Probe control is kind of strange when you think about it

[Xavven]

Probe control is kind of strange when you think about it. By default, when you don't have a communications link to a control point, you can use the probe core's autopilot modes like point prograde/retrograde and toggle thrust on (full) and off. When you do have a communications link, you can pilot it manually.

But what about signal delay? Provided I have a direct connection from Kerbin to Duna, the signal still has to travel at least 7 billion meters, and at the speed of light that is 23 seconds of lag. That's too much latency to manually pilot a landing, I say!

It would seem complex maneuvers would have to be pre-programmed and flown completely on autopilot. Communication links would be for sending data back and for giving probes general instructions like "stay in orbit" or "go ahead with your pre-programmed landing sequence in 2 hours". Losing communications relay while manually piloting your landing and being switched to the limited mode seems to make the least sense of all. Not saying I hate it -- it serves a gameplay purpose. But it is a head scratcher!

[Kerbart]

Maybe someone could make a mod for that, to make this, ehm... Remote Tech, more realisitc?

[qromodynmc]

I think having no delay is for gameplay purposes, surely someone can make mod for it if they desire.

[GluttonyReaper]

My headcanon is that probe cores are actually sentient AI that make decisions on what maneuvers to do all on their own, so signal delay isn't an issue. But, of course, they are still humble machines - despite their vast intellect, they get nervous when they can't phone home for support, even if they don't actually use it, so can only do a few basic things confidently

[Kerbart]

We know that the Kerbal universe is not our universe. The gravitational constant is way off, so why might other constants not be? As we’ve seen krakendrives propel craft easily at multitudes of our speed of light with relativistic effects, perhaps the Kerbal light speed is tens, perhaps even dozens that of ours, and said signal delays are just very, very small.

[Superfluous J]

There is a mod that gives you signal delay (among other things).

It's been a long time (I don't even think KSP was in 1.0) but I played with signal delay and I hated it. Maybe the interface is better now who knows. You basically though need MechJeb or some way to automatically control things or you WILL fail.

My headcanon for the way it is in stock is that you are the probe core, automatically doing the things smart Kerbals programmed  you to do.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Superfluous J

[steuben]

Don't know about Kerbal-Intelligent probe cores in my stock head canon...

But, before the dominance of digital electronic there was analog electronic computers. The experts in the field could do with a handful of basic components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, op-amps, and switches) what today we would use a microprocessor and a few hundred lines of code. Frickin' wizardry when you look at it. The orient to position and simple engine on/off would have been well with the capabilities of an analog computer.

So my head canon is that the early probe cores are analog electronic while the later ones are digital electronic.

[Xavven]

1 hour ago, Superfluous J said:

My headcanon for the way it is in stock is that you are the probe core, automatically doing the things smart Kerbals programmed  you to do.

This makes sense for sure.

[Fraktal]

That and programming everything step-by-step is suboptimal because it assumes everything will go off without a hitch. If anything doesn't, the whole flight is busted. Thus, it's better to assume that although probe cores are not sentient, they do have heuristics capable of minor improvisation to compensate for flight anomalies as the mission goes on without having to wait for instructions from ground control.