KSP Interstellar Extended Continued Development Thread

[Kenken244]

so, mechanically, what will the differences be between the stellerator and the tokomak fusion reactors?

 

[FreeThinker]

3 hours ago, Kenken244 said:

so, mechanically, what will the differences be between the stellerator and the tokomak fusion reactors?

 

Well in therms of gameplay, the Stellerator will be more efficient (compared to the Spherical Tokomak)  at the expanse of mass (due to less optimal dimensions and complexity). This makes the reactor suited best to power beamed power networks at the surface or in Power satellite  in Geostationary Orbit.

Edited November 10, 2016 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

8 hours ago, GERULA said:

when I dl this mod from spacedock I get a small folder of 755kb named KSP_Interstellar_Extended-2.2.8 and inside it's another mod Interstellar Fuel Switch

Yes I uploaded to the wrong IFS at thr wrong location, it is fixed now..

Edited November 10, 2016 by FreeThinker

[schlosrat]

5 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

Well in therms of gameplay, the Stellerator will be more efficient (compared to the Spherical Tokomak)  at the expanse of mass (due to less optimal dimensions and complexity). This makes the reactor suited best to power beamed power networks at the surface or in Power satellite  in Geostationary Orbit.

Speaking of beamed power, I've really been struggling with that. I must be doing it wrong. I've tried, in sandbox mode, creating a large ground based power station which is able to generate and transmit power. My ground based power station has a full size fusion reactor, and appropriately sized thermal and particle generators, a microwave beam generator, and a rectenna. Also a fission reactor so that I can start the fusion reactor, and of course the largest and best radiators I can fit on it. The craft I'm trying to launch consists of a capsule, a fuel tank, an ATILLA engine which is able to give me a TRW of > 2 at SL, a pair of microwave receivers, and all the radiators I can fit on it. I activate the small atmospheric radiators with the same action group that activates the microwave receivers. So basically it 's a minimal craft with no real payload other than the occupants of the capsule. Even such a small test vehicle I can't get it to orbit - not even close. I can get my craft to launch, but typically I cant get them over about 25km altitude, and by that time the engine is failing.

So I'm confused. Beamed power is supposed to be one of the great things about KSPI-E. Supposedly you can use it to launch much more efficiently. Can someone please post some actual examples of the ground based power stations they're using and the craft that are able to do this? I must be doing it wrong.

[markinturamb]

So, I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if it's still under development, but I don't seem to get the infrared network to relay..

I managed to successfully make one generator ship transmit to a receiving ship, but if I put a ship in-between those with just a "pivoted infrared mirror" and a couple of radiators, nothing happens...I did make it work with a receiver and a laser turret both on the relayng ship, but I assume that's inefficient.

And I've also managed to make it work using a microwave setup, instead of infrared... So, am I messing up, or am I right to think it's just not ready yet?

[FreeThinker]

Well for next release, it becomes easier as you get access to a lot more receivers. For now I would advice to use thermal engines combined with thermal receivers. The big advantage of thermla receiver is that they are highly efficient when used in combination with thermal propusion, which are also much more flexible ith the wavelenth compatibility.. 

Electrical engines are significantly harder to be used for lauches. ATTILA engine are more suitable when used in atmospherelss moons

I intend to make some guides on beamed power, which is still very much under development.

Edited November 10, 2016 by FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

59 minutes ago, markinturamb said:

I managed to successfully make one generator ship transmit to a receiving ship, but if I put a ship in-between those with just a "pivoted infrared mirror" and a couple of radiators, nothing happens...I did make it work with a receiver and a laser turret both on the relayng ship, but I assume that's inefficient.

Something should only happen when mirror has active Relay Mode and the Mirror Vessel has line of sight between Transmitter and Receiver vessel (ore other Relay vessels that can)

[A_Blackhawks_Fan]

Is the mod compatible with 1.2.1 yet, on space dock it lists it as 1.2 compatible.

 

[raxo2222]

3 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

Well for next release, it becomes easier as you get access to a lot more receivers. For now I would advice to use thermal engines combined with thermal receivers. The big advantage of thermla receiver is that they are highly efficient when used in combination with thermal propusion, which are also much more flexible ith the wavelenth compatibility.. 

Electrical engines are significantly harder to be used for lauches. ATTILA engine are more suitable when used in atmospherelss moons

I intend to make some guides on beamed power, which is still very much under development.

So thermal receivers, that turn beamed power into thermal energy, can work with any beam source?

[FreeThinker]

49 minutes ago, raxo2222 said:

So thermal receivers, that turn beamed power into thermal energy, can work with any beam source?

The Thermal Receiver should technically be able to be compatible with any wavelength. For now I'm asumming the thermal receiver function like near perfect black body absorbers. Note this technically allows them also to be used as radiators when you reverse the flow.

In future receivers I also want to use Beamed IR Laser dirrectly to heat up propellant, this would theoreticly allow variable Isp 300-3600s, like the Vasimr/ATILLA engine, but a lot more thermal efficient and able to operate in an atmosphere. Alternatively, you can power is with on board laser diodes powered by electric generators.

 

Edited November 10, 2016 by FreeThinker

[Steel Chicken]

Having a problem with going to warp...ship instantly explodes due to high g forces.  This happens with both KSP 1.2, 1.21,  and KSPI-E 1_10.12.   Any type of warp drive does this.  Thoughts to explore root cause?

[storm2k5]

Quote

Having a problem with going to warp...ship instantly explodes due to high g forces.  This happens with both KSP 1.2, 1.21,  and KSPI-E 1_10.12.   Any type of warp drive does this.  Thoughts to explore root cause?

The reason it does that is because 1.2 introduced g-force limits to parts (and also Kerbals...) it can be switched off in the KSP options!

[Steel Chicken]

4 hours ago, storm2k5 said:

The reason it does that is because 1.2 introduced g-force limits to parts (and also Kerbals...) it can be switched off in the KSP options!

Of course...thank you!  *slaps forehead*

[FreeThinker]

Alright I have uploaded a beta of KSPI-E 1.11 to curse

* Updated to KSP 1.2.1
* Updated IFS
* Updated Module Manager

* Added new model for Magnetized Target Fusion reactor by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added new Model for Magnetic Confinement Reactor  by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added New Reactor Stellarator Fusion  Reactor  by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added new Models for Beam Produces by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added Wrapped Duel Mode Thermal Receiver by Raknark
* Added Infrared Beam Transmitter by Raknark
* Added Medium Rectenna Transceiver by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added Small Shielded Transmitter by Eleusis La Arwall
* Added MHDGenerator by SpaceMouse
* Added Oversized Thermal Receivers by DMagic
* Added ability of Rectennas to selected Bandwidth
* Added ability of Beam Generators to switch wavelength
* Added more descriptions to Beamed power parts

* Balance converted microwave receiver into Duel Mode Thermal Receiver
* Balance converted Spherical Microwave Phased Array into Rectenna Receivers
* Balance Rectennas  ability to receive in other bandwidth is limited by unlock technology
* Balance Beam Generators ability to produce in other wavelength is limited by unlock technology
* Balance: Limited Beam Link ability limited to Dishes
* Balance: Limited Relay ability to Phased array and multi wavelength transmitters

* Balance Added integrated Beam generator to  Laser Turret Transmitter

* Fixed issue with Transmitting Solar Power

I would appreciate any help with testing!

Edited November 10, 2016 by FreeThinker

[markinturamb]

So, for testing the Beam Network I've created a simple receiver ship, with a pod, fuel, a vasimr engine, and the 3 circular receivers, along with this Transmitter vessel, with different transmitters:

Spoiler

I did a quick test drive and seemed fine, so I moved each vessel to opposite sides of kerbal orbit, and put this relay vessel in the middle:

Spoiler

If I activate the receivers and the transmitters separately, either for microwave or IR laser, the pod receives power. And so does it if I activate the relay for the "Microwave Phased Array Transciever". However activating the relay on the IR or UV mirrors have no effect at all.

I also noticed that if the vessel is having to work with two different types of beam, the power levels kinda flicker and work on weird ways as you activate/deactivate the receivers, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal.

 

Also, the Folded Radial Rectenna Receiver don't seem to be working, it does not receive power and there's something odd with its wavelenght selection on the VAB.

 

All tested with a clean KSP-I 1.11 only install on KSP 1.2.1

[SpaceMouse]

@FreeThinker, i wasn't able to repeat it, but with the stellerator and the direct generator after running the heat up to 3/4 and throttling off it still kept producing heat until shutdown.

Also, on the wasteheat/thrust subject, i can't help but feel the loss in thrust as heat is generated should be a lot slower. i tested it with my EM drive, and i had lost about 50% of max thrust before a was at 25% waste heat production. I could see that at maybe 60 or 75% waste but 25% is just crazy.

@Eleusis La Arwall has made some very pretty reactors.

[Nansuchao]

@FreeThinker I noticed a little inconsistency about the TTJ. In Career or Science mode, it's possible to unlock more than one upgrade of this engine way before the engine itself.

[FreeThinker]

1 minute ago, Nansuchao said:

@FreeThinker I noticed a little inconsistency about the TTJ. In Career or Science mode, it's possible to unlock more than one upgrade of this engine way before the engine itself.

True, but that is not nessisarily a problem, you just get a bonus for having already invested research in jet engines.

1 hour ago, SpaceMouse said:

@FreeThinker, i wasn't able to repeat it, but with the stellerator and the direct generator after running the heat up to 3/4 and throttling off it still kept producing heat until shutdown.

Also, on the wasteheat/thrust subject, i can't help but feel the loss in thrust as heat is generated should be a lot slower. i tested it with my EM drive, and i had lost about 50% of max thrust before a was at 25% waste heat production. I could see that at maybe 60 or 75% waste but 25% is just crazy.

@Eleusis La Arwall has made some very pretty reactors.

Have you noticed the actualy temperatures of the radiators? just try to imagin your electric device beeing connected to it. It's actualy quite a wonder of engenering they don't start to fry at only 5% wasteheat accumulation

[SpaceMouse]

53 minutes ago, FreeThinker said:

Have you noticed the actualy temperatures of the radiators? just try to imagin your electric device beeing connected to it. It's actualy quite a wonder of engenering they don't start to fry at only 5% wasteheat accumulation

Perhaps. Still feels a bit extreme to me. Since this is based on power generated, shouldn't more heat be spinning generators FASTER? even if things are starting to melt ever so slightly?

[storm2k5]

Not sure if this is still an issue with the newest version or has since been fixed:

One issue I had with the last version of KSPIE with microwave->thermal power was that on Eve, even a powerful reactor (~300MW) with the largest transmitter couldn't send beamed power to a receiver even just 1m away. Below 12km, nothing reaches anything, while above 12km everything seems normal.
I get that Eve has a thick atmosphere (1.6atm I think?) but it seems a bit extreme that it wouldn't even beam power over very short distances.

[FreeThinker]

Well there was a problem that if there was even a little solar power panel on a transmitting vessel, any receiver would only receive 1/1000 what it should be getting. The beta should fix this problem

Edited November 11, 2016 by FreeThinker

[SpaceMouse]

@FreeThinkerIs the magnetic nozzle not variable power usage? It seems it always uses 5MW now, i thought it was variable before. Although the ISP is varying as its supposed to now.

[Eleusis La Arwall]

Wow, the Magnetized Target reactor is a real monster. Slammed together a Methane/MethaLOx SSTO in a few minutes but it's actually a SST-Minmus-and-Mun with touchdown on the surface. I had a lot of fun so far! Gotta play around with some more stuff.

@SpaceMouse Thanks! I like your EM drive. Once I had disabled the shroud, I could take a look at the pretty drive-interiors. Nice work, it fits very good. If I may make a small suggestion: The "Icon_Hidden" tag for the shroud meshes in unity. This way you can see the interior in the part-catalog
 

[SpaceMouse]

1 minute ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

 

@SpaceMouse Thanks! I like your EM drive. Once I had disabled the shroud, I could take a look at the pretty drive-interiors. Nice work, it fits very good. If I may make a small suggestion: The "Icon_Hidden" tag for the shroud meshes in unity. This way you can see the interior in the part-catalog
 

Ooooooo. I was wondering how to do it. I thought it was a .CFG setting i was missing. Thanks! I'm gonna fiddle with the EM drive some too, I keep on looking at it against KSPI parts and thinking it looks far too flimsy. Among other issues.

[SpaceMouse]

I may have found a bug, @FreeThinker. The warp-thrust option appears to have disappeared from the EM drive.