KSP Interstellar Extended Support Thread

[Astraph]

I might be dumb and missing some very basic (and essential) part, because in tutorial/guides I have checked this thing is never explained (or rather, treated as a trival detail that should already be known).

I want to build a HTP refinery for my Niven mission in GPP. I slapped the 2.5m reactor from USI, Thermal Power Generator on top of that. Then I basically covered it with radiators (wrap-up ones plastered all along the reactor and generator + 6 deploable radiator panels). When I turn the thing on, it has like 20% power efficiency and all is fine and dandy.

But the moment I power up the refinery (universal drill + ISRU Processor + Electrolyzer + Refridgerator), the thing just dies. Power output drops to 0, radiators no longer have power to work, so it falls into a vicious circle. I tried tweaking it one way or another, but I am just unable to sustain operations at any rate. What can I do to fix this and what am I doing wrong?

Some notes for clarity:

• True, in Therman Control window in VAB all values are red - but even if I literally plaster the whole thing with radiators, things barely go into yellow areas.
• I am trying to use vacuum-optimized radiators exclusively; I am using launch pad as test bed, then launch prototypes to Iota for vacuum tests. My thinking is that if it works in vacuum, it should also work in Niven's thin atmosphere
• Here's a screenshot of the prototype setup; please note the variant I am describing above has a Thermal Generator added on top of the reactor (between reactor and the reaction wheel); it has also slightly different configuration (Ore processors instead of Karbonite module), but it should not change the thermal situation, right?

[FreeThinker]

2 hours ago, Dollehz said:

Found the problem, the ISRU refrigerator consumes power even though it's not doing anything.

Forgot to turn of my lqd methane -> methane conversion (user error). Setting the slider to 0 fixed the problem.
Weird part is there was no lqd methane left but the ISRU kept draining power, don't know if it's suppose to do so.

Good point, it should not have drained power after it has nothing left to convert

1 hour ago, Astraph said:

I might be dumb and missing some very basic (and essential) part, because in tutorial/guides I have checked this thing is never explained (or rather, treated as a trival detail that should already be known).

I want to build a HTP refinery for my Niven mission in GPP. I slapped the 2.5m reactor from USI, Thermal Power Generator on top of that. Then I basically covered it with radiators (wrap-up ones plastered all along the reactor and generator + 6 deploable radiator panels). When I turn the thing on, it has like 20% power efficiency and all is fine and dandy.

But the moment I power up the refinery (universal drill + ISRU Processor + Electrolyzer + Refridgerator), the thing just dies. Power output drops to 0, radiators no longer have power to work, so it falls into a vicious circle. I tried tweaking it one way or another, but I am just unable to sustain operations at any rate. What can I do to fix this and what am I doing wrong?

Some notes for clarity:

• True, in Therman Control window in VAB all values are red - but even if I literally plaster the whole thing with radiators, things barely go into yellow areas.
• I am trying to use vacuum-optimized radiators exclusively; I am using launch pad as test bed, then launch prototypes to Iota for vacuum tests. My thinking is that if it works in vacuum, it should also work in Niven's thin atmosphere
• Here's a screenshot of the prototype setup; please note the variant I am describing above has a Thermal Generator added on top of the reactor (between reactor and the reaction wheel); it has also slightly different configuration (Ore processors instead of Karbonite module), but it should not change the thermal situation, right?

Have you verified the Reactor works at all?

[Astraph]

Yeah, when I click on Reactor Control window, things seem working - I have actinides being produced, temperature goes up and heat is produced. If I fire up only less power-hungry modules (like the Ore processor) or just the drill, they work indefinitely. Issues begin when I fire up all converters and the drill at the same time.

As I mentioned, I know I used too little radiators to have 100% efficiency - but I see no way to add more without making majority of lander's parts radiators... If anyone could share their reactor setups, I would happily try to reverse-engineer them.

Oh, and one last detail, though I am not sure how relevant is that - since I'm playing GPP, I am using the older version of the mod (though I can't provide the exact version number right now, as I am at work)

[Dollehz]

Need some help with some numbers here.

