totm may 2024 [1.12.x] - Modular Kolonization System (MKS)

[Tokamak]

One more question. Sorry for asking so much.

The "ground tether" option is amazingly useful, but I find that if I'm on any sort of slope, my vessels drift anyway, over time. Just very slowly. If I carefully place all of the parts of my colony, after switching out and back and generally playing for weeks or months of game time, they will all gradually slide and usually get clumped up together at the lowest point, often doing unhelpful things like blocking airlocks and the like.

Yes I've checked that "ground tether" is enabled on *everything*.

Is there a fix, or is this just something I'll have to deal with?

(Man, I love kerbal so much, but the physics are just so very jank)

[Mighty1]

I  got a problem and couldn't find a solution on the forum. I use the Kiwi tech tree. When I research "storage technology" and unlock "Kontainer" and "Kontainer Tank" from "advanced rocketry"  I can build in the VAB/SPH normally. After I exit and go back into the VAB/SPH they are grayed out and I have to buy them again to use them. Has this kind of problem ever been recorded, and is there a known solution? For now, I edited the part file and put the price at 0 but it is tedious to unlock them each and every time I build or edit a vessel.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Mighty1
typo

[Qball]

I'm trying to use Orbital Logistics and for some reason I get this. 
\\

That said, it worked fine before. It's even bugging on systems that used to have orbital logistics working fine before. 

[Tokamak]

I searched the internet for this and got nothing useful (mostly just long youtube videos that do not answer the question), so I'm asking here: How am I intended to distribute machinery? It can't be transferred with local logistics, so how am I supposed to resupply vessels that need it?

 

Am I supposed to make a little rover with machinery storage and KAS connectors, or something? Surely there must be a better way that I'm supposed to do this, that I'm somehow missing.

[RoverDude]

9 hours ago, Tokamak said:

I searched the internet for this and got nothing useful (mostly just long youtube videos that do not answer the question), so I'm asking here: How am I intended to distribute machinery? It can't be transferred with local logistics, so how am I supposed to resupply vessels that need it?

 

Am I supposed to make a little rover with machinery storage and KAS connectors, or something? Surely there must be a better way that I'm supposed to do this, that I'm somehow missing.

Manually via an EVA Kerbal - they should pull from nearby vessels.

[Tokamak]

5 hours ago, RoverDude said:

Manually via an EVA Kerbal - they should pull from nearby vessels.

Oh! So *that's* what the "perform maintenance" function does. I had wondered, since it never seemed to have any effect. It still doesn't seem to do anything for a part that is 90% full of machinery. But if I "perform maintenance" on a part that has 0 machinery, it fills it up. I am just going to assume it's not meant to top off mostly full parts.

So that would mean that the parts that say they automatically perform maintenance are just transferring machinery automatically?

Thank you for the help!

 

One other issue I'm having is with planetary logistics, that I was hoping somebody might help me with. (Yes, I've googled, and not found anything that helped) I've read the wiki page on logistics, (at https://github.com/UmbraSpaceIndustries/MKS/wiki/Functions-(Logistics) )so I have...

* Mining craft: logistics module (uncrewed), drills, ore storage (with "planetary warehouse" enabled), usual stuff like power, command, etc

* Factory craft, some ways away: logistics module (with pilot in it), ore storage (with "planetary warehouse" enabled), ISRU using ore (to make monoprop)

The mining craft pushed ore into planetary logistics storage briefly, so now ore is listed in the planetary logistics panel, but it's stuck at 0. The mining craft's storage is like 80% full of ore, but nothing gets pushed.

The factory craft got a teeny bit of ore initially. I can tell because it produced a little bit of monoprop. But now, after changing nothing, everything just sits there with no resources moving.

So basically, something is stopping the mining vessel from pushing ore into planetary logistics storage.

Have I missed or derped something obvious?

[Terwin]

It looks like you are using a logistics module, and that requires a kerbal to function(pilot/quartermaster?).  For unmanned bases an unmanned material processing unit should be used to allow pushing to Planetary stores without anyone on the base.(unmanned logistics can only push, so a kerbal is required for any pull from PS)

Also, mining and processing only happens when a vessel is loaded(using the same catch-up mechanic as mining in stock), are you visiting your mining base regularly?

[Tokamak]

7 hours ago, Terwin said:

It looks like you are using a logistics module, and that requires a kerbal to function(pilot/quartermaster?).  For unmanned bases an unmanned material processing unit should be used to allow pushing to Planetary stores without anyone on the base.(unmanned logistics can only push, so a kerbal is required for any pull from PS)

Also, mining and processing only happens when a vessel is loaded(using the same catch-up mechanic as mining in stock), are you visiting your mining base regularly?

