Difference between revisions of "Reaction engine"
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Rocket engines come in two commonly used forms. The first and most ancient type is a [[solid fuel]] rocket which is as simple as igniting a solid, self-oxidizing compound within the casing of the rocket and allowing the escaping gases to be released through a nozzle at the rear. | Rocket engines come in two commonly used forms. The first and most ancient type is a [[solid fuel]] rocket which is as simple as igniting a solid, self-oxidizing compound within the casing of the rocket and allowing the escaping gases to be released through a nozzle at the rear. | ||
| − | Liquid fuel engines are powered by a liquid propellant which is comprised of burnable [[liquid fuel]] and [[oxidizer]]. | + | Liquid fuel engines are powered by a liquid propellant which is comprised of burnable [[liquid fuel]] and [[oxidizer]]. In the real world typical liquid fuels are liquid hydrogen or kerosene, and typical oxidizers are liquid oxygen, or nitrous-oxide. In KSP they are simply labeled "liquid fuel" and "oxidizer."In KSP there are two different types of liquid rocket engines; aerospike and bell type liquid rocket engines. |
== Solid fuel rocket engines == | == Solid fuel rocket engines == | ||
Revision as of 03:56, 18 June 2013
A rocket engine is an engine that uses nothing but its onboard propellant to generate thrust. Unlike traditional air breathing engines used by atmospheric crafts rocket engines are able to function in a vacuum where no oxygen is present.
Contents
History
Rocket engines were present in KSP in all public releases of the game.
Approaches to rocket engines
Rocket engines come in two commonly used forms. The first and most ancient type is a solid fuel rocket which is as simple as igniting a solid, self-oxidizing compound within the casing of the rocket and allowing the escaping gases to be released through a nozzle at the rear.
Liquid fuel engines are powered by a liquid propellant which is comprised of burnable liquid fuel and oxidizer. In the real world typical liquid fuels are liquid hydrogen or kerosene, and typical oxidizers are liquid oxygen, or nitrous-oxide. In KSP they are simply labeled "liquid fuel" and "oxidizer."In KSP there are two different types of liquid rocket engines; aerospike and bell type liquid rocket engines.
Solid fuel rocket engines
Advantages
- Have a very high thrust to weight ratio.
- Engine and fuel tank are combined in one part, lowering part count, simplifying design and improving stability.
Disadvantages
- Monolithic design, must be built in one piece.
- Cannot be throttled or switched off after ignition.
- Once spent, they are unable to use fuel from another source of the craft.
Available solid fuel rocket engines
| Solid Fuel Density is 7.5 kg/unit | Mass (t) |
Fuel (  )
|
Thrust (kN) |
TWR | Isp (s) | Burn (s) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full | Empty | |||||||||||||||||
| Image | Part | Radial size | Cost (  ) |
Full | Empty | Max. Temp. (K) |
Tolerance (m/s) |
Tolerance (g) |
