how do you get back to ksc from LKO? ( using 1.0 aero configs)

[Screeno]

So, here's my thing, I've just used my space shuttle, (mk3 crew module, large cargo bay, big-s delta wing and wing strake, three skippers... yadda yadda yadda you get the picture XD) to do a replica of the first ISS module into orbit and now I'm thinking... How is it best to de orbit and return to ksc? I've got plenty of monopropellant to deorbit using the oms, the question is where should I target, and what altitude?

WARNING! Just so you know, I'm using the old 1.0 aero configs.

Oh teak its a 75km x 75km circular equatorial orbit.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Screeno
added orbital parameters XD

[Jaeleth]

You wanna de-orbit a space plane that big?... Good luck XD

in the past days, using dre i pointed at 40 km above ksp periapsis, but with the new drag model it won't work, I'd start at a periapsis of 50km over ksp and save the game before the burn, then try again, you'll get it at the 2nd or 3rd attempt...

but this is the easy part, the difficult one will be NOT to burn...

assuming you are on an equatorial orbit, anti-clockwise, of course...

[Screeno]

I find if I maintain a 20-30 degree angle of attack during rentry I only see a small amount of fire, and the temperature is safe, then when I get slow enough ill glide down. My attempts so far land in the desert continent or splash down beyond ksc lol

[Chaos_Klaus]

You wanna de-orbit a space plane that big?... Good luck XD

That is total nonsense ... of cause you can deorbit and reenter a shuttle. Hell, with 1.0.2 it got even easier.

I can not tell you the exact periapse hight, as that varies with design. I'd recommend you quicksave/load (F5 / hold F9) and try out different periapses over the KSC.

Do S-turns in the upper atmo to slow down, without skipping out of the atmo.

[Gaarst]

AIRBRAKES.

After blowing up quite a few MK2 sized shuttles in 1.0.2 with any periapsis for reentry, I found only two ways of reentring safely.

1. Semi-skip reentry: going down to ~35km and back up to lose speed until I am slow enough to dive safely

2. AIRBRAKES. I put two of those things on my shuttle and now I can reenter with almost any trajectory from flat descent to >45° dive. These things are OP.

[Wanderfound]

OTOH, I found 1.0 reentry fairly simple so long as you maintained a 45° AoA through initial reentry and threw in an S-turn or two where necessary. 75 x 20km reentry orbit, no airbrakes required.

You need to slow before you descend; your first job is to get yourself back to level flight as soon as possible, so you can control your rate of descent.

[Jaeleth]

With 1.0.2 it is very easy (too easy), with 1.0 exactly the same space plane exploded in high atmosphere with no heat indication whatsoever and only the cockpit showing some signs of heat (faint pink colour) and some mk2 adapters i had on the sides. Now, explain that...

Anyway, retested in 1.0.2 and burning at around 72km apoapsis to a periapsis of 60km overhead KSP at the moment of the burn, almost brings me to the spot and with a nice unpowered glide, to ksc. Just make sure to reduce angle of attack to prograde or slightly above when speed is reduced below 800m/s to avoid stall spining the shuttle ( well, is depends on the craft, anyway)

as a reference, in real world aircraft AoA should be kept below 18o to avoid stall

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Note: I do not use airbrakes since they are not used in real world reentry crafts and I try to keep my space craft as realistic as possible (i'd like to see an airbrake hold together on a mach 28 reentry...), this has also helped me port my 0.90 designs to 1.0 with minor changes too.

s-turns yes, they do work both in game and real world

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I tried a 40o AoA, turned sideways in order not to bounce off atmoephere, the same the shuttle used in real life... The ship exploded in high atmosphere. All in one go, like the structure cluldn't hold the tensions ( but the atmosphere is so thin up there... 40km+)

I tried 0 angle of attack, and several other variations in between, the cockpit overheated and exploded in high atmosphere, but only showing faint signs of pink, the remainder of the craft reached surface, though, which is funny, since its drag, without the streamlined cockpit would be horrendous, still it glided well and the probe core did not overheated when entering the more dense layers of atmosphere, hell, maybe i should use my PC as heatshield for the pod...

really dunno what was with 1.0 and that design, the same design on 1.0.2 re-enters perfectly and I cannot even get the faintest signs of heat on my way down...

Oh, and by the way, 75x20 km is a pretty steep reentry angle, i always go for 75x60 and still it burned on 1.0, on 1.0.2 works wonderfully...

Edited May 4, 2015 by Jaeleth