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

[Businfu]

Initial Feedback (on Orion, haven't even tried medusa):

1. Awesome. Instant download. The textures are so perfectly right.

2. First couple ships I built blew up the launch pad right after loading. I believe the animation triggered and the blast plate dealt the deadly blow. Launch clamps to keep it suspended fixed the issue.

3. Flying a ship is completely nuts, like nothing I've ever done in KSP. I like the whole harnessing a monster analogy; getting throttle happy is downright deadly.

4. The particle effects on the explosion/the charges coming out are not quite there. Somehow the rate at which charges come out seems too fast. They come whizzing out in those little clusters but doesn't quite groove with the whole compression animation on the plate. I haven't taken the time yet to scrutinize the real life designs to see if the rate is based on that, but it seems like a slightly lower rate (about the rate at which the animation moves) would look and feel better.

Also on this note; can the explosion be any bigger!? Maybe some sort of lighting effect would do justice. i.e. Each blast triggers a burst of intensely bright light instead of just particle effects. Actual nuclear detonations are known to be sizzlingly bright. With a slower rate of charges fired you could even have a flash and bump of thrust for each charge that leaves.

Finally, the particle effects as is are a bit odd in that they don't trail away when the engine is fired in space. I notice that they do while in the atmosphere, but in space it forms a single explodo-blob just kind hangs out beheind the ship. Once again perhaps slowing the rate the charges leave would fix this disconnect.

5. Holy crap this thing has a big fuel tank.

6. I'm a big fan of the high weight/cost. Makes it expensive even using EPL. I wouldn't even feel OP using it in career.

7. Being able to feather the throttle down is silly. The minimum thrust should still be downright dangerous.

Overall I'm extremely excited by this. Did I mention the model/texture is AWESOME!?

[RoverDude]

Thanks for the feedback - fixing several of these with the next update. Whole reason to toss this out early is to get a lot of early feedback to roll back into the mod

[percyPrune]

Another vote for a bottom attachment node please.

Also, I know you have a lot of work on but may I suggest a 'nice to have'?

Have you considered a method of refuelling yet? (Even 100,000 m/s dV doesn't last forever!)

A simple (?) way might be to have a single magazine, either as a 1.25 or 2.5m part, or which would fit in a mk3 cargo bay, then dock a refueller to the mothership and 'transfer fuel' to the main magazines.

The complicated (!) way might be similar to Nyrath's with replaceable magazines and attachment (docking?) nodes and swap whole magazines.

Meanwhile, I'm grinning from ear to ear at this mod!

[More Boosters]

Another vote for a bottom attachment node please.

Also, I know you have a lot of work on but may I suggest a 'nice to have'?

Have you considered a method of refuelling yet? (Even 100,000 m/s dV doesn't last forever!)

A simple (?) way might be to have a single magazine, either as a 1.25 or 2.5m part, or which would fit in a mk3 cargo bay, then dock a refueller to the mothership and 'transfer fuel' to the main magazines.

The complicated (!) way might be similar to Nyrath's with replaceable magazines and attachment (docking?) nodes and swap whole magazines.

Meanwhile, I'm grinning from ear to ear at this mod!

I believe the resource is already transferable manually so just dock and place the pulse cartridges. If you mean ISRU however it does sound unreasonable but it might be interesting to have them manufacturable (especially considering the cost unless I didn't look correctly and that was just the engine cost) at UKS colonies.

[percyPrune]

the resource is already transferable manually

Thanks. I must admit that I hadn't tried it.

I think I could still do with a 2.5m compatible cartridge carrier though. The Orion tanks are rather large for 'conventional' lifters. I may have a go at reconfiging a stock tank.

ISRU is interesting. I think there was a plan to carry a stock of just the cartridge nuclear cores and use locally sourced material for the propellant mass.

[RoverDude]

There will be a way to make these at UKS colonies that goes along with advanced manufacturing.

I'll fiddle with the bottom node, along with a few other tweaks.

May have an update today, just bear in mind it will very likely result in older craft looking funny

[MrHappyFace]

How can I see the source code? It looks like the part module is a part of USI_Tools, but USI_PulseDrive.cs nowhere to be found on the github repository.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

It's... um... a bit overpowered.

