Placement of RCS Jets

[Apollo13]

Which placement of RCS jets do you prefer (A or in relationship to the crew hatch? I've tried both and see little difference. Perhaps, I'm missing some small detail. For now, ignore Center of Mass considerations.

[Skorpychan]

A, because I want to put a ladder where B is.

[petrichorAM]

Depends on whether the craft is going to be a lander or not. If it is a lander then I'm with Skorpy and would say position A.

[NeMeSiS]

B.

A annoys me for somewhat OCDish reasons. Also, B gives me an easier time guessing which of the ikljhn buttons does what, which i still do wrong after all this time.

[Scorpi15]

I think B is more efficient because more force goes sideways for translation. In A if you translate some of the monoprop force will directed inward and wasted.

[Superfluous J]

B, but rotate the command module 45 degrees so you can still place ladders.

[razark]

B, and put the ladder there anyway.

[dlmarti]

B, because when you go to chase cam, they are oriented properly.

[Johnno]

B, but rotate the command module 45 degrees so you can still place ladders.

That would make B=A since you control from the pod...

Personally I use whichever looks best for any specific craft. The exact design in the picture wouldn't be feasible for me since I'd be detatching the pod for re-entry. For pod crafts I usually don't need ladders and the RCS thrusters are far away enough from the pod that I use the B version of alignment, while on landers I generally end up with A since I want the door and window clear.

[Eric S]

B, and put the ladder there anyway.

This. A is less efficient than B for rotating/translating in two of the three directions, as it wastes about 30% of the thrust in those directions.

If those non-stock RCS quads are too large to use the ladder that way, you don't want to lose the efficiency of B, and you don't want to use the smaller quads, then put a probe core on top (or under, but that's heavier) of the command pod and rotate just the command pod. That way you can "control from here" on the probe, so you're not rotating your command point.

[Skorpychan]

That would make B=A since you control from the pod...

Personally I use whichever looks best for any specific craft. The exact design in the picture wouldn't be feasible for me since I'd be detatching the pod for re-entry. For pod crafts I usually don't need ladders and the RCS thrusters are far away enough from the pod that I use the B version of alignment, while on landers I generally end up with A since I want the door and window clear.

I always control from a probe core, though, precisely because I have to fiddle with pods to get ladders to work.

[Khrissetti]

I honestly didn't think it made a difference. The more you know, eh?

[Superfluous J]

That would make B=A since you control from the pod...

I always control from a probe core, though, precisely because I have to fiddle with pods to get ladders to work.

Haha! So do I and I actually forgot that turning the pod turned your frame of reference because of that. That little OKTO2 is so light I put it everywhere