So, i't trying to figure out my thrust and ISP for a reactor with a thermal nozzle. I know these values are displayed in the VAB but i'm trying to fully understand this mod and I came across a lot of values that didn't make any sense.

So in my example we combine a pebble bed with a thermal rocket nozzle; look up the numbers; make some calculations and identify some bugs.

Reading the parts info I get

• Pebble bed: Thermal nozzle Performance: 797.6kN @ 1150s. Great found what i was looking for!
  Spoiler

  

  
   
• Thermal nozzle: Thrust 138.889 kN - 500.0 kN @ 200s - 720s. Now wait these are completely different numbers..
  Spoiler

  

  
   
• Let's right click the engine: 
  Spoiler

  
  
  Again different numbers

  
   
• But wait there is that whole list of formulas
  Spoiler

  
  
  So according to this for Hydrogen: 1 x 22.136 x Sqrt(3000K) => 1212.438
  Aha! that's the same max ISP as from the right click menu

  Note: these formulas are missing for most fuels on the thermal ramjet/turbojet

  Note 2: here it becomes apparent that the ISP is proportional to the Core temperature, some engines like the nuclear lightbulb have a core temp of 8839K thus a higher ISP (2081.1s)

   

 

• Lets try another fuel type, let's take Hydrazine
  Spoiler

  From the above formula we should get a max ISP of 0.744 x 22.136 x sqrt(3000K) => 902.054

  

  So... errr... we got 2 different values here, but one of them is correct

  But notice how the top 2 values are the same as for hydrogen. At first i thought "Aah these must be the basic values" but actually it turns out to be a BUG.
  These are the values for the selected fuel when you change scale.
  They remain fixed until you change scale again.
  (these wont show up until you change scale)

  Lets increase scale and go back to the original

  

  Tadaa problem solved. Now good thing about these values is that you get:

  Max and Min ISP
  Sea and Vac Thrust

  BUT: these do not show up unless you rescale the engine (for thermal nozzles, other engines show these by default)
  AND: do not update unless you rescale again (all engines suffer from this bug)

  Best would be to make these values show permanently, make them auto update and then remover the double data (bottom ISP data).

   

• Now what about calculating Thrust and min ISP?
  Spoiler

  Lets start with min ISP:

  I have no idea where the basic value comes from.

  Hydrogen has a min ISP of 1050.1s with a propellant multiplier of 1 so we can assume this is the basic min ISP for the engine
  Hydrazine has a propellant multiplier of 0.744 so:
  1050.1 x 0.744 = 781.27s (actual ISP = 812.2s)

  So as you can see the propellant multiplier is not correct for min ISP

  All ISE engines have this problem

   

  Next Thrust:

  Same issue, no idea where the basic values come from.

  Again Hydrogen has a multiplier of 1 so we can use these values as basic.
  Hydrogen thrust is 655.6kN - 756.9kN

  Unfortunately the fuel thrust multiplier is not shown in the VAB so we have to look it up.
  Hydrazine thrust multiplier is 1.4 => thrust should be: 917.84kN - 1059.66kN

  It's not, actual thrust is 1285.2kN - 1427.4kN

  Again propellant multiplier is incorrect for both Sea and Vac Thrust

  All ISE engines have this problem

 

If any of my reasoning / math is wrong, please let know.

 

TLDR;

Spoiler

 

Many confusing (useless?) numbers

For all thermal nozzle

• No default Sea/Vac Thrust & min max ISP shown in VAB
• Does not update when changing fuel type (only after rescaling)

Other engines:

• default Sea/Vac thrust & min max ISP is shown
• Does not update when changing fuel type (only after rescaling)

Propellant multipliers only correct for max ISP. Min ISP and Thrust give wrong numbers (Affecting all ISE engines)

Propellant thrust multipliers not shown in VAB

 

 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Dollehz

[FreeThinker]

@Dollehz You are observant but you need to understand there are some limitations on KSP Part system because any partinfo, inclding module information, is requested at startup and cannot be changed once your in the VAB, so the thrust numbers on the thermal nozzle are just an example for that might be the performance, the actual performance depends on the reactor, fuelmode, size, throttle, time and atmospheric pressure.

