Real Scale Boosters - Parts Pack

Realistically scaled rockets, somewhat loosely based on real world counterparts, with reasonably accurate stats.

NOTE: This is still in alpha/beta state. Parts and features are still being added, and things can and will change.

Required Dependencies:

• Module Manager

Highly Recommended:

• Hangar Extender (practically a must-have)

• Kerbal Joint Reinforcement

• Real Solar System

• FAR

• Community Tech Tree (if not playing in Sandbox mode)

Currently Supported:

• SMURFF

• TweakScale

• CommunityTechTree and/or SpaceY-Lifters's tech nodes

Installation:

Simply copy the "RealScaleBoosters" folder into your GameData folder. If upgrading from a previous version, be sure to delete the old one from GameData first (this is the cleanest option).

NOTE:

These rocket parts ARE NOT stock balanced! They're using the real world mass ratios, thrusts, ISPs, dry weights, and so on.

[[http://imgur.com/a/Qij85]]

About:

This pack is intended for use with "Real Solar System", or otherwise a more realistic scale version of Kerbin. The parts included will likely be severe overkill in a more normal KSP installation.

This pack provides a variety of "Kerbalized" versions of real world boosters. These are not meant to be true replicas. Where we've been able to get decent numbers for the real world counterparts, we have tried to get the sizes, masses, fuel capacities (in terms of mass), thrust, and ISP numbers close to correct. The art assets attempt to capture the overall shape and look of their real counterparts, matching the colors and dimensions, but perhaps not all of the details. Precision wasn't a requirement in building this pack. Rather, it's meant to be closer to the "SpaceY" art style, but functionally replicating real boosters.

You will also notice that this pack includes only the boosters, and not the payload portions of these rockets. For example, the Saturn V parts are included from the bottom, up to and including the third stage (and Instrument Unit), but no Apollo spacecraft. The Space Shuttle parts will build you a working LH/LOX tank ("soon") and SRB combo, but does not have an Orbiter. The idea is to build your own payload and use realistically performing analogs to the boosters used in the real world. To that end, some adapters and fairing parts are included so that other KSP parts will function with these boosters.

While some parts already have a diameter close to a standard KSP size, they're still slightly different. If it's close enough, I've included a little bit of a rim that will help hide the transition when attaching stock parts. If it's too far off, an adapter is often the better way to go. For instance, the Atlas V's first stage is 3.81m. A simple rim works in this case when attaching a Kerbodyne 3.75m tank.

Usage Notes:

• None of the engines have bottom attachment nodes, or auto-shrouds. Instead, the mod functions more realistically, with interstages that are matched to the stages that use them, and engines can be mixed and matched inside of them (space permitting). Usually you will need to place the engines first, and then snap the appropriate interstage on afterward (whose attachment node may be hidden inside the tank).

• Because different rockets historically have had different staging sequences, some of which place ullage motors on the interstages (Saturn V for instance), sometimes the stage's fuel tank has a decoupler node. Attachment nodes for the interstages may be hidden inside the tank butt, and usually are aligned with the exterior fuselage, rather than the end of a bulging dome or tank butt.

• Realistic numbers have been used where possible, but sometimes available data online is rounded or imprecise, or have changed over the years so they are inconsistent. Numbers may be tweaked in the future if better information becomes available. Part sizes should be reasonably correct, but sometimes we lose a half meter or more somewhere.

• In the available data, SRBs often are described in terms of either peak thrust, or average thrust. In the real world they have a highly variable thrust profile (by design). In KSP they use a single, invariant thrust level. We've opted for using a number somwhere between the average and peak thrusts. You may find the burn times shorter than the real world counterparts as a result, unless you use thrust limiting.

• Real world RCS and attitude control thrusters tend to be very weak compared to what we're used to in KSP. For example the thrusters in the Delta IV upper stages are supposed to have less than 0.04 thrust. In KSP that feels almost useless, so we've opted for numbers closer to KSP's usual RCS thrusters.

• By default RSB uses the stock LiquidFuel, Oxidizer, and MonoPropellant, but with the correct amounts of mass, so that the performance is consistent with the real rockets. Compatibility patches for Real Fuels (for example) should be forthcoming eventually.

• These rockets are reasonably stable under the stock joint strength, and stock aerodynamics, since the part count is low. KJR and FAR are still recommended for a good experience though.

Known Issues:

• The Atlas V 500-series procedural fairing doesn't want to stretch straight up cylindrically around the Centaur at the correct diameter. It has to widen slightly first.