KSP Interstellar Extended Continued Development Thread

[Siama]

15 hours ago, FreeThinker said:

but technically you should be able create CO2 from burning Carbon in Oxygen. I will see If we can add it...

I tried to do this and almost got it. First step - unlock fuel flow/transfer for Carbon in CRP config. Now ISRUs can work with Carbon (and produce it from SolarWind/SaltWater). Second - clone ModuleResourceConverter in ISRU config and rewrite input/output resources. Something like this

Spoiler

        INPUT_RESOURCE
        {
            ResourceName = Carbon
            Ratio = 1 // 12g/mol, take 1kg
        }
        INPUT_RESOURCE
        {
            ResourceName = LqdOxygen
            Ratio = 2.667 // 16g/mol, required 2*16/12 for 1kg of C
        }
        INPUT_RESOURCE
        {
            ResourceName = ElectricCharge
            Ratio = 32 // ignite? feed? control?
        }
        OUTPUT_RESOURCE
        {
            ResourceName = LqdCO2
            Ratio = 3.667 // 44g/mol, 1/12*44 per 1kg of C
            DumpExcess = False
        }
        OUTPUT_RESOURCE
        {
            ResourceName = WasteHeat
            Ratio = 30 // 30 MJ/kg
            DumpExcess = False
        }

But I'm not sure about units used for "Ratio". Is it mass or volume units?
 

[FreeThinker]

Version 1.11.15 for Kerbal Space Program 1.2.2

Released on 2017-01-03

• Fixed stability power supply while switching between timewarp accelerations and at maximum timewarp, vastly improving lifetime reactors at any time warp

Edited January 4, 2017 by FreeThinker

[Einarr]

@FreeThinkerDid you accidentally overwrite the 1.11.14 file on Curse? Or has Curse not been updated to 1.11.15?

[Nansuchao]

16 hours ago, Jason_25 said:

-snip-

 

While I agree that the Waste Heat mechanic needs some tweaking and I can understand that a player coming back to Interstellar after a long time will feel disoriented, in my very humble opinion, I think that no one can blame FreeThinker for anything or complain.

He picked up Interstellar when no other modders was interested in. And not just he maintains it, not easy task with all the different version of KSP we had from 1.0 on, but he continue to add new features and to improve the existing ones, reaching an unbelievable level of realism.

From a gameplay perspective, what I feel is partially missing, is the old sense of accomplishment when unlocking a part. Back in the day that was the VISTA engine, now there is not a real substitute, but other than that, the mod in itself is really great.

 

@FreeThinker, for all the nostalgics here, would it be possible to have the old VISTA as a alternate config?

Edited January 3, 2017 by Nansuchao

[The Destroyer]

@FreeThinker Thanks! That's awesome. Now I  can use antimatter reactors properly...

The craft is the Z-3 warp capable spaceplane

 

The Z-4 is its evolution, using antimatter initiated reactor instead, and some solar to minimize reactor use. It's a lot heavier, requiring two rings. (by the way, the folding ring only unfolds on the one you start charging, the other secondary one does not) and uses a D-T vista instead, as well as refuelling capability.

Before KSPI, I never went beyond Kerbin with SSTOS

The Z-5 is also in development, as a smaller interplanetary craft with an EM drive.

 

I label my spaceplanes XYZ

 

X- Xperimental fission SSTOS, primarily cargo haulers to LKO

Y- Fusion SSTOs, haven't touched them really

Z- Antimatter SSTOs, interplanetary or warp.

Edited January 3, 2017 by The Destroyer

[zanie420]

8 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

@FreeThinker Thanks! That's awesome. Now I  can use antimatter reactors properly...

The craft is the Z-3 warp capable spaceplane

 

The Z-4 is its evolution, using antimatter initiated reactor instead, and some solar to minimize reactor use. It's a lot heavier, requiring two rings. (by the way, the folding ring only unfolds on the one you start charging, the other secondary one does not) and uses a D-T vista instead, as well as refuelling capability.

Before KSPI, I never went beyond Kerbin with SSTOS

The Z-5 is also in development, as a smaller interplanetary craft with an EM drive.

 

I label my spaceplanes XYZ

 

X- Xperimental fission SSTOS, primarily cargo haulers to LKO

Y- Fusion SSTOs, haven't touched them really

Z- Antimatter SSTOs, interplanetary or warp.

I want!

