RCS Position/Placement

[sreinmann]

Thanks in advance for helping me better understand building rockets. Other than aesthetics, does it matter if I block an RCS exhaust port with another part? Will I get reduced performance if say, on side were blocked by a landing leg, light, or fuel tank? I realize that some parts don't have physics like other parts (ladders for instance have no aerodynamic properties) but I also understand that if an LF engine were blocked by a fuel tank (because I didn't put a de-coupler between them) the engine will fire but produce no dV. I've tested, but I'm not sure if I've just seen poor translation due to an unbalanced vessel or because it's been blocked by a thing.

[Col_Jessep]

RCS thrusters work even if other parts block them, no worries. I can hgily recommend this useful mod to balance them (to avoid rotation during translation): http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/35996

This mod is also super useful for building planes and VTOLs because it shows your center of mass for dry weight. Basically: Get the red ball inside of the yellow one and your plane will be well balanced during the entire flight - unless you have a very unusual design.