BSP4 Re-entry

[dutchpirate]

Calling all experienced BSP4 pilots, can anyone give me an approximate profile to follow for re-entry, please? I've been experimenting with a few different techniques and keep flinging myself back up into orbit. Coming in from a ~350km orbit.

Thanks!

 

[GregBurch]

Calling all experienced BSP4 pilots, can anyone give me an approximate profile to follow for re-entry, please? I've been experimenting with a few different techniques and keep flinging myself back up into orbit. Coming in from a ~350km orbit.

Thanks!

All of my spaceplanes are designed for very long, shallow reentries. Basically, make your braking burn over your target to lower your perigee into the atmosphere at the antipodes of your target and then really fly the reentry for a half-globe, using the airbrakes to control speed.

In an ideal reentry in my spaceplanes, you never see any plasma.

 

[dutchpirate]

Okay, that explains why a shuttle style 40AOA re-entry isn't doing much good!:rofl:

 

[Sherrif of Nottingham]

hmmm, thats explains why there's not heat shield on them, wow... I've tried the 40AOA but I always turn into a shooting star.

 

[eveningsky339]

An AOA of 40 would launch you into the Sun, considering the light weight of the BSP4!

Here is my standard procedure:

De-orbit passing over the target base one orbit before re-entry.

Hold yourself level with the horizon with speedbrakes extended until you reach about 70 km, at which point I hold that altitude.

Enjoy a nice, slow, fire-proof braking maneuver in the upper atmosphere.

I gradually lower my altitude as I slow down to increase air resistance, but I still go slow enough to avoid plasma burns.

Then I just glide in from there. Long and shallow.

 

[dutchpirate]

Thanks eveningsky339, I'll try that right away. What altitude is your orbit when you do the braking burn? Obviously if I'm in a higher orbit, the angle that I hit the atmosphere will be different with the same Pe than starting in a lower one.

 

[eveningsky339]

Thanks eveningsky339, I'll try that right away. What altitude is your orbit when you do the braking burn? Obviously if I'm in a higher orbit, the angle that I hit the atmosphere will be different with the same Pe than starting in a lower one.

300 km or so is my braking altitude.

 

[Arrowstar]

I typically brake 1/2 orbit away (opposite side of the planet) and burn a bit longer to get my perigee around where the target base is. It comes in a little harder, but I have a bit more energy to play with and I have to assume that Greg's vessels can take the heat. I've never missed a landing at Spaceport Pacificia yet...

 

[eveningsky339]

I typically brake 1/2 orbit away (opposite side of the planet) and burn a bit longer to get my perigee around where the target base is. It comes in a little harder, but I have a bit more energy to play with and I have to assume that Greg's vessels can take the heat. I've never missed a landing at Spaceport Pacificia yet...

Is it fireproof or do you have some plasma burns?