Engines on top of craft... Handling Issues!

[Carthaginian]

Ok, I intended to build a ship to drop off a hab base on the Mun.

I put an underslung hab module with top-mounted engines and fuel tanks.

Is this a recipe for a bad-handling ship?

Will post some pics in the morning... maybe the ship file as well.

[AD-Edge]

Why not just try it...?

[SkyHook]

Yes, absolutely. If your point of thrust is not on plane with your center of gravity, your ship will tumble end over end in space. Sucks I know :/ I had to scrap so many designs because of it. Star trek-like designs don't work sadly. Either move the thrust colser to the center, or add a counterweight!

[Giggleplex777]

For some reason it works for me though. Check the kuriosity rover in my sig. I landed without testing any component.

[Carthaginian]

Not working on anything Trek-like... think more like a giant version of the Saturn V's escape tower. Thrust is 'on plane' with the center of gravity- just using radial engines arrayed around the rocket rather than a single engine behind it.

Here's the CRAFT file if anyone would like to give me any advice on how to land her.

[ATTACH]32267[/ATTACH]

Edited August 31, 2012 by Carthaginian

[SkyHook]

OH you mean like a skycrane? Then no, it is not. Making sure thrust is adequate and symmetrical should do the trick. Cannot work on any craft files but it should fly fine. Don´t forget RCS!

[Carthaginian]

I kill myself every time that I use RCS.

My problem with this design is when I try to use SCS (currently near the ship's CoG) at a low altitude, instead of steadying me, it flips the ship end over end!!! I'm 10,000m over the Mun with a ship that randomly starts tumbling out of control, and three Kerbanauts screaming their heads off. There isn't any time to correct. This happens whether 'fine' or 'gross' controls engaged, and only occurs above +/-33% thrust.