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| ==Meaning==
| | #REDIRECT [[Navigation in the Re-imagined Series]] |
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| Reaction Control System
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| ==Description==
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| The reaction control system is designed to provide a spacecraft with guidance and steering. It has two main functions:
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| * Delivering small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions
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| * Providing torque to allow control of rotation (pitch, yaw, and roll).
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| Reaction control systems are typically used for:
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| * Atitude control during entry into an atmosphere until such time as conventional aerodynamic surfaces can be used
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| * Stationkeeping in orbit
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| * Close maneuvering and/or docking
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| * Orientation control (pointing the nose of the vehicle).
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| ==Colonial Use==
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| All Colonial vessels utilise RCS systems for manoeuvring / station keeping, although the scale of the systems varies widely.
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| * Vipers, Raptors and all smaller craft appear to use "cold" RCS systems, most likely utilising either an inert gas or possibly a high specific-impulse hypergolic fuel mixture
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| * Very large vessels use strategically-mounted sets of very large fuel-burning thrusters, relying on the brute force of such systems to overcome interia during manoeuvres.
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| ==Cylon Use==
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| Cylon manoeuvring technology is unclear at this time. However, it is likely their vehicle use RCS systems that are similar in form and function to Colonial systems.
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| [[Category:Technology]]
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