atm | vac | atm | vac | atm | vac | atm | vac | ||
 |
RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster | Small, Radial mounted | 200 (116) |
1.50 | 0.45 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 140 | 162.91 | 192.0 | 11.07 | 13.05 | 36.92 | 43.51 | 140 | 165 | 8.8 |
 |
RT-10 "Hammer" Solid Fuel Booster | Small, Radial mounted | 400 (175) |
3.56 | 0.75 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 375 | 197.90 | 227.0 | 5.66 | 6.50 | 26.91 | 30.86 | 170 | 195 | 23.7 |
 |
BACC "Thumper" Solid Fuel Booster | Small, Radial mounted | 850 (358) |
7.65 | 1.50 | 2 200 | 7 | 50 | 820 | 250.00 | 300.0 | 3.33 | 4.00 | 17.00 | 20.39 | 175 | 210 | 42.2 |
 |
S1 SRB-KD25k "Kickback" Solid Fuel Booster | Small, Radial mounted | 2 700 (1 140) |
24.00 | 4.50 | 2 200 | 7 | 50 | 2 600 | 593.86 | 670.0 | 2.52 | 2.85 | 13.46 | 15.18 | 195 | 220 | 62.8 |
 |
Sepratron I | Radial mounted | 75 (70.2) |
0.0725 | 0.0125 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 8 | 13.79 | 18.0 | 19.40 | 25.32 | 112.51 | 146.84 | 118 | 154 | 5.0 |
 |
FM1 "Mite" Solid Fuel Booster | Tiny, Radial mounted | 75 (51.0) |
0.375 | 0.075 | 2 200 | 7 | 50 | 40 | 11.012 | 12.5 | 2.93 | 3.33 | 14.68 | 16.66 | 185 | 210 | 49.44 |
 |
F3S0 "Shrimp" Solid Fuel Booster | Tiny, Radial mounted | 150 (96.0) |
0.875 | 0.155 | 2 200 | 7 | 50 | 90 | 26.512 | 30.0 | 3.22 | 3.65 | 17.1 | 19.35 | 190 | 215 | 47.44 |
 |
S2-17 "Thoroughbred" Solid Fuel Booster | Large, Radial mounted | 9 000 (4 200.0) |
70.00 | 10.00 | 2 200 | 10 | 50 | 8 000 | 1 515.217 | 1 700.0 | 2.16 | 2.43 | 15.15 | 17.0 | 205 | 230 | 79.6 |
 |
S2-33 "Clydesdale" Solid Fuel Booster | Large, Radial mounted | 18 500 (8 660.0) |
144.00 | 21.00 | 2 200 | 10 | 50 | 16 400 | 2 948.936 | 3 300.0 | 2.05 | 2.29 | 14.04 | 15.71 | 210 | 235 | 85.9 |
Liquid fuel rocket engines
Advantages
- Modular design: fuel and other components can be stored elsewhere in the craft.
- Throttle can be adjusted depending on thrust requirements.
- Can be switched off and re-ignited at will.
- Many nozzles can be gimballed for thrust vectoring.
Disadvantages
- Lower power to weight ratio compared to solid rocket engines.
- Complex design with fuel tanks and other additional components.
- More points of possible failure such as if the parts tear apart from stress.
- Efficiency largely dependent on design, with large variations.
Available liquid fuel rocket engines
| Thrust (kN) |
T/W ratio |
Max. Fuel Consumption ( /s)
|
Isp (s) | TVC | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Part | Radial size | Cost ( ) |
Mass (t) |
Max. Temp. (K) |
Tolerance (m/s) |
Tolerance (g) |
atm | vac | atm | vac | atm | vac | Gimbal (°) | |
 |
LV-1R "Spider" Liquid Fuel Engine | Radial mounted | 120 | 0.02 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 1.79 | 2.0 | 9.14 | 10.20 | 0.141 | 260 | 290 | 10.0 |
 |
24-77 "Twitch" Liquid Fuel Engine | Radial mounted | 230 | 0.08 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 15.17 | 16.0 | 19.34 | 20.39 | 1.125 | 275 | 290 | 8.0 |
 |
