Thermal Control Panel

[HUG]

I actually came here to look if I could help someone with something but I found that there´s enough nice people out there to answer all the questions. Then something came into my mind I actually wonder since years now but always forget about it again. Now I want to take the chance to finally get an answer.

What do you guys use the thermal control parts for? I must add that I had only rovers, probes and relay satellites outside Kerbin sphere of influence. The relay satellites I had even very close to the sun on a closer than Moho trajectory. All these devices survived the temperature without thermal control. I guess it has all to do with Kerbonauts right? Any suggestions? 

My modifier settings are Hard preset, all G-Forces/Pressure limits on, Need Signal, Plasmablackout, No additional Ground Stations. 

Edited October 17, 2020 by HUG

[VoidSquid]

Doing ore harvesting as well as producing fuel with an ISRU unit produces a lot of heat, therefore requires adequate cooling  

21 hours ago, HUG said:

The relay satellites I had even very close to the sun on a closer than Moho trajectory

As soon as you switch to anything more away than 2.5 km, physics (incl. thermals and EC consumption/production) aren't calculated anymore. Hence, for example, your relay sats work w/o consuming any EC as soon as you switch away.

Edited October 18, 2020 by VoidSquid
Typos, again :(

[HUG]

27 minutes ago, VoidSquid said:

Doing ore harvesting as well as producing fuel with an ISRU unit produces a lot of heat, therefore requires adequate cooling  

As soon as you switch to anything more away than 2.5, physics (incl. thermals and EC consumption/production) aren't calculated anymore. Hence, for example, your relay sats work w/o consuming any EC as soon as you switch away.

Okay I understand harvesting resources requires the cooling. I must confess (and feel ashamed of it) I never harvested anything lol. I wouldn´t even really know how to do it (ok now I feel really really really ashamed). I don´t even know what to use the stuff for (oh god after 5 years of KSP or so I´m still a noob). Well, don´t judge me, I actually always start a new game after each major update or DLC. I wasn´t even at Jool already. 

 

Okay thnx for that. Now one question remains. What do you mean 2.5? I used electric propulsion to get to the trajectory close to the sun (Don´t know anymore how close it was exactly but it took like 10.000 dV to get there) and it took me Electrical Charge for sure. I had even to try twice because the first satellite´s solar panel was not big enough to compensate the 15 minutes burn.

Edited October 17, 2020 by HUG

[VoidSquid]

25 minutes ago, HUG said:

I´m still a noob

That would describe me as well then

Basic idea behind harvesting ore and making fuel from it: I only need to have enough fuel to reach my destination CB from Kerbin. Land, refuel, fly back. Huge, no HUGE saving mass this way, starting with say 1000 tons instead of 1800.

 

25 minutes ago, HUG said:

What do you mean 2.5?

Physics range is 2.5km, stupid typos again, I'm sorry.

Edited October 17, 2020 by VoidSquid