The KSP Interstellar Proxima Centauri Challenge

[pmborg]

Until now my record is 16MdeltaV, without any tricks...

Still to slow...

But I am trying to do something real Big...

 

[pmborg]

I have also a new (non realistic version) of 42MdeltaV because just have a cockpit...

TWR between 1 and 10... I like this!

 

With Bussard 77MdeltaV is ofc is faster cheaper but much more time to accelerate.

Edited August 10, 2019 by pmborg

[FreeThinker]

Notice there are few tricks you could use to improve DeltaV, an obvious one would be staging but you could also use decouple empty tanks during flight. Btw, those inflatable tanks are not exactly have the best mass ratio. IFS Cryo tanks get better mass ratio the bigger they get and the radial sphere tanks have the best mass ratios

Edited December 9, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

 

1 hour ago, FreeThinker said:

Notice there are few tricks you could use to improve DeltaV, ab obvious one would be staging but you could also use decouble empty tanks during flight. Btw, those infratable tanks are not exactly have the best mass ratio. IFS Cryo tanks get better mass ratio the bigger they get and the radial phere tanks have the best mass ratios

"the radial phere tanks have the best mass ratios"

Yes that is true, but with this mass at this scale, I found that is very difficult to prevent the rotation with those.

[FreeThinker]

On 8/10/2019 at 11:03 AM, pmborg said:

 

"the radial phere tanks have the best mass ratios"

Yes that is true, but with this mass at this scale, I found that is very difficult to prevent the rotation with those.

These tanks are indeed not very suitable for atmospheric usage, Ok, then I recommend the inline IFS sphere tanks, or at least the IFS Cryo Tanks

Edited December 9, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

In a combined version of those 2 engines (above)  without staging 68MdeltaV and with staging 77MdeltaV

I am exploring now the replacing of those tanks

[pmborg]

105MdeltaV now  thanks for the hint.

With both engines combined and 1 stage

[FreeThinker]

Notice there is also the option to use  the Bussard Magnetic Scoop combined with Bussard Fusion Engine, which effectivly gives you unlimited range.

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

I have Installed/available, with my mod pack:

• Magnetic Soop (this one?, This works in space but only a few amount is provided...)
• Radial Atmospheric Soop (To refuel at Jool)
• Bussard Fuel Soop (I use this combined with Bussard Ore Compressor. to get the precious ore to do Fertilizer) and get infinite Life Support.

or you mean another one in another mod?

Edited August 10, 2019 by pmborg

[FreeThinker]

yes KSPIE Magnetic Scoop, the collect more depending on your speed. They also produce a lot of drag which is usefull to slow down or for orbitting.

Regarding interstellar Fusion engines, they perform better and get lighter when scalled up. So using a 1 or 2 fusion engines is better than 4

@pmborg I don't know what you are using for power supply but Notice the collected Hydrogen can be converted into Energy using the Muon Catalised Fusion engine which has a Prototon-Proton and CNO Fusion Mode. It also has a Tri Alpha and Alpha Fusion mode for creating more advanced resources

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

Thank you I will explore/test that, the plan was to use "Whirlijig Nuclear Reprocessor" (for peaks) and "PB-AS-NUK Radioisotope Generator" (for backgound)

 

[FreeThinker]

On 8/10/2019 at 12:21 PM, pmborg said:

Thank you I will explore/test that, the plan was to use "Whirlijig Nuclear Reprocessor" (for peaks) and "PB-AS-NUK Radioisotope Generator" (for backgound)

 

I don't think that will be very effective in producing enough power. Notice that The Deadalus Requires quite some power, and if it starved it will produce less thrust

Notice you also have to add a few radiator to prevent it from overheating

Notice The Deadalus has 2 very usefull Interstellar navigation tools, Lightspeed Limiter and Fuel Limiter, the allow you to ration you fuel by automatically disable the engine self once a threshold it reached

Edited December 9, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

So

59 minutes ago, FreeThinker said:

I don't think that will be very effective in producing enough power. Notice that The Deadalus Requires quite some power, and if it starved it will produce less thrust

Notice you also have to add a few radiator to prevent it from overheating

Notice THe Deadalus has 2 very usefull Interstellar navigation tools, Lightspeed Limiter and Fuel Limiter, the allow you to ration you fuel by atomaticly disable the engine self once a treshhold it reached

Sorry, I am using MX-3L 'Hermes' I will try to get also an image of it.

[FreeThinker]

2 hours ago, pmborg said:

105MdeltaV now  thanks for the hint.

With both engines combined and 1 stage

Using a one way trip, it would mean you could speed up to 105 / 300 / 2 = 0.175 = 17.5% the speed of light, which is quite fast for a He3-D fusion powered ship, it only takes you about 25 years reach your destination, within the lifetime of a Kerbal.

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

Why divide by 300 you mean the acceleration time?

105MdeltaV is 35% of speed of light but in Theory I can't use that just half to break.

Edited August 10, 2019 by pmborg

[FreeThinker]

11 minutes ago, pmborg said:

Why divide by 300 you mean the acceleration time?

105MdeltaV is 35% of speed of light but in Theory I can't use that just half to break.

Silly me, I must have made a stupid calculation error. 300 is the speed of light in Million Meter/sec. I corrected my outcome

I guess this is about the reasonable upper limit you can get it. Any faster and you to build an antimatter beamed power ship, which is even harder

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

 

This is the base of the current version:

 

Testing it now.

Also have a version of 112M testing both.

[pmborg]

I am struggling with power generation in fact..

Edited August 10, 2019 by pmborg

[FreeThinker]

48 minutes ago, pmborg said:

I am struggling with power generation in fact..

I would replace the Muon catalized fuesion reactor by a Tri Apla, which can use Fussion Pellets as fuel

[pmborg]

I also have that but nothing seam sufficient... or I am forgetting something... I need 6 times more power that what I have.

 

[pmborg]

Ok I got, it is just a scale problem about "Tri Alpha" I very close now

[pmborg]

Finally working! Thanks for the precious hints.

Target 112MdeltaV:

 

Flying:

[FreeThinker]

Ok, so what the magnetic scoop for if you don't have muon catalysed fusion reactor or a bussard fusion engine. You want it to generate just to create drag as you approach you destination or do a planet fall? iF use correctly it can double your effective deltaV but in practive it will be more like 75%

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker

[pmborg]

2 minutes ago, FreeThinker said:

Ok, so what the magnetic scoop for if you don't have muon catalysed fusion reactor or a bussard fusion engine. You want it to generate just to create drag as you approach you destination or do a planet fall?

Actually I have both:

• muon catalysed
• bussard fusion engine

But probably don't know exactly what I am doing

If you have time please check the craft parts here:

https://kerbalx.com/pmborg/Daedalus_and_Bussard-v22-record/parts

Download link

https://kerbalx.com/pmborg/Daedalus_and_Bussard-v22-record

[FreeThinker]

10 minutes ago, pmborg said:

Actually I have both:

• muon catalysed
• bussard fusion engine

But probably don't know exactly what I am doing

I since you intend to do faster than 12% of the speed of light, the magnetic scoop main function is to act as a interstellar parashute because the bussard ramscoop has a terminal velocity of 0.12c. At that point the drag by the interstellar medium actualy becomes higher than the thrust you can produce from the collected hyrogen. So the trick would be keep the scoop inactive until you are approach your destination after it will generate more drag than you can produce using you engines. I think it would be safe to speed up to 0.25c and activate use the magnetic scoop at 0.1 lightyear from your destination util you have draged down to 0.001%c

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by FreeThinker