Edited July 11, 2019 by FreeThinker

[Dollehz]

Okay makes sense, so the part information is an approximation of the values you can expect. I understand the actual figures are a bit more complex.

Do you have any formula for the thrust like there is for ISP? Is it related to the reactors power output? Linear, exponential,.. ?

[Astraph]

Aesthetics be damned, I just slapped as many radiators on a reworked refinery as I could.

However, when I'm launching KRASH to test the whole setup, both generators shut down due to... no radiator being available.

I have absolutely no idea what's wrong. Generators are connected directly to reactors, reactors are working (producing actinides and so on). I have no idea what I'm doing wrong here...  

EDIT: I just noticed that my generator's Cold Bath temperature (500 K) is higher than Hot Bath (300 K)... Is that working as intended?

EDIT2: Just in case - Reactor Control window

EDIT 3: Looks like my initial suspicions were true - I am stupid and failed to notice key things (like the whole in-flight thermal readout function). Here's my troubeshooting, I'd be most grateful if someone more experienced verified my conclusions ^^'

• 1.25m reactors have laughable output (6.7 MW with 4 reactors) at tier 1, while electrolyzer alone gobbles up 20 MW. I tried to reduce its power consumption to 10% with the slider, but it did little to fix the issue, it still goes at full power when activated. 
• USI reactors apparently have their own generator integrated, so I guess the mod does not recognize them as 'proper' reactors for thermal power production.
• My tech is tier 1, so obviously, radiators are also excrements at dispelling heat.

My plan for tomorrow is to return to 2.5m reactor, but tweak its power output so levels manageable without turning the whole refinery into a radiator chrysantemium. Guess more advanced technology will allow me to build something more ambitious in near future.

Edited July 12, 2019 by Astraph

[Jumberlack]

@Astraph yes USI reactors are their own thing.  And also, working with low tier tech is against you in every way. You don't have any good reactors, the reactors you do have don't make much power, the radiators suck, and (most significantly) your thermal electric generator is crazy inefficient and makes oodles of waste heat. I'm sorry to say it but if you're looking for big power with your tech levels, the only good solution is to add more radiators and reactors. Eventually you'll get to the technological level such that you don't need a Christmas tree of radiators, but you aren't there yet. Also, I'm pretty sure the 1.25m fission reactor has a built-in TEG. 

 

Takeaway: you have a lot of multiplicative inefficiencies, you're probably going to need something like 10x the thermal power as electricity you need to make, accompanied by enough radiators to keep the cold bath cool enough to maintain that 10% efficiency. Have you scooped up all of the science Ceti and Iota have to offer first? Might be a good idea before heading off to other planets.

Edited July 16, 2019 by Jumberlack

[Astraph]

@Jumberlack thanks for confirming my suspicions. I actually got the next tier of reactors (including the Interstellar's Molten Salt one), and miraculously I am finally able to generate power without crashing my whole setup. Barely 30 MW, but it's enough to actually run the H2O electrolysis without the whole thing imploding on itself. I also cheated tinkered a bit with TweakScale and by using 2.5x sized radiators managed the final iteration to look nice and actually work at the same time.  

[Jumberlack]

@Astraph using tweakscale in kspie is not just not cheating, it's completely intended and almost required in some cases. btw the molten salt reactor is bae.  

[Tonas1997]

Heyo! Would you be interested in a custom "Faster Than Light" node icon?

Edited July 17, 2019 by Tonas1997

[FreeThinker]

5 hours ago, Tonas1997 said:

Heyo! Would you be interested in a custom "Faster Than Light" node icon?

Yes, any Icons for additional KSPIE tech nodes would be very welcome

Edited July 17, 2019 by FreeThinker

[Tonas1997]

16 minutes ago, FreeThinker said:

Yes, any Icons for additional KSPIE tech nodes would be very welcome

Neat! I'll contact CTT's author(s) to know which deboss level they used and I'll get back to you in a few days.

