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Artificial gravity parts suggestions


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The rings and centrifuges that create artificial gravity on ships are very important parts for colonization ships, so I want to write some suggestions

Variety of parts:
In the gameplay demos, we only highlighted the rings. I don't know how many kerbals require one ring, but maybe the number of artificial gravity spots depends on the number of kerbals. Why not add rings of different diameters
Also why not add other centrifuges besides rings for variety, different number of kerbals and with different characteristics. These could be discs, dwelling blocks on either side of the beam, and so on. That way you'd have an easier time choosing the right part just for your ship

Physics:
We all know that a centrifuge will have a kinetic momentum as it rotates. But since the system is closed and the total kinetic momentum must be conserved, the rest of the ship will rotate in the opposite direction, which will be uncomfortable. In addition to the centrifuge, it will be necessary to put more parts to compensate its rotation
But the first thing that comes to mind is the gyroscopic effect

https://pressbooks.online.ucf.edu/osuniversityphysics/chapter/11-3-precession-of-a-gyroscope/

If you have compensated the centrifuge as I described above, this effect will not appear. But this effect is very important
I suggest that all these effects will be different because of different angular momentums of different centrifuges. So angular momentumsof disks, beams, rings will be different

I wish that all these points were taken into account in the KSP2 and the physics would be more realistic and truthful

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The simplest solution is to rotate the entire station and docking craft approach on the axis and roll to match the rotation, ala the  station in 2001 Space Odyssey.   Yes there are tradeoffs.  Solar panel alignment is problematic if all rotates unless cost to orbit is low enough that you just have more panels with some always in sunlight during rotation.  If the panels are also radiators then same principle.  

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1 hour ago, darthgently said:

The simplest solution is to rotate the entire station and docking craft approach on the axis and roll to match the rotation, ala the  station in 2001 Space Odyssey

Probably also the most realistic solution. Alternatively, a long spacecraft could spin long-ways, known as 'tumbling pidgeon'. I hope KSP2 allows this as an option for artificial gravity, especially for early interplanetary journeys.

1 hour ago, darthgently said:

Solar panel alignment is problematic if all rotates unless cost to orbit is low enough that you just have more panels with some always in sunlight during rotation.  If the panels are also radiators then same principle.  

If your spacecraft spins in such a way that it is either facing directly towards or directly away from the sun, the solar panels and radiators would operate normally. As you go around the sun over time though, this would require readjustment.

Power can be solved with a nuclear reactor, but this requires more radiators. Out of curiosity, how important is it for radiators to face the sun edge-on? If you're really far away, (e.g., in Jool orbit) does the edge-on rule matter?

Edited by intelliCom
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4 hours ago, Vortygont said:

We all know that a centrifuge will have a kinetic momentum as it rotates. But since the system is closed and the total kinetic momentum must be conserved, the rest of the ship will rotate in the opposite direction, which will be uncomfortable. In addition to the centrifuge, it will be necessary to put more parts to compensate its rotation
But the first thing that comes to mind is the gyroscopic effect

The gyroscopic effect is there but the only time where compensation is required is when starting/stopping the rotation. If you're running a motor to make your ring spin at a constant (not speeding up/slowing down) speed, then the torque produced by the motor goes into overcoming friction withing the closed system and the two will cancel each other out.

I heard on a podcast that exactly for this reason the solar panels on the ISS track the sun 24/7, even when it's behind the earth; as long as they're not stopped or started there's no net rotation effect, and they're not started/stopped all the time because of the rotation effect that would result from it.

Contra-rotating balancing weights are a waste of mass, unless the rotation of the ring is started/stopped many times.

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12 hours ago, intelliCom said:

Probably also the most realistic solution. Alternatively, a long spacecraft could spin long-ways, known as 'tumbling pidgeon'. I hope KSP2 allows this as an option for artificial gravity, especially for early interplanetary journeys.

If your spacecraft spins in such a way that it is either facing directly towards or directly away from the sun, the solar panels and radiators would operate normally. As you go around the sun over time though, this would require readjustment.

Power can be solved with a nuclear reactor, but this requires more radiators. Out of curiosity, how important is it for radiators to face the sun edge-on? If you're really far away, (e.g., in Jool orbit) does the edge-on rule matter?

If you rotate the fully rotating station so that the solar panels remain turned toward the sun, you must consider the gyroscopic effect that occurs when the vector of kinetic momentum changes. The same will occur if you start turning the interstellar ship 180 degrees for braking. Let's not forget that the work of the engines in such cases during braking or acceleration can take months

I believe that instead of rotating the whole ship it is better to use centrifuges. Their rotation can be compensated by another such centrifuge, but rotating in the opposite direction, or other special rotating weights. Thus the total kinetic momentum will be 0 and the gyroscopic effect will disappear. While docking while the whole ship is rotating is a very complex action

I don't mind if the developers turned on the option of creating artificial gravity in some other way if the player wants to, even though they promised to keep the rotation of the vehicle when switching to the global map and back

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16 hours ago, intelliCom said:

Power can be solved with a nuclear reactor, but this requires more radiators. Out of curiosity, how important is it for radiators to face the sun edge-on? If you're really far away, (e.g., in Jool orbit) does the edge-on rule matter?

For static PVs and radiators the PVs should have their normal to the sun and the radiators edge on.  For nonorienting, the radiators would be on rear face of PVs and so shaded when on sunny side and in shade of craft on cold side.  Nuke good, but yeah, need radiators

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5 hours ago, Vortygont said:

Their rotation can be compensated by another such centrifuge, but rotating in the opposite direction, or other special rotating weights.

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The craft that we have seen that uses centrifuges does have an even amount of them, which would make that possible.

However on the background in the station there are some triple centrifuges.

Edited by KSPLuster
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