Small spaceships

[Danny Ramone]

Not really a request for development but a request for links to where i can download a small spaceship. I like the idea of a near-tech ship that can take one or two people and would ideally be around f-16 - x-wing size (so like a space fighter, but more like a space version of a sports car)

does anyone know of any addons that fit this description?

 

[Linguofreak]

Not really a request for development but a request for links to where i can download a small spaceship. I like the idea of a near-tech ship that can take one or two people and would ideally be around f-16 - x-wing size (so like a space fighter, but more like a space version of a sports car)

does anyone know of any addons that fit this description?

Well, that kind of thing is kinda hard to do with near-tech. The Apollo spacecraft is about in the size range you're talking about, but it requires a mammoth booster to get it into orbit, and so would practically any other near-tech spacecraft. Chemical rockets need alot of propellant to get into orbit: Even in the best case scenario, with an ISP of 4500 to 5000 m/s, you end up needing 80% of the launch weight of your spacecraft to be propellant. (In other words, the propellant weighs 4 or 5 times as much as the ship itself, in the absolute best case. So if it's fighter sized when it gets to orbit, it's going to be a lot bigger before launch).

 

[Danny Ramone]

I was thinking something that would piggyback in an xr1 (or xr2 when is available) or even ontop of an ares or something similar.

I know that a SSTO fighter size ship is impossible in near-tech.

I was just wondering if anyone had actually made a serious addon along these lines that wasn't just a graphical representation like the x-wing and viper addons that I have seen.

 

[TSPenguin]

Aside from the ShuttlePB nothing comes to mind.
But it would be nice to have such a "Motorcycle of the stars"

 

[streb2001]

Try Greg Burch's Pocket Rocket.

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2412"]PocketRocket Z1 for Orbiter 2006[/ame]

 

[GregBurch]

Try Greg Burch's Pocket Rocket.

http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2412

The most recent Pocket Rocket is still pretty poor compared to my current state of the art. The SwiftSS is a little more advanced, and pretty small:

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3371"]SwiftSS Aerospaceplane[/ame]

 

[spcefrk]

I was thinking something that would piggyback in an xr1 (or xr2 when is available) or even ontop of an ares or something similar.

I know that a SSTO fighter size ship is impossible in near-tech.

I was just wondering if anyone had actually made a serious addon along these lines that wasn't just a graphical representation like the x-wing and viper addons that I have seen.

Don't count out near tech just yet. A Nuclear first stage could be pretty small to get something the size of say a Gemini capsule into LEO. Check out the NERVA program:
http://www.astronautix.com/engines/nerva.htm
http://www.fas.org/nuke/space/c04rover.htm
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/NERVA.html

The major problem is radiated debris from the exhaust, and environmentalist groups harp on anything nuclear powered whether you're talking about something potentially harmful like a nuclear first stage, or something harmless like a nuclear power cell for deep space probes.

The delicious irony is that Nuclear power is the best prospect for reducing man-made emissions to negligible levels. Because they re most efficient at maximum output, you open up plenty of room to charge electric cars and siphon off the undemanded energy to produce hydrogen fuel for Fuel-cell cars. But that's a debate for another day.

 

[streb2001]

Greg, are you considering "state-of-the-artifying" your Pocket Rocket? It's great flying a spaceworthy ultralight!

Swift looks nice, downloading now...

 

[GregBurch]

Greg, are you considering "state-of-the-artifying" your Pocket Rocket? It's great flying a spaceworthy ultralight!

Yes ... but it'll be awhile. I actually have a conception for something even smaller than the PocketRocket -- basically a flying spacesuit with only small attitude thrusters that would be de-orbited with a throw-away engine. The working title for that little project is "SurfBoard."