[1.2.1] Mini Sample Return Capsule - Bring your experiments home safe! (v1.2 9/Nov/2016)

[DStaal]

4 hours ago, Boots said:

I just unlocked this in my career save, and wanted to use it for an automated probe, not just Kerballed mission sample return.

Two questions:

1) Other than the stock barometer and thermometer, what fits in the cargo bay? Most of DMagic's stuff is too big and/or trnsmits for full value, and I don't hve a lot of other science mods.

2) Is there some way to automatically transfer data from experiments to the capsule wihout a kerbal being present that I'm missing?

I haven't checked, but I suspect the experiments in the Sounding Rockets pack will fit nicely - and work well with their intent of being single-use experiments.

[Harbinger17]

I'm serious when I say this.  After hours and hours of gameplay this mod is the single most useful mod I have ever used.  I strap the bottom half on probes use it as science escape pods or just launch all my science towards earth from the surface of another planet and grab it later.  Its even handy to store science on a probe for transmitting later so you don't drain all the battery. Thanks for such a great mod.

 

I would love to see maybe a smaller radial attached storage option for probes like a little science container.  That could add some more functionality for different missions but even just as is this mod is awesome. Thanks again.

[DStaal]

Finally got a chance to play around with this.  Fun. 

Two things stand out to me as could use some tweaking, if possible - and they're kinda related, in a way.  First off, the capsule won't hold a bottom-first approach through the atmosphere without SAS, as far as I can tell.  Not a major issue on it's own - I'll just use SAS.  However, it combines with the other: The capsule's just a bit light on the EC.  The result for me has been a 50% loss rate as the capsules run out of EC just as the parachute needs to be deployed.  (Which I tend to do manually - I haven't wrapped my head around the auto-deploy sliders yet; it's been a low priority.)  Fixing the first would probably give you enough EC - it would reduce usage by 0.01/s though reentry, which might be just enough.  Or the simpler solution would just be to bump up the EC to 40 or 50.  (Honestly, 35 would likely be enough for my situation - but so far I've been returning them from 200km orbits.  It'd be nice to have enough to return direct from a high Kerbin orbit - anything above that and you can probably afford to stick a solar panel or something on it for the transit.)

[AlbertKermin]

Just saw this-

 

[CobaltWolf]

Two mods down, one to go... (for both of us, actually!)

[minepagan]

On 8/15/2016 at 9:41 PM, DStaal said:

Finally got a chance to play around with this.  Fun. 

Two things stand out to me as could use some tweaking, if possible - and they're kinda related, in a way.  First off, the capsule won't hold a bottom-first approach through the atmosphere without SAS, as far as I can tell.  Not a major issue on it's own - I'll just use SAS.  However, it combines with the other: The capsule's just a bit light on the EC.  The result for me has been a 50% loss rate as the capsules run out of EC just as the parachute needs to be deployed.  (Which I tend to do manually - I haven't wrapped my head around the auto-deploy sliders yet; it's been a low priority.)  Fixing the first would probably give you enough EC - it would reduce usage by 0.01/s though reentry, which might be just enough.  Or the simpler solution would just be to bump up the EC to 40 or 50.  (Honestly, 35 would likely be enough for my situation - but so far I've been returning them from 200km orbits.  It'd be nice to have enough to return direct from a high Kerbin orbit - anything above that and you can probably afford to stick a solar panel or something on it for the transit.)

For parachute sliders, just set it to predeploy at 0.42 ATM - that always works, unless you come in wayyyy to steep.

[Sir_Fanch]

@Ravenchant any chance you still have any interest in the RO/RP-0 patching? Took a hiatus from KSP and this was the first thing I thought of when I got back . If not I'll give it a crack myself and try and get a polished patch working, just thought I'd ask first as your work is basically guaranteed to be better than mine .

Keep up the great work guys!

[Ravenchant]

@Sir_Fanch Weeell, I would generally be interested but with the "speed" I've been doing things at lately, it would take roughly forever. Do give it a try, MM isn't as bad as it seems at first!

[Mark Kerbin]

1.2 Please! I'm really missing this right now =(

[CobaltWolf]

41 minutes ago, Mark Kerbin said:

1.2 Please! I'm really missing this right now =(

Thanks for volunteering to test it! I just updated the RCS and added in the transmitter from a Communotron 16. Let me know if everything works and I'll push it to Spacedock.