[The Destroyer]

@zanie420 Don't worry, I'll be releasing the XYZ series this week I think, just gotta test when KSPI updates that it's all stable, and develop some more SSTOs.

[Charon Moloch]

What I'd really want are hybrid wings/control surfaces that are also radiators, one day I'll try to mash two parts together and see what happens.

[FreeThinker]

1 hour ago, The Destroyer said:

@FreeThinker Thanks! That's awesome. Now I  can use antimatter reactors properly...

The craft is the Z-3 warp capable spaceplane

 

The Z-4 is its evolution, using antimatter initiated reactor instead, and some solar to minimize reactor use. It's a lot heavier, requiring two rings. (by the way, the folding ring only unfolds on the one you start charging, the other secondary one does not) and uses a D-T vista instead, as well as refuelling capability.

Before KSPI, I never went beyond Kerbin with SSTOS

The Z-5 is also in development, as a smaller interplanetary craft with an EM drive.

 

I label my spaceplanes XYZ

 

X- Xperimental fission SSTOS, primarily cargo haulers to LKO

Y- Fusion SSTOs, haven't touched them really

Z- Antimatter SSTOs, interplanetary or warp.

Damn that one hack of an over engineered vessel, I also like you experimented a lot, taking evolutionary steps

Only thing missing would be some video and see this vessel take on a grad tour or something. wouldn't that be a nice chalange? and plant a flag on every solid body for bonus points!

Edited January 3, 2017 by FreeThinker

[zanie420]

2 minutes ago, FreeThinker said:

Dan that one hack of an over engeneerded vessel, I also like you experimented a lot, taking evelotionary

Only think missing wold be some video and see this vessel take on a grad tour or somethig. ould be a nice chalange right, plan a flag on every solid body

What he said!

[The Destroyer]

@FreeThinker @zanie420 

 

What do you think I designed it for?

 

The Z-4, with some more tweaking, will attempt a grand tour. Depending on how it goes, either it will succeed or the Z-6 will take its place. Then I'll work on some heavy Y-class lifters.

Oh yeah, from earlier in my career this is the X-6. It was designed for deployment of cargo in LKO, or helping a vessel slingshot out (it deployed probes to Dres)

Pebble bed powered, never really experimented with any other fission reactor

Edited January 3, 2017 by The Destroyer
X-6

[FreeThinker]

1 hour ago, Charon Moloch said:

What I'd really want are hybrid wings/control surfaces that are also radiators, one day I'll try to mash two parts together and see what happens.

Well them, why don't you create them? Al you need to do is is find/create a  wing model, add some re texturing and add the partmodules, then I will integrate them.

40 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

@FreeThinker @zanie420 

 

What do you think I designed it for?

 

Well I can't wait  until you start posting some videos/animation, It has been quite some time since any well made video about KSPI has been made. The last ones date from 2 years ago, but a lot has changed since I turned it into KSPIE

Edited January 3, 2017 by FreeThinker

[The Destroyer]

@FreeThinker I'll try, but I'm having an issue with lag near planets. Not sure why, but my FPS drops greatly near them, and reducing texture quality helps. Might be something to do with SVE, if I can sort it out I'll try making a video. It's weird though, switching to lower res SVE doesn't help

Edited January 3, 2017 by The Destroyer

[singlet]

It seems that some fuel tanks (e.g. wrapper tanks) are included both in KSPI-E and in Interstellar Fuel Switch. Is this intended?

[zanie420]

1 hour ago, FreeThinker said:

Well them, why don't you create them? Al you need to do is is find/create a  wing model, add some re texturing and add the partmodules, then I will integrate them.

Well I can't wait  until you start posting some videos/animation, It has been quite some time since any well made video about KSPI has been made. The last ones date from 2 years ago, but a lot has changed since I turned it into KSPIE

@The Destroyer, I second @FreeThinker. I am willing to help too. I have the determination, the time, and the inclination. I just need direction. There is a definite need and demand for a decent video guide that can be maintained and updated. 

As for making needed parts, I will run through some Blender tutorials. Any other tools I should learn?

[FreeThinker]

51 minutes ago, singlet said:

It seems that some fuel tanks (e.g. wrapper tanks) are included both in KSPI-E and in Interstellar Fuel Switch. Is this intended?

