[1.0] Figaro Global Navigation Satellite System - Launch a Working GPS System

[bigmos]

Thanks All Ill Give it a try

[Krisism]

This does look interesting. I am already using RemoteTech however, and wondering if someone can help me understand the differences between RemoteTech and the Figaro GPS system. Nice work on the mod, these type of things are awesome!

[KhaosCorp]

Remote Tech is designed to add realism to unmanned mission in that you cant control a probecore without a signal from a MissionControl part(or tracking station)

Figaro is only a gps system, and works just like modern day GPS networks.

The 2 mods dont share any features, they are 2 very diffrent mods.

That being said if you are running Remote Tech and Figaro make all your GPS sats recivers/transmitters for the command signal. That will get you a signal around Kerbin to your probes no matter what.

[Kimberly]

I can't seem to find the GNSS Receiver part...I've checked every tab. And I definitely have both KerbalGPS/Parts and KerbalGPS/Plugins with their files installed.

[KhaosCorp]

I can't seem to find the GNSS Receiver part...I've checked every tab. And I definitely have both KerbalGPS/Parts and KerbalGPS/Plugins with their files installed.

How do you have them installed? You just need to put the 'KerbalGPS' folder from the download into your KSP/GameData folder.

[silentdragon]

Will it also work on other planets than kerbin?

[Kimberly]

How do you have them installed? You just need to put the 'KerbalGPS' folder from the download into your KSP/GameData folder.

That's what I did. I have four files in Kerbal Space Program\GameData\KerbalGPS\Parts\FigaroReceiver, yet it doesn't show up in game. (And hence, I have no way to test whether the rest is working.) I also have a single .dll in Kerbal Space Program\GameData\KerbalGPS\Plugins.

Will it also work on other planets than kerbin?

I think it should, though of course you'll need a new network of satellites for each planet.

[KhaosCorp]

That's what I did. I have four files in Kerbal Space Program\GameData\KerbalGPS\Parts\FigaroReceiver, yet it doesn't show up in game. (And hence, I have no way to test whether the rest is working.) I also have a single .dll in Kerbal Space Program\GameData\KerbalGPS\Plugins.

I think it should, though of course you'll need a new network of satellites for each planet.

Just reloaded the mod to test this missing part. It is infact missing on a new install. You need to add the PART{} to config for reciever.

And yes it does work on bodys other than Kerbin.

[PakledHostage]

Just reloaded the mod to test this missing part. It is infact missing on a new install. You need to add the PART{} to config for reciever.

And yes it does work on bodys other than Kerbin.

Thanks, KhaosCorp, as always!

It also works without modifying the part.cfg file if you just place the "FigaroReceiver" directory into the KSP\Parts directory and the "KerbalGPS.dll" plugin into the KSP\Plugins directory. This is how I did it when I tested the mod for compatibility with v0.20 of the game.

I will be updating the installation instructions, part.cfg file and plugin when v0.21 is released. No sense doing it now, because v0.21 will probably be out within a couple of weeks.

[Kimberly]

I edited the file and it's working marvelously now, thanks.

[PakledHostage]

Just a quick update on progress:

I have rebuilt the plugin for v0.21 of the game and have added the features that I mentioned above. I can't post the update though because I have been locked out of SpacePort for the last couple of days. Capt'n Skunky passed my trouble report along to N3X15 last night, so hopefully things will get sorted soon enough.

The new features will hopefully allow for multi-purpose satellites (i.e. combine GPS satellites with satellite payloads from other mods).

[sidfu]

could u do something add more detailed instructions on how to get 3 sats in orbit evenly spaced. the video is very very not informative on how to do it.

[SpaceRodent]

This mod sounds fun. I wish you could upload the .21 version! Do you know if the current available version works on .21?

[Kimberly]

could u do something add more detailed instructions on how to get 3 sats in orbit evenly spaced. the video is very very not informative on how to do it.

This isn't really something specific to this mod; you can probably find lots of videos on it elsewhere. But let me sum up how it works: pick an orbital period you would like your satellites to have. (For a geosynchronous orbit, that would be 6 hours.) You want your satellite deployment craft to get into an orbit with an orbital period of 2/3rds that. Release a satellite at your apoapsis, and have it burn prograde until it is in an orbit with the right orbital period. The next time your deployment craft reaches apoapsis, have it release another satellite, and have that satellite burn until it reaches the right orbit. It should be 1/3rd of an orbit ahead of the previous satellite. The next time your deployment craft reaches apoapsis, do the same thing with the last satellite.

