Sepatron power demonstrated [0.17]

[Moustachauve]

I made this quick video while playing with the new sepatron :

What do you guys think about it?

[JMBuilder]

Sorry, but I don't think it's anywhere near overpowered. Putting dozens of them on a pod like that has massive thrust, but it isn't efficient. I usually just put two upside-down on the top of a lower stage to aid separation.

[Moustachauve]

It was just an "expression" to signifie the massive power it procure when placing alot like i did.

[JMBuilder]

I know. I'm just throwing out suggestions here and there.

[MaverickSawyer]

RING... OF... FIRE!!!!!

Jebediah gleefully approves!

[Moustachauve]

I've tried to put some of them to entirely cover the rocket, in despite of the 1-2fps, it looked like a big re-entry fire

[TG_bigboss]

Im glad they added these because they come in so handy. I have ran into issues with them though =( sometimes they dont fire.....even when the staging is set right the game just ignores that they are there. Anyone else get this?

[wired2thenet]

I've actually thought about using this for retro breaking in certain situations. Landing on another planet, for instance.

[AmpsterMan]

I've actually thought about using this for retro breaking in certain situations. Landing on another planet, for instance.

I've actually used these for that purpose. It's quite fun when combined with a parachute.

[DagMT]

I put 6 of them around my capsule on every ship I make. In orbit around Kerbin, after I have placed my satellites and stations and stuff, I disconnect from the main body of my ship and use the sepatrons for a de-orbit burn. Then, I land with my parachute. Role-playing, ya know?

[LaydeeDem]

I accidentally used these for braking when trying to land a DEMV at my Munbase. I was running out of fuel on my lander so I decided for a suicide burn. Just before I hit the ground I flared up the throttle and then used RCS and the Sepratrons so slow my descent to a nice 70m/s. The rover survived, and some quick bailing out of the command pod saved Bob Kerman. I got Bob into the DEMV and drove him 20less or so kilometers to the Munbase.

Just a cool event that happened to me involving sepratrons.

[Aphox]

I accidentally used these for braking when trying to land a DEMV at my Munbase. I was running out of fuel on my lander so I decided for a suicide burn. Just before I hit the ground I flared up the throttle and then used RCS and the Sepratrons so slow my descent to a nice 70m/s. The rover survived, and some quick bailing out of the command pod saved Bob Kerman. I got Bob into the DEMV and drove him 20less or so kilometers to the Munbase.

Just a cool event that happened to me involving sepratrons.

The thing I don't like about that rover is that it's completely invincible. Your pod will explode and the rover will just bounce away into the sunset.

Back on point, these tiny SRBs are hilarious. Really nice for getting rid of my big side fuel tanks, otherwise they drift into my spacecraft and blow up

[OdinYggd]

I flew a rocket that used only separatrons last night. It went over 10,000 meters.

What I did was took 1m structural fuselages and stacked them with decouplers onto a mechjeb pod.

Then 8x array mode, place 3 and group the stages on the lower edge of each structure.

Build like 12 stages of this, and the result was a rocket that actually would fly surprisingly well, using only separatron power. It woudl fire a set, and when it died, drop that structure and ignite the next set, onward up the line till it was only the capsule and one stage left.

I should probably make a screenshot of what this ship looked like, since it was rather cheap but performed surprisingly well. Came up with the idea whilist very bored trying to make a SRB-to-Orbit design out of boredom, which I also succeeded in making.

Also the separatrons are amazingly helpful for my large radial-staged boosters. A lot of times when using more than 4 or so 2 meter long tanks in a stack, they'll slam into the side of the rocket when staging.

Putting 4-6 separatrons on them to fling them away from the rest of the rocket, the craft neatly sheds it's outer row of tanks and continues without hesitation. Previously the tanks didn't always fall away from the craft, and more often than not collided with it after release.

Edited September 24, 2012 by OdinYggd

[karolus10]

Actually we could said, that this rockets are even underpowered, for example SRB's used in escape towers generate insane amount of thrust, but thy fire just ~ one second burst, so they are more like pipe bomb with nozzle on one side .

For example sepatrons with thrust/time 100KN/1s could be more useful for many applications .

Edited September 24, 2012 by karolus10

[Guest]

Why am I Thinking of a rocket which shoots down other rockets ?

[segaprophet]

Sepratrons are great for their intended usage, at least. I put them at a 45 degree angle down and away to help my lower stages not collide with my rocket.

[RoboRay]

They would work better for separating stages if they only burned for one second. As is, any roll moment imparted to side boosters causes them to circle around and come back toward the vehicle.

[zapy97]

now this thread has given me an idea

[vexx32]

I've already seen them used as missiles, so I think that's a pretty clear indication of their potential

[OdinYggd]

Yeah, I did notice that. Mine are placed horizontal, on stage release they are ignited to blow the stage away from the rest of the craft. A couple of times I've looked behind me while staging and seen the released tanks spiralling around in the sky like bottle rockets with no tail.

Shortening the separatron burn duration would probably correct this, since they just need to kick the stages away not drive them into their own orbits.

Even with the separatrons though, the ejected tanks more often than not do slam into each other. But at least like this they are far enough from the main craft when they do that the explosion is just an afterthought.

[borzwazie]

I freaking love these things. The only mod parts I consistently used before were small solid thrusters for this very same purpose. These things are perfect.