Breaking Braking (Now less optimistic!)

[The Optimist]

I've gathered some rather unconventional methods of preventing my craft from slamming into the ground at full speed. Here they are; No pictures since my computer is broken right now.

(Disclaimer: These technologies are not tested for any other forms of stress, including gravity, radiation storms, excessive stroking, cleaning with coarse-grain cloth, or emotional trauma. Failure to use these technologies properly exempts us from all responsibility)

 

1): Radiator Panelchute

Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machines, this is a badly constructed model of one that we stole from a science fair and  reverse engineered. Probably doesn't work that well. Just saying.

Step 1: strap 10 or so of those expandable radiators onto your probe. Activate half of them before reentry.

Step 2: After your speed is below 500 m/s, pop the remaining ones and pray that they don't all pop off early.

Rating: Really Bad Idea

 

2): Reactive Armor

Tanks have this. So why don't we? Reactive Armor uses a *small* explosion to deflect incoming projectiles, or in our case, the ground. This is actually a terrible idea, just saying.

Step 1: Attach vast amounts of metal panels to the bottom of your craft, at least 2 layers.

Step 2: After that, put some cubic struts and some of those small fuel tanks to the bottom.

Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have a nicely pile of explosives below your command pod.

Step 4: Pray that it doesn't explode during launch.

Step 5: Pray that it does explode upon contact with the ground, and that it slows you down enough.

Rating: Where did my spaceship go?!

 

3): The Mosh Pit

Makes lithobraking a softer and more pleasant experience with this pit full of sharp metal rods!

Step 1: Build a box with the structural panels. Make sure it's nice and tall for your ball pit needs. 

Step 2: Attach radial decouplers to inside of box. Then, put some cubic struts and I-beams onto them. Then, use the alt + left click trick to duplicate them everywhere. 

Step 3: Somehow get it to your target planet.

Step 4: Position it somewhere flat and wide open.

Step 5: Release the Kraken!

Step 6: ???

Step 18: Use Mechjeb or your excellent skills to land inside the box.

Step 19: Fun for the whole family!

Rating: Not for children under 45 years of age. In case of rupture, do not touch, ingest, or look at contents. Still legal in 16 states!

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2015 by The Optimist
Addition

[nosirrbro]

Yeah... I wouldn't reccomend trying this in your career

[MaxL_1023]

I survived a ballistic eve landing with no chutes or engines by using 8 over-sized landing struts - they all exploded on impact and the main body landed soft as a breeze.

[SpaceplaneAddict]

110m/s lithobrake on Duna.

[The Optimist]

Just now, SpaceplaneAddict said:

110m/s lithobrake on Duna.

I love the physics in this game.

[monophonic]

4 hours ago, SpaceplaneAddict said:

110m/s lithobrake on Duna.

Those sepratrons spinning off to the distance... I laughed so hard! Classic!

[AbacusWizard]

I once tried using extendable solar panels as aerobrakes, in a desperate attempt to land safely after my first big ion probe accidentally entered Eve's atmosphere. Didn't work so well.

[The Optimist]

Added another even less reliable method!

[swjr-swis]

On 12/18/2015, 1:13:33, The Optimist said:

1): Radiator Panelchute

Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machines, this is a badly constructed model of one that we stole from a science fair and  reverse engineered. Probably doesn't work that well. Just saying.

Step 1: strap 10 or so of those expandable radiators onto your probe. Activate half of them before reentry.

Step 2: After your speed is below 500 m/s, pop the remaining ones and pray that they don't all pop off early.

Rating: Really Bad Idea

 

I find your lack of faith disturbing. So I sent the boys out to prove that there is no limit to what optimism can achieve.

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by swjr-swis
the spells

[The Optimist]

5 minutes ago, swjr-swis said:

I find your lack of faith disturbing. So I sent the boys out to prove that there is no limit to what optimism can achieve.

 

Not exactly what I had in mind, but close enough

[Fearless Son]

On 12/17/2015, 4:13:33, The Optimist said:

2): Reactive Armor

Tanks have this. So why don't we? Reactive Armor uses a *small* explosion to deflect incoming projectiles, or in our case, the ground. This is actually a terrible idea, just saying.

Step 1: Attach vast amounts of metal panels to the bottom of your craft, at least 2 layers.

Step 2: After that, put some cubic struts and some of those small fuel tanks to the bottom.

Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have a nicely pile of explosives below your command pod.

Step 4: Pray that it doesn't explode during launch.

Step 5: Pray that it does explode upon contact with the ground, and that it slows you down enough.

Rating: Where did my spaceship go?!

I think that this idea is having trouble because reactive armor is directional- you want the blast to channel the energy away from the hull.  Unfortunately, KSP's physics modeling for explosions might not account for the shapes of the structural panels around those fuel tanks beneath the hull as fully channeling an otherwise circular point force calculation.  

However, the engine is set up to calculate vectored explosive forces in a particular circumstance, namely that of virtually any rocket engine ever, which is how any self-powered lander breaks before touching down.  But most particular to this would be a set of upward-thrusting Seperatrons, triggered to go off just before hitting the ground, and arresting the velocity shortly before terminal impact.  Unfortunately unlike reactive armor, this cannot be an event automatically triggered by the detection of external forces, and you would have to trigger it manually, making timing and quantity tricky to measure.  

On the plus side, plenty of lander capsules do this in real-life too!