You can find the altitude needed for a given orbital period using Kepler's Third Law. There are calculators online that will let let you calculate it without needing to do any math, all you'll need is Kerbin's mass (which you can find on the wiki) and the orbital period you want. Keep in mind that you need to subtract Kerbin's radius from the altitude the calculation produces. If you use Kerbal Engineer or Mechjeb, they can tell you what orbital period your ship currently has, so that you can get in exactly the right position.

[PakledHostage]

This mod sounds fun. I wish you could upload the .21 version! Do you know if the current available version works on .21?

So do I! I am still waiting for a response from one of the Squad crew. I will follow up again on Monday. I suspect they are all just winding down from the hectic week they had and will get to it soon enough. Thanks everyone for hanging in there while we wait.

[Apfelmus]

Thank you so much for the update!!

Have been waiting the whole past days for this !

Thanks!

[PakledHostage]

UPDATE

OK, so N3X15 got back to me last night. He kindly reset my SpacePort password and I was able to upload the latest version of the mod (V 1.0.21.01) this morning.

CHANGES INCLUDE:

- Added a new Figaro Transmitter part, created by MrPwner. The transmitter part resembles an array of helical antennas, as shown in the picture below. Add the part to your dedicated GNSS satellites, or to multi-purpose satellites. The Figaro receiver will detect satellites in orbit that contain the transmitter part and will use those satellites to calculate a navigation solution.

- Added a "Here" button to the Figaro Receiver's UI. This allows users to set the current location as the navigation waypoint. Users might appreciate this feature when they set out on EVA's that will take them out of sight of their base.

- Fixed a bug in the UI that resulted in bad formatting on some computers.

[KhaosCorp]

YAY!!

Glad you got it back up bud....my kerbals been lost, can't even make it to the corner store up the road from KSC....

Gonna see if I can reset my Kerbin network in one launch =P

[danw13335]

So if I already have a GPS constellation in orbit, will I have to de-orbit those and send up new ones that have the transmitter part?

[PakledHostage]

So if I already have a GPS constellation in orbit, will I have to de-orbit those and send up new ones that have the transmitter part?

No, I made it backwards compatible for people like yourself. Just look in the FigaroReceiver part's part.cfg file for the "GNSSacronym" parameter. Change it from "NONE" to whatever acronym you use for your constellation.

[PPR]

could u do something add more detailed instructions on how to get 3 sats in orbit evenly spaced. the video is very very not informative on how to do it.

I've found a pretty good way to keep the satellites well-spaced (Using MechJeb):

1) Launch the satellites into a low orbit (80km).

2) Program MechJeb for Kerbo-stationary orbit (2868.75km) but do not engage just yet.

3) Monitor the Longitude in the Orbital Information menu on MechJeb. Engage when it when the satellite reaches the longitude you want (120 degrees apart for 3 satellites). MechJeb will do the rest.

You don't want to launch directly to Kerbo-stationary orbit because the satellites will all end up in more or less the same place. The satellites will not be at the exact longitude you used because it takes them a while to get into position, but they will be more or less evenly spaced. To get better coverage, you might also want to launch some satellites on an inclined orbit of about 60 degrees. If you want to launch more than one satellite at a time, the Lionhead ESA pack has an Ariane 5 that will launch 2 satellites at once.

[KhaosCorp]

I do 6 satellites per obital plane, and I field each plane with a single launch. I launch strait to semi-sync orbit. Then its just a matter adjusting orbit back and forth from there to space them.

I like to fly my GPS at semi-sync, more so for big planets. I noticed a full geo-sync network would accuracy lag for longer...as in when i did start to lose accuracy it would take longer to drop back down. Same number of satellites in semi-sync and that same lag period drops to seconds.

[sidfu]

would be cool if this guy and the guy making the remotetech could work togehter and make one intermeshed communication mod.

[KhaosCorp]

would be cool if this guy and the guy making the remotetech could work togehter and make one intermeshed communication mod.

That may turn some people off this mod. Not everybody wants to fiddle with delay and networking just to use probes. That being said it should be rather simple to add RT functionality to the Figaro gps array(the part).

[Kimberly]

I think something more productive would be to add a communications delay to the GPS read-outs, and to cancel GPS functionality of a satellite if it's not in contact with the network.