Refueling SpaceStations showcase!

[agrock]

I have seen some spacestations in other threads but noticed that not many actually produce fuel, rather only serve as transit hubs. Therefore, let me show you mine!

Refueling Station "Veragon"

This station both produces and stockpiles rocket fuel (LfOx) and Monopropellant for outgoing ships. And by that I mean a LOT of it. Total reservoir is 51840 gallons of liquid fuel, 20250 gallons of monopropellant. And that entire reservoir gets refilled to full capacity within about and only 8 days. 

Since I am using KSTS mod (for automated delivery into low orbit) and Konstruction (for weldable ports), this station can be split into about 15 sections/deliveries. Tug then moves these sections into proper order, and weldable ports join them permanently. As for orbial delivery, I have recorded 37 tons delivery mission profile, so this would be maximum mass for each segment. But that does not particularly matter, because all deliveries are finished near each other with KSTS. If you split it into 30 sections, those will be within a hundred meters anyway. What you cut down on is docking procedures. Also tug is unmanned, so entire assembly is remotely controlled. Entire station cost is about 3M credits but that is mostly due to me just overbuilding it. Might make a smaller station with just one million. 

Pillars are on both ends of the station. Most outter docking ports are far from the refinery so even largest ships can dock. 

Engines on both ends allow changing orbit (of the entire station!) with prograde/retrograde. And since it refuels itself, well.

Wind panels gather dust, Dysons turn dust into ore, Convert-O-Trons turn ore into rocket fuel and propellant. 

Nuclear powerplant can produce 2000 ec/sek but station only consumes about 170. Powerplant runs only at 10% which extends its lifetime to about 50 years. However with full uranium it does cost 1.5M credits. About half the cost of entire station. 

Note that since Dysons produce more ore than refineries consume (only during day, wind panels require sunshine), and there is a large ore tank, refineries operate without stop during entire night cycle (about 20 minutes). This means refineries require considerable electricity for 20 minutes windows. Solar panels would be able to produce this amount, but batteries would be huge. Therefore a need for nuclear reactors. 

Both the reactor and all eight refineries require cooling, thats what Tripoles are for.

 

Edited November 25, 2017 by agrock