Subscribe to download
'Silverfish' Mun Shuttle

Small passenger SSTO to shuttle 4 Kerbals to a Mun Station.
Good compromise between range, price, safety and ease of use.

1x Rapier
Launch mass: 22.6 tons (without passengers)
Price: 38,840
Delta-V: ~ 1650 m/s left after insertion into 75x75 km Kerbin Orbit (with 4 passengers)
TWR: ~ 1.3 in Low Kerbin Orbit (with 4 passengers)
Crew capacity: 4
Cargo capacity: 1x 650L + 1x 200 L
Science: no experiments, 1x experiment storage
Docking: 1x Clamp-O-Tron, 1x Jr. port, RCS

- [6] Open payload doors before using parachutes.

- [Stage 2] Rapier full power, SAS Stability Assist relative to surface
- 120 m/s: rotate, then set pitch angle to 2° above horizon
- Let go of pitch, plane will settle and angle will rise naturally due to curvature
- 750 m/s: set SAS to prograde assist
- Altitude 15 km: set SAS to stability assist (angle ~ 10°)
- Altitude ~ 22 km: [2] toggle Rapier to closed cycle (max speed ~ 1420 m/s)
- Indicated apoapsis 40 km: Engage SAS Prograde Assist (surface) and continue burn
- Indicated apoapsis 75 km: pause burn and cruise to apoapsis with SAS Prograde Assist (surface)
- Altitude 70 km: [Stage 1] eject nose cone
- 20 sec to apoapsis: start to circularize orbit

- Set reentry periapsis at 49 km altitude above Kerbal Space Center
- Make sure the nose cone was ejected [Stage 1]
- [5] Enable Airbrake yaw control
- Generate maxium drag: [G] extend landing gear, [6] open payload doors, [Brake] deploy airbrakes
- Reenter atmosphere nose first, SAS Prograde Assist (surface)
- Altitude 50 km: [0] retract Solar and Antenna
- Altitude 40 km: [6] close payload doors
- Dump OX to lighten craft (drain valve in cargo bay)
- Altitude 35 km: [G] retract landing gear, [Brake] retract Airbrakes
- Glide to KSC: SAS stability assist, hold angle above horizon ~ 2°
- There is enough lift to land this like an airplane at ~ 70 m/s
- [6] Open payload doors before using parachutes, landing speed under chutes ~ 12 m/s (empty tanks!)

[1] Toggle Rapier
[2] Switch Rapier Mode + Intake
[5] Toggle Airbrakes yaw control
[6] Toggle payload doors
[9] Toggle ladder
[0] Toggle solar, radiator + antenna