Atmospheric Thrusters

Atmospheric Thrusters are, as their names indicate, thrusters that operate only on planets with atmospheres.

•  Atmospheric Thruster
  •  Sci-Fi Atmospheric Thruster
•  Large Atmospheric Thruster
  •  Sci-Fi Large Atmospheric Thruster
•  Flat Atmospheric Thruster
  •  Flat Atmospheric Thruster D Shape
•  Large Flat Atmospheric Thruster
  •  Large Flat Atmospheric Thruster D Shape

Usage

Atmospheric thrusters can be used on all planets with thick enough atmospheres. On planets, make your strongest atmo thrusters the dorsal thrusters, they point downwards to counter gravity. If you choose to include them on a shuttle, switch them off when you reach space to save power. They are the most efficient source of thrust in an atmosphere, better than hydrogen thrusters.

Another advantage is low cost, they do not require expensive  Thruster Components, and you can build their components with basic resources found on planets. Their main disadvantage is the futility of using them in space, on moons, and asteroids. While transitioning to space, they slowly lose all thrust.

Construction

If you have Progression on, you must build a cockpit or Remote Control first to unlock atmospheric thrusters.

Gallery

• 

  You recognise Atmospheric Thrusters by their white flame on the backside and turbine on the front side.

• 

  A planetary shuttle using Atmospheric Thrusters.

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  Atmospheric Thrusters cause damage to blocks exposed their exhaust, do not place blocks right behind them.

Considerations

Ship Type	Block Type	Dimensions (blocks)	Thrust (kN)	Max Power Requirements (MW)	Power Efficiency (kN/MW)	Volume Efficiency (kN/block)	Exhaust Destruction (blocks)
Large Grid	Large and  Sci-Fi Large	5x3x3	6480	16.80	385.71	144.00	3x1x1
	normal and  Sci-Fi	3x1x1	648	2.40	270.00	216.00	1x1x1
	Large Flat and  Large Flat D Shape	2x3x3	2600	6.70	388.06	144.44	1x1x1
	Flat and  Flat D Shape	1x1x1	200	0.80	250.00	200.00	1x1x1
Small Grid	Large and  Sci-Fi Large	5x3x3	576	2.40	240.00	12.80	4x1x1
	normal and  Sci-Fi	3x1x1	96	0.60	160.00	32.00	1x1x1
	Large Flat and  Large Flat D Shape	2x3x3	230	1.00	230.00	12.78	1x1x1
	Flat and  Flat D Shape	1x1x1	32	0.20	160.00	32.00	1x1x1

Note that the 5x3x3  Large Atmospheric Thrusters are more power efficient than the 3x1x1  Atmospheric Thrusters, but are less space efficient as they produce less thrust per block. Therefore, the latter might be more suitable for mining ships that need to carry heavy loads through tight tunnels, while the former might be more suitable for cargo ships that need to carry heavy loads across long distances.

Horizontal Flight

Some tips for a horizontal long distance flight on a planet:

1. Create a separate control group for your braking thrusters (the fore thrusters) and add the group’s on/off action to your Tool Bar.
2. While flying horizontally, keep Inertial Dampers on to fight gravity. Toggle off your braking thrusters to save power.
3. To brake, keep Inertial Dampers on and toggle your braking thrusters back on.

Vertical Flight

Some tips for an atmospheric shuttle lifting off vertically from a planet into “orbit”:

1. Make sure you have additional Ion or Hydrogen thrusters installed to take over as soon as you reach space!
2. Create separate control groups for the different types of thrusters so you can switch them all on or all off.
3. Create a separate control group for the atmospheric thrusters that counter gravity in a vertical lift-off.
4. Add the Increase and Decrease Thrust Override actions for your lift-off thruster group to your Tool Bar.
5. After lift-off, increase the Thrust Override until you reach a stable maximum acceleration (99m/s), then switch off Inertial Dampers to save power until you reach “orbit”.
6. When leaving the atmosphere, switch on your Hydrogen/Ion thrusters, reset the thrust override, and switch off the Atmospheric Thrusters.

Switch Inertial Dampers back on while manoeuvring.

