![]() The center of mass of any craft will shift as a result of burning fuel, but this is especially critical for SSTOs as spin-outs and otherwise catastrophic stability failures will hinder its ability to reach space. This is the point from which there is an equal amount of mass in each direction and acts as a fulcrum for any rotational forces. There are several forces in Kerbal Space Program which have an effect on the flight characteristics of SSTO craft. A stable craft is going to be more desirable than an unstable craft. One of the most important factors to how well an SSTO will perform is its aerial stability. Setting up an action group is the best way to do this and to close the intakes at the same time. ![]() Although the engine can automatically switch modes, for best performance one should watch the thrust output (by right clicking the engine in flight) and forcibly switch all rapiers to closed cycle once your orbital speed plateaus. Putting out 465.462 kN of thrust in Kerbin's atmosphere mach 3.7 and 180 kN in a vacuum, the CR-7 R.A.P.I.E.R engine is truly a beast of an SSTO engine. It can function as both an air breathing engine in "Air Breathing" mode, and a much more powerful rocket engine in "Closed Cycle" mode. "R.A.P.I.E.R Engines", introduced in KSP version 0.23, is your go to "two in one" solution for all your SSTO needs. However it's huge size can make it tricky to take off from the runway without destroying the engine. For more economy-minded builders the LV-T45 is not a bad choice. The Toroidal Aerospike Rocket is one of the better choices due to a low profile and high specific impulse (it performs better than other engines). Liquid fuel engines are what will carry your craft into orbit. The Shock Cone Intake is currently the air intake with the highest amount of potential air intake. Depending on how many you place, your jet engines' effective service ceiling can be anywhere from 15km to 30km. Liquid fuel can be supplied from regular rocket tanks, but jet fuselages would be a far more sensible choice due to their higher economy as well as their exclusive supply of liquid fuel. Jet Engines are powered by liquid fuel and intake air. While the Basic Jet Engine is lower cost and consumes less fuel and money, the turbojet is capable of decent performance at high altitudes where the Basic Jet Engine cannot keep up. Currently the TurboJet Engine is by far the most sensible choice. In the case of SSTO craft we will need jet engines that can perform as high as possible to justify the inability of these jet engines to perform in a vacuum. Relatively high efficiency and thrust as well as low cost make these well-rounded and sensible engines. For SSTO craft there are three popular options. The above excerpt was taken from NASA's Human Space Flight web site.Any craft that hopes to get anywhere needs engines. Read More About the Shuttle's Fuel Cell Power Plants at: The water is directed to the potable water storage subsystem. The excess heat is directed to fuel cell heat exchangers, where the excess heat is rejected to Freon coolant loops. The fuel cell power plants generate heat and water as by-products of electrical power generation. The three fuel cell power plants are individually coupled to the reactant (hydrogen and oxygen) distribution subsystem, the heat rejection subsystem, the potable water storage subsystem, and the electrical power distribution and control subsystem. The unit is a little more than a foot high and weighs approximately 200 pounds. This is one of the three fuel cells that make up the generating system that provides electrical power to the space shuttle orbiter. Each fuel cell power plant consists of a power section, where the chemical reaction occurs, and a compact accessory section attached to the power section, which controls and monitors the power section's performance. Three fuel cell power plants, through a chemical reaction, generate all of the electrical power for the vehicle from launch through landing rollout.īefore launch, electrical power is provided by ground power supplies and the onboard fuel cell power plants. Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system.
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