Solved Atmospheric Precision

[SupremeDorian]

Can anyone help me with precisely landing in an atmosphere? This would be helpful for stuff like Space Shuttles or reusable stages, etc. I'd prefer it to be fairly simple, if possible. Thanks in advance.

 

[SupremeDorian]

@Altaïr

 

[GuHP20]

I don't konw if @Altaïr knows about stmospheric drag,but I'm sure he can help with orbital maneuvers.

 

[GuHP20]

Can anyone help me with precisely landing in an atmosphere? This would be helpful for stuff like Space Shuttles or reusable stages, etc. I'd prefer it to be fairly simple, if possible. Thanks in advance.

I recommend you to put some hiden probes and rcs to stabilize the spacecraft,also,try to put the most non-aerodinamic part down.

 

[GuHP20]

I don't konw if @Altaïr knows about stmospheric drag,but I'm sure he can help with orbital maneuvers.

Sorry for orthographic errors...

 

[SupremeDorian]

I recommend you to put some hiden probes and rcs to stabilize the spacecraft,also,try to put the most non-aerodinamic part down.

Any advice on efficiently landing back on the launchpad? (By efficient I mean a method that doesn't use too much fuel)

 

[Infinity]

Without much fuel your best bet would be drag, yet still you will probably need engines

 

[Altaïr]

I suppose you want to land your stage on the launchpad or something like that?
@GuHP20 is right, sadly I can't really help for that. And even if I could it wouldn't be simple: drag is a very difficult force to deal with.

However, I can advise you on how to land without using too much fuel. My favourite trick consists in adding structure on the upper part of the rocket: they generate a lot of drag. By making the upper part more resistive, your rocket will point naturally upwards during the reentry. That way you won't rage and waste fuel to try maintaining the orientation of your launcher as desired. You can enclose them into fairings first, so that they don't harm you for the lift off.
Then, during reentry, never turn on the engines, let the drag make that work for you. The atmospheric pressure is maximal close to the ground level, so don't worry, your rocket will slow down.
Then all you have to do is turning on the engine to control the last meters of the descent. You'll only have to burn at part throttle during a few seconds, so this really needs very little fuel.

 

[SupremeDorian]

I suppose you want to land your stage on the launchpad or something like that?
@GuHP20 is right, sadly I can't really help for that. And even if I could it wouldn't be simple: drag is a very difficult force to deal with.

However, I can advise you on how to land without using too much fuel. My favourite trick consists in adding structure on the upper part of the rocket: they generate a lot of drag. By making the upper part more resistive, your rocket will point naturally upwards during the reentry. That way you won't rage and waste fuel to try maintaining the orientation of your launcher as desired. You can enclose them into fairings first, so that they don't harm you for the lift off.
Then, during reentry, never turn on the engines, let the drag make that work for you. The atmospheric pressure is maximal close to the ground level, so don't worry, your rocket will slow down.
Then all you have to do is turning on the engine to control the last meters of the descent. You'll only have to burn at part throttle during a few seconds, so this really needs very little fuel.

Thanks for the help. Even though this alone probably won't help me very much when it comes to landing on the launchpad, this when combined with any other helpful advice can go a long way. I am aware of letting drag slow me down as I do that quite a lot, however I have not gotten a design down that can do that super effectively.

I do also know that the atmosphere is thickest near the ground. It'd be kinda weird if it got thinner towards the ground, wouldn't it?

 

[Altaïr]

Regarding the landing on the launchpad, I remember that @TtTOtW leaves a rocket next to it, so that he has a marker from the map view. Maybe he can tell you more about how he proceeds?

 

[TtTOtW]

Anything, even a small rover, at each end of the launchpad. It helps you centre your landing. Something like this works just fine:

This obviously makes a world of difference.

 

[SupremeDorian]

Anything, even a small rover, at each end of the launchpad. It helps you centre your landing. Something like this works just fine:

View attachment 6915 View attachment 6914 View attachment 6913 View attachment 6912
This obviously makes a world of difference.

I do already have stuff next to the launchpad, the problem is actually getting there in a landing.

 

[GuHP20]

You have to be a little distant from the launch pad while in orbit,then you desacelerates and point your fall a bit next to the launch pad,the drag will adjust the fall,then just desacelerate and when you see the launch pad,you go to it.

I do already have stuff next to the launchpad, the problem is actually getting there in a landing.

 

[Gecko Gekkota]

you could use solar panels to increase your drag

 

[SupremeDorian]

@Altaïr @GuHP20
So close...

I ran out of fuel just before I hit the ground and exploded.

 

[Altaïr]

@Altaïr @GuHP20
So close...

I ran out of fuel just before I hit the ground and exploded.


View attachment 6939

Well... In a sense you've never been so close to succeed

 

[SupremeDorian]

Well... In a sense you've never been so close to succeed

I'll have to see if I can get away with different engines for the first stage that last longer

Edit: It seems I can't, so I'll have to just fly it differently.

 

[SupremeDorian]

@Altaïr @GuHP20

I DID IT!! Kinda...



These attempts remind me of this

 

[SupremeDorian]

@Altaïr @GuHP20 @TtTOtW

I did it properly this time!

 

[Lt. Snakestrike]

Just make sure you overshoot your entry trajectory, and of course use the drag to your advantage. It always helps to have extra fuel so you can guide it down and you don't need to go full on suicide burn. Just takes practice, looks like you're getting it.

 

[Danny Batten]

Can anyone help me with precisely landing in an atmosphere? This would be helpful for stuff like Space Shuttles or reusable stages, etc. I'd prefer it to be fairly simple, if possible. Thanks in advance.

@SupremeDorian is this solved?

 

[SupremeDorian]

@SupremeDorian is this solved?

Change it to solved, but don't close it.

 

[Danny Batten]

Change it to solved, but don't close it.

Ok gotcha