OhioBob

BetterSRBs Description BetterSRBs modifies solid rocket boosters in Kerbal Space Program. Although some new parts are added, this is really not a parts mod. The purpose is to fix deficiencies in existing SRBs so that their performance and physical properties are internally consistent and closer to real life. SRBs continue to have mass ratios comparable to the stock game, but specific impulse has been increased to lifelike values. Dry masses, fuel loads, and thrusts are computed in a realistic manner based on the physical dimensions of the part. These changes result in improved SRB performance, both in terms of efficiency and total impulse. This improved performance must come at a price, so SRBs are now significantly more expensive. On a cost vs. performance basis, the price of SRBs remains comparable to the stock game. Also implemented is the use of thrust curves to vary thrust during a burn in a realistic way. And with the addition of B9 Part Switch, the player can select from different fuel grain geometries to obtain the thrust curve best suited to one's needs. New Parts BetterSRBs adds parts to fill the need for a more diverse range of SRBs in the stock game. The parts added are just rescaled duplicates of existing parts, though with new textures to give them a distinctive appearance. There are now 1.875-meter versions of the Thumper and Kickback solid fuel boosters. Also added is a 1.875m nose cone and a 1.875 x 1.25m adapter. Requirements ModuleManager Recommended Mods B9 Part Switch - While not expressly required, B9 Part Switch allows part variants not otherwise available. SmartParts - SRB Monitor auto-stages SRBs when the thrust-to-weight ratio falls below a specified value. Supported Mods In addition to modifying the stock parts, configs are also included to modify the SRBs of the following part packs: SpaceY Heavy Lifters KW Rocketry Rebalanced NovaPunch Rebalanced RLA Reborn ReStockPlus Mk3 Stockalike Expansion Also included is RealPlume support for the added SRBs. Installation Instructions Download BetterSRBs v1.2.7 Copy from [Download]\GameData\ to [KSP]\GameData\ the folder BetterSRBs and all its contents. Credits @Sigma88 for writing the plugin. @JadeOfMaar for retexturing the new parts. License This mod is licensed by Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND Download (GitHub) FAQ How much have SRBs changed from the stock versions? In some cases, significantly. Other than physical dimensions, pretty much everything about the original SRBs has been thrown out and recomputed from scratch. Only the Kickback has retained its original mass properties, which provides the standard for other SRBs. Thrusts are also redone, computed on the basis of fuel grain size and geometry. What's the difference between using B9 Part Switch and not using it? BetterSRBs works fine without B9 Part Switch, but all SRBs use only one default thrust curve with no option to change. With B9 Part Switch installed, you can right-click on a SRB in the editor and select from a list of different grain geometries, each with a different thrust curve. What are grain geometries and thrust curves? In real life SRBs do not burn at constant thrust as they do in stock KSP. As the solid fuel burns, more or less surface area is exposed to the flames, changing the rate of gas production, and hence the thrust. By changing the initial shape of the fuel, i.e. the grain geometry, it's possible to control the speed and pattern at which the fuel burns. Plotting thrust versus time gives the thrust curve. B9 Part Switch is installed but some SRBs are not showing the variants? The grain geometry variants are added only to those parts changed by BetterSRBs. If an SRB is not showing the variants, then it is an unmodified part, either by choice or because it is from an unsupported mod. What is "Max. Thrust" as shown in the part data? What is shown as "max. thrust" is actually "average thrust". And in this specific case, it is the average thrust using the default grain geometry. Do the thrust and fuel limiters work? Yes, the thrust and fuel limiters work the same as they always have. Note that while the limiters can change the thrust and burn time, the shape of the thrust curve is unchanged. Thrust will always progress along the entire curve from beginning to end. Does the stock delta-v readout work? Special care has been taken to assure that the delta-v readout provides the greatest accuracy and usefulness as possible, but there are limitations. Since Δv is independent of thrust and TWR, all Δv calculations should be correct. The stock readout also correctly computes SRB burn time. The thrust and TWR values shown for "sea level" and "altitude" are those at initial SRB startup (i.e. at liftoff). The "vacuum" values are based on the average thrust. UPDATE - Starting with KSP 1.10, the stock delta-v readout no longer correctly computes burn times for the 10-slot and special grain geometries. Does this mod work with Kerbal Engineer Redux? In flight mode, KER works fine, but in editor mode, the data provided is only partly reliable. All thrust and TWR values (atmospheric, altitude, and vacuum) are those at initial SRB startup. Therefore starting TWR is correct, but ending TWR is not. Burn times are incorrectly computed for all but the default grain geometry. Δv calculations should be, for the most part, correct; though errors could occur if there are staging issues resulting from the incorrect burn times. Does this mod work with MechJeb? I don't know. I don't use MechJeb so it hasn't been tested. Why is my favorite part pack excluded? Some mods are excluded intentionally as to not disturb the internal balance of those particular mods (BDB), or because the mod is doing its own thing with SRBs (SSTU). If there are other parts packs you’d like to see included, please let me know and I’ll see what I can do about adding them.

