Reactordrone

Inertial confinement fusion is basically this idea. The hohlraums are pretty much smaller versions of the fusion package of a Teller Ulam weapon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_confinement_fusion

At least with all those people on deck the carrier is less likely to crash into a merchant ship.

You could refuel in orbit from a Gilly based mining operation and use an entry burn to obviate the need for a heat shield. Provided the orbital section has enough delta-v to knock off about 3000m/s fairly quickly it should be ok.

If all you want to do is crash the booster into the moon to clean up the orbit just turn off anything on the booster that will use electricity, turn the whole vehicle so that it points retrograde, detach the station and fly it sideways with the RCS until it's clear of the booster and then switch back and light the engine. Once the poodle is running it will generate electricity to keep the probe core powered.

2 x 0 = 0 Double internal pressure maybe?

Problems resolved and go for launch. ETA- Nicely illuminated rocket exhaust plume.

Could be a pressurised avionics compartment like on the original, one man LK.

Looked like the fire was from a single point so might have been a pressure relief valve purging after the engine shut down.

When you have the navball visible (when you're in command of a vessel) hit esc to bring up the menu. Click on settings and scroll down to flight UI elements, adjust position as desired.

As for pitch up, two of the RCS units on each side of the nose are pointing downwards to provide nose up pitch.

If you've got a couple of hours to spare Astronomy and Nature TV have started a series on V-2 technology. The first episode is a look at the turbopump system, looking at surviving examples and relics with some demonstrations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgiMu8A3pi0

You get bigger chunks of solid propellant coming out when they're running out of fuel and the internal pressure drops.

Coverage has started.

Had a half decent view of Jupiter last night.

It might be an intentional flattened shark nose rather than a pure ogival form.