Earth V: An Apollo-Style Rocket

[Jm419]

I snapped some photos of the new method. It, for some reason, broke the whole rocket; I'm having real stability issues on the first stage. Still trying to work through those...

Here's my new solution, anyway.

As you can see, I flipped the other decoupler so it remained attached to the big one, still on the CSM.

Easy enough to get rid of, though.

That, of course, solves our debris problem:

I think that'll work a bit better, now.

[Wayfare]

Nicely done, that makes for a really clean process. Maybe using a large decoupler would help with stability? Another trick I sometimes employ is to use the small cubic structural pieces as connection points for vertical strutting. This offsets the struts from the stack a little and seems to add rigidity for some reason.

[Jm419]

I noticed your cubic strut method when I flew your ship. I've not seen that before; it was pretty neat.

Actually, I used the smaller decoupler for looks. As you mentioned, I have enough struts on the payload that it's not moving before we undock, so I just used the smaller one to save weight as well as make a more visually interesting part of the ship. I could always add a Rockomax converter, I suppose, so it would look more real-world appropriate.

[Wayfare]

I do like the looks of the smaller decoupler, just thought it might somehow help with those strange first stage stability issues you mentioned. Small oscillations in the payload can have a pendulum effect towards the bottom of the rocket.

A completely unrelated thought I just had - why do we put RCS suites on our Munar modules? They're not really needed for anything except docking the ascent stage back onto the CSM after leaving the Mun. Given that the CSM has RCS already for the TD&E maneuver, why not dock the CSM onto the ascent stage instead of the other way around? I think that's the way NASA did it too because the Apollo CSMs were much easier to control than the LM ascent stages. Of course NASA's LMs needed RCS anyway because they had no pod torque (I guess having the crew fling themselves against the bulkheads could have worked, but that would not have been very precise).

[Jm419]

I do like the looks of the smaller decoupler, just thought it might somehow help with those strange first stage stability issues you mentioned. Small oscillations in the payload can have a pendulum effect towards the bottom of the rocket.

That's why we have 6x10⁹ struts in the upper stage.

A completely unrelated thought I just had - why do we put RCS suites on our Munar modules? They're not really needed for anything except docking the ascent stage back onto the CSM after leaving the Mun. Given that the CSM has RCS already for the TD&E maneuver, why not dock the CSM onto the ascent stage instead of the other way around? I think that's the way NASA did it too because the Apollo CSMs were much easier to control than the LM ascent stages. Of course NASA's LMs needed RCS anyway because they had no pod torque (I guess having the crew fling themselves against the bulkheads could have worked, but that would not have been very precise).

I was just thinking that the other day. Ultimately, my answer is split into three - 1) NASA Accuracy, 2) Emergencies, and 3) Flexibility. The Earth V is designed to be an almost exact stock (!) replica of the Saturn V, which, as you said, had RCS on the ascent stage. I like the idea that I can turn the thing "realistically" rather than having the crew chuck stuff around inside. I also occasionally use RCS for emergency power when my main engines run out, and I hate docking to things that I can't control from both sides - space stations are a good example. The other thing is, you can use RCS to adjust your orbit precisely, which I like (I do tend to dock using the ascent stage, not the CSM). Finally, I used RCS on the lander in case I chose to use the lander separately from the Earth V - it's my most successful design yet. I may want to put three of them on a Jool mothership; I might want to reuse it in another launcher.

Ultimately - I have RCS on the ascent stage because I'd hate not to have it when I need another 10m/s to avoid crashing into the Mun, or .5 m/s to dock. I have it because I don't want to not bring it, then need it later.

[Wayfare]

Yeah it does make a solid contingency system. I guess it's a good safety rule: RCS on all crewed vessels (much like solar panels on anything that consumes electricity).

[kylania]

I just can't make the spin around couple with the lander thing. Docking is so impossible for me. heh Well, got closer to the Mun with this than any other attempt, so back to it I guess!

[Jm419]

It's definitely an advanced maneuver. Don't feel bad; it takes practice. The best way to get good at docking is just to keep doing it, over and over. If you need any help, feel free to PM me and I can give you some pointers, if you like.