The Rocket Maths Spreadsheet

#26
Ah, yeah that seems like a much simpler formula. I tend to use the same engine setup pretty regularly and don't do the giant buildspace sized lifter thing so I just copy and paste the isp now.

Now here's a quirk, have you taken into account human reaction time to eject burnt out boosters while others are still burning? (we all want staging don't we? ;):p)
 

Horus Lupercal

Primarch - Warmaster
Professor
Swingin' on a Star
Deja Vu
Biker Mice from Mars
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Floater
Copycat
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#27
Ah, yeah that seems like a much simpler formula. I tend to use the same engine setup pretty regularly and don't do the giant buildspace sized lifter thing so I just copy and paste the isp now.

Now here's a quirk, have you taken into account human reaction time to eject burnt out boosters while others are still burning? (we all want staging don't we? ;):p)
Yes, we all need staging in a big way. Especially my bigger toys!
I don't factor in human problems into the mix, because it can take any time to sort out the staging piece, especially on the Ark when to kick off the boosters I need to light the 4 engines needed to power them away and then separate them which can be an utter ballache when it's shaking like a nutter cos stage 2 is burning.
I've normally got an overlap going on so there's no time when there's no thrust going down.
 

Zeeray13

Merlin Master
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#28
Right, update time for the old headache sheet.

It has all the usual refinements 007, but with some added shiney (spelling intentional) new bits.

View attachment 14893

Firstly, all the engines data has been made more accurate than the in game help guide. The changes are minor and mostly a bit more ISP and thrust because of how things are worked out in-game

View attachment 14894

The table has been tidied up loads. All the formulas work and point to the right places.
They are set up to account for changes in performance in flight as and when the rocket changes. So when the boosters drop or a stage drops, it works out when they'll go, how much fuel is left in the current burning stage, new thrust, ISP, dv, TWR etc.
I've got 3 different pages for 3 different styles of burn out, one for the classic 'booster drops first' configuration most rockets use, another for 'stage one goes before the boosters' set up, like my Ark or the Fireball series of rockets where the boosters burn pretty much throughout the flight and it's stage one that goes first. And also a bespoke one for the newer design of ultra-heavy lifters (Pandora/Komodo) with multiple build screens of identical engine sections stacked on top of each other to create each single stage.
As such, it comes with a multiply number at the top of each build section (highlighted green). If you have 2 large boosters, then apply the parts for one booster, change the multiplier to 2 and it will double everything for you on the output table. If you have 4 stage ones stacked onto each other burning simultaneously, again apply one stage build to the sheet, change the multiplier and it will account for them all for you.
That only really works if all the sections in that stage are identical. If you're using different sections in one stage (like my Komodo) then the bottom set of sections become the 'base' and the rest of that stage are the 'stage'. Make the base the thirstier/higher thrust part and it will account for that dropping off first.

View attachment 14895

After all last night and this morning banging my head trying to understand google or reverse engineer some KSP orbit calculator, I went for the easy option and asked Grand Master g to unruin my life.
As such (in response to Zoddmarks question), I've put together a hideously easy to use resonance orbit calculator for anyone doing his sat network challenges.

Yes, I know there's a lot of Dividing By Zero going on, I'm not trying to break physics it just needs data to come alive.

Again, the whole sheet is made as Infantry proof as possible. You put your numbers in the green areas and leave the white bits alone.
So, when you want to work out your resonance orbit, you put your required orbit in the green Ra/Rp box, how many satellites you want to upload and how often you want to cross paths with the satellite orbit per rotation when you're delivering. It will spit out the orbit the bus needs to be in and the elliptical orbit speeds of the intended satellite orbit and the bus resonance orbit.

Again, big thanks to the Forums resident tame rocket scientist.
Some say that if you say Delta v in the mirror 3 times, he'll appear orbiting around you and that he came second in a competition to drive a Telsa to Mars.

All we know is, he's called @Altaïr...
Mine is a far simplier version with a different purpose so great job finding another way of improving this clustered space