/sci/ - Science & Math

straight-wing shuttle report: payload bay is kinda working but the infernal robotics hinge refuses to lock when i hit launch no matter how many times i tell it to lock in the VAB, which leads to the nose cone drooping down inside the bay and sometimes causing the stack to start wobbling and mildly explode.
in theory the booster's a simple problem compared to the orbiter but the lack of relightable ground engines in the game makes doing a boostback a lot less feasible than i'd hoped. i had to go to 6 F-1As to get the stack off the ground and for now i'm trying to squeeze an E-1 in the middle for boostback but that's more dead weight to carry around and i'm not sure it can do the burn fast enough. it might end up being easier to go with the 1970 plan of doing a backflip into the atmosphere and flying the thing back to the cape, but that would probably mean going with the heavier spaceplane tankage to keep it from burning up.