Impactor Asteroid Early Warning System

[katateochi]

Basic Idea

A system that will alert you about incoming asteroids that are on a course to impact with Kerbin with a 2nd (optional) level where failing to deal with impactors has a consequence.

Details

The game has a new structure at KSC that is totally optional to build (not building it won't affect any other part of the game).

If you choose to build it then it's first tier form is a small telescope on a tripod surrounded by some sandbags (or something equally basic).

At this level it will only detect asteroids on a collision course that are 30 days away. If it detects an impactor asteroid you get an alert and the asteroid is automatically tracked in the tracking station (I'd also like it so when you view it from the space centre view there is a red flag flying, and a Kerbal running around in a state of panic).

At this stage it doesn't matter if you ignore the asteroid or not.

The second tier is where this starts to impact on the game. The second upgrade should look a bit more serious, more like an observatory.

At this level it is able to detect impactors that are 60 days away from Kerbin's SOI and as before you get an alert (and a silly animation in the space centre view) and the asteroid is automatically tracked in the tracking station.

But you also get a contract automatically added to redirect it. If you choose to upgrade to this level you are entering in to having an obligation to redirect impactors. Failure to do so will cost you rep. The contract that gets automatically added to your accepted contracts will be to knock it off course so it misses Kerbin and you will get rep (and possibly cash) if you succeed. However if you fail it will cost you rep (quite a lot, and more for larger asteroids).

The first tier is more like a taster, it just lets you know about impactors, but there is no consequence for letting them impact and no reward for redirecting them. You can then choose to upgrade to the next tier or not (and that choice should not impact on any other part of the game). You should get due warning that upgrading to the next tier will have consequences if you fail to redirect an impactor, but equally you can gain rep for successful redirects.

I'm not sure if there is any need for a 3rd tier version of the building (or maybe have one that just gives you earlier alerts).

The key point about this is it's optional. If you don't want to deal with redirecting asteroids then don't upgrade the building to it's 2nd tier. But if you want a bit more urgency to your game and aspire to being the hero of Kerbin (we know you are already, but now you can prove it), then you can opt in.

I'd really like to see something like this in the game. Even just to have an early warning system without any consequences would be nice, but I think if there are consequences associated with it, it would add another fun aspect to the game. What do you guys think?

[tomf]

I like this idea, I think I'll make a mod based on it. I'll call it NotImapact for Rep

[Unfawkable]

This is a good idea, but it can be implemented as a modification to existing Asteroid contracts. Currently you get contracts for D and E asteroids to put them in some orbit, which is considerably harder than just nudging them to avoid impact with Kerbin.

[katateochi]

I like this idea, I think I'll make a mod based on it. I'll call it NotImapact for Rep

This would work well as a mod. Let me know if you do make something with it and I'll help test it.

This is a good idea, but it can be implemented as a modification to existing Asteroid contracts. Currently you get contracts for D and E asteroids to put them in some orbit, which is considerably harder than just nudging them to avoid impact with Kerbin.

Yes it could be just another contract type of asteroid contract but the point I wanted to have with this is that once you choose to enter into asteroid deflection you are then obligated to deflect all that could be a threat. With the current contracts system you'd be able to choose to ignore them and the current contracts have very long time windows. I agree just deflecting an asteroid is not hard, but the challenge comes in having a small window and needing to setup a defensive system of a number of craft that are ready and waiting in orbit and can deal with the threat quickly and then return to a waiting position (so fully reusable otherwise it would become too costly). The fun in it is that unlike asteroid capture missions which tend to have long burns, this would be quicker missions and your focus would be on building the process to deal with them rather than having to make accurate and often tedious manoeuvres with asteroids.