How to Build an SSTO in Kerbal Space Program
Go to the Spaceplane hangar. ,Start with a Mk2 cockpit., Add a liquid fuel fuselage behind the cockpit., Optionally, swap the liquid fuel fuselage for a liquid fuel short fuselage and a cargo bay (cargo delivery)., Add a liquid fuel short fuselage...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the Spaceplane hangar.
Don't use the rocket fuel fuselage, as it contains oxidizer as well as liquid fuel., Make sure you use the short cargo bay.
Alternatively, swap the liquid fuel fuselage for a monopropellant short fuselage and a Mk2 docking port, suitable for transporting crew to a space station., Leave the oxidizer in the bicoupler, you'll use it later., Use the offset tool to move the engines inside the plane, so that just the engine bell is sticking out., To the side of this, add a Structural Wing Type A.
Add a second Structural Wing Type A to the front of the wing connector.
You should now have a triangular wing on either side of your plane.
These are your main wings., The centre of lift should be in the same place, or slightly behind, the centre of mass., Half of the tanks should be sticking up above the wing, and half below.
Use the offset tool to move these tanks next to the bicoupler., Add a R.A.P.I.E.R. engine to the back.
Add a shock cone intake to the front, and two radial intakes to the top.
Use the offset tool to move the whole setup (tanks, intakes and engines) forwards or backwards until the ends of the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines are in line with the ends of the nuclear engines., Right-click on it and disable pitch and yaw control., These winglets should be vertical, not horizontal.
Right-click and disable pitch and roll control., Right-click and disable yaw and roll control., Add a third wheel at the front, under the cockpit.,, Since an SSTO, by definition, has no staging, this is how your spaceplane will be controlled.
You need to set up these action groups: 1
- toggle shock cone intakes and radial intakes 2
- toggle R.A.P.I.E.R. engines on and off. 3
- toggle R.A.P.I.E.R. engines fuel mode. 4
- toggle nuclear engines on and off. 5
- toggle cargo bay/docking port (if applicable) , Add one on either side, either in front of the winglets or between the winglets and the main wings.
Add a second pair on top of the bicoupler, and a third on the bottom of the Mk1 fuselages, behind the wheels., There is a bit to learn about flying an SSTO:
Press Z to turn up the thrust.
Press 2 to activate the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines.
Taxi down the runway and take off.
When airborne, press G to stow the wheels.
When the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines flame out, press 1 to close the intakes and 3 to activate rocket mode.
When your apoapsis is at the desired height, press 2 to deactivate the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines.
Use 4 to toggle the nuclear engines.
Use these to complete orbital insertion. , -
Step 2: Start with a Mk2 cockpit.
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Step 3: Add a liquid fuel fuselage behind the cockpit.
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Step 4: Optionally
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Step 5: swap the liquid fuel fuselage for a liquid fuel short fuselage and a cargo bay (cargo delivery).
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Step 6: Add a liquid fuel short fuselage behind the liquid fuel fuselage
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Step 7: followed by a Mk2 Bicoupler.
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Step 8: Add a LV-N nuclear engine to each part of the bicoupler
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Step 9: using symmetry mode.
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Step 10: Add a Wing Connector Type A to the sides of your plane
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Step 11: still using symmetry mode.
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Step 12: Tweak the positions of the wings using the offset tool.
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Step 13: Add a Mk1 Liquid Fuel Fuselage to each wing using symmetry mode.
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Step 14: Add an FL-T200 fuel tank to the front of each Mk1 Liquid Fuel Fuselage.
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Step 15: Add an AV-R8 winglet to the front of the plane
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Step 16: one on either side (symmetry mode again
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Step 17: if you haven't sussed it out yet).
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Step 18: Add an AV-R8 winglet on top of each Mk1 Liquid Fuel Fuselage.
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Step 19: On the end of each main wing
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Step 20: add an elevon.
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Step 21: Add a wheel on the bottom of each Mk1 fuselage.
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Step 22: Use the offset tool to move the main wings backwards or forwards until the centres of mass and lift are aligned.
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Step 23: Set up some action groups.
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Step 24: Add some RCS thruster blocks.
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Step 25: Save and launch!
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Step 26: Just remember: once you're in orbit
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Step 27: you have to get back...
Detailed Guide
Don't use the rocket fuel fuselage, as it contains oxidizer as well as liquid fuel., Make sure you use the short cargo bay.
Alternatively, swap the liquid fuel fuselage for a monopropellant short fuselage and a Mk2 docking port, suitable for transporting crew to a space station., Leave the oxidizer in the bicoupler, you'll use it later., Use the offset tool to move the engines inside the plane, so that just the engine bell is sticking out., To the side of this, add a Structural Wing Type A.
Add a second Structural Wing Type A to the front of the wing connector.
You should now have a triangular wing on either side of your plane.
These are your main wings., The centre of lift should be in the same place, or slightly behind, the centre of mass., Half of the tanks should be sticking up above the wing, and half below.
Use the offset tool to move these tanks next to the bicoupler., Add a R.A.P.I.E.R. engine to the back.
Add a shock cone intake to the front, and two radial intakes to the top.
Use the offset tool to move the whole setup (tanks, intakes and engines) forwards or backwards until the ends of the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines are in line with the ends of the nuclear engines., Right-click on it and disable pitch and yaw control., These winglets should be vertical, not horizontal.
Right-click and disable pitch and roll control., Right-click and disable yaw and roll control., Add a third wheel at the front, under the cockpit.,, Since an SSTO, by definition, has no staging, this is how your spaceplane will be controlled.
You need to set up these action groups: 1
- toggle shock cone intakes and radial intakes 2
- toggle R.A.P.I.E.R. engines on and off. 3
- toggle R.A.P.I.E.R. engines fuel mode. 4
- toggle nuclear engines on and off. 5
- toggle cargo bay/docking port (if applicable) , Add one on either side, either in front of the winglets or between the winglets and the main wings.
Add a second pair on top of the bicoupler, and a third on the bottom of the Mk1 fuselages, behind the wheels., There is a bit to learn about flying an SSTO:
Press Z to turn up the thrust.
Press 2 to activate the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines.
Taxi down the runway and take off.
When airborne, press G to stow the wheels.
When the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines flame out, press 1 to close the intakes and 3 to activate rocket mode.
When your apoapsis is at the desired height, press 2 to deactivate the R.A.P.I.E.R. engines.
Use 4 to toggle the nuclear engines.
Use these to complete orbital insertion. ,
About the Author
Stephanie Roberts
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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