Jump to content

Did you ever was so desperate that you used RCS for mid course correction burn? XD


Pawelk198604

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, klgraham1013 said:

Sometimes it's actually part of my plan.

This.  RCS is typically only something you carry with you for rendezvous and stabilization purposes, but its wonderfully efficient for small correction burns. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've ended up using mono to complete burns a few times... even resorted to getting out and pushing on a couple, to get those last few m/s of delta-v.

jAKtYxP.jpg

One thing that's a bit puzzling about the video is why there's mono (and a lot of it) on the vehicle, given that there's a pretty huge reaction wheel included for for the vehicle's size. I don't think I've ever put RCS on anything I wasn't going to dock and even then if the vehicle's of the space golf cart variety, I tend to leave the RCS at home.

 

Edited by purpleivan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KerikBalm said:

Considering that most rocket engines aren't re-startable, isn't this how its done in real life?

Yes, it is. Generally the only engines with more than 1 or 2 ignitions beyond the first ignition are lander engines (with exceptions being the main engines of probes like Cassini which are expected to make a lot of different burns), so the attitude control thrusters are usually what's used for small correction burns. Additionally, attitude control thrusters are often used instead of reaction wheels or gimballing because they're typically less massive than reaction wheels or the extra hardware that would have to be added to an engine to allow it to gimbal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, purpleivan said:

I've ended up using mono to complete burns a few times... even resorted to getting out and pushing on a couple, to get those last few m/s of delta-v.

jAKtYxP.jpg

One thing that's a bit puzzling about the video is why there's mono (and a lot of it) on the vehicle, given that there's a pretty huge reaction wheel included for for the vehicle's size. I don't think I've ever put RCS on anything I wasn't going to dock and even then if the vehicle's of the space golf cart variety, I tend to leave the RCS at home.

 

:D 

 

It's remind me when i work in charity as fundraiser  and we often was forced to push my boss FIAT multipla car because it had spark plug problem :D 

Fiat_Multipla_front_20080825.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes my main engine is way too powerful to adjust an orbit by the 0.3 m/s of dV needed to get my intercept altitude just right. When you're still 10 billion meters away from the planet, the tiniest push dramatically alters your orbit. Rather than over burn, then having to flip 180 degrees, and whoops I did too much again, flip over again, etc. RCS makes fine tuning a breeze.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RCS actually works quite well for minimal mid-course corrections because you can thrust in any direction without having to reorient your craft (assuming you placed your thrusters correctly).

On 3/9/2017 at 5:35 AM, eloquentJane said:

with exceptions being the main engines of probes like Cassini which are expected to make a lot of different burns

And these engines are usually hypergolic or use monoprop, so they might as well be RCS thrusters. In fact, the engines on Cassini were derived from the Apollo RCS system!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've used it to help aircraft glide... or crash more softly. And to help a rocket that's lifting slightly more than its rated payload by simulataneously pushing and dumping the mass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a few days ago I even had to set the thrust limiter to around 8% because just tapping H or N as brief as possible was still adjusting my orbit too much. (IIRC I was about a year and a half out from my target)

Using the main poodle engine would have been way too much.

18 hours ago, Sun-Guardian said:

... then I just use an Eva kerbals to get re-entry paths. :cool:

Been there!  30 trips from pod to back of the craft for I think about 250m/s just to get home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...