Add Cargo Bays for Rockets

[bdito]

With the coming aerodynamic overhaul we would obviously need fairings similar to KW Rocketry, but we would also use cylindrical cargo bays in 1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5 meter sizes. Currently they're only available for planes. It's a great way to cover parts to reduce/remove their drag instead of attaching them to the outside of the fuselage.

[Tex_NL]

What's keeping you from using them in rocket designs?

As far as I know payload fairings are a planned feature with the update aerodynamics.

[bdito]

What's keeping you from using them in rocket designs?

They don't fit. They only have Mk2 and Mk3 cargo bays right now and they don't jive with cylindrical parts. Well the mk3 does but that's only for 3.75m rockets. There's nothing compatible with the 1.25, 2.5 or 5 meter parts without using the mk3 cargo bay and having the fuselage bulbous or skinny at the cargo section.

Edited January 19, 2015 by bdito

[Alshain]

I would say for rockets you really need inter-stage fairings like what Proc Fairings has. Cargo bays are meant to be retrieved, fairings are not.

Edited January 19, 2015 by Alshain

[Renegrade]

With the coming aerodynamic overhaul we would obviously need fairings similar to KW Rocketry, but we would also use cylindrical cargo bays in 1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5 meter sizes. Currently they're only available for planes. It's a great way to cover parts to reduce/remove their drag instead of attaching them to the outside of the fuselage.

I have to say, I expected rocket-format cargo bays for rockets when Porkjet's parts were incorporated and Squad wrote their own cargo bay code, and was very disappointed when those did not materialize...

I'd very much like to see my expectation met~

I would say for rockets you really need inter-stage fairings like what Proc Fairings has.

This would be a good thing too.

[klgraham1013]

I would say for rockets you really need inter-stage fairings like what Proc Fairings has.

Hopeful we'll get those as well when stock fairings are introduced.

I, also, see no reason to not have some inline cargo bays for rockets.

[bdito]

I would say for rockets you really need inter-stage fairings like what Proc Fairings has. Cargo bays are meant to be retrieved, fairings are not.

Those would be fantastic too. 1.25 and 2.5m cargo bays would be quite useful for a landing craft to shield parts from the drag model, and depending on how large your landing craft is and what type of fairings Squad creates you might or might not be able to put your entire landing craft in a fairing.

Edited January 19, 2015 by bdito

[hawk_za]

+ 1 to this idea there are currently rocket cargo-bays in a mod http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/61040-0-23-6S-Service-Compartment-Tubes-Design-smooth

but they don't do anything for aerodynamics

[Renegrade]

but they don't do anything for aerodynamics

Note that even without aero benefits, cargo bays have uses:

1. Aesthetics (duh)

2. Allows the de/attachment of components in the center of a vehicle, without having to break the vehicle

2a. This makes CoM balancing easier

2b. Makes the vehicle more rigid as a whole (can put a stack of floppy batteries in there without making the whole vehicle floppy)

3. Works with mods that DO care about aero and/or exposure (FAR, DRE, RT2, etc)

[SlabGizor117]

I'm with Alshain on this, they should have fairings. Cargo bays are for spaceplanes/shuttles, but I do think it might be cool other than having more complication as far as so many parts to choose from.

[goldenpeach]

let's also remember that it would permit more reusable rockets: no more waster of [whatever you use to transport your cargo]. It would also permit to retrieve cargo from space with a rocket, which is pretty cool in my opinion

But, I would also like to bring back the old mk3 parts: there is currently a big hole between the mk2 parts and the new space plane parts.

[AbacusWizard]

I'd love to see cargo bays in the standard rocket part sizes.

In the meantime, though, the Mk3-to-Size3 conversion parts work reasonably well. Size3 part, conversion part, Mk3 cargo bay, conversion part, Size3 part. Looks neat and adds more fuel storage.

Example: