[WIP][1.1.3] Large Structural/Station Components [Image Heavy]

[LTClaydohman]

It seems like every time I come back to this thread (usually a few times a day if not once a day) there's something new. I really like what you have going here. This will definitely be a "must have" mod for me when I play KSP. Keep up the great work.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

What about a plugin that changed the "glow" of the fins based on the % of current draw from the generator?

IE: no power being used or there is more positive on the grid than negative the fins stay the default texture color.

Full power being drawn from the generator and the fins glow at full brightness.

Scaled brightness in between based on generators total available output.

Just a thought lol.

Like this idea, though I'd have to do some nifty animation work.

[HoY]

Alternatively a light strip starting at green moving to red that lights up from one end to the other showing power draw. Not sure what its called specifically but the concept is commonly used on equalizers and volume meters.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Collision mesh issue report:

(all parts involved)

New stockalike textures are much prettier! IMHO large battery needs stockalike electricity logo too...

Not good! Radiator panners are too small for that huge amount of heat! Also pannels outnumbered and tightly placed... They must radiate heat to space, not to each other!

IMHO they must be like this or so:

Or maybe you can make a separate part "heat radiator". It can even be a folding!

- The collisions are fixed and will be in tonight's update.

- The generator will stay as is for the moment, I do like the idea of animated extending fins though, will work on that.

[Blaylock1988]

Testing out a new generator design.

Looks much more like a generator.

Some food for thought: ZobrAA is correct. A spacecraft's only method for dispelling heat in space is by radiation (visual light and IR mostly). This requires very large surface areas facing away from the spacecraft made from a metal and paint with a very high emissivity, which usually means silver or white surface. For example, WGS satellites have MASSIVE heatsinks for removing heat (big white squares on the sides):

The fins on your generator are more suited for convection (like an air-cooled motorcycle engine) and would be radiating heat back onto one-another.

Now if adding large square sheets to your generator sounds unappealing, another possibility (and something I would prefer) is to make aesthetic heat syncs (retextured plates that are white and shiny) that can be mounted radially. That way we can add heatsinks to make it look customized, and even add them to other parts of the spacecraft.

Animated unfolding heatsinks sounds awesome too

Edited June 7, 2013 by Blaylock1988

[Moon Goddess]

Not good! Radiator panners are too small for that huge amount of heat! Also pannels outnumbered and tightly placed... They must radiate heat to space, not to each other!

IMHO they must be like this or so:

Or maybe you can make a separate part "heat radiator". It can even be a folding!

I have to agree, those small close fins absolutely will not work without and atmosphere, and probably not even then without active air circulation.

I like the idea of a folding radiator part, I could use them for other parts as well, There's not much of a heat system in KSP right now but there are ways of making cfg for a radiator part that will pull heat from engines

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Update

[Friday 7th June 2013]

- All parts have been re-modeled and re-textured.

- All parts now have original names and descriptions.

- All parts now have correct collision meshes.

Download updated in Original Post, have fun.

[DMagic]

The Icarus mod has radially attached radiator panels that sound similar to what you are describing. They are simple, and fairly small, but I like the idea.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/31251-The-Icarus-Project?p=411792&viewfull=1#post411792

[WhatsThisButtonDo]

imho any color would look better than the yellow it is now.

Edited June 9, 2013 by WhatsThisButtonDo

[Gojira]

Do these have IVAs?

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Do these have IVAs?

Not at the moment, no. But I do want to create some.

[Gojira]

Not at the moment, no. But I do want to create some.

Alright, cool. I'm still getting them because they look bloody awesome! Can't wait to see what the IVAs look like!

[mushroomman]

Is the update compatible with old ships?

This is the station I'm building:

(that's the corridor with the hatch on it BTW)

[Spoo]

Some food for thought: ZobrAA is correct. A spacecraft's only method for dispelling heat in space is by radiation (visual light and IR mostly). This requires very large surface areas facing away from the spacecraft made from a metal and paint with a very high emissivity, which usually means silver or white surface.

This is only partially correct. Blaylock is lumping emissivity and reflectivity together, which is a problem since they are opposites of one another. Yes, efficient radiative cooling requires a high emissivity, but that means it must necessarily be a great absorber as well - and likewise a poor reflector. In the case of visible light, the best emitters are black. However, since the radiation from a spacecraft will be IR (you've got other problems if your spacecraft is hot enough to emit visible light), the heat sink could be painted pretty much any visible color - only its IR color would matter. That said, silver is pretty much the worst choice you could make, since silver objects have pitiful emissivity (in both visible and IR), due to being great reflectors. Dull gray would be okay, and would save on the weight of paint.

[Scotius]

But wouldn't black radiators lose more heat with "black body radiation"? Every bit counts after all. I wonder if it's possible to turn backsides of solar pannels into radiators We would get two functions with one part - generating electricity and removing heat.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Is the update compatible with old ships?

This is the station I'm building:

(that's the corridor with the hatch on it BTW)

You can update without the need to worry about losing ships.

All that changes are the model and texture, the configs remains the same.

[Initar]

I was looking forward the release of this mod, and was not disapointed! Parts are awesome and "lore-friendly", working perfect. Thank you so much UDK!

[udk_lethal_d0se]

I was looking forward the release of this mod, and was not disapointed! Parts are awesome and "lore-friendly", working perfect. Thank you so much UDK!

You're most welcome.

[Initar]

May i suggest a less brownish, more whito-greyish tint (you know what i mean )? I know, tastes and colours... and technical issues, but it would fit even more whith the stock parts. Whadayathink?

[udk_lethal_d0se]

May i suggest a less brownish, more whito-greyish tint (you know what i mean )? I know, tastes and colours... and technical issues, but it would fit even more whith the stock parts. Whadayathink?

Not the first time this has been asked.

Tp reiterate, the parts are meant to look weathered. Re-texturing all parts will be quite a task, and I kept away from stockalike textures to as not to directly duplicate Squad's intellectual property.

[udk_lethal_d0se]

Now, a question for everyone. How big do you want your hydroponics module. Envisage a large dome, am contemplating a making an in-line variant.

I currently have it modelled at a 4 meter diameter, but I know you lot like challenging launches so may go 2 meters larger.

[Blaylock1988]

An in-line hydroponics would be great! Are yours going to be inflatable or static?

[Moon Goddess]

I was gonna say keep it at 4 cuz I know I personally don't like the callenging launches.

but I got to thinking it over and tried out a couple sizes

And if that's what you mean by inline, then I vote for 6, cuz 4 will be too small.

[Scotius]

As long as it is not too heavy, my launchers should manage...with moar struts .

[ZobrAA]

Now, a question for everyone. How big do you want your hydroponics module. Envisage a large dome, am contemplating a making an in-line variant.

I currently have it modelled at a 4 meter diameter, but I know you lot like challenging launches so may go 2 meters larger.

I think the 2.5 meter version of the greenhouse is also required. In fact, UDK-O3 is suitable for these purposes