Heatshields not just for pods.

[Torraqe]

Ok I searched the forum and the suggestions, but haven't found this, so if this was posted before, just delete the thread.

What I mean is that eventually heat damage will be a reality, so how about individual heatshield parts to protect for example external science equipment?

Right now I could just cut the model through the read line, and use only the heat shield texture, I only has to move the top connection node. And after that, I have a heatshield that can protect the bottom of a material lab for example.

[Captain Sierra]

I expect this will come when reentry heating is added, or shortly before. Either way, it's a long way off. I wouldn't worry about it until at least .28. By then you'll probably be seeing Squad work on better atmospheric physics and re-entry heating.

[magico13]

I'm sure when Squad gets around to implementing heat damage they'll be adding separate heat shields. If you want this functionality now (through mods) Deadly Reentry adds several heat shields and includes heat damage. If you just wanted the parts and not the damage you could just remove the .dll and only keep the parts.

Sorry if I'm misinterpreting your post.

[PDCWolf]

Taking the current events and their turns, I don't think we'll have reentry heat, because it won't be fun.

[KN_Namida]

The Mk1 command pod has also a perfectly shaped bottom, it already looks like a heat shield of some sort.

So yeah, when they'll add re-entry damage they'll also add heat shields. And I'd like if they made the Mk1 command pod have its own heat shield included, just like they added monopropellant to it. I mean, it is the first pod you unlock in career mode, when probably you won't have access to heat shields yet. This command pod's rounded base could be considered a heat shield, and of course you could add more beneath it once you unlock them, though that would be a bit redundant.

[Torraqe]

Thanks, I didn't know it existed. And no, you didn't misinterpreted my post. I wanted to just make a part out of the bottom of the pod, that looked like a heat shield.

[AlamoVampire]

Taking the current events and their turns, I don't think we'll have reentry heat, because it won't be fun.

per the planned features wiki:

Physics & Dynamics

Wind & turbulence conditions[citation needed]

Damage effects[citation needed]

New lighting system with better shadows[citation needed]

Better aerodynamics[citation needed]

Re-entry heat or damage [6]

Fixed fuel flow and changing maximum thrust depending on surrounding atmospheric pressure (at the moment the fuel flow is changing and the maximum thrust available is fixed)[7]

[austincurr]

Make the "heat shields" out of the same stuff as the underside of the shuttles so they don't have to wear out ofter a certain amount of time. The ability to add heat paint or something to parts would be needed so that it would be possible to build spaceplanes.

[AlamoVampire]

Make the "heat shields" out of the same stuff as the underside of the shuttles so they don't have to wear out ofter a certain amount of time. The ability to add heat paint or something to parts would be needed so that it would be possible to build spaceplanes.

those tiles are notoriously fragile though. one mistake on orbit and you can punch a hole into the shield.

[jwenting]

those tiles are notoriously fragile though. one mistake on orbit and you can punch a hole into the shield.

indeed. They were replaced after every flight. The old tiles were then taken to a facility where each was individually checked to see if it was still reliable and if so was stored for a next mission.

All of which was more expensive than just buying new ones all the time, but the idea of reusing them was more important than money at the time.

[Capt Snuggler]

I think for the sake of keeping it fun, heat shields should be 100% reusable. SSTOs should be able to refuel and relaunch without doing anything to the heat shield.

on another note, there should also be radial mounted half cylinder shields to bolt on to fuel tanks.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Capt Snuggler

[PDCWolf]

per the planned features wiki:

Physics & Dynamics

Wind & turbulence conditions[citation needed]

Damage effects[citation needed]

New lighting system with better shadows[citation needed]

Better aerodynamics[citation needed]

Re-entry heat or damage [6]

Fixed fuel flow and changing maximum thrust depending on surrounding atmospheric pressure (at the moment the fuel flow is changing and the maximum thrust available is fixed)[7]

Damage effects[citation needed]

Damage effects[citation needed]

[citation needed]

[citation needed]

Wish I could resize it to the point it pixelates into an unreadable mess. All in all, quoting the planned features page is pretty much useless.

[Torraqe]

Something like this already exist then:

Also NASA tested inflatable heatshields (but that more of a dream in KSP than solid heat shields), though on guy already did this:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/29334-Inflatable-Heat-Shield-Test-(pic-heavy)

So I think in this light my suggestion is nothing new.

[pizzaoverhead]

per the planned features wiki

The planned features list is community maintained. It doesn't show what the developers plans are. Multiplayer was on the "not planned" list until very recently for example.

[goldenpeach]

I think for the sake of keeping it fun, heat shields should be 100% reusable. SSTOs should be able to refuel and relaunch without doing anything to the heat shield.

on another note, there should also be radial mounted half cylinder shields to bolt on to fuel tanks.

Why not both of them: the consommable heatshield would be lighter and less expensive while the permanent one would be expensive and heavy.