[Tonas1997]

Early ideas for KSPI-E custom tech node icons

Quantum Gravity

Represents a single graviton moving throughout spacetime, with the underlying grid representing the Planck scale.

Faster-Than-Light

Inspired by this GIF from Wikipedia's page on tachyons (hypothetical particles that always move faster than c), it represents the two "virtual" images generated by one such particle, overlayed with lines representing the shockwave of the generated Cherenkov radiation.

Both images were rendered with a grey background so as to help with visualization. While they have the same resolution as CTT icons (64x64), they are still quite dissimilar as I haven't been able to replicate CTT's deboss effect... yet

Edited July 19, 2019 by Tonas1997

[samooo2]

On 7/11/2019 at 8:05 PM, Dollehz said:

Need some help with some numbers here.

Too much stuff to quote, but basically:

Maximum ISP is only based on fuel type and core temperature. That huge list of formulas. Afaik the various nozzle types should only affect which propellants you can use, nozzle mass, thrust vectoring, atmospheric performance etc.

Minimum ISP is very weird. Each nozzle loses a set amount of thrust in-atmosphere, base on it's size and type. Like, say -60kN flat. It's the "treshold" value you see when you rightclick a nozzle in amospheric flight. So I guess you could calculate minimum ISP from your thrust at maximum ISP and sea-level treshold force, whatever that is.

Also keep in mind some reactors (like the PebbleBed in your example) change their core temperature in-flight.

[Talavar]

Hello, Fellas. Have a question that someone may be able to answer fairly quickly.  Me and my brother are currently playing with the luna multiplayer mod. We are trying to cut down on as many mods as possible, but interstellar is considered to be "required". What is the bare minimum of the files packed with interstellar that are required for it to function?
 What we see in the pack are:
1: Filter extensions
2: Filter extension configs
3: Community resource pack (we already have this)
4: Hide empty tech Tree nodes (we already have this)
5: Interstellar Fuel Switch
6: Kerbal Joint Reinforcement (we already have this)
7: Patch Manager
8: Photon sail
9: Tweak Scale
10: Warp Plugin
  If you could just give the numbers of the files Above that are required, that would be all I'd need. Thank you in advance!

[Vadym]

 

Horrible mod. It spoils everything. Engines do not work. The RCS_Build_Aid and The_Janitors_Closet mods also stopped working. The filter is gone. In vain he got ahead.

[wkwied]

7 hours ago, Talavar said:

Hello, Fellas. Have a question that someone may be able to answer fairly quickly.  Me and my brother are currently playing with the luna multiplayer mod. We are trying to cut down on as many mods as possible, but interstellar is considered to be "required". What is the bare minimum of the files packed with interstellar that are required for it to function?
 What we see in the pack are:
1: Filter extensions
2: Filter extension configs
3: Community resource pack (we already have this)
4: Hide empty tech Tree nodes (we already have this)
5: Interstellar Fuel Switch
6: Kerbal Joint Reinforcement (we already have this)
7: Patch Manager
8: Photon sail
9: Tweak Scale
10: Warp Plugin
  If you could just give the numbers of the files Above that are required, that would be all I'd need. Thank you in advance!

I believe you can get by without Patch Manager (mods won't check for updates) and Photo sail (which is a solar sail, but not tied to KSPIE)

Just now, Vadym said:

 

Horrible mod. It spoils everything. Engines do not work. The RCS_Build_Aid and The_Janitors_Closet mods also stopped working. The filter is gone. In vain he got ahead.

Mod has a very steep learning curve, but everything does work...

[Vadym]

If everything works, then why does the construction indicate how much delta I have in TWR in a vacuum, and already during the flight there is nothing and the engine does not want to work?

[wkwied]

There can be a dozen reasons for that. The calculation in the VAB isn't 100% accurate with how modular and variable KSPIE parts can be. Accurate dV and TWR will be displayed when you are in play.

