Bigger/reusable heatshields

[wizzlebippi]

If I want to embark on a mission to explore the Jool system, using stock parts I need heatshields everywhere, or I have to build a monster heatshield out of the 3.75m parts. Larger 5m and 7.5m heatshields would really help. Also, awkward maintenance aside, the space shuttle successfully used a reusable heat shield for decades. While ceramic tiles aren't the most durable things ever, they are from the era KSP draws from, so why not add reusable heat shields as late game tech.

[Claw]

If I want to embark on a mission to explore the Jool system, using stock parts I need heatshields everywhere, or I have to build a monster heatshield out of the 3.75m parts. Larger 5m and 7.5m heatshields would really help.

I like this concept, although launching such a massive heat shield might be an issue... Maybe inflatable heat shields?

Also, awkward maintenance aside, the space shuttle successfully used a reusable heat shield for decades. While ceramic tiles aren't the most durable things ever, they are from the era KSP draws from, so why not add reusable heat shields as late game tech.

Well, this is already sort of built into the game via the normal recover->launch mechanism. Seeing as how the shuttle had to be recovered and reskinned each time. So this wouldn't really work out for your Jool example, since the ship would have to come all the way home to be refurbished. Unless you have something else in mind?

Cheers,

~Claw

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

Disadvantages of a ceramic heat-shield:

-A LOT LOT higher mass

-More dangerous (according to the space shuttle) but anyway, this is not having any effects on KSP

-cost (I don't know wether it would be cheaper or not, but don't froge that current heatshields are dirt cheap! Cheaper than decouplers!! Not to talk about being reusable: their reload's cost is nearly zero!! )

I don't know would I use that, but not a bad idea.

[Wjolcz]

Yeah, inflatable heat shields would be good to have for motherships.

[Darnok]

Yes for inflatable heat shields!

I would also like space plane heat shield, tweakable that would add additional protection and mass to wings and plane parts, SpacePlane+ mod had this as far as I remember.

It should allow to decrease temperature resistance of many parts, so I could replace large docking port with proper heat shield on my dragon-like-capsule and use those tweaks on my space planes.

Right now we really can use docking ports as heat shields :/ and I remember some post from Squad that we can't have harsh heat effect or most of space planes will not survive flight.

[RidingTheFlow]

Actually, after much recent trial and error I found the largest and best non-expendable & high-performing heat shield design:

2 Big-S wings placed in square pattern

You can see example interplanetary carrier craft here:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=515405275

This ship is self-stabilizing pro-grade and can survive unbelievably aggressive re-entry even in 1.0.4, mainly because these wings produce insane amount of drag, even when you really high in the atmosphere. And more drag/weight ratio is - less you will heat. Its counter-intuitive, but even drag elements placed behind re-entry direction will reduce temperature for everything in front.

Also - Big-S wings actually are just fuel tanks in shape of wings, which means that no weight is wasted whatsoever - they add to available delta-V.

Now I am (not) looking to 1.1 making all this research obsolete /s

Edit: And if just 2 BigS wings not big enough for you, here is ultimate heat shield of the gods

Edited September 9, 2015 by RidingTheFlow

[Vanamonde]

Two distinct things are getting mixed together here. The heat shields in the game now are "abalative," which means they work by shedding material. The material gets hot, then is eroded away by the gas flow, taking the heat with it. Relatively inexpensive materials can be used for this (relatively!), and they can only be used once. By contrast, the shuttle's shield was made out of unusual materials which would absorb and re-radiate a great deal of heat without suffering damage, but with the added problem that they would break or come loose occasionally, requiring maintenance between every flight. So they were re-useable in concept, but still couldn't go straight from one re-entry to another.

In short, re-useable shields are a very different thing, and would need to be handled differently in the game.

[RidingTheFlow]

OP asked about non-expendable (reusable shield), that's why I mentioned that shuttle wings make great reusable heatshields. They use exactly mentioned principle of heat soak (with idealized lack of wear&tear). So they already work ingame, much better then ablative ones I might add (though of course they are more expensive & require much science to unlock). Only disadvantage that its more part count then one-part shield - but its not a show stopper.

[NathanKell]

The Spaceplane parts already have such things. Check out the maximum temperatures of the Mk3 system, they're in line with Shuttle tile temps.

[p1t1o]

I would love to see some other heatshield options, if nothing else, just for variety - 3 different sized discs leaves relatively little (not zero, of course) scope for ingenuity.

Cobbling together other parts works adequately, but a greater variety of shields would be nice

How about a procedural shield? Square? Rectangular/Hex/Octagonal?

There was a mod which introduced a conical shield as well that was useful (could be made particularly stable) as well as nice looking, would love some more like that. We had some awesome inflatable ones too, once

[Red Iron Crown]

Try using a stock fairing for the heatshield. They have high heat tolerance and can be made quite wide.

[RidingTheFlow]

I don't recommend using fairing, they are way heavier than wings of same drag - this severely reduces deltaV. Not to mention BigS wings also carry fuel, increasing mass fraction even further.

[Rory Yammomoto]

I was thinking something:

What about heat-shield side panels?

there could be panels to fit on the bottoms of the bigS wings, the strakes, the cockpits, and the mk3/3 & 3/4 meter parts.

[Orc]

Hi all

 

IF you want a reusable heat shield and you are doing a space plane or VTOL SSTO that brings most of its tankage back with it then your (Earth) design can get away with some semi-conventional alloys. ICONEL or some such was studied for earlier space planes, and for the space shuttle. The re-entry vehicle just has to be of a low-enough density that it can decelerate before the heat shield / skin starts to melt.

 

On a aside I've been able to return craft from orbit and Mun flybys without a heat shield, some retro-rocket work and a lot of tanks. The important thing is to keep the engine and tank end pointing toward the direction of re-entry. If the vehicle slips around (capsule nose toward the ground) then your kerbals are about to get vaporized, or their parachute is which means they get to be vaporized when the capsule runs out of altitude.

 

As always it worth noting that I am playing the demo version.

 

Take care and have a good New Year.

 

Regards from Orc