The K-Drive Science Thread!

[Frozen_Heart]

So now that these devices seem to be working again, and more and more are finding their way onto spacecraft, I think it's time to discover how they actually work so that more efficient models can be constructed in the future. Their construction is still mainly based on guesswork and passed down lore. If anyone makes any discoveries about K Drives then putting all the knowledge in one place can help future builders.

 

So far the reddit user hasslehawk has compiled this list of known points about the device:

• There are two modes of operation.
• In mode one, it will force a constant linear velocity.
• In mode two, you will get a very high, constant acceleration.
• Mode two may destroy your vessel if activated in atmosphere or below a certain altitude. The exact cause is unknown.
• The transition between modes one and two should NOT be crossed while the drive is active - use conventional propulsion or gravitational acceleration to pass this barrier. This seems to be caused by the sudden deceleration from your current speed to the drive's mode 1 operating speed.
• The Kraken Drive does not care if it worked flawlessly last time. The Kraken Drive reserves the right to spontaneously fail at any time for any reason.
• Sometimes the Kraken Drive will fail in such a way that it cannot be repaired, such as a broken joint. Some designs are more prone to this than others.
• In the past, the only known Kraken Drive models used landing legs, not wheels, as the landing gear of the time didn't have suspension.
• The presumed cause of the dual-mode functionality of the drive is the Unity workaround wherein the game internally switches between storing your velocity / position relative to other objects, and instead begins to move the world around the player's craft, in order to dodge floating point precision errors that would result in jittery motion and spontaneous destruction of the player's craft.
• The mode 1 to mode 2 transition velocity and altitude values seem to vary based on what body you are in orbit of.

 

In addition I have made the following observations during testing:

• Bearing and pusher misalignment creates uneven thrust, and/or, turning forces.
• The K Drive points where it wants. It will sometimes listen to you, but at other times decides to set a destination of its own and no amount of SAS will save you.
• Increasing the payload weight on the drive will increase the stress on its parts. This can be mitigated by using structural parts, and good bearing construction, but eventually a point is crossed where even that won't help.
• Modern K Drives must consist of two parts.

 

Example Drive: