Complete Ministar-Orion Carrier Recovery Test (KSP 1.12 with RO)

Rebalancing propellants and increasing the heat tolerance of the airbrakes, I try out the recovery of both the Orion Carrier Plane and the Ministar, without using FMRS or anything similar, while carrying a 40 ton payload to orbit.
Playlist: • Realism Overhaul Sandb...

[@Ramash440]

The Orion is quite stable for a custom craft, at least in comparison to the Shinkansen. Maybe you've done a stable reentry with that at some point but I can only remember it spinning out of control (And somehow surviving).

[@Ramash440]

As for the air brake problem, some twin rudden planes IRL like the F-22 can turn both rudders inwards to act as an air brake. Can that be done in KSP?

[@RaizSpace]

Yes, using rudders as airbrakes can be done in KSP, but it would be best to have them specially configured for that, and that's more complicated than just using airbrakes.

[@atlantshadow6413]

what mod do you use for the map (which really looks better than the rss one)

[@RaizSpace]

If you're talking about the launch area landscape, I made a scenery patch just for this local area around Tampico - similar to what Cape Canaveral HD does for the Cape. If you're talking about the map view, I'm using the slightly better RSS Reborn textures for Earth (32k rather than 16k)

[@HalNordmann]

So the MiniStar is pretty much a modified orbit-capable version of the original X-33?

[@RaizSpace]

Basically, though it's mass and the engines are specifically for this purpose as a second stage on the Orion Carrier Plane - not meant to match the original size of the X-33.

[@HalNordmann]

@@RaizSpace The mass is pretty close to the original, from what I gathered. No idea on the engines, though. Also, did you know that a similar concept was actually considered, just using the Starbooster concept instead of your Orion?

[@RaizSpace]

I mean, the Orion Carrier Plane itself is directly based on 2001: A Space Odyssey which in turn was based on Shuttle design proposals which included a second stage that carried cargo (though also crew). Similar concepts are all over the place, though having a fairing mount like this, I have not seen. Was the Starbooster thing with a fairing mount in front of the second stage or am I right that this is novel?

[@HalNordmann]

@@RaizSpace The Starbooster was proposed in 1999 by Buzz Aldrin simply as a reusable first stage for a variety of upper stages, with reusables being only one option. You should be able to find more on the Wikipedia page for Atlas III, as the proposal used it as a basis for its propulsion system. It is pretty interesting

[@RaizSpace]

Well, looking at the reference: ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19990113117/downloads/19990113117.pdf I'll have to say that, while I see what you mean, there are a lot of ideas that are much closer to Ministar-Orion Carrier and I don't particularly like the idea of using an existing liquid booster inside an aircraft, which is what this proposed. It's trying to cut too many development corners for a reusable system (even though developing the spaceplane is going to be difficult anyway and filling it more optimally with propellant and propulsion would be a comparably minor issue and a good idea) and this leads to gross inefficiencies.

[@Ejd582]

raiz i dont know why my shuttle dont have su much trusth for escape the earth and make a orbit

[@TheSkammander]

Could you please describe the problem in a little more detail? Is it because you cannot make it into orbit or because you cannot escape earth orbit and enter an orbit around the sun? When designing shuttles and especially SSTO's, a common problem is adding more features and parts iver time until the ship becomes way too heavy to work well. Try looking over your design and remove things that may not be worth the weight.

[@Ejd582]

i dont speak some english but i try to describe the poblem

[@Ejd582]

I use the giulio dondi shuttle, the problem is the impulse, I use the shuttle at 25% strength in the ssme and 100 in the srb and in the end I always end up falling down With the tank I mean that basically I can't make an orbit by force

[@RaizSpace]

Are you using the Giulio Dondi launch script? How much are you putting into the Shuttle's bay, if anything?

[@TheSkammander]

@@Ejd582 your english is good! I understand what you mean!