Yes they are,. This is due to a limitation of the filter extension mod. I want these part to be accessible either from IFS or KSPI part menu. Unfortunately, currently the only way to do is by cfg duplication

Edited January 3, 2017 by FreeThinker

[The Destroyer]

 

Z-4GT is now entering Duna orbit. It has completed all inner planets except moho (24 km/s burnoff needed!). It will stop at Duna for refuelliing. DT consumption is more than I thought, may have to send somethnig

Edited January 4, 2017 by The Destroyer

[FreeThinker]

14 hours ago, MisterFister said:

@FreeThinker I love this mod and I am very grateful that you and others maintain it.

I note two typos in your OP for this thread.

  Reveal hidden contents

First, after the "

ISRU atmospheric scoop" header, inside the spoiler tag with Planet / Mun Atmospheric composition, the column header for oxygen gas is missing.  We see the 2 subscript, but not the "O".

Second, after the ISRU section, the next header should likely refer to "Interstellar Fuel Tanks," but it instead reads "Interstella."
 

I have no programming knowledge, but I have copyediting experience, so please know that I post this out of nothing but a desire to contribute however I can.

Thanks, I appreciate any help

18 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

 

Z-4GT is now entering Duna orbit. It has completed all inner planets except moho (24 km/s burnoff needed!). It will stop at Duna for refuelliing. DT consumption is more than I thought, may have to send somethnig

What is your total delta V budget? Did you know you can easy extend you vessels delta V using electric engines, one recent change is that they work under high time warp. Even a relatively weak electric engine can get give a huge boost to your delta V budget if you have the opportunity can use them under time acceleration. This makes them ideal for transferring orbits.

A good combo for a STTO airplane would be  thermal ramjet + VISTA + Plasma Wakefield accelerator. Thermla Ramjet for atmospgeric takeoff and atmospheric decent, VISTA to get into orbit or for obital inception and Wakefield engine to transfer between planets and moons.

Edited January 4, 2017 by FreeThinker

[The Destroyer]

@FreeThinker Around 30 km/s, but it can refuel itself, slowly. (too slowly, need more drills) I'm already using a D-T vista at maximum ISP, and when I tried electric engines they only had around 20k ISP, unless I missed one. The EM drive is a possibility, but I need to slow the craft down quickly near eve, and ramjets will use too much fuel. 

Duna landing is probably out. I busted the rear gear on Eve that protects the D-T vista, and the craft doesn't produce enough lift to land safely normally, and has no vertical landing capability. Probably going to land on Ike, then get over to Dres, then Jool refuelling. Then, probably home and develop Z-6, or this

Edited January 4, 2017 by The Destroyer

[FreeThinker]

7 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

I tried electric engines they only had around 20k ISP, unless I missed one.

The VASIMIR goes to 36k and  Wakefield to 100k. They also have the big advantage of accepting many propellants and can be placed anywhere on your vessel.

7 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

Duna landing is probably out. I busted the rear gear on Eve that protects the D-T vista, and the craft doesn't produce enough lift to land safely normally, and has no vertical landing capability. Probably going to land on Ike, then get over to Dres, then Jool refuelling. Then, probably home and develop Z-6

I think the key strategy for landing on duna will be the ability to land horizontally, either on your tail or with thrusters under your plane.

Edited January 4, 2017 by FreeThinker

[The Destroyer]

To 100k? Huh. I'll have to look into that, last time I paired it with a quantum singularity generator and it got 3000 isp with hydrogen... interesting.

@FreeThinker

[FreeThinker]

10 minutes ago, The Destroyer said:

To 100k? Huh. I'll have to look into that, last time I paired it with a quantum singularity generator and it got 3000 isp with hydrogen... interesting.

@FreeThinker

Its Isp scales with throttle, like the Magnetic Nozzle, the higher the throttle, the higher the thrust but the lower the Isp, the total amount of power remains the same

[The Destroyer]

Ahh I see. I'll have to try it on the Z-6.

Meanwhile...

Orbit of dres  with 9 km/s of delta-v left. It's going to plan. Not a total grand tour but a large mission

[Einarr]

An old ship, but one I may see about rebuilding once I unlock the requisite techs. It was originally built back in 0.23.x or 0.24.x with whatever KSPI was available then.

https://imgur.com/a/sBtxc

Unfortunately, I can't embed the whole album, it seems. So there's a link.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Einarr

[The Destroyer]

@Einarr That's a nice ship! What's the center structure sphere?