Changes: Reaction control thruster

Revision as of 16:36, 8 January 2012

Template:Deletion

The reaction control system (abbreviated RCS) was a subsystem of a spacecraft. Its purpose was attitude control and steering. An RCS system was capable of providing small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions. An RCS was also capable of providing torque to allow control of rotation (flight dynamics, pitch, yaw, and roll). This was in contrast to a spacecraft's main engine, which was only capable of providing thrust in one direction, but was much more powerful.

RCS systems often used combinations of large and smaller thrusters, to allow different levels of response from the combination.

Reaction control systems were used:

for attitude control during re-entry
for stationkeeping in orbit
for close space rendezvous/maneuvering during docking procedures
for control of orientation, or 'pointing the nose' of the craft
as a backup means of de-orbiting

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+{{deletion}}
-The '''reaction control thrusters''' are the standard [[thruster]]s used by the [[Federation]] for low-velocity propulsion, station-keeping and maneuvering control in space.
+The '''reaction control system''' (abbreviated '''RCS''') was a subsystem of a [[spacecraft]]. Its purpose was attitude control and steering. An RCS system was capable of providing small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions. An RCS was also capable of providing torque to allow control of rotation (flight dynamics, pitch, yaw, and roll). This was in contrast to a spacecraft's main [[impulse drive|engine]], which was only capable of providing thrust in one direction, but was much more powerful.
-In [[2366]], in an attempt to escape from a [[Promellian battle cruiser]] surrounded by [[aceton assimilator]]s, [[Jean-Luc Picard]] used only two of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}'s RCS thrusters to maneuver the vessel through the remains of [[Orelious IX]]. ({{TNG|Booby Trap}})
+RCS systems often used combinations of large and smaller thrusters, to allow different levels of response from the combination.
-A [[Type 15 shuttlepod]] uses eight DeFI 657 hot gas RCS thrusters, ({{TNG|Descent}}, ''display graphic'') also known as [[microfusion thruster]]s. ({{TNG|In Theory}})
+Reaction control systems were used:
-In [[2369]] [[Deep Space 9]] was moved from the orbit of [[Bajor]] to the mouth of the [[Bajoran wormhole]] with six of the stations RCS thrusters. A [[subspace field]] was used to reduce the stations inertial mass to shorten the travel time from two months to some minutes. ({{DS9|Emissary}}) Another way of getting more velocity from RCS thrusters is to accelerate the deuterium feed and burn them beyond safety limits. ({{VOY|The Cloud}})
+* for attitude control during re-entry
+* for stationkeeping in orbit
-In order to conduct an emergency shutdown of all RCS thrusters, all [[deuterium]] from the RCS system must be vented out. ({{VOY|The Cloud}})
+* for close space rendezvous/maneuvering during docking procedures
+* for control of orientation, or 'pointing the nose' of the craft
-Starfleet regulations state that only thrusters are allowed for propulsion inside a space dock. ({{film|6}})
+* as a backup means of de-orbiting
+{{pna-cite}}
-==Background==
-According to ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual]]'', although all thrusters serve the same function, the propulsive exhaust production behind an RCS thruster varies slightly, depending on the size of the craft.
-[[Starship]]s have primary and auxiliary thrusters. The primary thrusters are powered by a gas-fusion reaction chamber. It uses [[deuterium]] fuel from fuel tanks that in turn are fed from the ships main deuterium tank. Exhaust is delivered through a field trap into the vectored thrust nozzles visible from the outside. Auxiliary thrusters have no tanks or fieldtraps, and are powered by a microfusion chamber. The generated thrust is considerably lower.
-[[Shuttlecraft]], [[escape pod]]s, [[cargo management unit]]s and some probes also use microfusion thrusters. In the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]'', the ''Defiant''{{'}}s lifeboats are said to use impulse microthrusters and microtorpedoes in turn use a miniature fusion thruster for propulsion.
-According to ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual'', the thrusters of [[Cardassian]] [[space station]]s also use deuterium fuel, fed into a protean-cycle fusion reaction chamber to produce the exhaust to the thrust nozzles. This seems to differ from a starship thruster in the sense that it is designed to create a low thrust. RCS thrusters of a [[Federation]] space station are stated to function in a similar way.
 ==Related links==
-* [[Reaction control system]]
+* [[Reaction control thruster]]
+* [[RCS inverter]]
-[[de:Manövriertriebwerk]]
 [[Category:Propulsion technology]]