What's the purpose of ISRU?

[FlyingPete]

I think where ISRU would really come into its own is if something like the Star Systems mod becomes stock. It's a long trip that needs a lot of delta-V to send fuel from Kerbin to a distant planet on another star. Pack ISRU equipment with the initial mission and they can support themselves. Even better if you make use of extra-planetary launchpads.

[Joonatan1998]

That's how I imagine KSP2 if it ever happens.

I think making a mod like that for normal KSP wouldn't necesarily be too hard if other mods are used to help.

EPL could be used for the construction functionality and adding a more complex resource system should be relatively easy with the new ISRU system. Kopernicus allows modifying the system.

To prevent launches, kerbin could be moved into the center of the sun, unless there is some better way to still let you get

to all the needed menus.

It would be a lot of work to make it look good and work well, but most of the work would just be making models/textures and writing config files.

The starting ship would probably have to be a part of an scenario.

So I think KSP2 would need to have multiple star systems and travel between them, without something like complete engine change just having a new system without KSC wouldn't be enough for a new game.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Joonatan1998

[cantab]

Fuel is heavy, which means to transport it to your destination needs even more fuel, and to get that going needs even more fuel, and so on. It's known as "the tyranny of the rocket equation". But if you can stop somewhere on your journey and collect fuel there, you break free of the tyranny.

[Wjolcz]

Fuel is heavy, which means to transport it to your destination needs even more fuel, and to get that going needs even more fuel, and so on. It's known as "the tyranny of the rocket equation". But if you can stop somewhere on your journey and collect fuel there, you break free of the tyranny.

Exactly

[jared]

Typically, I'll bring in a nuke-powered lander, fill up, then take the fuel to an orbiting station

Forgive the beginner question, but how? Just from a gameplay mechanics perspective, how do you get mined fuel from the holding tank into your lander? As far as I've been able to figure out, with stock KSP you have to dock the craft to share fuel, which is a pain on a planetary surface.

[Red Iron Crown]

Forgive the beginner question, but how? Just from a gameplay mechanics perspective, how do you get mined fuel from the holding tank into your lander? As far as I've been able to figure out, with stock KSP you have to dock the craft to share fuel, which is a pain on a planetary surface.

Welcome aboard!

The Claw works well for connecting things on the surface, it doesn't require the precise alignment that docking ports do but still permits resource transfer.

[Xuixien]

Allows for (as you said) refueling operations and such. It can help extend the range of a vessel significantly, (or indefinitely) if done correctly.

It also provides a framework for conversion of other materials. For example, if you have the extraplanetary launchpads mod, you can modify your ISRU so it can convert Ore directly into Rocket Parts. This allows you to build new vessels on-site.

What, can you please explain this to me. I had EPL but it always seemed like some complicated mess, having to make machinery and polymers and bla bla bla. Or maybe that's because I have USI installed?

[Joonatan1998]

Forgive the beginner question, but how? Just from a gameplay mechanics perspective, how do you get mined fuel from the holding tank into your lander? As far as I've been able to figure out, with stock KSP you have to dock the craft to share fuel, which is a pain on a planetary surface.

The docking claw can connect to anything, just always save before using it.

It can be very buggy, and destroy your craft sometimes.

[xtoro]

The docking claw can connect to anything, just always save before using it.

It can be very buggy, and destroy your craft sometimes.

It can connect to most things, but not all engines or wings/control surfaces.

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Here is my Minmus Operation. It isnt big but it gets the job done to produce fuel for my Nuclear Drives in high Kerbin Orbit that I then attach to the Service Module and a lander.

This way I can use the same Drive-Stage over and over again without buying and launching a new one.

[KerikBalm]

Just from a gameplay mechanics perspective, how do you get mined fuel from the holding tank into your lander?

For me, the lander has the ISRU and the holding tanks, and the fuel tanks.

For shipping large quantities (not even that large) its more efficient to have the ISRU on your lander, than in orbit. The most efficient would be no ISRU on the lander, and an ISRU on the surface and in orbit, but then you need precision landings

As far as I've been able to figure out, with stock KSP you have to dock the craft to share fuel, which is a pain on a planetary surface.

Yes, you do need to dock, unless you use the KAS mod (I don't).

You can carefully make a wheeled vehicle with docking ports that exactly align with your lander, or you can use the Kraken-bait that is the Claw, and quick save frequently, save before deploying and connecting with the claw, save after successfully disconnecting and stowing the claw.

I find often after using the claw, the kraken will strike later, possibly some other ship, and it may keep striking until I restart the game.... :/

So, I avoid use of the claw, and just build a large lander.

The one I'm using on the Mun now has 1 ISRU, 8 drills, 12 gigantor panels, 4 orange tanks, 1 Kerbodyne S3-7200, 4 large ore containers, and 4 C7 2.5->1.25m adapters. (Also a lander cabin for 2 kerbals, so I can put experienced engineers in it).

On a somewhat related note, I see mining drills are 0.75 tons now, I seem to recall they used to be 0.15 tons...

Anyway... the ISRU stuff comes out to 13.85 tons.. (gigantors + drills +ISRU)

The fully fueled fuel tanks mass is 202.78 tons..

With the filled ore tanks, it is 270.78 tons of tanks fuel and ore... I really don't care about bringing up an extra 13 tons of stuff.... particularly as I don't need to bring down any fuel for the ascent, and then have part of what I bring up reserved for the next ascent.

Btw, I use a KR-2L as an engine for this monstrous ISRU lander.

I launchd it with an SSTO (I finally broke free from the slow frame rate of and obsession with my airbreathing spaceplane SSTOs, and used a rocket SSTO to loft this thing)

Completely filled, this think comes in just shy of 300 tons.

I'm thinking of putting one on Minmus too.... I didn't like refuelling my fuel depots half an orange tank at a time with my smaller landers.

[cantab]

For surface dockings I think it's better to dock "vertically". For example put a docking port on the base of the lander and have a fuel rover that drives under it. Then by deploying or retracting legs, or by equipping the fuel rover with rocket engines, you can dock, no alignment issues.

[Mikki]

ISRU is the true adventure in KSP!

Laythe colony miner... years of hard in-game work ended just to do this: