KSP Interstellar Extended Continued Development Thread

[FreeThinker]

Hmm or you could completely scrap ISRU refineries and have tweakscale stock ISRU with interstellar capabilities.

Drill could be used for mining resources from surface/ocean

Mod ISRU refineries stil could be here, but be hidden in career and if possible in sandbox too for backward compability.

Yes, using the stock drill(or other drills) for operations, seems to be a intuitive thing to do. Don't worry about exiting modles, I always try to remain save compatible (up to a resonable degree), so I will not remove them (yet).

I think the (flat) inline ISRU refinery might still have their purpose. The Inline Refinery would be limited to tech level 1 and 2 IRSU operations (electrolysis and Waters shift) they are realively simple and don't require much room.

Regarding the model of the radial Refinery, I'm not sure what to do with it. The original description mentions it as a storage device, but it not a very convinient size for a container except for a base perhaps.

The dome seems to be suitable for creating a green house, hydro photo syntisis or function as a residential area . None of them, belong in KSPI, perhaps we should scrap it all together.

Any ideas?

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[okder]

is any way to reduce overhead thermal jet with liquid fuel and inertial Confinement Fusion (high temperature mode, big ISP)?

i would agree to lose 50% thrust (should be able configured in the fly), but now due to exp scale on 50% (which safe point from overhead) is only 10% thrust(i.e. 90% thrust lost)

using it in impulse mode (full thrust, and then cooling without thrust) gives same 50% thrust but it very user unfriendly.

[FreeThinker]

is any way to reduce overhead thermal jet with liquid fuel and inertial Confinement Fusion (high temperature mode, big ISP)?

i would agree to lose 50% thrust (should be able configured in the fly), but now due to exp scale on 50% (which safe point from overhead) is only 10% thrust(i.e. 90% thrust lost)

using it in impulse mode (full thrust, and then cooling without thrust) gives same 50% thrust but it very user unfriendly.

Well, you could aways bring along some CO2 or water ti clean the heat exchangers from soot, which should fix your overheating issue. Alternativly use clean fuels

[okder]

Well, you could aways bring along some CO2 or water ti clean the heat exchangers from soot, which should fix your overheating issue. Alternativly use clean fuels

soot is not a problem (i already have co2) problem is overhead engine could be used 8 sec before it go to overhead, after it 8 sec to cool down.

[FreeThinker]

soot is not a problem (i already have co2) problem is overhead engine could be used 8 sec before it go to overhead, after it 8 sec to cool down.

I agree, that a little short it should be enough for a launch (about 1 minute)

Edit: you can the rate at which the soot yp yourself by by modifying the maxSootFactor of LiquidFuel in EnginePropellant to a lower number

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[okder]

small co2 (cylindrical downscaled to 0.5) container for some reason overheats too easily and when ship is entering /leaving atmosphere it tends to blowup especially on physical time warp (2).

Again Soot is not a problem engine overheats with soot level 2%, i think correct switching to co2 will overheat it with soot level 0.1 when using liquid fuel (i.e. temperature will rise from 2k to critical for 3 sec, when reactor set to high temperature fuel mode.)

[FreeThinker]

sorry, small co2?

Edit: I guess you mean the radial gas tank. Gas tank do not like it when you heat them up, the gas will expand, blowing it up.

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[eyewitness]

First off, I'd like to say that I've been taken with the mod ever since you started to port it to the new version and it's the thing that keeps me coming back to this game time and time again, and with all the neat updates happening recently I felt I could chime in on a few things.

Regarding the refinery; I believe that interstellar could do well with separating mining and refining like the vanilla version does at the moment (plus tweakscaleable), and the old refinery-miner combo should be refurbished for an alternate purpose like;

• a differently styled science lab that works only when landed and requires more kerbals but has a higher data cap
  
• a (TAC compatible) greenhouse like you suggested, and adjust it's efficiency based on the sunlight it gets. (like solar panels, otherwise make it use power)[not really in the scope of KSPI]
  
• an inertial dampening field generator, that, when activated, reduces mass on the vehicle it's on (counterbalancing it with stuff like huge power requirements and/or antimatter or exotic particles like the alcubierre drive or maybe something new like stabilized higgs boson)
  

I never really liked USI's take on base-habitation with everything being inflatable, and personally would really love to see some components designed or adapted for long term off-world use.

That being said, "cosmetic" builds (like making a station look cool with 14 science modules) don't interest me much, and like everything else in this mod, should follow the path of being exactly the right choice for a specific purpose.

Finding that purpose though, is a bit of a challenge, as career/science mode (for me at least) mostly boils down to streamlining different ways of collecting science, and there are lots of ways to do that already.

I would think even more long-term goals (10K+ research options, and stupidly expensive new stuff), and the means to achieve those (more sciency stuff, some money generator or über contracts), would benefit gameplay greatly.

[raxo2222]

I overhauled my spaceplane.

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In highest efficiency mode it can have 80k DV - I think its enough to go anywhere and return even with RSS.

[ABZB]

If we are re-purposing it - might I suggest implementing the singularity power source/thruster? I've been working on an outline of how to make it workable...

the main issue is that the RL thing would literally be many kilometers in size, so any implementable such device would not be anywhere near it's true size. That said, that it can consume any mass is obviously a great advantage.

Such a part would presumably be mainly useful for Kopernicus systems with multiple widely separated stars, especially when their relative velocities are very high.

Furthermore, perhaps a super-duper Alcubierre part could require so much energy as to basically require this...

Did I mention that this device is actually called a Kugelblitz? - it already has the K!

Clearly, this is meant to be.

http://io9.com/how-to-power-a-starship-with-an-artificial-black-hole-1502929100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelblitz_(astrophysics)

[qwertyza]

Considering the ISRU part, I personally do not think any flat science labs or TAC-compatible parts suits the KSPI. Probably u can use it as a radially-attached Nuclear Pulse Engine. I thought its kinda possible and fun for sure. Or just as a radial VISTA engine/radial reactor/just connector. The part itself has a cute model, scrapping it would be sad. Yet currently it does not have any practical sense.

[ABZB]

I overhauled my spaceplane.

http://imgur.com/a/rtTTy

In highest efficiency mode it can have 80k DV - I think its enough to go anywhere and return even with RSS.

Nice!

by the way - it looks like you have my mod installed (the radiator modules on the wings). The latest versions have the thermal color disabled for the wing parts - I am curious if you prefer the wings to gain that red color on high wasteheat, or if you just haven't had a chance to update?

[Revenant503]

Considering the shape of the Dome ISRU...I like qwetyza's idea of a nuclear pulse engine...an old style drop a ball of deuterium onto the nozzle and zap it with lasers idea resembled that in some artists drawings I remember from the 80's

you'd probably been to put a top attachment point though, I didn't think those things were well radially.

[qwertyza]

Considering the shape of the Dome ISRU...I like qwetyza's idea of a nuclear pulse engine...an old style drop a ball of deuterium onto the nozzle and zap it with lasers idea resembled that in some artists drawings I remember from the 80's

you'd probably been to put a top attachment point though, I didn't think those things were well radially.

You should think deeper, Revenant. With radial attachment you can attach more than 1 of such engines. That's totally kerbal way of propulsion.

[Nansuchao]

I overhauled my spaceplane.

http://imgur.com/a/rtTTy

In highest efficiency mode it can have 80k DV - I think its enough to go anywhere and return even with RSS.

Beautiful! It flies in FAR?

[FreeThinker]

If we are re-purposing it - might I suggest implementing the singularity power source/thruster? I've been working on an outline of how to make it workable...

the main issue is that the RL thing would literally be many kilometers in size, so any implementable such device would not be anywhere near it's true size. That said, that it can consume any mass is obviously a great advantage.

Such a part would presumably be mainly useful for Kopernicus systems with multiple widely separated stars, especially when their relative velocities are very high.

Furthermore, perhaps a super-duper Alcubierre part could require so much energy as to basically require this...

Did I mention that this device is actually called a Kugelblitz? - it already has the K!

Clearly, this is meant to be.

http://io9.com/how-to-power-a-starship-with-an-artificial-black-hole-1502929100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelblitz_(astrophysics)

Sounds intresting, but don't understand much of it yet

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[ABZB]

Would it be plausible to change the Atmosphere electric propellant to type = 31? is it a plausible resource for the electric RCS? It would certainly be useful... In either event I will be adding it to the mk2 RCS parts

[raxo2222]

Nice!

by the way - it looks like you have my mod installed (the radiator modules on the wings). The latest versions have the thermal color disabled for the wing parts - I am curious if you prefer the wings to gain that red color on high wasteheat, or if you just haven't had a chance to update?

I don't have your mod - its deadly reentry mod fault, and I have latest version of Interstellar

Beautiful! It flies in FAR?

Yes, just don't turn too sharply while flying fast.

Edit: wings turn red when these temp gauges show up.

Edited August 19, 2015 by raxo2222

[FreeThinker]

Would it be plausible to change the Atmosphere electric propellant to type = 31? is it a plausible resource for the electric RCS? It would certainly be useful... In either event I will be adding it to the mk2 RCS parts

Well, it could be, technically, you are redirecting compressed air (nitrogen + oxygen), like a harrier...

Note I planned to add any propelants as a possible source, with varying performance, but need to do some under the hood work first

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[ABZB]

Well, it could be, technically, you are redirecting compressed air, like a harrier...

yeah - that's what I'm thinking. I was using a RF patch of my own making that added IntakeAtm as a RF fuel option for the mk2 RCS parts, but as that does not allow in-flight switching I would have to use a second set of thrusters for vacuum operations...

this would be much more convenient. your module will be added to select mk2 rcs parts on my next update in any event.

[FreeThinker]

yeah - that's what I'm thinking. I was using a RF patch of my own making that added IntakeAtm as a RF fuel option for the mk2 RCS parts, but as that does not allow in-flight switching I would have to use a second set of thrusters for vacuum operations...

this would be much more convenient. your module will be added to select mk2 rcs parts on my next update in any event.

Note the universal retractable RCS is not mend as VTOL engine, I'm planning other high performance parts for that. The universal RCS is ment for docking operation and to make it more controlable durring lauches, with any propelant on board. Technically your just flushing some propelant into space, it's also usefull if you want to empty the tanks . It wont bring you to duna , but it could help you dock with another vessel.

Edited August 19, 2015 by FreeThinker

[ABZB]

Note the universal retractable RCS is not mend as VTOL engine, I'm planning other high performance parts for that. The universal RCS is ment for docking operation and to make it more controlable durring lauches, with any propelant on board. Technically your just flushing some propelant into space, it's also usefull you want to empty the tanks . It wont bring you to duna , but it could help you dock with another vessel.

That's exactly what I am going for - to assist in stability control, not VTOL. It's especially useful at high altitudes & velocities - when control surfaces don't have enough torque (or send one into a death tailspin from too much drag...)

[Trolllception]

How does the thermal decomposition bonus work? I notice on the chart for propellants that some fuels have EngineThrustMultiplier. Is this based on the thermal decomposition for the fuel and the temperature of the reactor/thruster? Why do some fuels have a range for thrust and others do not?

I love the complicated nature of this mod it really lets you experiment and try out different things. I hope I'm not asking too many questions all the time.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Trolllception

[FreeThinker]

How does the thermal decomposition bonus work? I notice on the chart for propellants that some fuels have EngineThrustMultiplier. Is this based on the thermal decomposition for the fuel and the temperature of the reactor/thruster? Why do some fuels have a range for thrust and others do not?

I love the complicated nature of this mod it really lets you experiment and try out different things. I hope I'm not asking too many questions all the time.

The thrust bonus depend on the core temperature of the reactor. The higher the temperature of the reactor, the large percentage gets decomposed into smaller basic chemicals which effectively greats more gas and therefore more thrust and higher Isp. The disadvantage is that is might also create more unwanted chemicals like Oxygen and Carbon (Soot) which can clog the reactor and oxidize the reactor making it leak nuclear fuel. Some proplant like Ammonia or Hydazine, only need a low temperature and there always release their full energy.

[okder]

sorry, small co2?

Edit: I guess you mean the radial gas tank. Gas tank do not like it when you heat them up, the gas will expand, blowing it up.

i mean in comparison to same container normal size with h2, it is blowing too up of course in the end, but could withstand MUCH higher speed in atmosphere.

i did not check physical time warp though.