Difference between revisions of "RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster"

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{{:RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster/Box}}
 
{{:RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster/Box}}
  
The '''RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster''' is a part introduced in version 1.0.
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The '''RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster''' is a solid rocket booster (also known as an SRB) used to provide a short burst of additional thrust to a rocket. It comes as a single unit. The engine and fuel tank are one single part which means that it isn't possible increase the burn time for it by adding more fuel tanks.
  
The RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster (also known as an SRB) is a solid rocket booster used to provide a short burst of additional thrust to a rocket. It comes as a single unit. The engine and fuel tank are one single part which means that it isn't possible increase the burn time for it by adding more fuel tanks.
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The Flea is the first engine unlocked in the [[tech tree]], and is available to players at the start of a [[Career mode|Career]] or [[Science mode|Science]] mode game.
 
 
== Usage ==
 
With the release of KSP [[1.0]] and the nerfing of the [[atmosphere]], it was found that the old mainstay [[RT-10]] was vastly overpowered<ref name="Devnote Tuesday 2015 April 21">HarvesteR, [http://kerbaldevteam.tumblr.com/post/116409412639/devnote-tuesday-experimental-improvements Experimental Improvements, Devnote Tuesday 2015 April 21]</ref> in this new environment (and itself nerfed, being pushed back in the [[technology tree]] to Basic Rocketry, reduced in Isp by 32.5% and specific thrust by 39.5%).  It is very likely that most players will only use this motor in their first few Career flights, but eventually, there will be someone who will complete a significant mission using only RT-5s for propulsion, as has been done with the RT-10 and [[Sepratron I]] in the past.
 
  
 
== Product description ==
 
== Product description ==
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|While considered by some to be little more than "a trash bin full o' boom", The RT-5 can be seen in use at many space programs, perhaps possibly because it is the only option for many space programs, but nevertheless, this small booster provides a nice kick to lift small payloads to considerable heights. Use with caution, though. Once lit, solid fuel motors cannot be put out until the fuel runs out.
 
|While considered by some to be little more than "a trash bin full o' boom", The RT-5 can be seen in use at many space programs, perhaps possibly because it is the only option for many space programs, but nevertheless, this small booster provides a nice kick to lift small payloads to considerable heights. Use with caution, though. Once lit, solid fuel motors cannot be put out until the fuel runs out.
 
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== Usage ==
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Like other SRBs, the Flea can be fired once, and cannot be shut down or throttled once active. While assembling a vessel, it is possible to adjust the amount of solid fuel and thrust using [[tweakables]] in the [[VAB]] or [[SPH]]. If planned properly, this can provide some control during flight.
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In most non-[[Sandbox mode|Sandbox]] games, a player's first rocket will be a [[Mk1 Command Pod]] atop a Flea. Because the Flea is light, a [[Mk16 Parachute]] is able to support both Flea and Command Pod, without needing to decouple the Flea.
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Like other engines, activating the Flea while a part is attached below it will cause the attached part to rapidly overheat and explode. This can be used as an ad hoc decoupler (see [[explosive decoupling]]). This is useful in mission-race Career games for maximizing [[Science]] while at the lowest level of the [[technology tree]], before proper decouplers are available.
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The Flea becomes less useful after the early game. Traditional SRB uses, like acting as kick stages, are usually better done with larger SRBs. With extremely large rockets, the Flea gains a niche use as scaled-up [[Sepratron I|Sepratrons]], since the Flea has a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than any other SRB (excluding the Sepratron).
  
 
== Variants ==
 
== Variants ==

Revision as of 02:02, 23 July 2021

RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster
Part image
Solid rocket booster by
Found lying by the side of the road

Radial size Small, Radial mounted
Cost (total) 200.00 Funds
(dry) 116.00 Funds
Mass (total) 1.50 t
(dry) 0.45 t
Drag 0.2-0.3
Max. Temp. 2000 K
Volume  ?
Impact Tolerance 7 m/s
Research Start.png Start
Unlock cost 0 Funds
Since version 1.0
Part configuration solidBoosterRT-5.cfg
Solid rocket booster
Maximum thrust (1 atm) 162.91 kN
(vacuum) 192.00 kN
Isp (1 atm) 140 s
(vacuum) 165 s
Fuel consumption 15.82 Units of fuel/s


Thrust vectoring No
Fuel 140.0 Units of fuel
Burn time (1 atm) 7.5 s
(vacuum) 8.8 s
Testing Environments
On the surface No
In the ocean No
On the launchpad Yes
In the atmosphere Yes
Sub orbital Yes
In an orbit Yes
On an escape No
Docked No
Test by staging Yes
Manually testable Yes

The RT-5 "Flea" Solid Fuel Booster is a solid rocket booster (also known as an SRB) used to provide a short burst of additional thrust to a rocket. It comes as a single unit. The engine and fuel tank are one single part which means that it isn't possible increase the burn time for it by adding more fuel tanks.

The Flea is the first engine unlocked in the tech tree, and is available to players at the start of a Career or Science mode game.

Product description

While considered by some to be little more than "a trash bin full o' boom", The RT-5 can be seen in use at many space programs, perhaps possibly because it is the only option for many space programs, but nevertheless, this small booster provides a nice kick to lift small payloads to considerable heights. Use with caution, though. Once lit, solid fuel motors cannot be put out until the fuel runs out.

Usage

Like other SRBs, the Flea can be fired once, and cannot be shut down or throttled once active. While assembling a vessel, it is possible to adjust the amount of solid fuel and thrust using tweakables in the VAB or SPH. If planned properly, this can provide some control during flight.

In most non-Sandbox games, a player's first rocket will be a Mk1 Command Pod atop a Flea. Because the Flea is light, a Mk16 Parachute is able to support both Flea and Command Pod, without needing to decouple the Flea.

Like other engines, activating the Flea while a part is attached below it will cause the attached part to rapidly overheat and explode. This can be used as an ad hoc decoupler (see explosive decoupling). This is useful in mission-race Career games for maximizing Science while at the lowest level of the technology tree, before proper decouplers are available.

The Flea becomes less useful after the early game. Traditional SRB uses, like acting as kick stages, are usually better done with larger SRBs. With extremely large rockets, the Flea gains a niche use as scaled-up Sepratrons, since the Flea has a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than any other SRB (excluding the Sepratron).

Variants

As of version 1.5 this solid fuel booster has three textures that can be switched in the editor.

White variant
Orange variant
Yellow-White variant
The different variants of the solid fuel booster

Changes

1.5
  • New model and texture
  • Added 3 variants
1.0
  • Initial release

References