Xenon scoop

[idriveaTARDIS]

here is a neat idea for a part, a xenon scoop that you could unlock shortly after the dawn engine that would deploy like a solar panel and collect very small amounts of xenon, enough to keep it running almost indefinitely. if the game ever went interstellar this would be a low-tech - relatively speaking of course in comparison to warp or near ftl - solution to rudimentary exploration of worlds beyond. another feature that would complement interstellar nicely would be a fog of exploration, like in sid meier's civ, where you could only see within a certain range of where you've been.

[Dr. Jet]

There are mods with xenon scoops already. Though those work in atmosphere only.

If you want to grab fuel or energy from vacuum - install "KSP Interstellar" mod - for antimatter scoops and quantum drives.

BTW, Xenon is not a thing to be found in open space. Hydrogen is.

[panzer1b]

Although i used to be a fan of the whole "unlimited fuel" concept i have to say that it is not exactly very fun or challenging and gets boring rather quickly when you can do anything you want and go anywhere.  That said, just make a kraken-drive and you have infinite range spacecrafts. 

I think that stock should stick with limited fuel at least for space itself.  the only infinite fuel systems that i think are ok would be very low altitude low speed electric props and IRSU.  Props (if balanced properly) would allow you to actually do something on planets like duna without resorting to either hauling your own personal IRSU everywhere, or having to constantly return to orbit (or some base) where you can refuel.  IRSU ofc i feel is reasonable atm, its very heavy and takes a long time (if you arent one of those that just time warps at maximum possible amount till full tanks), and well, its not very practical on craft that are smaller and thus unable to lift it at all.

[Wjolcz]

Yes, please, but only working in atmo. A scoop that gathers something in vacuum is very unrealistic. Especially xenon.

 

I think gathering xenon in atmospheres would be a pretty balanced game mechanic. You can't use xenon engines in atmosphere and can't use it to generate power either. I mean, you land with empty tanks, gather the gas and take off heavier. Not like it gives you advantage, or anything. Would be a nice way to generate money if you wanted to truly go full capitalism mode. I, to be honest totally would. Buy all that science!

Edited December 12, 2015 by Veeltch

[KerikBalm]

Xenon scoops in space: *expletive deleted* No

Xenon scoops that work in an atmosphere: Yes

I already have such a modded ISRU system... I have to resist using it on kerbin for free money though

[ChrisDayVACCO]

On 12/9/2015, 8:27:39, idriveaTARDIS said:

...another feature that would complement interstellar nicely would be a fog of exploration, like in sid meier's civ, where you could only see within a certain range of where you've been.

I would enjoy this fog of exploration.  It would cause me to send more craft and take more time to mature my knowledge of each planet/moon system.  It would take longer but there would be more exploring involved.  The only disadvantage is that the KSP wiki will tell me everything that I need to know about the planets and moons that I am going to before I go there.

 

[Kerbol Macrosystems]

A real life xenon scoop would be way too heavy to fly. You get xenon by cryogenic distillation, and the equipment required would make it larger and more complex than any of the ISRU equipment we have in game already. 

[ChrisDayVACCO]

10 minutes ago, Kerbol Macrosystems said:

A real life xenon scoop would be way too heavy to fly. You get xenon by cryogenic distillation, and the equipment required would make it larger and more complex than any of the ISRU equipment we have in game already. 

The cryogenic equipment could be less than 5 tonnes.  It would consume a lot of electricity and produce at a much lower rate than the current ISRU, though.  The Linde L70 is an operational cryogenic refrigeration unit for helium liquification and has less than a 5 tonne mass.

[Wjolcz]

6 hours ago, Kerbol Macrosystems said:

A real life xenon scoop would be way too heavy to fly. You get xenon by cryogenic distillation, and the equipment required would make it larger and more complex than any of the ISRU equipment we have in game already. 

Then xenon production would be a nice justification for already overweight and oversized ISRU converter. Attach an air intake and it should work just fine, right?

[Kerbol Macrosystems]

1 hour ago, Veeltch said:

Then xenon production would be a nice justification for already overweight and oversized ISRU converter. Attach an air intake and it should work just fine, right?

Kind of.  To get xenon you start off with air.  Cryogenically distill the air and you'll get pretty pure oxygen and nitrogen.  The oxygen cut will have some other fun stuff in it like argon, krypton, and xenon.  So you distill that (or do a silica absorption according to wikipedia) to get the lights, and then distill that to get the xenon.  Each step is a little lossy, so you would waste some (but not all) of your oxygen recovery to get xenon.  The good news here is that if the ISRU can already make liquid oxygen then it has a refrigeration unit with the capability you need to run your cryogenic still.

[Matuchkin]

A very cool thing will happen if Xenon will be replaced by argon or neon. That way, it will be logical to add the lunar atmosphere into stock KSP, making it possible to get minute amounts of argon- 100000 atoms per cubic centimeter, just by orbiting or flying through the mun's lower atmosphere.

Edited December 19, 2015 by 073198681

[pandaman]

If it's done well then yes I'd like to see it. A different collection method to the drill, like an atmospheric scoop as suggested in the OP,  would be a nice way.  This would also make very difficult to leave it running in time warp.

[Matuchkin]

Perhaps a good collection method will be in the form of some sort of panel? If argon or neon (as I said above) can be somehow transferred from the panel to a tank, this will be ideal, especially for collecting those gases via Lunar atmosphere.