 

For the engine, there can be a bunch of reasons. Correct fuel? Enough heat management? Engine connected to reactor? Just saying 'IT DOESN'T WORK' doesn't help. Provide more information

[whitespacekilla]

This is a bug I encountered a year ago that still seems to be present. I've seen it happen to a Timberwind most often, but I might have experienced it with a NERVA last year. The engine will work fine until something causes it to be saved, at this time, the engine will be "Offline" with no PAWS option to reactive it (you can activate/deactivate the nozzle or the generator but not the reactor itself). If I look at the save file, the problem module is:

MODULE
				{
					name = InterstellarPebbleBedFissionEngine
					isEnabled = True
					electricPowerPriority = 1
					powerPercentage = 100
					forcedMinimumThrottle = 0
					render_window = True
					fuelmode_index = 0
					fuel_mode_name = Uranium Nitride Pellet
					fuel_mode_variant = FissionUN
					IsEnabled = False
					isDeployed = False
					isupgraded = False
					breedtritium = True
					last_active_time = 21847023.009077851
					ongoing_consumption_rate = 0.03259285260460424
					ongoing_wasteheat_rate = 0.00025000000000000001
					reactorInit = True
					startDisabled = False
					neutronEmbrittlementDamage = 1.2056905787904126E-11
					maxEmbrittlementFraction = 0.5
					windowPositionX = 994
					windowPositionY = 744
					currentGenerationType = 2
					storedPowerMultiplier = 1
					stored_fuel_ratio = 1
					fuel_ratio = 1
					requested_thermal_power_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					maximumThermalPower = 50
					maximumChargedPower = 0
					thermal_power_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					charged_power_ratio = 0
					reactor_power_ratio = 0
					power_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					thermal_propulsion_ratio = 0
					plasma_propulsion_ratio = 0
					charged_propulsion_ratio = 0
					propulsion_request_ratio_sum = 0
					maximum_thermal_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					maximum_charged_request_ratio = 0
					maximum_reactor_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					thermalThrottleRatio = 0
					plasmaThrottleRatio = 0
					chargedThrottleRatio = 0
					storedIsThermalEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0.092384031265024577
					storedIsPlasmaEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0
					storedIsChargedEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0
					storedGeneratorThermalEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					storedGeneratorPlasmaEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					storedGeneratorChargedEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					ongoing_total_power_generated = 0
					ongoing_thermal_power_generated = 1.6296426302302121
					ongoing_charged_power_generated = 0
					stagingEnabled = True
					EVENTS
					{
					}
					ACTIONS
					{
						ActivateReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
						DeactivateReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
						ToggleReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
					}
					UPGRADESAPPLIED
					{
					}
				}

You'll notice, there's an `isEnabled = True` and `IsEnabled = False`, capitalization being the only difference. If I edit the capitalized version to True, it's active again.

 

I have not been able to find a way to activate the engine from this state in-game. The reactor control window has no interactive button (no deactivate or activate button at the bottom) and the PAWS menu has activation only for the generator and the nozzle.

[FreeThinker]

5 hours ago, whitespacekilla said:

This is a bug I encountered a year ago that still seems to be present. I've seen it happen to a Timberwind most often, but I might have experienced it with a NERVA last year. The engine will work fine until something causes it to be saved, at this time, the engine will be "Offline" with no PAWS option to reactive it (you can activate/deactivate the nozzle or the generator but not the reactor itself). If I look at the save file, the problem module is:

