DeltaGliderEX
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Project home: Deltaglider EX at orbithangar.com |
The Deltaglider EX is a modified Delta-glider. It's a BIG Delta-glider.
In a planetary atmosphere this craft is not a rocket ship --- it must be flown to orbit. Once you learn its performance envelope it is easily capable of a round trip to Mars orbit from Kennedy Space Center without refueling. For a real challenge, try KSC to Olympus Base; it has just barely enough hover authority to maneuver onto the landing pad.
Overview
It should certainly be taken in consideration that, as this vehicle is massive, the time it requires for this vehicle to achieve orbit is massive. Its below standard hover thrust to weigh ratio means that the hover jets cannot assist take off in Earth-like conditions. To compensate the length of time, afterburners was introduced to aid its extremely loud four engines. The 2d cockpit contain an impressive array of functions, though the virtual cockpit is in need of a major makeover.
Controls
The DGEX has two engines: the main rockets, and the plasma rockets. The 4 main engines work as scram engines and are at their most powerful in the atmosphere, but in a vacuum they are still more powerful than the plasma rocket, but still not very efficient. They are required to take off from Earth. The kilonewtons produced by the rocket appear to be solely based on the static pressure, decreasing as the altitude increases and pressure decreases. The author has yet to make it based on dynamic pressure as well, and have some kind of overload where too much dynamic pressure and performance is decreased. The plasma rocket is weaker than the main engines, but only uses a small amount of fuel. There is a lever that is supposed to adjust the way the plasma rocket works for performance or economy but it does not currently do anything. There are three buttons that allow switching between main engines, plasma engine, and both for autopilots, joystick throttle, and keypad control. The DGEX has a cargo bay, but it does not support UCGO or support cargo similar to the XR fleet. However, it has a dock. There is a cargo toggle and release control on the 2d panel, but it doesn't do anything. There are no controls for nosecone or airbrakes in the 2d panel, however you can operate them with keyboard shortcuts. (K, ctrl-B)