Suggestion: Aerodynamics

Suggestion/Idea: Aerodynamics

Type of Idea: Physics implementation

What it does: Aerodynamics is a well known realm of physics within Aerospace and Aviation fields. A plane or spacecraft flying forward in atmosphere can only do so as long as there's enough friction to ensure it keeps flying forward, and as long as it can maintain enough speed, it can maintain enough speed to keep flying with its wings, and its control surfaces will continue to use the airflow to maneuver the craft in any way the pilot wants it to. If the craft falls below a certain airspeed or achieves an Angle of Attack greater than the engine's Power/Thrust to Weight Ratio can compensate, it will stall and fall to the ground (VTOL vehicles, like those we see with vertically-mounted atmospheric engines, are not as vulnerable to this) until either the pilot recovers or the craft smashes into the ground. Too much airspeed, however, can severely mess up aerodynamic efficiency, and cause excessive drag due to phenomena like the Sonic Barrier (That thing modern jets pass through to go Supersonic). Ingame, the shape of a build and the way it was built can determine its aerodynamic capability. Slanted armor blocks and smooth lines will reduce drag, while bulkier and heavier builds with boxy profiles would face poor flight efficiency due to the increase in drag. These drag effects will vary with atmospheric density (One atmosphere, you'd get as much drag as in a Cessna flying at 1000 ft MSL (Mean Sea Level), where as in space, you'd get no drag at all), and how you build your ship will determine the outcome of its performance.

Why should it be added: Alongside other atmospheric effects like re-entry, it would challenge players to plan their approaches when entering a planet's atmosphere, and their escapes when leaving a planet's atmosphere. It would also make aerodynamic blocks possible, and have players plan out how to build craft for survival and exploration that tackles aerodynamic forces efficiently, providing a new challenge on planets.