@Linventor, for atmospheres you can use this: And even if you don't want to use the tool, you can learn from it to see what all the atmosphere settings do.

Internally Gael's name is "Kerbin", so use that. Similarly, Ciro's internal name is "Sun". Gael and Ciro are only display names. However, if you are using GPP_Secondary, then the internal names are actually Gael and Ciro. But otherwise use Kerbin and Sun.

go is used in the equation because that's the way specific impulse is defined. Specific impulse is the ratio of thrust to the flow rate of weight ejected. In imperial units, this is pounds thrust divided by pounds per second of exhaust product. (The pounds cancel so we end up with specific impulse having units of seconds.) But what is weight? Weight is mass times the acceleration of gravity. But we want specific impulse to be a standard unit that is the same everywhere. We don't want it to vary depending on where we are, so we define the weight to be that on the surface of Earth. Therefore we multiply the mass flow rate by earth's standard gravity to get weight. The equation for specific impulse is, therefore Isp = F / (ṁ * go) where Isp is specific impulse, F is thurst, ṁ is the mass flow rate, and go is standard gravity (9.80665 m/s2). The rocket equation is, Δv = Ve * LN( mo / mf ) where Ve is the effective exhaust gas velocity. Thrust is the effective exhaust gas velocity times the mass flow rate, F = Ve * ṁ So if we substitute Ve * ṁ for F in the specific impulse equation we get, Isp = (Ve * ṁ) / (ṁ * go) Canceling out ṁ and rearranging, we get Ve = Isp * go So that's how we end up using specific impulse times standard gravity in the rocket equation.

The atmospheres were fixed a long time ago. Jool was a particular problem right after v1.0 was released, but that was fixed promptly with one of the subsequent releases (v1.0.5 as I recall). Changes were also made to Eve's atmosphere. You should be able to aerobrake at Jool, but the safe corridor is pretty narrow. The margin of error is small. And, of course, you'll need ample heat shields. The periapsis that you'll need will vary depending on (1) the entry velocity, and (2) the ballistic coefficient of the vessel. You'll likely need to determine the correct periapsis experimentally. I did a bunch of tests on this a couple years ago and determined that the median periapsis was about 155 km, though it varied. Since then, however, Squad changed the drag coefficients of some parts (pointy parts less draggy and blunt parts more draggy), so I can't guarantee that number is still good.

@MongooseNX, I believe the warp to morning thing is a Kerbal Konstructs issue. It's a known problem for which I don't think there's a current solution. @Galileo is more familiar with it than I, so maybe he can tell you more.

Try this. Find the following file, OPM/KopernicusConfigs/SarnusMoons/Eeloo.cfg Search the file for the following code and delete the part highlighted in red. That should restore Eeloo's stock textures. %ScaledVersion { fadeStart = 52500 fadeEnd = 105000 Material { texture = OPM/OPM_Textures/PluginData/Eeloo_color.dds normals = OPM/OPM_Textures/PluginData/Eeloo_normal.dds } }

@Cubivore, VoronoiCraters will remove the craters from the body when up close or landed on it. But the scaled space (distant) view won't change. For that you need to replace the color and normal maps.

