Procedural Heat Shielding.

[Infinite Aerospace]

As per title, a method to apply heat shielding to parts (specifically wings) to provide thermal protection to otherwise unprotected parts. Now obviously this would be implemented perhaps through tech free progression and the heat shielding itself incurring a cost (vs. the unshielded part) in monetary as well as mass terms. For actual implementation, just a check box in the same manner as control surfaces 'on or off'.

 

The rationale for this, is it would eliminate the rather janky method of re-entry (tumbling as it typically is in KSP1) of anything winged or that doesn't fit under the very small footprint of a circular heat shield. 

[VlonaldKerman]

On large wings it could appear visually as the ablative material on the space shuttle wings, with varying thickness depending on the mass of ablator.

[Infinite Aerospace]

36 minutes ago, VlonaldKerman said:

On large wings it could appear visually as the ablative material on the space shuttle wings, with varying thickness depending on the mass of ablator.

Indeed, I'm a big fan of space planes and single stage to orbit craft like Skylon BUT I'm not a fan of the lack of any real option to have heat shielding on the lift surfaces and bottom of the aircraft fuselage sections.

[Periple]

3 hours ago, VlonaldKerman said:

On large wings it could appear visually as the ablative material on the space shuttle wings, with varying thickness depending on the mass of ablator.

The material wasn't ablative! The tiles were made of a kind of light and highly insulating silicon foam and were fully reusable unless damaged. Source here!

[VlonaldKerman]

37 minutes ago, Periple said:

The material wasn't ablative! The tiles were made of a kind of light and highly insulating silicon foam and were fully reusable unless damaged. Source here!

That’s fascinating I had no idea.

[Lowi_Sace]

14 hours ago, Infinite Aerospace said:

For actual implementation, just a check box in the same manner as control surfaces 'on or off'.

That would be a great way to implement it. They could  also add that check box to a lot other parts. At least for MK2 and Mk3 parts (Are for planes and have clear upper/lover orientation) 

 

another way is a part that fits over the existing parts that adds heath shield (bit the first solulation seems better in my opinion) 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Lowi_Sace
added alinea

[Infinite Aerospace]

20 minutes ago, Lowi_Sace said:

That would be a great way to implement it. They could  also add that check box to a lot other parts. At least for MK2 and Mk3 parts (Are for planes and have clear upper/lover orientation) 

 

another way is a part that fits over the existing parts that adds heath shield (bit the first solulation seems better in my opinion) 

 

To be fair that could also work, kinda of an 'applique' substance so to speak. It's something I'd love to explore in terms of modding if I had the faintest idea how to do it. 

 

Though the fact the toggle for 'control surface' exists, that in turn either has the procedural system either generate the control surface (and the mechanical properties that go with it) or to not do that suggests it *should* be possible to do without having to write a new system, rather just repurpose and repackage an existing system.