This is a more in-depth and fleshed-out version of this post.
The problem.
In SimpleRockets 2, vacuum optimized engines' exhausts look something like this:
Low pressure
High pressure
Notice how the exhaust has a clearly defined boundary and appears only mildly under expanded. However, this is not how vacuum optimized engines' exhausts look like in real life.
Examples:
RL-10
Merlin-1D Vacuum
Merlin-1D Vacuum CG to better demonstrate visuals
Raptor CG
J-2
The fix
You can somewhat emulate real vacuum exhausts by setting the exhaust opacity to ~50% (via overriding the color) and setting the exhaust scale to 0.1.
The effects are amazing.
Low pressure
High pressure
However, this makes the exhaust look awful in the atmosphere.
Summary
Rocket engines should have extreme under expansion effects regardless of exhaust pressure in a vacuum. Rocket engine exhaust should also be less opaque in a vacuum.
This post has been merged with this post.