Which jet engines can send planes to space?

[JBrown247]

Which of the jet engines can you send space planes up with? I am wondering how early in the tech tree I can start using spaceplanes.

[Supermarine]

None. By definition a jet engine needs air to function.

Buuuut... there are some "hybrid" engines towards the end of the research... last tier. It's called the RAPIER and still needs LF + Ox to operate in space.

Aaaand... you don't need to reach that last tier to build a functional spaceplane. Remember, it's all about creativity. Mix and match parts and experiment with them. Try different engines too.

[JBrown247]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Supermarine:

None. By definition a jet engine needs air to function.

Buuuut... there are some "hybrid" engines towards the end of the research... last tier. It's called the RAPIER and still needs LF + Ox to operate in space.

Aaaand... you don't need to reach that last tier to build a functional spaceplane. Remember, it's all about creativity. Mix and match parts and experiment with them. Try different engines too.

omg, I know all this. Which jet engines along with some rockets can get me into space and back in a single stage spaceplane?

Good god. Why does everyone on KSP's forums pretend to be so smart?

[Fr8monkey]

Any jet engine can get you a apoapsis above 70,000M. Once there, shut down jet when air runs out and coast up and you use a standard rocket to circularize your orbit.

[JBrown247]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Fr8monkey:

Any jet engine can get you a apoapsis above 70,000M. Once there, shut down jet when air runs out and coast up and you use a standard rocket to circularize your orbit.

any of the jets can? You don't need the turbo jets?

[Fr8monkey]

If your thrust is high enough. I did it with just the basic engines. Just need to ballance the TWR and air intake.

Go up to about 20,000 - 25,000M, level flight and accelerate upwards slowly until air runs out.

[JBrown247]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Fr8monkey:

If your thrust is high enough. I did it with just the basic engines. Just need to ballance the TWR.

cool. I am going to mess around with it this week.

[andylaugel]

In practice, my first space planes used four J-X4 "Whiplash" Turbo Ramjet Engines, off the Hypersonic Flight node--one down from the Rapier engine. I tried making a spaceplane capable of achieving orbit with lesser engines like the Panther, and failed horribly.

Note that I also had a couple "Swivel" rocket engines to take over when the jet engines cut out. You'll need a rocket engine or a Rapier to take you that last bit into orbit, I've found.

For the record, I've only used version 1.05 for my spaceplanes. I hear they were somewhat easier in previous versions.

[BlackWater]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από JBrown247:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Supermarine:

None. By definition a jet engine needs air to function.

Buuuut... there are some "hybrid" engines towards the end of the research... last tier. It's called the RAPIER and still needs LF + Ox to operate in space.

Aaaand... you don't need to reach that last tier to build a functional spaceplane. Remember, it's all about creativity. Mix and match parts and experiment with them. Try different engines too.

omg, I know all this. Which jet engines along with some rockets can get me into space and back in a single stage spaceplane?

Good god. Why does everyone on KSP's forums pretend to be so smart?

I was thinking the same, and I knew straight away what you meant, which jet engine is best to get you as close to the point where you need a rocket to take over. Sometimes the simplest answer really is the best one. I haven't kerbaled in a while, I've been Dying while awaiting return of Light :)

[kesat]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από JBrown247:

Which of the jet engines can you send space planes up with? I am wondering how early in the tech tree I can start using spaceplanes.

In my opinion it's viable as soon as you get the Panther. But i don't see a reasonable SSTO before you got the Whiplash.

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Fr8monkey:

If your thrust is high enough. I did it with just the basic engines. Just need to ballance the TWR and air intake.

Go up to about 20,000 - 25,000M, level flight and accelerate upwards slowly until air runs out.

Like to see a SSTO design with basic jet engines which gets you into orbit. Usually you keep loosing speed pretty fast at 10km.

[Just Jim]

This is my first working SSTO in 1.0.5. It's using 2 Rapiers and 1 Whiplash. Here's a good screenshot of the engine arrangement

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=555143596

[whatdoesthisbuttondo?]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από kesat:

Like to see a SSTO design with basic jet engines which gets you into orbit. Usually you keep loosing speed pretty fast at 10km.

Spaceplane doesn't necessarily mean SSTO, with the low-tier modules it would probably be a lot more feasible to have a booster stage you ignite at high altitude and jettison later.

[tourist]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από whatdoesthisbuttondo?:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από kesat:

Like to see a SSTO design with basic jet engines which gets you into orbit. Usually you keep loosing speed pretty fast at 10km.

Spaceplane doesn't necessarily mean SSTO, with the low-tier modules it would probably be a lot more feasible to have a booster stage you ignite at high altitude and jettison later.

Or wrap a plane around that booster and fly it back! I don't know if this is possible with lower-tier tech. I feel like it might need more of the aircraft parts; still, the Virgin Galatic White Knight2 + Space Plane 2 uses a quad-turbine "lift-plane-mothership" to launch a rocketplane into space, with a hybrid solid booster. I did an image search and see it's been built in KSP before.

More of a "I thought this was cool" than it's "but THIS!"

You got my gears turning OP, to spaaace (later today)!

[ElToro]

Make a plane that can fly u to high altitudes, then add a reaction wheel and atomic engine. Now u have a spaceworthy aircraft. The upside is that it only uses liquid fuel.

[whatdoesthisbuttondo?]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Nostradufus:

still, the Virgin Galatic White Knight2 + Space Plane 2 uses a quad-turbine "lift-plane-mothership" to launch a rocketplane into space, with a hybrid solid booster. I did an image search and see it's been built in KSP before.

I kinda liked that concept, but IIRC the problem with KSP is (used to be?) that the carrier plane simply goes on a ballistic trajectory as soon as it goes outside the physics bubble.

[kesat]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από whatdoesthisbuttondo?:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από kesat:

Like to see a SSTO design with basic jet engines which gets you into orbit. Usually you keep loosing speed pretty fast at 10km.

Spaceplane doesn't necessarily mean SSTO, with the low-tier modules it would probably be a lot more feasible to have a booster stage you ignite at high altitude and jettison later.

True enough :D

But personally i have some doubts that you can use low tier jet engines as a "launch" stage to get a rocketplane into any higher atmosphere level + decent speed. Did a little drone for test purposes (around 3t & 5 juno engines) and it's max. velocity was around 300m/s at 5km altitude.

And i was specifically referring to fr8monkey: He said it's possible to use basic jet engines to get you into higher atmosphere (and then accelerating for horizontal speed). But that doesn't sound realizable.

Getting a rocket or rocketplane at 10km using jet engines? sure, why not. But it's probably less efficient than a rocket.


Btw regarding feasible SSTOs based on something else than rapiers:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=567671561

4 ramjets, 2 aerospikes and gets you into an orbit at around 100km with small cargos/passengers without any problem (test flight was 6t cargo lift and 100km orbit, ~1000m/s delta-v left).

But using ramjets isn't really the challenge :D