KSP Mythbusters

[quasarrgames]

I had an idea for a video series or something called ksp mythbusters. it'd be testing a bunch of gameplay "myths" about ksp and exploding stuff in comedic fashion.

I have a few gameplay "myths", but i need more Do you have any you'd like to test?

Here are the ones so far:

-is the rotational speed of a vessel influenced by its dimensions?

-can i still ssto off eve?

-is it possible to get the kraken to do your bidding?

-can you land on the sun? (with cheats)

-how far out does the skybox go?

-can jet fuel melt steel beams things?

 

any other ones you have would be awesome!

[cubinator]

Jet fuel can't melt green beans!

Seriously:

-Do the new aerodynamics still allow for infiniglider-type propulsion?

-I noticed a while back during a failed reentry of something that a single 2.5 m reaction wheel stayed intact and hit the ground at ~1.3 km/s in the desert, fairly close to sea level. If a single 2.5 m reaction wheel was dropped to low altitude in an elliptical trans-Munar deorbital trajectory, would it retain it's velocity unaffected by the atmosphere?

[tdonovan4]

Great idea!

[Nich]

Limiting thrust under terminal velocity gets you more dv to space

Low TWR rockets with a lot of fuel get payload to orbit cheaper

Ion vs tweak scaled nuke (both have 2kn thrust)

 

Unfortunately I am not sure any of these make for good TV

[corvustech]

• Service Bays and Cargo Bays as ways to safely re-enter Kerbin with Kerbals that need rescue from orbit

• Space Elevators (Gilly doesn't count)

• Landing on Jool

[Dfthu]

What's the best kind of transfer? I have no idea if this good or not. I'm stupid.

[luizopiloto]

Oberth Effect.. In KSP at last...

[Rabada]

14 hours ago, Nich said:

 

Low TWR rockets with a lot of fuel get payload to orbit cheaper

 

I would be very interested in seeing this one! I've been playing a game of KSP without Realism Overhaul for the first time in quite a while, so I have had to re-learn how to make rockets for the stock Solar System. So far I have had the best luck with 2 and a half stage rockets. I use a low thrust main stage that burns for 2 to 2 and a half minutes. However I also put SRBs around it that burn for 30-60 seconds. Putting SRBs around my main stage to increase my starting TWR really seems to help my rockets avoid excessive gravity losses, while I am still able to save quite a bit of money by using less powerful main engines.

 

Edit: Also regarding " Limiting thrust under terminal velocity gets you more dv to space " I don't have to worry about this with my rockets. By the time the SRBs burn out I will be approaching terminal velocity, but my TWR will be around 1.2-1.3 so my rockets will never really exceed it.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Rabada

[HoloYolo]

Can you get off Eve with less than 4 stages?

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, luizopiloto said:

Oberth Effect.. In KSP at last...

Toally works.  The biggest problem is that burning so close to Kerbin's atmosphere takes either multiple passes or a very large TWR.

[r_rolo1]

6 minutes ago, regex said:

Toally works.  The biggest problem is that burning so close to Kerbin's atmosphere takes either multiple passes or a very large TWR.

In fact , if the Oberth effect did not worked in KSP it would be both highly noticeable and a WTF in itself, because the Oberth effect is a direct consequence of the 2nd Newton law  aka the Fundamental law of dynamics  ( ok ,also of the first one as well  ). The laws inside of the game engine would have to be seriously twisted to have no Oberth effect without some really whacky stuff appearing elsewhere

Edited March 14, 2016 by r_rolo1

[Kerbart]

56 minutes ago, Rabada said:

Edit: Also regarding " Limiting thrust under terminal velocity gets you more dv to space " I don't have to worry about this with my rockets. By the time the SRBs burn out I will be approaching terminal velocity, but my TWR will be around 1.2-1.3 so my rockets will never really exceed it.

That used to be the case pre 1.0 but with the new aero model it's not that simple anymore.

[Rabada]

14 minutes ago, Kerbart said:

That used to be the case pre 1.0 but with the new aero model it's not that simple anymore.

I'm confused... What exactly do you mean? Before the Aero update it made sense to limit your throttle. After the Aero update I have found that since terminal velocity is so much faster now, and the atmosphere is less "soupy" so every single one of my rockets burns at full thrust. I never have to throttle my engines due to atmopsheric effects. However, I also always design my rockets with appropriately sized main engines. If you have to throttle down then your engines are probably too big or you have too many of them. Either that or your launch profile is too steep.

[Kerbart]

38 minutes ago, Rabada said:

I'm confused... What exactly do you mean? Before the Aero update it made sense to limit your throttle. After the Aero update I have found that since terminal velocity is so much faster now, and the atmosphere is less "soupy" so every single one of my rockets burns at full thrust. I never have to throttle my engines due to atmopsheric effects. However, I also always design my rockets with appropriately sized main engines. If you have to throttle down then your engines are probably too big or you have too many of them. Either that or your launch profile is too steep.

The rule "do not exceed terminal velocity" was based on the way drag worked pre 1.0 (based on mass, not based physical size). That does not apply anymore. I'm not saying you should limit your throttle—I'm saying that where in .90 and earlier you should limit your throttle you shouldn't need to do that anymore.

[Nich]

2 hours ago, Rabada said:

I would be very interested in seeing this one! I've been playing a game of KSP without Realism Overhaul for the first time in quite a while, so I have had to re-learn how to make rockets for the stock Solar System. So far I have had the best luck with 2 and a half stage rockets. I use a low thrust main stage that burns for 2 to 2 and a half minutes. However I also put SRBs around it that burn for 30-60 seconds. Putting SRBs around my main stage to increase my starting TWR really seems to help my rockets avoid excessive gravity losses, while I am still able to save quite a bit of money by using less powerful main engines.

 

Edit: Also regarding " Limiting thrust under terminal velocity gets you more dv to space " I don't have to worry about this with my rockets. By the time the SRBs burn out I will be approaching terminal velocity, but my TWR will be around 1.2-1.3 so my rockets will never really exceed it.

Wow that sounds exactly like I design my rockets lol

[EVA_Reentry]

oOh

Full ctrl with only one engine gimbal, no flaps

Airplane using Mk2 fuselage as lifting surfaces, no wings!

[Renegrade]

4 hours ago, Kerbart said:

The rule "do not exceed terminal velocity" was based on the way drag worked pre 1.0 (based on mass, not based physical size). That does not apply anymore. I'm not saying you should limit your throttle—I'm saying that where in .90 and earlier you should limit your throttle you shouldn't need to do that anymore.

Actually, staying under terminal velocity is still good in 1.0+, it's just much harder to reach terminal velocity in most sensible designs now.  Remember that terminal velocity is where drag and gravity cancel out, so it's a natural balance point for a vertically ascending craft.  Below terminal, you're wasting more to gravity drag, and above, you're wasting more to aero drag.

It's still a thing, it just doesn't dominate launches anymore....thank goodness.