Description

Continuing with the test flights of automatic rocket flight, InfernusAircraft engineers focused on automatic orbit, as well as lowering the complexity and size of the landing vehicle and booster rocket. This focus on simplicity in design and a much lower weight has resulted in the INF-1 platform of booster, and a much smaller and more fuel efficient landing stage, the ODC-5

Craft Information

Booster

The booster platform selected to launch ODC-5 into orbit was the INF-1. With a maximum payload of 10,000 KG (~22,000 lbs) to orbit at 400km (~260 miles), it is one of the light boosters that InfernusAircraft offers. With a weight of ~200,000 KG (~440,000 lbs), it is much smaller and less complex than HEAT-1, which weighed in at a colossal 5 million KG. The booster is equipped with an automated orbit program, capable of selecting orbit altitude before launch, and autonomously guiding itself to the desired orbit with the press of one button. The program, designed by @crowxe, is very fuel efficient, and relatively accurate.

Landing Craft

The ODC-V craft is closer to an entirely new vehicle than an iteration from ODC-4. with nearly 1/100th of the weight of ODC-4, this current iteration is much more simple. Requiring only one stage of retrograde burn to safely land back on the surface, weighing much less, and being less complex in its landing procedure, ODC-5 is a much more capable and efficient vehicle. While the programming in ODC-5 is almost identical to ODC-4, it allowed for much higher fuel efficiency.

Staging

First Stage:

1x Solid Rocket Engine
2x Nuclear Thermal Engines

Second Stage:

1x Solid Rocket Engine
6x Pixie Engines

Third Stage:

1x Full Flow Titan Engine

Decent Stage:

1x Komodo Capsule Boosters
1x Pixie Engine

Programs:

Auto Orbit: AG-2

To adjust target altitude, set OrbitAlt to the desired altitude in meters. The program handles the rest.

Auto Landing Program: AG-7(60k + meters recommended)

Press AG-7 when re entering the atmosphere (ideally when above 60,000 meters)

To adjust the saftey offset, increase FoolFactor this tricks the program to believing it’s altitude is higher than it actually is, which means the engines kick in sooner. This helps when landing in mountainous regions, as the altitude directly below the craft can be lower than the altitude where it will impact the ground. DO NOT lower the FoolFactor below 1, as this will make the crafts engines kick on way too late.

As always, please feel free to leave suggestions or questions in the comments. And if you liked it, please upvote!