Optimal Launch TWR Charts

[ScottWright]

I did some calculations for optimal TWR assuming your rocket has a coefficient of drag = 0.2 (Which is almost always the case in v.90)

TWR and Ascent Velocity Charts

I plan on adding one for each atmospheric body you can land on. Non-atmospheric bodies have an optimal TWR of infinity as you may already know.

Link to the guides these come from.

They aren't complete, so you wont see all of them yet.

Edited January 21, 2015 by ScottWright
Added link to guides

[Red Iron Crown]

I've taken the liberty of moving this to a new thread rather than bumping an old one, please feel free to change the title if you'd prefer something different.

Welcome to the forums!

[NecroBones]

One question-- For Duna/Eve, is the TWR relative to the local gravity (since it's Thrust to Weight), or is that really a "Thrust to Mass" ratio?

[rkman]

note: "Only has the ascent velocity and TWR so far for vertical."

Because ascending to orbit vertically is very fuel inefficient, the TWR numbers in those tables are of limited use.

[ScottWright]

One question-- For Duna/Eve, is the TWR relative to the local gravity (since it's Thrust to Weight), or is that really a "Thrust to Mass" ratio?

Thrust to weight. The in-flight TWRs are dynamic with local gravity and altitude. The launchpad TWRs are what you would see as if it was on Kerbin's surface.

I can add the calculations later. I'm on mobile now.

to rkman:

It isn't a whole lot different. I'm working on it next, but I'm guessing the velocity difference for a 10 deg angle would be 1.015 times the terminal velocity.

1.41 for a 45 deg angle.

By the time you get to a 45 deg turn, I hope you aren't relying on these numbers anyway. The fuel and engine mass for such high TWRs isnt worth the gravitational losses.

Edited January 21, 2015 by ScottWright
answer rkman