What makes the engine gimbal?

[jarmund]

I just noticed that an engine with gimballing enabled will still gimbal despite having throttle at 0% and no electric charge in the ship at all.

So, what we can conclude then, is that gimballing is not driven by electric actuators or anything electrical at all, but by different means. What mystical force drives the gimbal, then?

I think it's safe to conclude that it's not:

1) Solar powered - Works despite not having researched solar panels yet.

2) Heat exchange powered - Works on Eeloo too.

3) Wind powered - Works in vacuum.

Edited July 2, 2015 by jarmund

[sal_vager]

What mystical force drives the gimbal, then?

Code.

Not sure what other answer you could expect...

[Windspren]

It's obviously powered by a Krakenanium reactor.

[Rithsom]

Control surfaces don't require power either. I could imagine the smaller ones being hand/foot cranked, but what about the Big-S ones?

[sal_vager]

Control surfaces don't require power either. I could imagine the smaller ones being hand/foot cranked, but what about the Big-S ones?

Lots and lots of string.

[Technical Ben]

Easy. It's Maxwell's Daemon.

[jarmund]

Lots and lots of string.

Sounds like this is where one would like to have a myriad of interns onboard, cranking and churning.

[mikegarrison]

It's the slithy toves that make the engine gyre and gimble in the wabe.

[LittleBlueGaming]

Mechanical linkage to the cockpit using struts is the obvious answer.

Proof: using a probe core without power means the probe can't engage the actuators. Manned missions can still do it as long as there are sufficient snacks on board.

- - - Updated - - -

Code.

Not sure what other answer you could expect...

Killjoy

[Starwhip]

Psychic link to the Real World.

[severedsolo]

There is a little green hamster on each side, with their heads sellotaped to the engine. When the engine needs to gimbal right, the left hamster is given a small electric shock, and moves forward,pushing the engine.

At the same time, a small treadmill moves underneath them, powering the alternator.

They should rename this game "Hamster Space Program"

[jarmund]

Mechanical linkage to the cockpit using struts is the obvious answer.

Proof: using a probe core without power means the probe can't engage the actuators. Manned missions can still do it as long as there are sufficient snacks on board.

You, my dear Sir, read my mind. I was thinking the exact same thing when the thought "But what about probes?" strafed my mind just after posting this thread.

[Magniff]

To me, it's an electric motor.

I really don't understand why're people regarding Kerbals as some kind of space orcs, nowadays.

Both share a green coloured skin and a limited drive for self-preservation, no further similaritys!

EDIT:

Mechanical linkage to the cockpit using struts is the obvious answer.

Proof: using a probe core without power means the probe can't engage the actuators. Manned missions can still do it as long as there are sufficient snacks on board.

- - - Updated - - -

Killjoy

Well, this proofs it isn't an electric motor!

Edited July 2, 2015 by Magniff

[wossname]

Orcs... in... spaaaaace.

Just don't suggest this to Peter Jackson.

[justidutch]

Engines are made from leftover spoons, everyone knows that. Therefore: mind-control.

[Geschosskopf]

What makes the engine gimbal? Simple: the engine gimbal factory makes the engine gimbal. They subcontract this part to Rockomax and all the other engine manufacturers.

Now, if you'd asked, "What causes an engine to gimbal?" I would have told you the dark secret of the engine gimbal factory, which is that each unit has a dog's brain hardwired into it. When the pilot moves the joystick, a patented device sends a signal to the dog brain, which makes it think it's still in a dog and is about to be fed. This causes the dog brain to send out commands to wag its tail, which are then sent to the actuators that move the engine nozzle. But since you didn't ask me that, I won't divulge this.

Oops.

[ExEvolution]

Obviously a fly by wire system

Same with parachutes

[Kuu Lightwing]

A gimbal makes engine gimbal! Probably hydraulic one...

[DoToH]

Ninjas!!!

I don't know how they do it, but, since nobody can see them, they must be ninjas.

[Bill Phil]

Hydraulics.

But what powers the hydraulics? Who knows.

[Kuu Lightwing]

Hydraulics.

But what powers the hydraulics? Who knows.

The SCIENCE powers the hydraulics!

[Brotoro]

It's the slithy toves that make the engine gyre and gimble in the wabe.

Ha, ha.

Have a kerbal snack.

[timandy1]

It's simple, they are driven by psychic powers! Kerbals have to have huge heads for something! Kerbal Brains: 1% Smarts, 99% Powers

[theJesuit]

Angels...

[KSK]

Witchcraft. In case of emergency the crew can divert surplus witchcraft from the sensor arrays to gimbal the engines.