[1.12.x] Ablative-Airbrake [v1.0.3]

[Skalou]

Ablative-Airbrake

 

More images: http://imgur.com/a/Gaj10
 

This "Ablative-Airbrake" mod adds a derived stockalike airbrake coated with ablator.
A dark version is now available via the part variant feature.

This part is now localized, Translators are welcome for untranslated languages !

Gameplay infos:
- Part available in the "Thermal" category.
- Part unlockable in the tech-tree in the Hypersonic Flight node.

KSP compatibility versions:

Ablative-Airbrake version	KSP version
1.0.3	min: 1.4.0 ; max: check here or the forum thread
1.0.2	min: 1.4.0 ; max: 1.11.0
1.0.1	min: 1.4.0 ; max: 1.9.1
1.0.0	min: 1.4.0 ; max: 1.9.1
0.3.0	min: 1.2.2 ; max: 1.9.1
0.2.0	min: 1.2.2 ; max: 1.3.1
0.1.0	min: 1.2.2 ; max: 1.3.

This mod is really simple, it uses only stock features,
and should work with many future KSP versions.
Check this forum thread end to know or report a  new KSP version compatibility.

Compatibility:
- KSP-AVC
- TweakScale, thanks @Marcelo Silveira
- Realism Overhaul and RP-0, thank's @Gordon Dry
- ReStock, thank's @Gordon Dry

Installation:
- No Dependency mods.
- On update remove any existing older version.
- Copy/paste the folder "Ablative-Airbrake" in your "Kerbal Space Program/GameData" directory.
- Enjoy!

It uses the "KSP Add-on Version Checker" mod if you have it installed (not included) to check its version by using a connection on my GitHub page given below,
read the "KSP-AVC Add-on Version Checker" page for more details.

Download on Spacedock

Available on CKAN

Changelog

GitHub page

License

P.S: let me know about the balance or suggestion.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Skalou
Tittle: update 1.0.3

[Marcelo Silveira]

Very interesting!

[Dountoun]

Nice nice, going to try this out when I get to SSTO planes in my new game

Sounds very useful, thanks!  

Edited March 5, 2017 by Dountoun

[Akinatronic]

Really good job

[Skalou]

Updated to v0.2.0,

Online Changelog
thank's @Marcelo Silveira

Edited March 5, 2017 by Skalou

[drtedastro]

just found this.

great idea.

testing after download.

thanks for your work.

Cheers.

[TheKurgan]

Cool! Downloaded. Thanks for your work!

[SchwinnTropius]

Interesting idea, will add into my game.

[MemeBeam]

Like the idea it, should nerf the stock air brake too. Because it is still to op compared to your version.

[NotAgain]

I had no idea I needed this...

[Vanguard-Warden]

I really like it, thank you.

 

If i may ask: could you do a black version ?

Spoiler

Because i'm Batman ;D

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Vanguard-Warden

[Skalou]

7 hours ago, Vanguard-Warden said:

If i may ask: could you do a black version ?

  Reveal hidden contents

Because i'm Batman ;D

 

It's not currently planned, maybe one day

[JadeOfMaar]

Hey @Skalou I've made some effort to do the same thing for my personal fun. It's a pleasant surprise to see someone else did it and did it right.  I love hypersonic planes and the stock part's weakness when deployed has been such a pain.

13 hours ago, MemeBeam said:

Like the idea it, should nerf the stock air brake too. Because it is still to op compared to your version.

How is the stock airbrake OP? it's so lame when you're traveling at over Mach 4 and want to lose speed.

[Raptor22]

Hurray! No more exploding air brakes (or at least not as combustible)

[MemeBeam]

11 hours ago, JadeOfMaar said:

How is the stock airbrake OP? it's so lame when you're traveling at over Mach 4 and want to lose speed.

I just mean when using it as a makeshift heat shield. At least when I used it for drop pods, the heat shield went before the stock airbrakes.

[JadeOfMaar]

@MemeBeam In that case there is something funky with whatever you're doing. Heatshields can take immense punishment, and dropping into an atmosphere Halo style (near-zero horizontal speed and from high orbit) is as punishing as it can ever get. Most likely, your heatshield took so much heat or atmosphere pressure that even it gave out and by that point any remaining heat and pressure was within the airbrakes' tolerance.

[Skalou]

I agree, even the stock balance is hum... weird, and there is limitations anyway (part's drag not occluding others when surface attached ,etc...)

[Bornholio]

My comment is it appears to have about the same frontal area as a 1.25m Heat shield.  They have 100 ablator.  A tweak scale double size AB would have 1.6 tons of ablator on it!

If I'm interpreting the ablator module stats it looks like it burns off a bit faster also.

I think I'll slam some into Jupiter tonight.

[Skalou]

27 minutes ago, Bornholio said:

My comment is it appears to have about the same frontal area as a 1.25m Heat shield.

Yes, i based on this myself too. ( even if the airbrake is maybe too thin to get as much ablator)

Quote

They have 100 ablator

nope, 200 ablator for the 1.25m Heat shield.

Quote

A tweak scale double size AB would have 1.6 tons of ablator on it

maybe, i don't use tweakscale myself, but fell free to send me a better patch.

Quote

If I'm interpreting the ablator module stats it looks like it burns off a bit faster also.

Yup, that's what i wanted, as it seems to me this part is more fragile than the classic heatshield. and a bit to balance the power of this part.

Quote

I think I'll slam some into Jupiter tonight.

Great! feel free to send pics of ablative-airbrake use here! ( beware i don't know how it is balanced for RSS, feel free to send a patch too... )

Edited March 9, 2017 by Skalou

[Bornholio]

Quote

nope, 200 ablator for the 1.25m Heat shield.

wonder what mod changes mine.

Do they increase x4 ablator with re-scale factor in tweak or x8?

I'm thinking of using some 400% ones to cover my balloon housing instead of just aeroshell. If they are x8 scale factor then I'll be carrying more ablator than ship.

 

[Skalou]

2 hours ago, Bornholio said:

wonder what mod changes mine.

Do they increase x4 ablator with re-scale factor in tweak or x8?

I'm thinking of using some 400% ones to cover my balloon housing instead of just aeroshell. If they are x8 scale factor then I'll be carrying more ablator than ship.

 

i guess for a scaling s you will get things mutiplied by s² because of the tweakscale config patch(and not s^3 as it should, but i haven't tried myself).

so for a size 400%, ablator x16?

Don't forget, you can also tweak the ablator in the hangars, and reduce it if you want.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Skalou

[Bornholio]

They survived Low Jupiter Orbit Re-entry

Middle of main heating phase.

Final design 6 hours of reentry testing...

Coming in backwards

More pics in my summary

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Bornholio
add link

[Skalou]

great!

What size was the ablative-airbrake  with 800 max ablator on the 1st pic?

[Bornholio]

1 hour ago, Skalou said:

great!

What size was the ablative-airbrake  with 800 max ablator on the 1st pic?

Think it was tweak scaled 200%, they won't survive full on hard dive into Jupiter.  The final ones i used were ~300%, The front I could heavily cool with radiators but the AB's mounted out in Aero-shell land. They got blown off by the fairing being ejected.

[linuxgurugamer]

It's now in CKAN