Mk. 3 Class Solid Rocket Boosters Needed

[inigma]

This just doesn't cut it on the performance level with liquid boosters. We need Mk3 compatible lifting boosters with appropriate ISP equivalent to Kerbodyne KR-2L Advanced Engine liquid engines:

Proposed Mk3. Class SRBs:

280-300 ISP atm

290-310 ISP vac

no gimbal

no shutdown

While we're on the topic of new boosters, I also propose adding solid rocket motor fuel extensions so we can make larger solid rockets ourselves.

I don't like clipping the current large boosters to make something that barely works. In fact, even then these just don't cut it vs liquid booster performance.

But it sure looks pretty:

Edited February 5, 2015 by inigma

[Alshain]

I don't think we need new SRBs, we need the existing ones to be rebalanced in thrust, weight, and cost. The biggest ones are the right model size for Mk3, they are just too weak and too expensive. The next size down are the right size for Mk2, but again... too weak and too expensive.

Ideally you should be able to build a shuttle where the LFO tank and SRB's together cost less than the discarded parts of a conventional rocket. That was the original intent of the NASA shuttle, though I think it failed to accomplish that goal, that doesn't mean it should fail in KSP.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Alshain

[Daze]

Gimbal has to be implemented in ALL SRB... Really

[Robotengineer]

Those ISP's are way to high, 250-280 would be much more realistic IMO. Other than that, 2.5 meter SRB's would a nice addition.

[Jouni]

I don't think we need new SRBs, we need the existing ones to be rebalanced in thrust, weight, and cost. The biggest ones are the right model size for Mk3, they are just too weak and too expensive. The next size down are the right size for Mk2, but again... too weak and too expensive.

The existing SRBs are about right for their size, and probably even a bit too powerful. The biggest one is a 1:3 copy of the Space Shuttle SRB, weighting 1/27 of the original. It's about 3x more powerful than the most powerful LFO engine of the same size, while the Space Shuttle SRB is only 50% more powerful than the F-1A. If we want heavier or more powerful SRBs, then they need to be wider than 1.25 m.