My Shuttle Entry

[Darthan]

Mode: Normal/Sandbox (Part clipping enabled, all other cheats disabled)
Blueprint editing used (via the 'Part Text' mod)

Textures
Metallic Textures 1.0 Altair
PEx Shapes+ 1.0 Proxima Exploration (don't think they appear in this one)

Since part clipping and blueprint editing (more exactly use of the "Part Text" mod) are involved I've attached the blueprint files also.
blueprints.zip contains:
Shuttle Payload
- payload on its own
Shuttle Ref+Launcher
- reference shuttle+launcher version using normal size heatshields
Shuttle+Launcher
- shuttle+launcher actually used

One bp-edit is possibly contreversial. The heat shield at the bottom started as a size 12 (6m) heatshild thay was stretched to 73m using N.width_original=73 (which increases is mass proportionally) and o.y=0.05 which makes it thinner without affecting its mass. I tried to create a 'reference' version using 12x size 12 heatshields with no resizing of shields. the reference version total mass was 1459.0699t and the version actually used was 1459.37t (h/s for reference 12x6m=72m, actual was 73m)

The faring used as the payload bay had some bp edits. the entire thing was made a meter short in y, to keep it from atttaching to the top and bottom tanks, then reduced in x using N.width_original (to match the effect that part adaption would have had) and o.y incresed to reduce the 1/2m gap top and bottom.

The tail and nose were increased in size using N.size (which would have increased the mass a tiny bit)

Other notes

I plan to use the launched payload in a later challenge - which is the reason for its increased complexity.

The front tank started out empty. Some of remaining fuel was pumped into it prior to reentry to balance the weight better. If both tanks were filled it could easily reach a higher orbit. Would need to test it to confirm but it might be able to reach the Moon ('fly me to the Moon' indeed!)


BP and Launchpad



Launch


Low Earth Orbit


Payload separation


Deorbit and fuel rebalance


Re-entry

 

[Darthan]

My Shuttle Entry part 2

Landing


Challenges


(SFS failed to produce a mission log on recover)

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

Mooncrasher

 

[Alecs]

Ur way too professional! Well done

 

[Darthan]

It's been nearly a month since I posted this and it has not been reviewed yet. In the meantime I've improved the design a bit.

The original rather clunky hinge has been improved and fine tuned. It can now open a little wider and can re-dock without needing RCS on the door.

I've added some extra probes to the front to balance the engines. There is no longer any need to have spare fuel thats need to be transferred to the front tank to rebalance for reentry. The extra torque means that the rotation is faster as well.

I've added a thin pipe between the tanks (a bp-edited fuel tank). Any remaining fuel will re-balanced automatically.

I've increased the test payload mass to see how far I could go. The new mass is 294t - 17.8% of the total launcher mass of 1643t. In testing, the original payload mass of 180t can be delivered to low lunar orbit and the shuttle returned to earth.

BP+Launchpad


Launch to orbit


Payload release


Deorbit and reentry


Landing
16..19


(sfs is still not producing mission logs)

Blueprint attached. In case you are wondering what happened to v2 - it was a shorter version with a more compact 180t payload. I decided the longer version was more useful.

 

[JSP]

I saw the blue shuttle and all i could think of is this

 

[UN Cosmo Navy]

This shuttle..... no the entire damn ass rocket is blue

 

[MonkeSpaceflight]

That's the first time I've heard someone say "the damn ass ____"
Interesting

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

pls Pink im gonna make my pfp croissants is you don't see this one

 

[Pink]

It's been nearly a month since I posted this and it has not been reviewed yet. In the meantime I've improved the design a bit.

The original rather clunky hinge has been improved and fine tuned. It can now open a little wider and can re-dock without needing RCS on the door.

I've added some extra probes to the front to balance the engines. There is no longer any need to have spare fuel thats need to be transferred to the front tank to rebalance for reentry. The extra torque means that the rotation is faster as well.

I've added a thin pipe between the tanks (a bp-edited fuel tank). Any remaining fuel will re-balanced automatically.

I've increased the test payload mass to see how far I could go. The new mass is 294t - 17.8% of the total launcher mass of 1643t. In testing, the original payload mass of 180t can be delivered to low lunar orbit and the shuttle returned to earth.

BP+Launchpad
View attachment 115567 View attachment 115568 View attachment 115569 View attachment 115570

Launch to orbit
View attachment 115571 View attachment 115572 View attachment 115573 View attachment 115574

Payload release
View attachment 115575 View attachment 115576 View attachment 115577

Deorbit and reentry
View attachment 115578 View attachment 115579 View attachment 115580 View attachment 115581

Landing
16..19
View attachment 115582 View attachment 115583 View attachment 115584 View attachment 115585

(sfs is still not producing mission logs)

Blueprint attached. In case you are wondering what happened to v2 - it was a shorter version with a more compact 180t payload. I decided the longer version was more useful.

Good on technical merit, good job on the mass fraction and door.
Build could use improvement however, a more eye-catching overall design (increase in complexity) is in order. There is a great charm to function over form, but shuttles tend to embody a balance of both, otherwise we're just making ordinary reusable rockets with a few extra pieces attached to kind of look like a plane.

Technical comment, if you remove the connection between tanks, and transfer the right amount of fuel, your shuttle ought to be able to balance correctly upon re-entry without extra RCS or probes. Of course, extra help just to make it turn is ok, but you shouldn't think it is required for re-entry.
I do like the little touches with the engine bays. Do touches here and there for the rest of the shuttle.

Example of a shuttle of mine with no bp editing or clipping, you can see much is possible to make a boring shape look good without too much extra weight. I don't expect you to go that far, but it is good to keep in mind if you wish the badge.

 

[Darthan]

Good on technical merit, good job on the mass fraction and door.
Build could use improvement however, a more eye-catching overall design (increase in complexity) is in order. There is a great charm to function over form, but shuttles tend to embody a balance of both, otherwise we're just making ordinary reusable rockets with a few extra pieces attached to kind of look like a plane.

Technical comment, if you remove the connection between tanks, and transfer the right amount of fuel, your shuttle ought to be able to balance correctly upon re-entry without extra RCS or probes. Of course, extra help just to make it turn is ok, but you shouldn't think it is required for re-entry.
I do like the little touches with the engine bays. Do touches here and there for the rest of the shuttle.

Example of a shuttle of mine with no bp editing or clipping, you can see much is possible to make a boring shape look good without too much extra weight. I don't expect you to go that far, but it is good to keep in mind if you wish the badge.
View attachment 116079

Shuttle with a small makeover. Some people may be relieved that it is no longer blue! I attempted to make is slightly more visually complex without it becoming ugly. I also added a little functionality - RCS and an external docking port. It was not needed for this mission but it allows the shuttle to to be docked. It also added a subtle bit of visual complexity. Not sure if the cosmetic changes are enough but the shuttle still works.

I kept the connection between the tanks and the weight balancing. It allows the shuttle to reenter with the fuel tanks completely empty or with leftover fuel.

BP+Lanchpad


Launch to orbit


Payload release


Deorbit and reentry


Landing


(no mission log was generated)

Blueprint attached

 

[Darthan]

Pink can you check if Shuttle v4 is OK?

 

[JSP]

Pink can you check if Shuttle v4 is OK?

I'm a Judge I can check.

 

[JSP]

All looks good to me. I approve just need someone to give you the badge now.