T-1 "Dart" engines are unique amongst conventionally-fuelled rocket engines: They have close to the highest efficiency in both vacuum and low atmosphere.
#KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM CONTROLS STOP WORKING FULL#
LV-N exceeds 75% of its full power at just 7700m altitude on Kerbin. However, it's not a matter of "atmosphere or not", just a matter of air pressure which decreases rapidly with altitude. LV-N has less than 25% of its full power at Kerbin sea level. Note: Some high-efficiency rocket engines lose most of their power and efficiency in low atmosphere. This is all right if their high efficiency saves enough fuel, but that may not be the case in small spaceplanes with limited fuel capacity. However, they are extremely heavy for their power, weighing as much as a conventional rocket nearly 11 times more powerful. This makes design easier, eliminating all concern for balancing jet fuel against rocket fuel.
LV-N engines also have the advantage of using the same liquid for propellant that jet engines use for fuel. These have an ISP of 800 in a vacuum which is significantly better than all other rocket motors except the very weak IX-6315 ion rocket. LV-N "Nerv" nuclear thermal rockets are commonly used on SSTOs for the rocket stage if Rapiers are not used. This makes them a very effective choice for SSTOs since they do a good job of getting maximum velocity out of air-breathing mode, and then allow you to use oxidizer without needing the added weight and drag of a separate rocket engine. They are able to operate at higher altitudes and can even continue operating in a vacuum by switching to a rocket mode. Rapiers generally provide less thrust than a Whiplash at speeds below mach 2, but provide more thrust at higher speeds.
The Whiplash's ridiculous fuel efficiency allows a spaceplane to climb high into the atmosphere and gain a lot of speed while barely using any fuel at all. One FL-T100 tank can't power any rocket into space, yet a Shock Cone Intake, a Mk1 Inline Cockpit, a half-filled FL-T100 and a J-X4 "Whiplash" Turbo Ramjet Engine aimed in the general direction of "up" will let you laugh your way past the 70km mark at nearly 1200m/s. While it's true that jet engines don't work in space, they offer one large advantage over rocket engines while inside the atmosphere: fuel efficiency. First of all, since the launch happens horizontally, you will have to include landing gears, and you will most likely want to include jet engines for the first stage for excellent fuel and cost efficiency.Įngines → Main article: Jet engine → Main article: Reaction engine While having the same stock parts as in the VAB, spaceplane design is obviously quite different from pure rocket design.
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