Heat Shields & Fairings

Protect your Kerbal vessel during atmospheric re-entry with heat shields and reduce ascent drag using fairings like the AE-FF1.

Heat shields (e.g., Heat Shield (1.25m)) protect your vessel from the extreme temperatures of atmospheric re-entry. They ablate (burn away) during re-entry, absorbing heat. Fairings (e.g., AE-FF1 Airstream Protective Shell) enclose payloads, reducing aerodynamic drag during ascent. They are jettisoned once the vessel is out of the dense atmosphere.

Always include a heat shield for any part of your vessel returning to Kerbin from orbit or beyond. Fairings are essential for large or irregularly shaped payloads to improve ascent efficiency and prevent structural damage from aerodynamic forces.