New Max Skin Temp. Seems to Have Ruined Spaceplanes For Me.

[MatttheCzar]

The mk. 1 and inline cockpit are not very well suited to spaceplanes anymore. They burn up in the atmosphere, only after deorbiting from 75 km! Do I need to change how I build, or should I wait until 1.0.5.x?

[Fearless Son]

Have you tried adding radiators to them? My understanding of the mechanics (which recently changed and the community is still discovering the specifics of so I might be off base) is that radiators should effectively increase the surface area that can radiate out built-up heat.

Alternatively, try turning your plane around and flying it in aft-first. Assuming you have engine parts back there, they probably are a lot more heat-resistant than the mk. 1 cockpit.

[MatttheCzar]

Ok, thanks. Radiators will fit on my design quite nicely.

[Captain Vlad]

Re-entered a Mk1 cockpit shuttle last night from a 100x100 orbit and didn't experience any problems going in with the front of the plane facing prograde. That said, once I started to get re-entry effects, I pitched the plane up to use the underside as a giant airbrake. So maybe try that? It slows the plane MUCH quicker than going in nose first, so maybe the heat doesn't get too intense because by the time you reach thicker atmo, you're going slower?

[Wjolcz]

Depends on how agressively you enter the atmosphere. Do you have any pics of the orbit after the retroburn? Just before you entered the atmosphere. I'm kind of curious actually.

[MatttheCzar]

Depends on how agressively you enter the atmosphere. Do you have any pics of the orbit after the retroburn? Just before you entered the atmosphere. I'm kind of curious actually.

I have no pictures, but the slope downwards begins halfway between either end of the desert, and ends just past the KSP island.

[Wjolcz]

I have no pictures, but the slope downwards begins halfway between either end of the desert, and ends just past the KSP island.

Hm. Might be a bit too agressive. I always enter the atmosphere over the Big Crater Bay. And keep Periapsis at 10km, or something? Not sure. Download the Trajectories mod. It helps a lot if you don't want to screw your reentry and be accurate at the same time.

I might do a tutorial with one of my SSTOs at some point.

[MatttheCzar]

Ok! Sounds good.

[Pecan]

...radiators should effectively increase the surface area that can radiate out built-up heat...

Would that be radiating heat from your just-returned-from-space-cold vehicle to the look-at-the-pretty-plasma-hot atmosphere?

[Guest]

I took an MK1 cockpit and crew cabin to the Mun earlier today and blew up on Kerbin reentry several times. Every time, it was the cockpit that blew up first. I finally made it when I shut off sas and let the crew cabin naturally lead back into the atmosphere. It seems the cockpit is quite sensitive for some reason.

[ForScience6686]

I believe the notes state crew occupied components max temp reduced. There are living creatures in there after all. Gotta use that upper atmosphere as much as you can. And since we are talking space planes, use lift to reduce your vertical speed.