, or an alternate airfield. Hard mode: the rover must b a small mobile base complete with crew habitat and science lab

[@kanchansoral4849]

NASA wants to know your location

[@vulduv]

8:25 "ugh matt. there actualy lime. duh!"

[@theducks130Official]

My Saturday is complete now.

[@ninjaed13]

in lunar orbit: "I have a little bit more delta-v than I need", has 1.1km/s, mun return from orbit requires what, 270m/s? "A little bit more" :P

[@CanadianStig990]

What graphcial mode are you using ? your graphic looks good !

[@spinningsquare1325]

Yup my mun and minmus missions are still direct descent

[@titanicmason95]

The Lunex reminds me of my Mini Shuttle

[@joshthekiller7885]

You are awsome at this

[@diddlydown1053]

Nice vid as usual

[@hanniacalderon7323]

wikipedia The final lunar expedition plan in 1961 was for a 21-airman underground Air Force base on the Moon by 1968 at a total cost of $7.5 billion.

[@rosefeltch6313]

At least my notification wasn't 4 hours late

[@randycampbell6307]

Just and FYI which has probably been 'done' already but... LUNEX would have used the Space Launch System, (no not the current Senate Launch System, the 1960 Air Force version :) ) which the Air Force proposed in 1960: (www.astronautix.com/s/sls.html) Actually a very innovative concept if not execution using large SRBs for the 'first' stage with an all Hydrolox upper stages using either J2 engines or (initially) a hyrdrolox version of the LR87 engine used on the Titan missile. (The LR87 remains the only rocket engine to have been used to burn the 'trinity' of rocket propellants of kerolox, hydrolox and storeable propellants btw) Oddly enough had the Air Force been given the go-ahead they SLS AB launch vehicle, ("A" being the smallest SLS here used as an upper stage while "B" was the primary medium' stage, with the massive "C" being the standard Lunar/LUNEX and large payload booster) would have been an Ariane equivalent booster almost 50 years ahead of it's time with all that implies to launch factors.

[@swag-cc4uc]

Feel bad for me, I have integrated graphics.

[@irontomato3835]

You poor soul

[@hamnavoeper]

Join the Club mate. Join the club. But i have to play on a 5 yr old Laptop which was low end when it was new...

[@pyryvartiovaara230]

Gotta buy gtx 9xx used

[@pyryvartiovaara230]

Gettin good fps OUT of it

[@killergameplay7750]

Yep welcome to the club im having to play on the lowest settings to play KSP smoothly

[@cindyward896]

Create a rocket,in space! And send it to the mun!!

[@overkill1340]

Why? Assuming you use EPL or KIS/KAS to build it, the materials need to get to space first. If you are lifting the materials anyway, you might as well just launch a fully built rocket. Mun landers are easy to build aerodynamically so theirs no point.

[@jocax188723]

Somebody summon @VintageSpace! Lunex sounds pretty cool.

[@Remaggib]

It could easily be rolled out... As the rocket goes into a sickeningly fast roll

[@eshafto]

Noticed that, as well.

[@DowzerWTP72]

I know you play stock, but if you ever fancy some mods, there's a mod that adds plane parts very similar to one of the drawings you showed. I think it's called OBS spaceplane parts. Someone can probably correct me, but I can't check at the moment as am in lecture!

[@lordcirth]

You probably mean OPT

[@fiveoneecho]

Is this the same thing the you can spawn at in Take on Mars? The return vehicle is a spaceplane-like thing in a fairing. Sort of reminds me of the Rangers from Interstellar.

[@keithcrusader]

Freaking Awesome!

[@Chobittsu]

I thought this was Thunderbird 1 from the thumbnail.....

[@eshafto]

BUILD ALL THE THUNDERBIRDS IN KSP. PLSPLSPLSPLS.

[@niteshmurti]

Your vids are da best!

[@Roofers91]

Which graphicmod do you use? The surface from ne mun looks awesome.

[@ampethosguy]

hey Matt, I was wondering how do you get your SVE, clouds and the like to be the way that they are on your videos?

[@maallaard]

I play KSP with less than 15 FPS all the time. Steam even says I've logged more than 600 hours

[@MlokLik]

lol. what are your major acomplishments?

[@saraskywalker2127]

Damn you're fast.

[@LinksSpaceProgram]

Launch a Probe core on the RWY and add a waypoint

[@imthedarknight-8755]

Yeah straztenblitz feels no pain for you matt

[@crustyplunger8738]

Build a base on one of the floating monoliths

[@SuperCookieGaming_]

OMG THE MUSIC IS FROM ULTIMATE RIDE

[@tomenright4400]

Ollopa, nice

[@krimpybob]

the runway altitude is 69m?

[@alwinstock8795]

Yes

[@iloveteaalot6483]

How about you recreate the Gemini spacecraft?

[@jjk2704]

I will never fly on a rocket unless it's built by Matt Lowne

[@younggoongs9610]

Matt yay

[@agnieszkabuczny8540]

In my space games like all the time when I'm able to pilot the rocket I use direct ascent

[@rimimen]

I wounder if you can make cassini the rocket that went to saturn

[@spookykitty2327]

What if the US Navy came up with this idea? Would it just be an aircraft carrier strapped to s rocket?

[@catgirlQueer]

Nah, it would look like a submarine strapped to a booster

[@astroksiezyc1700]

Cool!

[@AerialGame]

Do you by chance have an updated list of mods you use?

[@kevinsonofdad1265]

My first mun mission was direct descent direct descent strait into an upclose observation of the munar surface using a tactic i like to call "oh shoot thats too fa *boom*"

[@TSPxEclipse]

Any mods for 1.3 that would let me have a VAB or SPH in orbit or on other planets/moons?

[@widelings7029]

Make a high orbiting drone that drops huge bombs!

[@cowboy-h7z]

6:52 why is the mun texture so bad?

[@eekee6034]

It was a mod. I think it made Minmus look a bit better, but I hate how it made4 the Mun look too.

[@vinicius3943]

hey,why u dont do a mun landing?

[@RoGo259]

You make ssto's right? I challenge you to make a ssteabwmbtimh (single stage to everywhere and back without mining because then its much harder)

[@kades8553]

You sent a rocket to space and returned with a plane.

[@kestrel5642]

Blerbfish Kraken ABRACADABRA!

[@mitch-mashgaming3116]

What was in the service bay?

[@red_five3325]

Well, that's one way to take a plane to other planets.

[@Lucca2102]

Eu amo o seus videos sao os melhores videos de ksp do mundo, eu acompanho o canal ja faz 1, 2 anos

[@nova9054]

Hello from discord!

[@loganbaird1888]

All hail space plane

[@ptbf5796]

Eu gosto muito dos seus vídeos. Continue com o ótimo trabalho.

[@TheIVthlife]

And if not what mods do you use??

[@timlilijinsheng4070]

what computer are you running kerbal space program on matt???

[@gravityzap08]

10:50 did he just drift the thing?