Criteria for a craft to be considered a space shuttle?

[Blazer Ayanami]

So after some calculations...

Keep the engines, and move the capsule chutes to the engines it seems...
That tail DEFINITELY won't be solid, that's add to the mass... I might just add tanks to the top to balance out the craft during landing...

You can use that extra space to add MORE FUEL!

 

[SM84CE]

or cargo

I'm still allowing the crew compartment to have it's own chutes and be able to separate from the shuttle... I was testing a deployment of 10 ComSats, like the ones pictured in my post a day or so ago, I deployed, and used the shuttle's ion engines to move forward. Trouble is, I was moving too fast, and by the time the ComSats got to the tail, they shredded it, with no damage at all to the ComSats. Attempting a recovery now, but the tail was what had like 10 chutes on it

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

or cargo

Cargo on the tail...? That's not very realistic...

 

[SM84CE]

welcome to SFS, where Solar panels, in their folded state, can destroy anything...

 

[SM84CE]

Crew successfully recovered, we need more chutes on other parts, and not just the crew module...
ComSat array in the shuttle (~1/4 of max cargo capacity)

Landed! It's a good landing, because any landing you can walk away from is a good one

 

[TtTOtW]

Well, we are setting realistic limits for this, and we all abided by it.

 

[SM84CE]

Fine... I've never used the tail cargo compartment anyways I'll just add detachable fuel reserves, that'll eliminate the need for them in the main cargo bay for those Mars missions...

 

[OinkerPoinker]

As SFS is a 2D game ,
-Must have a tail
-Must have disposable payload
-Can land without chutes ( Tailchutes for short period is ok i guess )
-An External tank
-And must look somewhat like a shuttle

also the shuttle must be reusable ( not the external tank tho )

 

[TtTOtW]

also the shuttle must be reusable ( not the external tank tho )

Hey OP, you wanna build a shuttle, show us what you've got?

 

[SM84CE]

Just a minute... I need to secure 43 ComSats into the cargo hold of the newest build...

 

[SM84CE]

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

View attachment 27723

Uhhhh... I hate to mention it, but still doesn't looks like a shuttle.

 

[SM84CE]

ok, then. Point noted. What's missing? I have the cabin, the (hopeful) reusability, an external tank, and a cargo bay. Also the all-important tail, which will be filled with fuel later...

There's also the landing mechanism, a CrapTon (TM) of chutes, because aircraft mechanics don't quite work in SFS... Anything small I'm missing?

 

[Danny Batten]

ok, then. Point noted. What's missing? I have the cabin, the (hopeful) reusability, an external tank, and a cargo bay. Also the all-important tail, which will be filled with fuel later...

There's also the landing mechanism, a CrapTon (TM) of chutes, because aircraft mechanics don't quite work in SFS... Anything small I'm missing?

No offence but your trying to get a shuttle by slapping everything a shuttle needs on it...
Think about it, it's just like saying a plane is a bird because it has wings.. just because it has the parts does not mean it is one

 

[SM84CE]

None taken, I do see your point. Looks shuttle-like to me, but something (or people on the forum ) tells me that something's missing...

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

None taken, I do see your point. Looks shuttle-like to me, but something (or people on the forum ) tells me that something's missing...

I'll tell you what, try to make the whole stack (Orbiter + LV) more asymmetrical, and then mount the shuttle on a side of the LV, not on top like what you are doing. That will definitively make it look like some sort of shuttle.

 

[SM84CE]

Then how do I deal with the asymmetrical thrust? Because with the power I want, fuel transfer from the tank to the engine set would not be sufficient... I could just move the left booster over to the right side and see what happens...

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Then how do I deal with the asymmetrical thrust? Because with the power I want, fuel transfer from the tank to the engine set would not be sufficient... I could just move the left booster over to the right side and see what happens...

You don't need fuel transfer.
If you're going for an Real STS configuration use the power on the orbiter to balance the stack.
If you're going for a futuristic shuttle configuration just tune your thrust and engine layout till you get a balanced configuration.

 

[SM84CE]

Hmm... Time to BP edit stuff, because that's just how I roll (or launch...)

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Hmm... Time to BP edit stuff, because that's just how I roll (or launch...)

If you could do it without bp editing it would be so much awesome. Again, can I help you with something?

 

[SM84CE]

My goal was 1000T to LEO, and possibly Mars, but I'll have to see if I can do it without BP editing. Not being able to see TWR can mess with you at times...

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

My goal was 1000T to LEO, and possibly Mars, but I'll have to see if I can do it without BP editing. Not being able to see TWR can mess with you at times...

That's true, but still you have the mass of the parts and the thrust of the engines, so its just elementary-school maths .
And if you don't want to do that, you still have a sign saying "Your engines are not powerful enough to lift this rocket". Just build a first stage powerful enough to lift it to space, after that you don't have to worry about TWR anymore.

 

[SM84CE]

I'll tell you what, try to make the whole stack (Orbiter + LV) more asymmetrical, and then mount the shuttle on a side of the LV, not on top like what you are doing. That will definitively make it look like some sort of shuttle.

But who said my futuristic shuttle couldn't be surrounded by boosters? I think at this point, I'll just call it a shuttle... Who knows what technology changes there could be in the deep future?

 

[TtTOtW]

All my shuttles gen. 2 and after have separate boosters on both sides, though not necessarily equal in all respects. Discovery has a stupidly enormous 2 stage booster beneath it.

 

[SM84CE]

Ooohh... I might try a non BP edited one, seeing how 3x y-scaled engines provide more than enough thrust... Or I could make the shuttle WIDER...

And yes, in my future, scaling engines 3x in the y-axis is enough. I wanna try and push the BP-editing limits... (large tank, probe and nose cone on a 100x scaled BFR engine?)