The XL3 Rover wheels float

[juanml82]

So I was designing a new Eve lander and, thinking about the strain the gravity puts on the landing legs, I decided to try to use the XL3 as a landing gear. It didn't work the first time - the ship was torn to pieces. So I fixed it in the Kerbal way (that is, moar struts and moar wheels) and gave it another try. The next time, however, I've missed the shore line and was heading into the water.

Instead of trying to head back to orbit, I thought it would be fun to watch the inevitable splash down...

Which didn't come. The ship floated instead and the flight log didn't indicate any splashdown

Which meant I could take off again... from the sea.

I've tried at Kerbin, it also works

Finding a landing spot in Laythe is now a lot easier I should also test putting a jet or other rocket in an horizontal position and check if it moves like a boat.

[dryer_lint]

Hey, that's pretty cool. Structural Fuselages also float pretty well BTW, you could make a boat out of those.

[Levelord]

I did a similar experiment in my other thread and found that large steel girders float the best in water. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/70302-Advice-on-floating-bases

Here's a few examples of what I did:

Here is the sinky problem:

This is how it's meant to float:

I just gave air intakes a try, but they seem to bounce and over-react to water, causing the platform to wildly rock from side to side.

Well, after a test run with Octagonal struts, this seems to float a bit better...

"My stuff isn't floating like I want it."

"Have you tried adding more large steel structures to the bottom?"

"Thanks, that worked!"

I love KSP.

[r_rolo1]

Hum ... for science, someone knows if any other wheels float? The RoveMax Model M1 seems to be a good candidate ...

[Levelord]

Hum ... for science, someone knows if any other wheels float? The RoveMax Model M1 seems to be a good candidate ...

Frankly, I've yet to see anything sink in KSP. So it's a good assumption that everything floats on water.

[Technical Ben]

Even better is using the wheels to then drive up a mountain (and gain an easier ascent).

But you'd need to land very close to the shore to do it in stock, as there are no props/electric propulsion for water craft.

[r4pt0r]

Even better is using the wheels to then drive up a mountain (and gain an easier ascent).

But you'd need to land very close to the shore to do it in stock, as there are no props/electric propulsion for water craft.

sounds like a job for CAPTAIN ION

[Renegrade]

I did a similar experiment in my other thread and found that large steel girders float the best in water.

Enter absurd KSP physics. #lolphysics!

That's a good find though. I've been making my "boats" out of structural fuselages ... now they'll float even better

[cantab]

Yeah, most things in KSP float, though exactly how much seems to be bafflingly arbitrary. Unfortunately most things are also very draggy, like the air only even worse. Radial intakes are popular for fast boats, and wings offer low drag too.

[TimePeriod]

Radial intakes floats more then other anything else as far as I know.

[GluttonyReaper]

sounds like a job for CAPTAIN ION

Trust me, it doesn't work as well as you would think.

[Whackjob]

Frankly, I've yet to see anything sink in KSP. So it's a good assumption that everything floats on water.

The other assumption that it isn't water. My hypothesis is it's mercury and only looks blue because if atmospheric scattering.

Ahh, Mercury. Sweetest of the transition metals.

[juanml82]

Frankly, I've yet to see anything sink in KSP. So it's a good assumption that everything floats on water.

Well, the catch is landing a rocket on water and taking off to orbit again from the water

[spaceman1999]

When we see something floating or say it floats well, that usually means it has high impact tolerance.