parts [1.12.x] 'Project Orion' Nuclear Pulse Engine

[Ryan949]

The reactors are just place holders right? At least that's what I'm assuming since there isn't any Enriched Uranium resource that they're supposed to run off of.

[damerell]

8 hours ago, Ryan949 said:

The reactors are just place holders right? At least that's what I'm assuming since there isn't any Enriched Uranium resource that they're supposed to run off of.

They start full of the stuff. I suspect with other USI mods you can refuel them, too.

[RoverDude]

9 hours ago, Ryan949 said:

The reactors are just place holders right? At least that's what I'm assuming since there isn't any Enriched Uranium resource that they're supposed to run off of.

Nope, final

1 hour ago, damerell said:

They start full of the stuff. I suspect with other USI mods you can refuel them, too.

Yep!  Though I need to move some of that refueling code out to a shard library

[Whirligig Girl]

The nuclear reactors cause huge amounts of NullRefs.

This is repeated in the log:

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at ResourceBroker.ParseFlowMode (.PartResourceDefinition res, System.String flowMode) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

  at ResourceBroker.AmountAvailable (.Part part, System.String resName, Double deltaTime, System.String flowMode) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

  at ResourceConverter.ProcessRecipe (Double deltaTime, .ConversionRecipe recipe, .Part resPart, .PartModule resModule, Single efficiencyBonus) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

  at BaseConverter.FixedUpdate () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

Happens when the nuclear reactor is turned on and off.

[RoverDude]

Usual deal.  How did you install this mod, and provide a screenshot of your GameData and UmbraSpaceIndustries folders.

[Ryan949]

I can start the reactors but for some reason they don't transfer any resources that they're supposedly making to any other parts of the ship - also the heat efficiency isn't getting above 6%. Any idea what's going on?

[RoverDude]

Can you provide more specificity please?  Regarding efficiency, you need radiators

[Ryan949]

This is what I'm getting: http://imgur.com/2rmyYf7
As you can see both reactors stay at room temp and aren't producing any xenon gas (mind the tweak-scale) or electric charge

[RoverDude]

The reactors are underutilized, so they automatically lower load to what you actually are using.

[RightInfinity]

Looking like a promising mod, if bare bones and having quite a few rough edges

This mod seems to summon a bug I've run into while moving asteroids before. Hitting quicksave after using this engine for a prolonged period (Interplantery transfers in my case) then loading that quicksave will cause the vessel to violently (and often catastrophically) spin out, change velocity, and sometimes end up in completely different orbits to what it was heading in.

If KSP is restarted before loading the save, the ship will not jerk volently, but position/velocity/orbit still may appear differently. What ever causes this also seems to cause FPS slowdowns before saving/loading, but not after loading. swapping to another vessel and rendezvous with an affected craft causes the same effects as loading a save

Other than that bug rearing it's head, are there any plans to make magazines replaceable or reloadable? Or Options for letting action groups detonate 1 bomb per press?

Thanks

[damerell]

2 hours ago, RightInfinity said:

Or Options for letting action groups detonate 1 bomb per press?

I've sent a pull request with that effect already; should I post the recompiled USI Tools DLL?

[RightInfinity]

On 14/12/2015 11:18:14, damerell said:

I've sent a pull request with that effect already; should I post the recompiled USI Tools DLL?

You can, But I haven't been able to find a link to github.

Can't do much with the engines until the physics issue is dealt with anyway

[RoverDude]

Please do not post alternate versions of my core DLLs - I'd prefer to avoid the support headaches

RE Physics - just make sure the engines are shut down before saving.  

[damerell]

On 15/12/2015, 20:09:13, RightInfinity said:

You can, But I haven't been able to find a link to github.

It's to USI_Tools not Nuclear Rockets.
Based on what RoverDude says above, I think you'll have to compile it yourself or wait. :-/

[RightInfinity]

On 15/12/2015 at 7:59 AM, RoverDude said:

RE Physics - just make sure the engines are shut down before saving.  

As in properly hitting the "shut down engine" button and not just setting the thrust 0?

Because either way causes the issue.

As a note, further experimentation with it shows that a work around of sorts is possible. If you enable non-physical timewarp, wait until the crew portraits load, then turn off the timewarp, phantom forces won't rip your ship apart or change your orbit(if your ship survives). Though this needs to be done every time you load, no matter the situation you saved your state. Getting rid of it entirely still requires that KSP be restarted.

Another note: None of these effects apply to craft that are "landed" These will stay perfectly still.

