How to properly use a warp drive?

[ErevanGaming]

Hi everybody =)

I finally at that point in my career save to use a warp drive =D (learned how to disable steam's autoupdate for KSP before version 1.3 was released) =)

Now, how do I use it properly? ="> My last attempt before reverting or loading a previously save game was using tons-o-fuel just to get captured or circularized ="> (not sure if am using the right term). The lack of fuel made any return trip impossible. =(

Thanks in advance for your tips/suggestions. =D

 

Regards

[TheRagingIrishman]

Which warp drive are you using? There are several mods that add warp drives and they have different mechanics. 

[ErevanGaming]

59 minutes ago, TheRagingIrishman said:

Which warp drive are you using? There are several mods that add warp drives and they have different mechanics. 

Hi TheRagingIrishman,

Am using IXS Warship Original Series for v.1.2.2

Regards =)

[Zhetaan]

The thing to remember about that warp drive is that it conserves your velocity; you can go anywhere quickly, but to be able to stay there requires finesse.  Imagine, for example, beginning in Kerbin's orbit and then going to Jool--but when Jool is on the opposite side of the sun from Kerbin.  Kerbin is moving with an orbital velocity of about 9.2 km/s, and Jool is going to be moving at 13 km/s relative to that.  So far as Alcubierre warp fields are concerned, the overall effect is essentially the same as popping from Kerbin to Jool via teleportation, which means that you will get to Jool's system and then stay there very briefly as you fly out of it at 13 km/s.

To cope with that velocity, you have to essentially split the magnitude from the direction and manage them separately.  For the example, Jool is going at a slower speed (because it is farther from the sun) but in the opposite direction (because it's on the other side of the sun from Kerbin):  if you went directly there, you'd need to stop for 9.2 km/s, turn around, and accelerate by the 4 km/s you'd need to match.  You can do this much cheaper and faster if you only need to shed 5.2 km/s and can change direction.  The warp drive cannot do that--its essential function is to separate the vessel from the normal rules of spacetime--so that means you will need to use a combination of normal flight with superluminal flight to achieve your goal.  However, warp drive can change location very easily--this is, in fact, its only selling point--so if you can use a gravity well to alter your trajectory, you'll get where you need to go so long as you go to the gravity well first.  More gravity makes a quicker change, so that means going to the sun.

Make a note of Kerbin's tangential velocity direction with respect to the sun and warp to a point above the sun's surface (not too close, of course) where that velocity vector points straight radial out with respect to the sun.  This is going to be a line that crosses Kerbin's orbit around a quarter of an orbit ahead.  The idea is that if you warp to a place where your velocity carries you directly out from the sun, then the sun's gravity will slow you down without changing your direction.  Since gravity drops with the square of the distance, you may want to keep warping back down in order to get the quickest deceleration rather than let your speed drop in one long coast.

Once you've lost 5.2 km/s, warp to a point near (again, not too near) the sun such that you are directly between it and Kerbin.  Now your velocity is no longer pointing straight radial out; instead, you want it pointing prograde.  Orbit the sun until your direction is parallel to Jool's direction, then warp to Jool.  Now you will have matched both direction and velocity with Jool, and any further corrections should be fairly simple.

You may want to change direction first instead of magnitude; you'll have to try it for yourself.

To return to Kerbin, the situation is reversed; warp to a point high above the sun, but falling directly radial in; you'll pick up speed as you do.  Keep warping back out before you broil yourself until you've built up the needed speed.

I leave the matter of inclination changes as an exercise for the student.

You may note that a typical Hohmann transfer accomplishes this effect by combining the direction change and the speed reduction over the course of one very long flight, and for roughly the same amount of speed change (an ideal Hohmann to Jool is about 5 km/s).  Since the warp drive won't allow that, you have to get creative.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Zhetaan

[ErevanGaming]

hi Zhetaan,

Woah, thanks for your awesome reply. Never guessed that I could use gravity wells to adjust my velocity =">. Thanks again =)

 

Regards