Looks pretty freakin cool, allthough I'm not sold on the rainbow exhaust. It's much more Kerbal than the other one. I've never got the hang of making stuff in the Kerbal style, but this certainly has "that Kerbal style".

First couple of flights probably went like everyone else's. Exploded due to over heating in the atmosphere.

So I added that bottom stack node, stuck the whole thing on a FASA Saturn and got it out of the atmosphere. Just. Circularized REALLY carefully, then pointed at Jool, and let it rip. Still exploded due to the thrust snapping the craft and then the front ends colliding with the back ends. So, I think it may need to be throttled back a bit. I have no idea what G that was, but it was more than the guage. And it was only about half throttle. Shoulda done the Medusa.

Actual meaningful feedback;

I think the animation could be more vigorous on the initial nuke kick. The pusher plate looks like it's just wobbling back and forward.

And synced with the emmissives, although I'm not sure if that's even remotely possible.

I'm putting my vote in for a bottom stack node, although it looks like us "bottom stack node faction" have won that fight. At least for the 5m version. The larger Orions were never really expected to get lofted up.

Obviously some thrust/Isp tweaking. :-)

It's pretty hard to add surface attachment that won't lead to stupid on an animated part like this, but adding some RCS points, maybe as built in RCS might be the way to go. Better would be if KSP allowed setting which meshes allowed surface attachment, but we can't have everything.

[RoverDude]

0.0.2 is up on Kerbalstuff

There are now four distinct Nuclear Pulse Unit (NPU) resources, ranging from 2.5L through 50L. The 50L nukes can easily propel rockets measured in the kilotons. Payloads under 100t are not recommended in any case.

The magazine is a separate part and you can select which NPUs you wish to load.

The Orion and Medusa both have a selection option for NPU size. This can be changed in flight.

The Orion now has a gimbal.

The Medusa has a flatter thrust curve than the Orion.

Animations and particles have been tweaked.

Throttle now controls bomb frequency. 1-3 seconds for the Orion, 1-5 seconds for the Medusa.

Added a bottom attach node on the Orion.

Some general notes - the Medusa is a superior interstellar craft because of the thrust easing when launching NPUs, but cannot take off from an atmospheric body like the Orion, and lacks the gimbal, thus both are different but balanced against eachother.

A resource, AblativeOil, has been added. This is consumed (very slowly) while the drive is active and firing.

NPUs are consumed one unit at a time, so their unit size does vary (2.5L - 50L per unit).

Lots of config dials to play with.

Enjoy!

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yeah... because nodes moved around and resource changed, expect this to break existing craft.

[Whirligig Girl]

The bombs really need something else added to them to really give them the powerful BANG feeling. That thing, I believe, should be a very bright light and a sharp explosion sound.

Unrelatedly I don't understand the Medusa. It is more unstable (will wobble out of control more) than Orion. How can it be used instead of Orion?

Edited September 30, 2015 by GregroxMun
I typed the wrong word because I was reading something else and not paying attention. Don't text and drive kids.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

Unrelatedly I don't understand the Medusa. It is more unstable (will wobble out of control more) than Orion. How can it be used instead of Orion?

The medusa would need to sit at the front, and can only be used after lifting out of the atmosphere. I'm not sure if the mod supports a dual ended craft of death. Medusa at the front and orion at the back, nuke magazine, payload and crew in the middle. Loft up on the orion, then go to the more efficient medusa for between planets/stars.

"How can it be used ...." Carefully. :-)

[NuclearNut]

The medusa would need to sit at the front, and can only be used after lifting out of the atmosphere. I'm not sure if the mod supports a dual ended craft of death. Medusa at the front and orion at the back, nuke magazine, payload and crew in the middle. Loft up on the orion, then go to the more efficient medusa for between planets/stars.

"How can it be used ...." Carefully. :-)

Actually that is my standard plan for spacecraft. I put an Orion on back, the Medusa in front, and the fuel and crew in the center. It works well, is simple to build, and is very efficient.

[RoverDude]

The bombs really need something else added to them to really give them the powerful BANG feeling. That thing, I believe, should be a very bright light and a sharp explosion sound.

