Something unexpected: Orange Body Tank Survived Reentry (Kerbin)

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

So I had an Orange Body tank in LKO that I'd used as a fuel tanker for two other ships.  After emptying it I used RCS thrusters to drop the Pe to ensure a reentry destruction of the empty (and now useless vessel) - and out of kicks watched its reentry to see when it would explode.

 

It didn't.

 

The craft was just an orange body, a grabber, two Thuds and an Octo with some RCS thrusters and tanks.  NOTHING burned off of it - and I'm convinced that had I had a parachute (or even perhaps some more monopropellant) I could have landed the thing safely.  How is it possible for the tank to survive reentry without a heat shield?  Am I wasting weight using heatshields?

[maceemiller]

Heatshields IMO are needed. Maybe this was just a freak glitch?

[wibou7]

Using a shallow reentry profile, it is quite possible to deorbit from LKO and get to the ground without overheating too much.

It all depends on your craft drag profile and weight. I believe very large and NOT aerodynamic craft, but yet very lightweight, will usually make it to the ground. The high drag make it to lose speed quickly and the low-weight make sure it does not gain speed too much from gravity.

 

 

 

[MagicFireCaster]

It's 2000 k max temp using the right profile it will surely survive the reentry 

[ForScience6686]

Consider the weight to drag profile.  Empty tank, and I'm not sure of its orientation, but if it was tumbling it would lose speed quite quick.  Since you used rcs for de orbit  I'm guessing it was a shallow profile as well so plenty of time to slow down.

[Wemb]

Heatshield's aren't necessarily needed from LKO at all. Almost all manned vessels I have that return from LKO never bother with one - some lands with just the capsule, and some engine first. Generally the only bits that explode on re-entry are various science and solar panels bolted to the side.

 

Wemb