I'm sure my experience is atypical compared to most KSP players. My learning of rocketry and orbital mechanics started long before there was ever a Kerbal Space Program. I began studying those subject it in earnest as hobby starting about 1995. So by the time I discovered KSP, I already knew how to build and fly a rocket. I started putting stuff in orbit and flying successful missions right away. My learning curve was just about leaning how the game worked. There were no instructions or tutorials at that time, so I didn't know about stuff like maneuver nodes. I had to learn that those were a thing, which I picked up mostly from YouTube videos. Although KSP hasn't taught me all that much about orbital mechanics and rocketry that I didn't already know, I have benefitted from playing it. KSP forced me to thing about solutions to problems I had previously considered. It's given me some practical hands on experience that I couldn't get just from book learning.

UPDATE Version 1.0.0.1 Changelog Fixed a bug in Nodens' scatterer configs. Revised delta-v tables (interplanetary transfer orbits). Alters orbits of OPM planets when installed with GEP_Primary. See opening post for download link and instructions.

I posted this in the GEP thread a couple days ago, but I think it makes sense to post it here as well. The following is what happens when GEP, GPP and OPM are installed in the following combinations GEP ---> Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. GEP + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. GPP ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus is added as a secondary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets. GPP + GEP ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GPP + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus is added a secondary solar system, orbited by the OPM planets. GPP + GEP + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. Robau's Star and the OPM planets are added as a third solar system. GPP + GPP_Secondary ---> Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus is added as a tertiary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets GPP + GPP_Secondary + GEP ---> Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a tertiary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GPP + GPP_Secondary + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus is added as a tertiary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets GPP + GPP_Secondary + GEP + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a tertiary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. GEP + GEP_Primary + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. The OPM planets are added to the GEP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP ---> FAIL. (Both systems load as primary, overlapping each other and creating a mess.) GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP + GPP_Secondary ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GEP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP + GPP_Secondary + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. The OPM planets are added to the GEP solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GEP solar system.

@Dafni, with those specs, I doubt you'll have a problem. You've got a beefy rig than I do, and I haven't experienced any problems. Of course I don't run many part packs, etc. I usually don't have more than about 30-35 mods installed.

Like JadeOMaar said, you probably need to just try it out and see if your computer can handle it. I've never had any problem with all three planet packs installed, but then I have 32GB of RAM and a pretty good graphics card. Lesser computers might struggle, but I have no idea where the limit lies. I use to have just 8GB and I couldn't run GPP by itself unless I uninstalled all the visual mods. So maybe it will come down compromises. Perhaps you can run all three planets packs but only without EVE or scatterer. Or perhaps you can use EVE and scatterer but with only one planet pack installed. You'll just have to figure out what's most important to you and what your computer can handle. It doesn't do any harm to experiment.

With Stock + GPP_Secondary, the internal names of the stars are Sun (Kerbol) and Ciro. So as long as referenceBody = Sun, Nohochacyum will orbit Kerbol. You really just have to look at the configs of the planet pack you want to install it with and see what the "name" parameter is for the different bodies. Then you can make your planet pack fit in accordingly. In some cases you might have to use NEEDS conditions to account for different scenarios. With GEP I really only considered installing it with Stock, GPP and OPM. That's because those mods are in many ways under the same umbrella (it's the same group of devs that are responsible for all three). But I'm sure there are other planet packs that GEP will also work with. As long as there's a "Sun", Grannus should orbit it. I just haven't tested GEP with anything else.

Refresh my memory, Nohochacyum is a star with its own planets, correct? Since it works with the stock solar system, I assume the reference body in its orbit node is "Sun". In that case, it should work with any planet pack that has a star named "Sun". (I'm talking about the internal name, not the display name.) For instance, with GEP_Primary the internal name of Grannus is "Sun" (Grannus is just the display name). So an installation of GEP + GEP_Primary + Nohochacyum should work. In that case Nohochacyum should orbit "Sun", i.e. Grannus, as a secondary star system. With GPP, Ciro's internal name is "Sun". So GPP + Nohochacyum should also work, with Nohochacyum orbiting Ciro. You just have make sure that Nohochacyum's orbit doesn't get in the way of any other stars, or planets orbiting those stars.

What changes won't show up where? You're being way too general. Explain explicitly step by step exactly what it is you're doing and what you think the problem is.

I agree. I'm just not too keen on providing support for any outdated versions. I don't like spending time on something we've moved beyond.

