decouplers without ejection force

[goldenpeach]

Hi,I don't think I need to explain my suggestion a lot,but because I don't want to post a thread saying something like:"hey,this would be fun" without saying anything else,I will say some exemple of the usefulness of a decoupler that has no ejection force.

All the player who have tried to make precision landing with a craft that can't control itself in the atmosphere(especially if you use the option from mechjeb that tell where you will land) have noticed that,after they have set the reentry trajectory,the decoupling force of the decoupler make you landing at the wrong place,for a basic craft(a capsule),the altration can reach more than 1000 meters.

This would be easily avoided by decoupler that don't have any ejection force,allowing you to have very precise targeted landing;the only thing that you will have to do is to use RCS(or engine)to put away the module that set the reenty trajectory(the SM),of course,if you don't want to change the trajectory,the RCS/engine will have to be on the CM(the module that set the reentry trajectory).

Thank you for reading!

Edited September 7, 2013 by goldenpeach
made a type-o in the thread tittle (now it's fixed) :)

[DMagic]

I agree with this idea, but instead of making a separate part they could just add the function to the already existing decouplers and stack separators. Just make a right-click option, or allow us to set a hot-key for a no-force separation in addition to the regular, space-bar activated function.

[FacticiusVir]

I think you can use a docking port for this - if placed in the same way as a decoupler in the VAB stack, there is a right-click decouple option on the docking port, and I don't think it applies ejection force.

[Specialist290]

Indeed. Docking ports can be used as zero-force decouplers, and I think you can map the "decouple" command to an Action Group.

[Ession]

I'm not sure, but doesn't strutting things together cancel the ejection force as well?

[tntristan12]

This looks like a job for tweakables! I'm not sure if strutting together objects works. In my experience the struts disappear before their presence would make any difference.

[Starwaster]

I'm not sure, but doesn't strutting things together cancel the ejection force as well?

Yes, it does. Well, it cancels MOST of it. There' s a definite damping force at work such that I find it necessary to put sepratrons or other retro rockets to blast those parts free.

[burgerflaps]

Docking ports are not an acceptable solution since they require the use of multiple parts and cannot be activated by the staging.

[Tataffe]

I agree with this idea, but instead of making a separate part they could just add the function to the already existing decouplers and stack separators. Just make a right-click option, or allow us to set a hot-key for a no-force separation in addition to the regular, space-bar activated function.

I agree. This is definitely a task for tweakables, as soon as they are implemented.

I think you can use a docking port for this - if placed in the same way as a decoupler in the VAB stack, there is a right-click decouple option on the docking port, and I don't think it applies ejection force.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't decouplers more stable than docking ports? Sometimes it would be cool to have an ejection force on docking ports, as well ...