Science Jr. keeps exploding on rentry

[Reinhart Mk.1]

So I'm testing another SSTO and I've had SSTO's with SJ's on them but for some reason this one just keeps exploding on re-entry, everything else is fine but this thing always explodes even when coming in around 50k, i could just remove the part but... it would be nice to keep those extra science points

[linuxgurugamer]

How about a picture of it?

[Reinhart Mk.1]

5 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

How about a picture of it?

found out the max temp was 1200, some intense spinning helped it enter without exploding but still... i never remember it being this sensitive

[bobisback]

I always just throw away the science Jr, and I tend to just keep a experiment storage in a 1.25m bay (along with my other experiments and batteries). This keeps them nice and safe even with deadly reentry plus FAR which is what i use. So vanilla should be easy. Probably overkill for stock KSP tbh, but might be a good idea. 

The service bay can actually take a decent about of heat before issue, but if you put a heat shield on it, no issues at all.  Honestly a heat shield on the science jr would probably work jut fine as well.

 

if you are using a bigger design and the science jr is dieing when in the middle part of the ship, radiators work really well as well. Just remember to turn them on. Or have a over sized heat-shield so it puts a cone around the rest of the ship.

Edited August 18, 2019 by bobisback

[Rocket In My Pocket]

Have your Kerbal EVA, gather the data from the Science Jr (right click it when near), and take it back to the Command pod.

Ditch everything but the Command pod and the parachute, you won't even need a heatshield for a standard re-entry from anywhere in Kerbin's SOI.

If you're playing Career, you'll have to unlock EVA in space first though. (If you don't have that, throw a heat shield on the bottom of the Science Jr. and remove all the ablator to save weight, once again; you won't need it for a Mun or Minmus return.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Rocket In My Pocket

[Reinhart Mk.1]

1 hour ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

Have your Kerbal EVA, gather the data from the Science Jr (right click it when near), and take it back to the Command pod.

Ditch everything but the Command pod and the parachute, you won't even need a heatshield for a standard re-entry from anywhere in Kerbin's SOI.

If you're playing Career, you'll have to unlock EVA in space first though. (If you don't have that, throw a heat shield on the bottom of the Science Jr. and remove all the ablator to save weight, once again; you won't need it for a Mun or Minmus return.

it's an SSTO

2 hours ago, bobisback said:

Honestly a heat shield on the science jr would probably work jut fine as well.

i honestly might put one in front of the SJ (again this is an ssto so i can't ditch anything)

that may help.. hmmm

[dire]

Using a big, flat radiator acts like the Space Shuttle's heating tiles. Just be aware it also adds a ton of drag.

You can also pop it into a mk2 cargo bay for safe keeping, and that can give you the flexibility to deploy small satellites when you aren't doing science. If you have airbrakes on your SSTO you should be able to slow down enough, but they do tend to get pretty hot during reentry.

[pincushionman]

2 hours ago, Reinhart Mk.1 said:

it's an SSTO …

This does not mean it is a single-stage-to-reentry. Do you mean to say you’re trying to make a re-useable rocket or a spaceplane? Let’s get on the same page here.

[Snark]

8 hours ago, Reinhart Mk.1 said:

So I'm testing another SSTO and I've had SSTO's with SJ's on them but for some reason this one just keeps exploding on re-entry, everything else is fine but this thing always explodes even when coming in around 50k, i could just remove the part but... it would be nice to keep those extra science points

Really need to see a picture of your spacecraft to be able to offer any constructive suggestions about why it's taking heat.

[Reinhart Mk.1]

2 hours ago, pincushionman said:

This does not mean it is a single-stage-to-reentry.

it means there are no stages in-general so im gonna have to argue that yes, it is an SSTO.

[Reinhart Mk.1]

6 hours ago, dire said:

Using a big, flat radiator acts like the Space Shuttle's heating tiles. Just be aware it also adds a ton of drag.

best answer really, the problem is really straightforward it seems. i did add two heat shields in the front and back of the SJ and while it still overheated, it didn't explode. so the question has been answered and thank you for everyone's input and answers

[magnemoe]

Using the mk1 or 2 equipment bays is probably the best idea, little drag and they can be used to store the other science equipment to. 

