Deploying solar panels should not require electric charge

[Vl3d]

For probes in KSP 1 it was required to have electric charge on board to deploy the solar panels - there's no point to it, it just causes frustration or forces the player to load a previous save or revert or turn on cheats. If the player put solar panels on board, there should be no cost to deploy them.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Vl3d

[chefsbrian]

My understanding was that it wasn't the lack of EC that prevented deploying panels, but the fact that being out of EC means the probes turned off, so the "deploy" order is never received.

I've deployed solars on manned capsules that ran outta EC, so unless a mod of mine cheekily changed it in the background, it already works as mentioned.

[dansiegel30]

Yep, its just a comms issue - you should really have those panels deployed at all times, unless you are doing some docking.  If aerobraking and you run outta charge due to your reaction wheels, well, that's your fault - if you have a proper heat shield on during that aerobraking, you can have a few cheap/lightweight panels on the craft as an emergency back to revive the craft for comms and to receive the order to re-deploy the larger panels.

 

We'll really need to wait and see what the Ec/comms requirements of the science data transmissions look like - could be quite challenging in KSP1 Kerbalism, IIRC taking years to send science data if you did not rig up enough power on your probe.  

[KUAR]

I disagree. I'm fine with being punished for forgetting to do this at the right time. It's realistic - we've lost control of the probe. Allowing us to deploy them after that is cheaty like the OP implied.

Now, there's an argument over whether some models of panels have some exposed area even when folded away - that's fair.