Continuing the SR-1 Project [Video]

SR-1 Flight 2 was a routine mission to continue gaining telemetry for our space program.

I've recorded this flight so it's available for a watch below (warning for audio loudness!):



After this there was a third flight of the SR-1, designated SR-1b.

In order to get maximum value out of the SR-1 before we move on to other programs, I decided to take advantage of existing production lines by effectively sticking a SR-1 rocket on top of the existing one, creating a three-stage rocket:

This worked well and reached a height of 240km for almost no extra expense. Such is the value of having multiple stages taking advantage of already tooled parts, especially when the final stage has less gravity to fight due to our altitude.

This makes it sound like we've solved rocketry; just slap more rockets on top of each other! But eventually we'll run against the fundamental nature of rocketry governed by the tyranny of the rocket equation, which can be summed up as: "But to get that fuel out there, we need even more fuel. And to get that fuel, we need even more fuel.". We can only throw so much rocket fuel at the problem (which adds more mass, requiring more fuel, adding more mass, requiring more fuel) before we simply need to be more efficient - this is about as good as we're going to get out of the SR-1's engine and materials.


To progress and move up to bigger payloads, we need to exploit much bigger engines, running more efficient fuels, and carrying lighter materials. While we're still reliant on heavy steel for our rocket for now, our new rocket engine technology is ready to push payloads much heavier than SR-1 could ever hope to handle.

With the funds gained from completing various minor contracts, I've also invested heavily in the Vehicle Assembly Building and the R&D department, so we can complete research and rocket production faster.

Invested a little too heavily it turns out. I've since realised that we needed 36k in funds spare for the Y-1 project, but don't have that much left over after my investment spree.

It will therefore fall to the SR-2 project to pick up the torch and bring in the necessary funding to allow us to pay for the Y-1. This doesn't really set us back much; it just means we'll get a little farther with our sounding rocket contracts & research before we switch over to the Y-1 project.

Next time we'll design the SR-2, talk sounding payloads, and tackle spin stabilisation.

Next Post: You spin me right round, baby, right round, like a rocket baby

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