[Deimos Rast]

13 hours ago, CobaltWolf said:

Thanks for volunteering to test it! I just updated the RCS and added in the transmitter from a Communotron 16. Let me know if everything works and I'll push it to Spacedock.

Probe butt category = Utility, not Payload? Likewise, Probe core is Utility also, not Command? You know what they say about mod devs who stick all their parts in Utility...

Also, the RemoteTech patch will need to be updated since you added an antenna. I believe currently you'll get both the RT antenna and stock antenna if you have RT installed. A !MODULE[ModuleDataTransmitter] {} should do the trick.

Cheers.

[Mark Kerbin]

Waiting To See If Stuff Explodes...

Ill Get Back To You.

On 10/29/2016 at 5:43 AM, Deimos Rast said:

Also, the RemoteTech patch will need to be updated since you added an antenna

Im Gonna Make An Idiot Of Myself But Isnt Remotetech Basically Part Of the Vanilla Game Now?

Enjoying My Use Of Caps?

[Deimos Rast]

2 hours ago, Mark Kerbin said:

Waiting To See If Stuff Explodes...

Ill Get Back To You.

Im Gonna Make An Idiot Of Myself But Isnt Remotetech Basically Part Of the Vanilla Game Now?

Enjoying My Use Of Caps?

Kind of yes, kind of no. Like most stock vs modded equivalents, the modded version goes further. It has different parts, measures distances differently (in the configs), has a computer (e,g, MJ lite) that allows you to queue up actions for when you have no connection. When you have RT installed, it has the option to disable CommNet. I'm a huge fan of RemoteTech - however, trying it recently, it was badly broken, but that might have changed. It hasn't made the switch to 1.2 as gracefully as it could have, to be honest. Most will be content with the stock version.

Sorry for the off topic.

On topic: how did the test go?

[Mecripp]

Here is a patch to work with stock antennas

@PART[SampleReturnCapsule_Parachute]
{
MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDataTransmitter
	antennaType = DIRECT
	packetInterval = 0.6
	packetSize = 2
	packetResourceCost = 12.0
	requiredResource = ElectricCharge
	antennaPower = 1500000
	antennaCombinable = False
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleScienceContainer
	reviewActionName = Review Stored Data
	storeActionName = Store Experiments
	evaOnlyStorage = True
	storageRange = 1.6
}
}

 

[Deimos Rast]

7 hours ago, MeCripp said:

Here is a patch to work with stock antennas

@PART[SampleReturnCapsule_Parachute]
{
MODULE
{
	name = ModuleDataTransmitter
	antennaType = DIRECT
	packetInterval = 0.6
	packetSize = 2
	packetResourceCost = 12.0
	requiredResource = ElectricCharge
	antennaPower = 1500000
	antennaCombinable = False
}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleScienceContainer
	reviewActionName = Review Stored Data
	storeActionName = Store Experiments
	evaOnlyStorage = True
	storageRange = 1.6
}
}

 

Doesn't it already have the new antenna? I swear I saw an antenna in the 1.2 version he posted. It should already have a science container as well.

[DigitalProeliator]

Yep, the Pod has the transmitter, and the bay the science container.

[Mark Kerbin]

On 10/30/2016 at 2:19 PM, Deimos Rast said:

On topic: how did the test go?

No major explosions

Very nicely

I dropped the capsule on jeb. acted like a helmet. sadly i forgot to record it

[Mecripp]

19 hours ago, Deimos Rast said:

Doesn't it already have the new antenna? I swear I saw an antenna in the 1.2 version he posted. It should already have a science container as well.

The part did have a antenna but i didn't see anything in the cfgs i had of it but i might have a older one and if you have one on yours then guess you don't need the patch then

[CobaltWolf]

Alright, update is up on Spacedock! Thanks to @Deimos Rast and @MeCripp for helping check the update and figuring out what I was missing.

Changelog:

-Updated to KSP 1.2
-Removed reaction wheels. Use your limited RCS to control your attitude, or SUFFER >:3
 

[NeoFatalis]

14 minutes ago, CobaltWolf said:

Alright, update is up on Spacedock! Thanks to @Deimos Rast and @MeCripp for helping check the update and figuring out what I was missing.

Changelog:

-Updated to KSP 1.2
-Removed reaction wheels. Use your limited RCS to control your attitude, or SUFFER >:3
 

LoL , I just thought about this mod and wanted to check if it is compatible with 1.2 XD

[Deimos Rast]

For the record I did not recommend removing the rx wheel, that was his own devious design!

