NERVAs doubling as RTGs

[FellipeC]

Since a nuclear engine is built around a nuclear reactor, and even a shutoff reactor still keeps emitting radiation by decay, isn't fair simple to attach a thermocouple to it and also produce a little electric energy, even with the engine shut off? That could be a second advantage of nuclear engines!

[Ralathon]

Since a nuclear engine is built around a nuclear reactor, and even a shutoff reactor still keeps emitting radiation by decay, isn't fair simple to attach a thermocouple to it and also produce a little electric energy, even with the engine shut off? That could be a second advantage of nuclear engines!

Sure, in real life they'd do that. Free energy is best energy and all that. But do the nerva's really need a buff like that? They're already twice as efficient as the second best LF/O engine and are used as the go to interplanetary engine by everyone and their mom. If you also gave them electric generation they'd become even stronger.

[Arsonik]

Perhaps these are things that they will facilitate once they have a monetary system installed. For now, for gameplay reasons stated by Ralathon, it doesn't make sense though.

[FellipeC]

Sure, in real life they'd do that. Free energy is best energy and all that. But do the nerva's really need a buff like that? They're already twice as efficient as the second best LF/O engine and are used as the go to interplanetary engine by everyone and their mom. If you also gave them electric generation they'd become even stronger.

At least my point was not wrong. But thinking of game balance, you are right.

Perhaps these are things that they will facilitate once they have a monetary system installed. For now, for gameplay reasons stated by Ralathon, it doesn't make sense though.

If RTGs are very expensive, than maybe would make sense including that in the nerva anyway.

Thanks guys

[Silverchain]

But do the nerva's really need a buff like that?

All parts should approximate to the properties of whatever they're modelled from so far as the simulation allows. Balance and fairness are only game concepts.

[WhiteWeasel]

All parts should approximate to the properties of whatever they're modelled from so far as the simulation allows. Balance and fairness are only game concepts.

And Kerbal space program is a game. People really need to see this.

Artistic License - Nuclear Physics: The LV-N Atomic Rocket Engine, a nuclear fission engine with poor thrust but extremely high efficiency in a vacuum, runs off of the same liquid fuel / oxidizer mix as any other liquid fuel engine. This is acknowledged in a comment in the item's config file, saying that it would be too much trouble to make two separate kinds of fuel sources just to support this one engine at the present time, and the engine was given low thrust for gameplay reasons so as to stop it from being the best engine for every situation.

Edited January 12, 2014 by WhiteWeasel

[M5000]

I think you could satisfy both sides of the argument, that is to say, realism versus balance, if you were to simply require those who wanted to use a thermocouple (a separate part, perhaps) to also be equipped with cumbersome and heavy radiator fins, as the RTG also needs cooling, so why then, wouldn't the NERVA based reactor?

[Starwaster]

Since a nuclear engine is built around a nuclear reactor, and even a shutoff reactor still keeps emitting radiation by decay, isn't fair simple to attach a thermocouple to it and also produce a little electric energy, even with the engine shut off? That could be a second advantage of nuclear engines!

Try Real Fuels

The stock NTR produces electricity when idle as long as there is still nuclearFuel in the engine.

(That part's a little glitchy right now but there's a fix for it)

And it's not overbalanced.