Edited December 20, 2015 by RightInfinity
More information

[RoverDude]

Odd, the only issue I've ever had is when the throttle was > 0.  Reason being that it's still applying force (based on what your throttle is) until the shock wave is over.  So throttle zero, wait until it stops pushing you (i.e. watch the G-Force meter), then you should be fine.  Max wait would be a few seconds.

[LitaAlto]

@RoverDude Sorry if this has been asked before--but do you have any plans on allowing radial attachment to any of the Project Orion parts? I'd like to add RCS booms so I can perform fine maneuvers, and to attach SRBs to get the ship out of the thickest part of the atmosphere before setting off any nukes. But right now it looks like I'll need to add a 5m structural part in-between for those purposes.

Also, for the general audience--does anyone know of 5m command modules that might go with this? I'm using the Taurus 3.75m pod for now but would appreciate something that matches the scale of the Orion/Medusa parts. Thanks!

[Nova Solarius]

On 12/22/2015 at 5:39 AM, LitaAlto said:

@RoverDude Sorry if this has been asked before--but do you have any plans on allowing radial attachment to any of the Project Orion parts? I'd like to add RCS booms so I can perform fine maneuvers, and to attach SRBs to get the ship out of the thickest part of the atmosphere before setting off any nukes. But right now it looks like I'll need to add a 5m structural part in-between for those purposes.

Also, for the general audience--does anyone know of 5m command modules that might go with this? I'm using the Taurus 3.75m pod for now but would appreciate something that matches the scale of the Orion/Medusa parts. Thanks!

Yes, it has been asked before. Fairly sure there were no plans to allow for radial attachment. Something about a design choice if I recall correctly.

As for 5m parts... SpaceY Heavy Lifters has plenty. No command modules, though I believe it has adapters. 5m seems to be rather uncommon for the time being. Speaking of which, do you know where I can find some reasonably powerful 5m reaction wheels?

[RoverDude]

FTT has a lot of 5m parts

[MatheM]

Hello RoverDude, first of all I love your mods. I am thinking of using them to build a craft that will kill my computer.

Second I want to ask if it would be eventually possible to add flag decal to the centre of the sail of your medusa engine. I was trying to edit the texture to achieve that but it is copied multiple times over the sail. I don't know blender or unity enough to edit the model myself. So I would like to know if it would be possible for you to ad it or point me to a tutorial that would tell me how to add flag decal to ksp .mu files. 

Thank you for all the awesomeness you are doing.

[RoverDude]

Possible, but would require a change to the model itself so something that would be very low on the list

[SessoSaidSo]

Not too bad for only needing two launches...

In the last image I included a shot of the OMS engines I added for fine control. I usually turn off the NPD engine with about 30 to 60 dV to go to fine tune my maneuver. These engines are very inefficient...perhaps you could add some sort of built in NTR system for fine adjustments???

Other than that system works very well, I just need to haul 15k of monopropellant to get less than 600 m/s dV Ha!

I do have problems with the gimbaling of the NPD. I usually just lock it and let SAS or RCS take control. I can run 4X speed with this entire stack and have perfect control.

 

Edited January 9, 2016 by SessoSaidSo

[bootstrap22]

Roverdude, just wanted to let you know, AWESOME mod! Nice to see NPP getting some deserved love. Wanted to let you know that you can safely launch a vessel using the 2500 pulse units on max throttle  I just made an account so not sure how to add screenshots, but I launched a 7.4 kiloton vessel to orbit using approx 150 pulse units. It was probably the gentlest space launch I've ever conducted, with the highest G's experienced being 3.2, Jeb fell asleep and he was the pilot  So yeah fully equipped and self sufficient space colony with landing, mining, and vessel constructing capacity, with support capacity for 30 kerbals. 1 Single vessel, 7.4 kilotons, ~150 PU, and an incredibly gentle ride to orbit for 30 kerbals.

I gave you the story because I figured you might want to see if the numbers were consistent with what you wanted the orion to do. I figure I was pretty close to the high end of what a single engine will accomplish, while at the low end of a realistic launch. I think it balances out pretty nicely, but not sure where you're aiming.

[kurdain]

I searched around in this thread but didn't find the exact bug I am having, I could have missed it.

Anyhow.

When I purchase the magazine for the pulse engines as the FIRST part by itself and place it down it costs 37,864 (39,000 - 3% career bonus thing from the administration building). Seems fine as the advertised price in the parts list says 39,000.

If I move the part, attach it to any other part or any part to it, or add it anytime other than the 1st part in a build then the price goes to over 9.7 million!

How do I fix this and what do you require from me to help you help me?

Thanks,

Edited January 19, 2016 by kurdain

[kurdain]

Pre-week-end hope to get it working...