He's a cruel spacewolf...

[CobaltWolf]

5 minutes ago, Deimos Rast said:

For the record I did not recommend removing the rx wheel, that was his own devious design!

He's a cruel spacewolf...

SUFFER!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

(it's just commented out )

[IronCretin]

The science container can pull data from experiments like the stock one, right?

[CobaltWolf]

1 hour ago, IronCretin said:

The science container can pull data from experiments like the stock one, right?

I hope so...

[Jso]

21 hours ago, IronCretin said:

The science container can pull data from experiments like the stock one, right?

 

19 hours ago, CobaltWolf said:

I hope so...

Nope. I fiddled with this a bit and made it more to my liking. The science results transfer bit is at the bottom.

Spoiler

@PART[SampleReturnCapsule_Parachute]
{
	// Help it fly heatshield first
	%CoPOffset = 0.0, 0.155, 0.0
	%CenterOfBuoyancy = 0.0, 0.155, 0.0
	
	// Displacement about 65 kg. Mass 100 kg + 20 kg mp.
	@buoyancy = 1.85
	!buoyancyUseSine = delete
	
	// Just like squad chutes...
	%buoyancyUseCubeNamed = PACKED
	!maximum_drag = delete
	!minimum_drag = delete
	@angularDrag = 3
	
	// Tags are buried down in the middle of the config
	//tags = mercury herms 0.625 .625 625 rcs parachute mono monopropellant
	@tags = 0.625 .625 625 rcs parachute mono monopropellant
	
	// Lower thruster power. 2kN is a lot of thrust for this
	@MODULE[ModuleRCSFX]
	{
		@thrusterPower = 0.25
		%rcsEnabled = False
	}
	
	@MODULE[ModuleParachute]
	{
		// These do nothing. Use ModuleDragModifier setting.
		//semiDeployedDrag = 
		//fullyDeployedDrag = 
		
		// Slow down deployment. Lower = slower.
		@deploymentSpeed = 0.12
	}
	
	// Less drag on the main chute
	@MODULE[ModuleDragModifier],1
	{
		//name = ModuleDragModifier
		//dragCubeName = DEPLOYED
		@dragModifier = 5
	}
	
	// There appears to be a bug in KSP where putting ModuleCommand/ModuleDataTransmitter on a
	// parachute part (with or without ModuleParachute) causes the comm system to not properly
	// start up resulting in limited probe control. The same thing happens when you add this to
	// a stock Mk-16. Only happens when this is the only ModuleCommand on the craft.
	// Allow hibernation
	@MODULE[ModuleCommand]
	{
		hasHibernation = True
		hibernationMultiplier = 0.001
	}
	
	// Switch to the standard internal probe transmitter. It doesn't transmit science, but
	// why should it.
	!MODULE[ModuleDataTransmitter] {}
	MODULE
	{
		name = ModuleDataTransmitter
		antennaType = INTERNAL
		packetInterval = 1.0
		packetSize = 2
		packetResourceCost = 12.0
		requiredResource = ElectricCharge
		antennaPower = 5000
		optimumRange = 2500
		packetFloor = .1
		packetCeiling = 5
	}
	
	// Remove. Doesn't go on probe cores
	!MODULE[ModuleScienceContainer] {}
}

@PART[SampleReturnCapsule_CargoBay]
{
	// Size0 nodes
	@node_stack_top2 = 0.0, 0.2188, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
	@node_stack_bottom2 = 0.0, 0.0424, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0
	
	@node_stack_top = 0.0, 0.2305, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0
	@node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.08, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
	
	// Displacement about 95 kg. Mass 75 kg + 50 kg ablator. I'm guessing floats = buoyancy > mass / displacement
	@buoyancy = 2.15
	!buoyancyUseSine = delete
	
	// Vertical center of part 0.07525
	@CoPOffset = 0.0, 0.2, 0.0
	@CoLOffset = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0
	@CenterOfBuoyancy = 0.0, 0.2, 0.0
	@CenterOfDisplacement = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0
	
	// 0.2 is very heavy. 1.25m service bay is 0.1. Make the bay 0.5 plus the heatshield structure 0.25. The ablator adds another 0.05
	@mass = 0.075
	
	// Size0 part
	@bulkheadProfiles = size0
	
	
	// Allow tranferring science to/from container without crew
	@MODULE[ModuleScienceContainer]
	{
		canBeTransferredToInVessel = True
		canTransferInVessel = True
		showStatus = True
	}
}