MODULE
				{
					name = InterstellarPebbleBedFissionEngine
					isEnabled = True
					electricPowerPriority = 1
					powerPercentage = 100
					forcedMinimumThrottle = 0
					render_window = True
					fuelmode_index = 0
					fuel_mode_name = Uranium Nitride Pellet
					fuel_mode_variant = FissionUN
					IsEnabled = False
					isDeployed = False
					isupgraded = False
					breedtritium = True
					last_active_time = 21847023.009077851
					ongoing_consumption_rate = 0.03259285260460424
					ongoing_wasteheat_rate = 0.00025000000000000001
					reactorInit = True
					startDisabled = False
					neutronEmbrittlementDamage = 1.2056905787904126E-11
					maxEmbrittlementFraction = 0.5
					windowPositionX = 994
					windowPositionY = 744
					currentGenerationType = 2
					storedPowerMultiplier = 1
					stored_fuel_ratio = 1
					fuel_ratio = 1
					requested_thermal_power_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					maximumThermalPower = 50
					maximumChargedPower = 0
					thermal_power_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					charged_power_ratio = 0
					reactor_power_ratio = 0
					power_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					thermal_propulsion_ratio = 0
					plasma_propulsion_ratio = 0
					charged_propulsion_ratio = 0
					propulsion_request_ratio_sum = 0
					maximum_thermal_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					maximum_charged_request_ratio = 0
					maximum_reactor_request_ratio = 0.00025000000000000001
					thermalThrottleRatio = 0
					plasmaThrottleRatio = 0
					chargedThrottleRatio = 0
					storedIsThermalEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0.092384031265024577
					storedIsPlasmaEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0
					storedIsChargedEnergyGeneratorEfficiency = 0
					storedGeneratorThermalEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					storedGeneratorPlasmaEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					storedGeneratorChargedEnergyRequestRatio = 0.00025000000000000001
					ongoing_total_power_generated = 0
					ongoing_thermal_power_generated = 1.6296426302302121
					ongoing_charged_power_generated = 0
					stagingEnabled = True
					EVENTS
					{
					}
					ACTIONS
					{
						ActivateReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
						DeactivateReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
						ToggleReactorAction
						{
							actionGroup = None
						}
					}
					UPGRADESAPPLIED
					{
					}
				}

You'll notice, there's an `isEnabled = True` and `IsEnabled = False`, capitalization being the only difference. If I edit the capitalized version to True, it's active again.

 

I have not been able to find a way to activate the engine from this state in-game. The reactor control window has no interactive button (no deactivate or activate button at the bottom) and the PAWS menu has activation only for the generator and the nozzle.

Have you tried activating it with a Kerbal Engeneer on EVA? When a EVA Kerbal is Close to the engine, it should have the ability to active the reactor.

Edited July 23, 2019 by FreeThinker

[gandt2]

Hi guys,

I installed this a few hours ago and ended up with these odd lines on every craft. 

https://imgur.com/1s2cD3B

Deleting the Kerbal joint reinforcement file removed the issue.  I had this picture on another thread and someone suggested that it might be a debug flag that was left on.  Not being a mod myself I don't know if that is the case but I thought I would post this here in any event.  I don't really know if the issue is with Joint reinforcement or one of the other files contained within KSPIE just that deleting Joint reinforcement removed the issue.  I am almost positive that the lines on the craft were some sort of visual representation of autostruts.  

K-C

Edited July 23, 2019 by gandt2
spelling grammar :)

[Khalkion]

As I can see you have FAR installed. I'm more or less sure that these lines are some sort of interaction between it and KJR. And nothing about KSPI-E itself.

[whitespacekilla]

48 minutes ago, gandt2 said:

Hi guys,

I installed this a few hours ago and ended up with these odd lines on every craft. 

https://imgur.com/1s2cD3B

Deleting the Kerbal joint reinforcement file removed the issue.  I had this picture on another thread and someone suggested that it might be a debug flag that was left on.  Not being a mod myself I don't know if that is the case but I thought I would post this here in any event.  I don't really know if the issue is with Joint reinforcement or one of the other files contained within KSPIE just that deleting Joint reinforcement removed the issue.  I am almost positive that the lines on the craft were some sort of visual representation of autostruts.  

K-C

There's a build of KJR that will show the added autostruts, that's what those lines are. I thought it had a ui to enable and disable but my memory is a little foggy and every currently available fork of KJR krakens my craft to pieces eventually. I don't find it all that useful in modern KSP, anyway. The occasional autostrut or quantum strut always fixes even the wonkiest designs for me.