Unrelatedly I don't understand the Medusa. It is more unstable (will wobble out of control more) than Orion. How can it be used instead of Orion?

No sound files yet. I'm happy with the rest to be honest, given the limitations of what we can do with particle effects.

Differences with the Medusa are noted in the patch notes.

[eddiew]

Fff... this mod looks both crazy, overpowered and awesome. One on my list for 1.1. Though doesn't anyone feel a mite guilty about launching with an Orion engine from KSC...? You'd need a whole new ground crew every time xD

That thing, I believe, should be a very bright light and a sharp explosion sound.

In space, no one can hear you irradiate your crew

[magnemoe]

Fff... this mod looks both crazy, overpowered and awesome. One on my list for 1.1. Though doesn't anyone feel a mite guilty about launching with an Orion engine from KSC...? You'd need a whole new ground crew every time xD

In space, no one can hear you irradiate your crew

The nuke should destroy at least the launchpad probably the wab too. Solution is to have some outrigers and mount boosters on to lift it up in the upper atmosphere

[kerbiloid]

In this animation

they use multiple SRB around the Orion's body.

[smjjames]

A thought here: Will there be a way to regenerate the ablative oil? Like if you expect a long flight, such as an interstellar one, you'll need to bring along some supplies in order to regenerate the ablative oil.

[RoverDude]

A thought here: Will there be a way to regenerate the ablative oil? Like if you expect a long flight, such as an interstellar one, you'll need to bring along some supplies in order to regenerate the ablative oil.

The rate of use should already be ridiculously low. Let me know if this is not the case (i.e. I expect your cartridges would run out long before the ablative oil does).

Side note. When I add manufacturing for NPUs I'll also add manufacturing for ablative oil.

[smjjames]

The rate of use should already be ridiculously low. Let me know if this is not the case (i.e. I expect your cartridges would run out long before the ablative oil does).

Side note. When I add manufacturing for NPUs I'll also add manufacturing for ablative oil.

Even if I have LOTS of cartridges?

Also, spotted this exception which happens during the game loading proccess. It happens twice, one for the Orion and one for the Medusa.

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at USITools.USI_PulseDrive.OnAwake () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

  at PartModule.Awake () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
UnityEngine.GameObject:Internal_AddComponentWithType(Type)
UnityEngine.GameObject:AddComponent(Type)
Part:AddModule(String)
Part:AddModule(ConfigNode)
PartLoader:ParsePart(UrlConfig, ConfigNode)
:MoveNext()

It seems to be harmless though.

[RoverDude]

Even if I have LOTS of cartridges?

Also, spotted this exception which happens during the game loading proccess. It happens twice, one for the Orion and one for the Medusa.

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at USITools.USI_PulseDrive.OnAwake () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

  at PartModule.Awake () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
UnityEngine.GameObject:Internal_AddComponentWithType(Type)
UnityEngine.GameObject:AddComponent(Type)
Part:AddModule(String)
Part:AddModule(ConfigNode)
PartLoader:ParsePart(UrlConfig, ConfigNode)
:MoveNext()

It seems to be harmless though.

Yes, even if you have LOTS of cartridges.

[Badsector]

For CTT patch they go to fusion rockets ?

[RoverDude]

For CTT patch they go to fusion rockets ?

No CTT patch yet, I have to decide on that.

[Mikki]

I buildt a medusa driven tug for 8.5 millions (including chemical giant launcher) in my alternate modded careerplay...

As long as its in testing it remains in Kerbin Orbit for tugging tasks... attaching here a nuclear Laythe transfer tug with a giant mobile miner/ mining rig for Laythe landing...

Its real expensive... Thrust limited to 10% is sufficient for this freight.

But it is just "the thing"!

I should have make a bigger LFO tank for the Vernor engines...

[davidy12]

Just tested it and I love it! Roverdude here's something I wanna ask. In theory, if this were built, could this (in a humans lifetime) reach alpha centauri?

Edited September 30, 2015 by davidy12

[blackrack]

Just tested it and I love it! Roverdude here's something I wanna ask. In theory, if this were built, could this (in a humans lifetime) reach alpha centauri?

I believe this was estimated to about 50 years at 0.1C (it would take the ship about a month to accelerate to that speed)