Oh, I see. The wiki was unclear on that point, saying "Resources can be 'pushed' to planetary storage without Crew provided a Logistics module or Material Processing Unit is present, but require a 'Pilot' or 'QuarterMaster' and a Logistics module to pull resources back out." (emphasis mine)

This mod is a wonderful piece of work, but the wiki is hit or miss. XD  (not a criticism of RoverDude. This is a HUGE project that he has made for us for free, that adds basically a whole new complicated game to KSP! )

I'll make a new mining rig and try that. Thank you!

[Terwin]

11 hours ago, Tokamak said:

This mod is a wonderful piece of work, but the wiki is hit or miss. XD 

Could you verify the error and then update the wiki with better detail on how it works?

That is the benefits of a wiki, when you spot an error you can fix it.

[Tokamak]

9 hours ago, Terwin said:

Could you verify the error and then update the wiki with better detail on how it works?

That is the benefits of a wiki, when you spot an error you can fix it.

Oh...I suppose I could, couldn't I? I'm not used to thinking that way. >.<

 

Specifically, at https://github.com/UmbraSpaceIndustries/MKS/wiki/Functions-(Logistics)#planetary-logistics-surface-wide it says "Resources can be 'pushed' to planetary storage without Crew provided a Logistics module or Material Processing Unit is present,"

But ifI'm understanding what I read here and found in my experimenting, the Logistics Module will *not* push resources to planetary storage without appropriate crew. Only the ISRU will do that.

I can fix it, I just want to make sure I'm not mistaken.

[Terwin]

I am pretty sure it is the unmanned processing unit in particular that has the un-manned logistics push.

[Tokamak]

On 12/8/2023 at 7:58 PM, Terwin said:

I am pretty sure it is the unmanned processing unit in particular that has the un-manned logistics push.

I confirmed that a USI ISRU part does work for unmanned planetary logistics push, whereas a a logistics module doesn't. Updated the wiki accordingly.

[Tokamak]

Sorry if this has been answered, but google is being no help.

How am I meant to transfer enriched uranium and depleted fuel between craft?

I have a workshop craft. I need to build a craft kit that has a nuclear reactor, but the workshop is out of enriched uranium. So I either need to resupply the workshop with uranium, or build the new craft and fill its reactor with uranium.  Likewise, I have reactors whose depleted fuel storage is full and they need to be emptied.

How am I meant to do this? None of the methods to transfer resources between vessels allow you to move nuclear products. With an engineer on board, parts that can hold uranium or depleted fuel have a "transfer fuel" button in the right-click menu, (which I think is from NFE?) but that (unsurprisingly) only allows transfer within a craft.

What am I missing? Since there is fuel reprocessing, there *must* be a way to move fuel and waste around. Until I figure it out, my Duna colony can't build anything requiring a nuclear reactor.

[Brigadier]

1 hour ago, Tokamak said:

How am I meant to transfer enriched uranium and depleted fuel between craft?

Do you also have Near Future Electrical (NFE) installed?  If so, I'm pretty sure you need to do this with an Engineer on EVA.  There's no other option.

[Tokamak]

On 12/17/2023 at 2:11 PM, Brigadier said:

Do you also have Near Future Electrical (NFE) installed?  If so, I'm pretty sure you need to do this with an Engineer on EVA.  There's no other option.

I do have NFE installed. With an engineer on EVA, I have the option to transfer fuel and waste between parts on a single craft, but there is no option that I can see to transfer it to a *different* craft. So that only helps me if a vessel already has the stuff onboard, and doesn't help me fuel up the reactor on a new vessel, or empty the waste from a full reactor.

[JamesonKerbal]

1 hour ago, Tokamak said:

With an engineer on EVA, I have the option to transfer fuel and waste between parts on a single craft, but there is no option that I can see to transfer it to a *different* craft.

Using MKS parts you can "perform maintenance" on the nuclear fuel container that you want to move enrU into. I'm not sure about the mechanics of depleted fuel transfers. I've always had depleted uranium storage on my maintenance vehicles so it's always just worked.

[Tokamak]

5 hours ago, JamesonKerbal said:

Using MKS parts you can "perform maintenance" on the nuclear fuel container that you want to move enrU into. I'm not sure about the mechanics of depleted fuel transfers. I've always had depleted uranium storage on my maintenance vehicles so it's always just worked.

I've been doing a lot of experimenting, and I can't get that to work. To test, I've set up two brand new vessels straight out of the SPH, sitting less than a metre apart.

Craft 1:  USI 1.25m nuclear reactor with no EnrU

Craft 2:  empty nuclear waste container, full nuclear fuel container (300 EnrU)

Level 3 Engineer on EVA

With the engineer active, I right-click on the empty reactor on craft 2, and the options are "disassemble part" and "repair reactor". No "perform maintenance" option.

Clicking "repair reactor" gives the message "reactor core is too damaged to repair". But since I installed NFE, this option has been on ALL of my reactors, even ones that I know are working just fine, and selecting it always gives that exact message. I don't know why.

Right clicking on craft 1's nuclear fuel and waste containers does show a "perform maintenance" option, but clicking it does not do anything that I can determine other than giving the message "you perform routine maintenance". No resource levels change in anything.

So I still have no way to get nuclear fuel or waste onto or off of a vessel. So I still can't use GC to build any vessels that require reactors in the field. I have GOT to be missing something, but I cannot figure out what the game expects me to do.

 

 

 

[LTQ90]

9 hours ago, Tokamak said:

I've been doing a lot of experimenting, and I can't get that to work. To test, I've set up two brand new vessels straight out of the SPH, sitting less than a metre apart.

Craft 1:  USI 1.25m nuclear reactor with no EnrU

Craft 2:  empty nuclear waste container, full nuclear fuel container (300 EnrU)

Level 3 Engineer on EVA

With the engineer active, I right-click on the empty reactor on craft 2, and the options are "disassemble part" and "repair reactor". No "perform maintenance" option.

 

Clicking "repair reactor" gives the message "reactor core is too damaged to repair". But since I installed NFE, this option has been on ALL of my reactors, even ones that I know are working just fine, and selecting it always gives that exact message. I don't know why.

Right clicking on craft 1's nuclear fuel and waste containers does show a "perform maintenance" option, but clicking it does not do anything that I can determine other than giving the message "you perform routine maintenance". No resource levels change in anything.

So I still have no way to get nuclear fuel or waste onto or off of a vessel. So I still can't use GC to build any vessels that require reactors in the field. I have GOT to be missing something, but I cannot figure out what the game expects me to do.

 

 

 

Hi Have you try to turn off the reactor ?

[Tokamak]

4 hours ago, LTQ90 said:

Hi Have you try to turn off the reactor ?

I never turned the reactor on in the first place. I was trying to start from zero, with it having no fuel.

[LTQ90]

22 minutes ago, Tokamak said:

I never turned the reactor on in the first place. I was trying to start from zero, with it having no fuel.

I hope you ll find solution as i will meet this problem sooner or later

Another suggestion : your containers on ship 2 have warehouse activated ?

[LTQ90]

And this :

search for : Refuelling nuclear reactors

[Tokamak]

3 hours ago, LTQ90 said:

I hope you ll find solution as i will meet this problem sooner or later

Another suggestion : your containers on ship 2 have warehouse activated ?

Uranium and waste aren't included in that mechanic.

3 hours ago, LTQ90 said:

And this :

search for : Refuelling nuclear reactors

Oh! Well...I thought that was crazy hack I might have to resort to, not the approved way to do it. I guess I'll do that then! Thank you.

Also, that post seems useful! I've been getting my info from the wiki.

[Brigadier]

Mind you, I've never had to do this myself but I have the feeling that it can be done.  I seem to remember others finding a solution some time ago.

Have you tried docking the two craft?  If they're then considered one vessel, performing maintenance should work.

Alternatively, can you disconnect the Uranium container from the source craft and reattach it to the destination craft?  I doubt this will work since I think you're prohibited from holding onto a radioactive source in your inventory.

Failing that, could you instead pick up the entire reactor?  I know...a bit of a stretch.

[LTQ90]

On 12/20/2023 at 1:29 AM, Tokamak said:

Uranium and waste aren't included in that mechanic.

Oh! Well...I thought that was crazy hack I might have to resort to, not the approved way to do it. I guess I'll do that then! Thank you.

Also, that post seems useful! I've been getting my info from the wiki.

Well there seems to be a solutions via KAS as described in the MKS guide at the section called :Refuelling nuclear reactors

 

[Tokamak]

52 minutes ago, LTQ90 said:

Well there seems to be a solutions via KAS as described in the MKS guide at the section called :Refuelling nuclear reactors

 

Yup! That's what I'm toying with now. I did not know that guide existed. I had just been using the wiki