KerbalSoaring

Github

KerbalSoaring Alpha v8.1

Requires: Ferram Aerospace Research >= v0.16.1.2 and Waypoint Manager >= 2.8.4.7

Recommends: Kerbal Wind Continued, KerbinSide Remastered, and FARGE

Introduction

KerbalSoaring is a mod for KSP 1.12.5 and Ferram Aerospace Research which implements a simulation of thermal updrafts, enabling unpowered gliding and long-distance soaring flight. This mod is built to be compatible with, but does not require, Kopernicus systems and existing wind mods like Kerbal Wind.

Thermals

Thermals are large areas of rising air currents. The lifting effect of a thermal is stronger toward its center and when the sun is higher in the sky. Thermals fade out below 250 meters, and extend upward to a variable maximum altitude depending on where they are. Like in real life, lightweight gliders with large wings are buoyed more by these updrafts than heavier craft with smaller wings. A fast jet will barely flinch in a thermal, but a well-engineered glider can climb even in the late evenings or on the margins of a thermal.

Wind Integration

If using Kerbal Wind, circling gliders will accurately lose speed while turning upwind and gain speed while turning downwind. A strong wind will cause a glider to drift downwind away from the center of a thermal if not corrected. Stronger winds at high altitude make it more difficult to control a smooth circle within the radius of a thermal, but fast, swooping downwind turns can yield huge altitude gains if done correctly. Wind mechanics add a lot to the feeling of soaring and I STRONGLY recommend Kerbal Wind even if it is not required!

Alpha Limitations

In this alpha state, thermals are fixed in location over most vanilla tracking stations, anomalies, launchpads, and runways, as well as a number of noteworthy geographical features. An example course around the KSC and mountains just west of it is possible for gliders with a good glide ratio. I have also configured thermals over the locations of the major KerbinSide bases. Included is a custom waypoints file for Waypoint Manager (not bundled) which marks the location of each thermal in-game, currently 49. It is easy to configure additional thermals via the included config file. The mod currently only checks for the presence of an atmosphere; planet-specific config settings are planned for later in the Alpha.