

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. Any craft that hopes to get anywhere needs engines.