See Also

• Ion Thrusters
• Hydrogen Thrusters
• Wheel Suspensions

Functional Blocks

Utility  Small Battery,  Battery,  Small Reactor,  Large Reactor,  Small Warfare Reactor,  Large Warfare Reactor,  Solar Panel,  Colorable Solar Panel,  Wind Turbine,  Twin-Blade Wind Turbine,  Hydrogen Engine  Medical Room,  Corner Medical Room,  Survival Kit,  Cryo Chamber,  Inset Cryo Room,  Oxygen Farm,  Air Vent,  Air Vent Full,  Air Vent Fan,  Air Vent Fan Full  Interior Light,  Offset Light,  Spotlight,  Offset Spotlight,  Inset Light,  Light Panel,  Corner Light,  Corner Light - Double  Basic Refinery,  Refinery,  Basic Assembler,  Assembler,  Drill,  Grinder Block,  Welder Block,  Projector,  O2/H2 Generator,  Yield Module,  Power Efficiency Module,  Speed Module Command and Control  Cockpit,  Fighter Cockpit,  Control Station,  Flight Seat,  Helm,  Saddle Cockpit,  Saddle Cockpit Compact,  Cab Cockpit,  Buggy Cockpit,  Rover Cockpit,  Industrial Cockpit,  Passenger Seat  Control Panel,  Control Panel Pedestal,  Vertical Button Panel,  Sci-Fi One-Button Terminal,  Sci-Fi Four-Button Panel,  Sci-Fi Control Panel,  Button Panel,  Inset Button Panel,  Button Panel Pedestal,  Remote Control,  Custom Turret Controller,  Action Relay  Sensor,  Automaton Sensor,  Timer Block,  AI Basic,  AI Recorder,  AI Flight,  AI Defensive,  AI Offensive,  Event Controller,  Programmable Block Communications  Antenna,  Laser Antenna,  Compact Antenna,  Beacon,  Round Beacon,  Ore Detector,  Camera,  Top Mounted Camera,  Sound Block,  Broadcast Controller  Text Panel,  LCD Panel,  Corner LCD,  Wide LCD Panel,  Transparent LCD,  Sci-Fi LCD Panel,  Holo LCD,  Inset LCD Panel,  Sloped LCD Panel,  Curved LCD Panel Defense and Offense  Gatling Gun,  Reloadable Rocket Launcher,  Rocket Launcher,  Artillery,  Autocannon,  Assault Cannon,  Railgun,  Warhead,  Explosive Barrel  Gatling Turret,  Rocket Turret,  Artillery Turret,  Autocannon Turret,  Assault Cannon Turret,  Decoy,  Interior Turret,  Safe Zone, Mobility  Atmospheric Thruster,  Large Atmospheric Thruster,  Ion Thruster,  Large Ion Thruster,  Hydrogen Thruster,  Large Hydrogen Thruster,  Jump Drive,  Gyroscope,  Parachute Hatch,  (Short)  Wheel Suspension 1x1,  (Short)  Wheel Suspension 2x2,  (Short)  Wheel Suspension 3x3,  (Short)  Wheel Suspension 5x5,  Offroad Wheels Inventory Management  Large Cargo Container,  Medium Cargo Container,  Small Cargo Container,  Oxygen Tank,  Hydrogen Tank,  Small Hydrogen Tank,  Store,  Contracts Block  Connector/Ejector,  Small Connector/Ejector,  Collector,  Conveyor Sorter,  Small Conveyor Sorter,  Conveyor Frame,  Conveyor Converter,  Conveyor Junction,  Conveyor Tube  (Reinforced),  Curved Conveyor Tube  (Reinforced),  Conveyor Tube T Junction  (Reinforced);  Small Conveyor,  Small Conveyor Tube  (Reinforced),  Small Curved Conveyor Tube  (Reinforced),  Small Conveyor Tube T Junction  (Reinforced),  Industrial Conveyor Pipes Mechanics, Magnetism, Gravity  Advanced Rotor,  Rotor,  Piston,  Hinge  Landing Gear,  Magnetic Plate,  Merge Block,  Artificial Mass,  Gravity Generator,  Spherical Gravity Generator