They also make great air brakes who does not take fire damage 

[Reinhart Mk.1]

honestly do not put this part on an SSTO (or spaceplane in-general), it makes re-entry a chore even if you never leave Kerbin's SOI. it "can" be done but i've found it very difficult for it to not explode and ruin the entire craft.

[Fraktal]

On 8/18/2019 at 9:21 PM, Rocket In My Pocket said:

You won't even need a heatshield for a standard re-entry from anywhere in Kerbin's SOI.

Actually, that's not quite true. Capsule reentries with a Mk1 Service Bay have been a major pain since about 1.5 if you don't have a heat shield. Not because of the heat, which the bay is more than capable of handling, but because of something causing the bay to have astronomically high drag during reentry.

Of course, he stated that he's using an SSTO, not a capsule, but I still think it's worth pointing out.

[Reinhart Mk.1]

4 hours ago, Fraktal said:

Of course, he stated that he's using an SSTO, not a capsule, but I still think it's worth pointing out.

thank you for understanding the significance of this, also did not know that about the mk1 capsule

[Rocket In My Pocket]

5 hours ago, Fraktal said:

Actually, that's not quite true. Capsule reentries with a Mk1 Service Bay have been a major pain since about 1.5 if you don't have a heat shield. Not because of the heat, which the bay is more than capable of handling, but because of something causing the bay to have astronomically high drag during reentry.

Of course, he stated that he's using an SSTO, not a capsule, but I still think it's worth pointing out.

Why would you need a service bay at all though?

The Kerbal takes the data back to the Command Pod, you de-orbit with nothing but the Command Pod and a Parachute.

Edited August 21, 2019 by Rocket In My Pocket

[Vanamonde]

The materials bay is notoriously sensitive to heat, but one thing you can do to make a bit more resistant is to r-click on it after use and close the doors. 

[Reinhart Mk.1]

1 minute ago, Vanamonde said:

The materials bay is notoriously sensitive to heat, but one thing you can do to make a bit more resistant is to r-click on it after use and close the doors. 

the effect of it exploding and splitting the excrements completely in half was kinda cool in all honesty lol

[Guest]

You may want to put it in a cargo bay door. That is what I have done in the past. It does make the SSTO wider to fit it though

 

[Reinhart Mk.1]

4 hours ago, The Doodling Astronaut said:

You may want to put it in a cargo bay door. That is what I have done in the past. It does make the SSTO wider to fit it though

with a bigger ssto i could, i just try to make them as small as possible haha

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Reinhart Mk.1 said:

with a bigger ssto i could, i just try to make them as small as possible haha

Ah I see... Well best of luck i'm not good at small SSTOs

[Reinhart Mk.1]

5 minutes ago, The Doodling Astronaut said:

Ah I see... Well best of luck i'm not good at small SSTOs

it's doable! but it's just a bit too risky. but thank you, same to you!

[Vakarian]

On 8/23/2019 at 7:37 PM, The Doodling Astronaut said:

You may want to put it in a cargo bay door. That is what I have done in the past. It does make the SSTO wider to fit it though

 

I was gonna say the same, then I remembered the difference between cargo bay and service bay. Try putting 2 servcebays around it. Place science Jr.  first and then the service base over the Jr.

 

 

[Reinhart Mk.1]

On 9/8/2019 at 8:31 AM, Vakarian said:

I was gonna say the same, then I remembered the difference between cargo bay and service bay. Try putting 2 servcebays around it. Place science Jr.  first and then the service base over the Jr.

i could probably use the mk.1 service bay and clip it into there buuuut it's kinda ugly, not sure it would work, and seems a bit cheaty

[Kerblan07]

I usually put my Science JR above my heat shield, when the science junior explodes it knocks my heat shield off, destroying my craft. I’ve found that putting radiator panels on it really helps.