Mk-55 "Thud" Liquid Fuel Engine | Radial mounted | 820 | 0.90 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 108.20 | 120.0 | 12.26 | 13.60 | 8.024 | 275 | 305 | 8.0 |
 |
O-10 "Puff" MonoPropellant Fuel Engine[Note 1] | Radial mounted | 150 | 0.09 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 9.60 | 20.0 | 10.88 | 22.66 | 2.039 | 120 | 250 | 6.0 |
 |
LV-1 "Ant" Liquid Fuel Engine | Tiny, Radial mounted | 110 | 0.02 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 0.51 | 2.0 | 2.59 | 10.20 | 0.129 | 80 | 315 | — |
 |
48-7S "Spark" Liquid Fuel Engine | Tiny | 240 | 0.13 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 16.56 | 20.0 | 12.99 | 15.69 | 1.275 | 265 | 320 | 3.0 |
 |
LV-909 "Terrier" Liquid Fuel Engine | Small | 390 | 0.50 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 14.78 | 60.0 | 3.01 | 12.24 | 3.547 | 85 | 345 | 4.0 |
 |
LV-T30 "Reliant" Liquid Fuel Engine | Small | 1 100 | 1.25 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 205.16 | 240.0 | 16.74 | 19.58 | 15.789 | 265 | 310 | — |
 |
LV-T45 "Swivel" Liquid Fuel Engine | Small | 1 200 | 1.50 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 167.97 | 215.0 | 11.42 | 14.62 | 13.703 | 250 | 320 | 3.0 |
 |
S3 KS-25 "Vector" Liquid Fuel Engine | Small, Radial mounted | 18 000 | 4.00 | 2 000 | 22 | 50 | 936.51 | 1 000.0 | 23.87 | 25.49 | 64.745 | 295 | 315 | 10.5 |
 |
T-1 Toroidal Aerospike "Dart" Liquid Fuel Engine | Small, Radial mounted | 3 850 | 1.00 | 2 000 | 20 | 50 | 153.53 | 180.0 | 15.66 | 18.35 | 10.797 | 290 | 340 | — |
 |
LV-N "Nerv" Atomic Rocket Motor[Note 2] | Small | 10 000 | 3.00 | 2 500 | 12 | 50 | 13.88 | 60.0 | 0.47 | 2.04 | 1.530 | 185 | 800 | — |
 |
RE-L10 "Poodle" Liquid Fuel Engine | Large | 1 300 | 1.75 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 64.29 | 250.0 | 3.75 | 14.57 | 14.568 | 90 | 350 | 4.5 |
 |
RE-I5 "Skipper" Liquid Fuel Engine | Large | 5 300 | 3.00 | 2 000 | 8 | 50 | 568.75 | 650.0 | 19.33 | 22.09 | 41.426 | 280 | 320 | 2.0 |
 |
RE-M3 "Mainsail" Liquid Fuel Engine | Large | 13 000 | 6.00 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 1 379.03 | 1 500.0 | 23.44 | 25.49 | 98.683 | 285 | 310 | 2.0 |
 |
LFB KR-1x2 "Twin-Boar" Liquid Fuel Engine[Note 3] | Large, Radial mounted | 17 000 (14 062.4) |
42.50 (10.50) |
2 000 | 20 | 50 | 1 866.67 | 2 000.0 | 4.48 (18.13) |
4.80 (19.42) |
135.964 | 280 | 300 | 1.5 |
 |
Kerbodyne KR-2L+ "Rhino" Liquid Fuel Engine | Extra large | 25 000 | 9.00 | 2 000 | 7 | 50 | 1 205.88 | 2 000.0 | 13.66 | 22.66 | 119.968 | 205 | 340 | 4.0 |
 |
S3 KS-25x4 "Mammoth" Liquid Fuel Engine | Extra large | 39 000 | 15.00 | 2 000 | 20 | 50 | 3 746.03 | 4 000.0 | 25.47 | 27.19 | 258.978 | 295 | 315 | 2.0 |
 |
CR-7 R.A.P.I.E.R. Engine[Note 4] | Small | 6 000 | 2.00 | 2 000 | 20 | 50 | 162.30 | 180.0 | 8.27 | 9.18 | 12.036 | 275 | 305 | 3.0 |
- ↑ Consumes monopropellant. (the density of monopropellant is less: 4kg/unit)
- ↑ Consumes liquid fuel only.
- ↑ The LFB KR-1x2 is a liquid fuel booster -- a combination of a "normal" engine and a fuel tank.
- ↑ The R.A.P.I.E.R. Engine is a combination of liquid fuel and jet engine. Only the liquid fuel engine properties are shown.
