Still goofing off with my latest little obsession, Kerbal Space Program.  The latest focus of my attention has been on developing a working SSTO spaceplane in the game that I can use to launch small payloads into space without expending an entire rocket to do it.

For those who aren't familiar with the concept, SSTO simply means "Single Stage To Orbit".  What that means is that the vehicle can reach orbit without having to discard any hardware on its way up.  Most spacecraft use stages to make them more efficient; once a stage runs out of fuel it is discarded to reduce the weight of the spacecraft so it can make more efficient use of its remaining fuel supply.

While it is possible to design a rocket that could do this, an aerospace plane is an attractive option for a number of reasons.  Using wings down low to generate lift to ofset gravitational drag is one, and such a vehicle is capable of self-recovery (aka: land itself at a runway rather than ditch at sea for later recover) and has superior cross-range capability (by operating as an aircraft once back to low altitudes).

I shot a 45-minute video of my first successful design (SSTO-5 'Aurora') performing a complete mission-cycle (lauch, delivery, deorbit, and landing) and it's available on YouTube.  Unfortunately, I still can't upload more than about 15-minutes per video so I had to break it up into four parts.  So here's a link to the playlist.  I'm really sorry about the audio quality.  My microphone and editing software are not on speaking terms right now so it took about four days before I could get something even this playable uploaded.  I'm so sick of looking at this footage , once I simmer down and get all the bugs sorted out I might go back and fix them all later.

So once again, for those who are interested here is the link to the playlist:
KSP- SSTO spaceplane

Until next time,
Jon


We're Getting Married!!!

Work Progress- The Fold Space
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Pg. 272 Posted 4-7
Pg. 273 Posted 4-7

Chapter Seven Summary

Chapter Eight Posted 4-21

Pg. 274 Posted 4-28
Pg. 275 Posted 4-28
Pg. 276 Posted 5-5
Pg. 277 Posted 5-5
Pg. 278 Posted 5-12
Pg. 279 Posted 5-17
Pg. 280
Pg. 281
Pg. 282

Work Progress- Fantasies 1
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Coverart
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Pg. 2
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Pg. 6

Work Progress- Fantasies 2
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Coverart Posted 1-17
Pg. 1
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Pg. 3
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Pg. 6

Work Progress- Fantasies 3
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Coverart
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Work Progress- The Joolian Chronicals
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Episode one "The Battle of Val's Flight"
Episode two "Reprisals"
Episode three "The Battle of Jool"

Work Progress- Misc
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A New Life- The Next Bend
The Commander's Choice- Pt Five-a Posted 5-4
The Commander's Choice- Pt Five-b
The Commander's Choice- Pt Six
The Commander's Choice- Pt. Seven
The Commander's Choice- Epilogue