Flight Question RCS holes in re entry

[worir1]

Hi
I was wondering about the rcs holes during re entry. Why do the holes not act like a hull brake? What do real life craft do to prevent over heating in rcs?

 

[Aeadar]

Guessing that because they are small rocket nozzles they are thus already designed for high heat levels.

 

[Urwumpe]

Also, most of the airflow passes past them, and only a very small amount of air circulates through them, while the thruster is not firing.

And finally, no spacecraft has the RCS thrusters at a place, where high heating levels are reached. If you look at the Space Shuttle for example, all nose thrusters are at rather cold places, behind the shock waves during hypersonic flight.

 

[N_Molson]

And they are never oriented towards the airstream in exposed area, which would certainly cause spacecraft disintegration on reentry.

 

[worir1]

What about the up translation rcs? They must be at the bottom of the vessel.

 

[Scav]

What about the up translation rcs? They must be at the bottom of the vessel.

What, these?

 

[worir1]

Yes.

 

[garyw]

here you go a good view of the thrusters.

you can see that the thrusters in the main image there can be used for translation or rotation and so don't require holes in the underside tiles

 

[Pipcard]

That's some pretty good placement.

 

[worir1]

Ah i see they are on the side but .are pointing downwards. Clever