RV-105 RCS Thruster Block
RV-105 RCS Thruster Block | ||
by STEADLER Engineering Corps | ||
Radial size | Radial mounted | |
Cost | (total) | 45.00 |
Mass | (total) | 0.04 t [N 1] |
Drag | 0.001 [N 1] | |
Max. Temp. | 1500 K | |
Volume | 40 l | |
Impact Tolerance | 15 m/s | |
Research | Advanced Flight Control | |
Unlock cost | 1 200 | |
Since version | 0.11.0 | |
Part configuration | rcsBlockRV-105.cfg | |
Maximum thrust | (1 atm) | 0.42 kN |
(vacuum) | 1.00 kN | |
Isp | (1 atm) | 100 s |
(vacuum) | 240 s | |
Fuel consumption | 0.11 /s
| |
Thrust vectoring | No | |
Thrust vectors | 4 (sideways) | |
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The RV-105 RCS Thruster Block is used for spaceship rotation and translation movement and is fueled by a RCS fuel tank.
Contents
Usage
This RCS thruster allows thrusting in any direction sideways to it. Placing four thrusters of this kind are sufficient to translate the craft in all directions. In this layout the translation force along the roll axis is twice as high as the two other axes usually.
Description
In real life, RCS stands for Reaction Control System, a name for the system used to control the attitude of a spacecraft rather than its orbital velocity.
“ | The recent discovery of a third law of physics made it possible for STEADLER Corps engineers to produce these small monopropellant thrusters, to help with attitude control and linear motion. Even though many Kerbal physicists still dispute the validity of this new law, studies show that the thrusters seem to work as advertised. — STEADLER Engineering Corps |
” |
The third law of physics referenced in the quote is likely a reference to third law of motion, which says that every force generates an equal counter-force. That's exactly how monopropellant thrusters (or rather any kind of rocket thrusters) work: when expelling propellant with a specific force, an equal force pushes the spacecraft in the opposite direction.
Trivia
Between their introduction in 0.11 and 0.17.1 (including the old 0.13.3 demo), all RCS blocks were massless and dragless, despite the CFG file values. Since 0.18 (including the new 0.18.3 demo), RCS blocks have the expected mass values.
Changes
- Nominal performance increased, bug providing vastly superior linear performance removed.
- Retextured, given Isp values and actual mass.
- Initial Release