KER's Torque

[Jestersage]

It was only reacently did I realized there is the value call Torque, due to an attempt to make a shuttle. All I know is that on the one with relative success, my torque is less than 500 and I adjusted by moving the EAT and booster up and down.

So I want to know:

1. Is torque only for one axis or all 3 axis?
2. What would you consider to be the upper limit of torque for shuttles?

Edited March 31, 2017 by Jestersage

[DrLicor]

Torque is for all the 3 axis, as if in a resultant of the the forces that don't go trough the Center of Mass.
The Torque however is different for every craft, it depends on the weight of the craft and the thrust an engine provides, you don't need to look at the max torque, but at the max torque compared to your crafts mass. 

However, if your engines gimbal, you don't have to worry about flipping over because of the torque, as long as the CoM is in the range of the gimbals  
How can you see that? Well, there's an awesome mod, called RCS build aid, but you can also balance the other engines.
Most of the time I make sure the thrust goes between the dry center of mass and the wet center of mass. 
Also, with the mod installed and activated, you can gimbal your engines inside the VAB and SPH with the keys J, I, K and L and see how much torque they can produce/counter.

Hope this helped you.

~DrLicor 

[Spricigo]

32 minutes ago, DrLicor said:

The Torque however is different for every craft, it depends on the weight of the craft and the thrust an engine provides, you don't need to look at the max torque, but at the max torque compared to your crafts mass. 

 

Small correction: torque depends on the thrust and how far from axis of rotation(center of mass) this thrust is. Mass(and how is distributed) is important because it determine how difficult will be to turn your craft.

Notice: CoM in range of the gimbals means you can reduce the distance between thrust and axis of rotation to 0, eliminating the torque.

[Jestersage]

Thanks for answering my question. That being said, Since I know the amount of torque (and when I get home, will use RCSBuildAid), what amount of torque would you consider to be "beginner friendly" aside from 0.0?

I am trying to build this orbiter derived stations, aside from replicating history, as a way to provide an easy to launch beginner/novice dual-hull station.

[Spricigo]

2 minutes ago, Jestersage said:

 That being said, Since I know the amount of torque (and when I get home, will use RCSBuildAid), what amount of torque would you consider to be "beginner friendly" aside from 0.0?

[ Toque] =[moment  of inertia] * [angular acceleration]

To maintain your craft pointed in the correct direction you need reduce the torque to 0. If you cant align thrust with the CoM you need at least make it so your reaction wheels and control surfaces can counteract it.

[DrLicor]

@Spricigo, tha KS for explaining any further. That was indeed exactly what I wanted to say.

English is not my native language so I find it difficult to explain some terms I know in my own language

Edited April 1, 2017 by DrLicor