The following is what happens when GEP, GPP and OPM are installed in the following combinations GEP ---> Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. GEP + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. GPP ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus is added as a secondary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets. GPP + GEP ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GPP + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus is added a secondary solar system, orbited by the OPM planets. GPP + GEP + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GPP solar system, with Ciro the new sun and Gael the new home world. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. Robau's Star and the OPM planets are added as a third solar system. GPP + GPP_Secondary ---> Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus is added as a tertiary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets GPP + GPP_Secondary + GEP ---> Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a tertiary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GPP + GPP_Secondary + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus is added as a tertiary star orbiting Ciro, but it has no planets GPP + GPP_Secondary + GEP + OPM ---> The OPM planets are added to the stock solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the stock solar system. Grannus and the GEP planets are added as a tertiary solar system orbiting the GPP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. GEP + GEP_Primary + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. The OPM planets are added to the GEP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP ---> FAIL. (Both systems load as primary, overlapping each other and creating a mess.) GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP + GPP_Secondary ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GEP solar system. GEP + GEP_Primary + GPP + GPP_Secondary + OPM ---> The stock solar system is replaced by the GEP solar system, with Grannus the new sun and Nodens the new home world. The OPM planets are added to the GEP solar system. Ciro and the GPP planets are added as a secondary solar system orbiting the GEP solar system.

I haven tested it in 1.3, but I did some limited testing in 1.3.1. It should work, but not with an old version of GPP. If you want to use GEP and GPP together, GEP 1.0.0.0 must be matched to GPP 1.6.3.0 or else it will fail. I pretty certain the (Stock + GEP) and (GEP_Primary) options both work in 1.3.1.

That has limitations, however. The first burn (or the first two burns, or whatever) can't add up to more than escape velocity. Once you hit escape velocity, that's it, you're never coming back. In low Kerbin orbit escape velocity is about 940 m/s. If you need a delta-v of, say, 1800 m/s, you might say I'll do it in burns of 600-600-600. Well, that doesn't work because about halfway through the second burn you've hit escape velocity. At that point you have no choice but to finish off the burn and send the spacecraft on its way. I generally see no reason to do more than two burns. With the first burn about 750-800 m/s to put the spacecraft in a 6-hour orbit. And then the rest is done in the second burn.

What trouble are you having with height maps? Please give details. Can't help you if you don't explain in detail what the problem is. Why are you using v1.3.1-3? Kopernicus is now up to v1.3.1-9. People may be reluctant to help with something that far out of date.

Additional Update Note... If you are using both GPP and GEP, be advised that if you update to GPP 1.6.3.0 you must also update to GEP 1.0.0.0. The old and new versions are not compatible with each other. The versions must be matched as follows: GPP 1.6.2.2 <> GEP 0.9.2.0 GPP 1.6.3.0 <> GEP 1.0.0.0

UPDATE Version 1.0.0.0 Changelog Made GEP a standalone mod, independent of GPP. Added GEP_Primary, including all related configs and revisions. Added GEP_CommNet, including all related configs and revisions. Added textures for Communotron 7-1000 antenna. Added delta-v tables. Enabled PlanetShine and EVE eclipses for GEP_Primary. Revised Nodens' PQSmods and textures, added islands for PQSCity. Revised Belisama's meanAnomalyAtEpoch to improve solar eclipses. Revised some in-game descriptions. GEP is no longer GPP dependent. It is now a standalone mod that can be added to the stock solar system as well as GPP. It can also be installed as the primary star system with the planet Nodens as the home world (using the optional add-on GEP_Primary). If installed with GPP, be advised that GEP 1.0.0.0 requires GPP 1.6.3.0 or later. Earlier versions of GPP must continue to use GEP 0.9.2.0. See opening post for download link and instructions.

@Snark, later today the next version of GEP will be released. Unless you're able to update JX2 Antenna as requested, I'm going to have to list JX2 as a "known issue" and recommend it not be used in combination with GEP_CommNet.

It sounds like you misunderstood me. I do not recommend two separate burns in the way that you describe. It is most efficient to perform a single burn when near the planet. While I separately calculated the delta-v needed to change the periapsis after escaping, this was done only to determine how much hyperbolic excess velocity is needed. The burn that provides the hyperbolic excess velocity is performed near the planet in a single burn. You burn enough to increasing the vessel's velocity to escape velocity, and then you continue to burn to give it some extra energy. This extra energy is left over after you escape in the form of hyperbolic excess velocity.