Feedback #13168
Mk-55 "Thud" engine seems too niche with poor stats
Description
Maybe there's something I'm not seeing about the Thud, but it seems like there's no reason to use it right now. In atmosphere, SRBs with nosecones are cheaper for adding extra thrust and winglets are a cheap and easy way to fix attitude control problems. In vacuum, it's extra weight with low Isp and gimballing that hardly matters.
It might make a good asthetic OMS for small shuttles, but there's very little reason to use it over Terriers or even Vectors (which will be on many higher tech shuttles as ascent engines anyways).
For landers, it's not too hard to get a good ground clearance under a Terrier, and fairings being pretty much required nowadays makes bulky radial-mounted engines not so good.
I think all the Thud really needs to be competitive is a bit more vacuum Isp; it definitely needs more than the Vector if it's to fulfill a role as an OMS engine, 325 might be enough to make it okay for landers as well.
History
#1
Updated by jonatkins about 8 years ago
Updated by It isn't often useful, but does have it's uses.
A couple of launches in my recent career game needed them. I hadn't unlocked the higher thrust engines (eg. mainsail), and was already using SRB, but, once the SRBs were ditched, didn't have enough thrust with the skipper to get the vessel into orbit. Adding thuds gave the additional thrust needed to that stage.
It did take 6 or 8 of them though, so perhaps higher thrust is a valid point.
#2
Updated by Hhhhh about 8 years ago
Updated by I think they should just add more radial engines
#3
Updated by AlffromKerbal about 8 years ago
Updated by Maybe it's just a diversity of properties you are able to mix in relation what you need.
By example, i lately used 1 'Spark' + 4 'Twitch' instead of 1 'Terrier' = much more thrust in VAC and less weight.
"Thud' is somehow balanced in VAC & ASL, more powerful to 'Swivel" in both (and in steering) and lower weight.
I think, checking stats, 'Thud' seems an underestimated very nice niche (if you have the additional fuel).