Shielded docking port vs shock intakes

[sdj64]

47 minutes ago, Kerbal101 said:

No, I also invented this in 2015 (and only few weeks later discovered Warzous thread) and also knew no Falcon even close. And its not just returning from LKO, its about reusable single stage rockets (SSTO-R).

Very interesting! So you mean this is more bug than feature. I think its both - because whilst docking port does not heat (bug), it implements "detached shockwave" - which I discovered before finding this thread.
For example, my vehicle created for a challenge uses this feature to shield the intakes against heat in 1.1.3.
Here are more information (linked post and below). The others used 1.2-pre, which has completely different dynamics, as also Claw confirmed in streamcast.

Yes, detached shockwave works in KSP.  In addition to the shielded port, you can do it with a heat shield too, or to a lesser extent, the aerodynamic nose cone.  Maybe also a very blunt fairing, but I haven't tried that.

Spacex's first Falcon 9 launch was Sept 29, 2013.  They started landing attempts in 2014 but did not successfully land until 2016, after the thread you linked was posted.  http://www.spacex.com/news

[magnemoe]

1 hour ago, Kerbal101 said:

This was done in KSP before Falcon even existed.

I know, just an excample of different KSP and real world is.

[Kerbal101]

50 minutes ago, sdj64 said:

Yes, detached shockwave works in KSP.  In addition to the shielded port, you can do it with a heat shield too, or to a lesser extent, the aerodynamic nose cone.  Maybe also a very blunt fairing, but I haven't tried that.

Spacex's first Falcon 9 launch was Sept 29, 2013.  They started landing attempts in 2014 but did not successfully land until 2016, after the thread you linked was posted.  http://www.spacex.com/news

Correct, but I first became aware of SpaceX only in 2016 - when they successfully landed. Previously I only heard them doing cheap small commercial shuttle (SSTO-like, without "-R").

 

49 minutes ago, magnemoe said:

I know, just an excample of different KSP and real world is.

Indeed.