Question about Kerbals on EVA

[Enigma179]

Gravity and acceleration are pretty much the same thing (if you get into equivalency of relativity, they ARE the same thing). When you're in a space ship that's accelerating at 9.81 m/s² in a place with absolutely no gravity, it feels the exact same as if you were standing on earth.

So what I was wondering is, if you have a ship in space that's accelerating, and your kerbal is on EVA (and doesn't fall off the ship obviously), will he be able to stand and walk around? Or is that not taken into account?

[Tw1]

I'm not sure such a feat has yet been achieved.

The difficulty is because the game automatically throttles down when you EVA, but perhaps you could attempt this with structural panels and SRBs.

You'll need a wall to reduce change that they just slide of. The other problem is that the kerbal may not realise the potential here, and not attempt to walk at all.

[rodion_herrera]

The difficulty is because the game automatically throttles down when you EVA

That shouldn't be a reason--you can always have someone EVAing while some other Kerbal is piloting.

[Tw1]

That shouldn't be a reason--you can always have someone EVAing while some other Kerbal is piloting.

True, but that misses the point of being able to walk around.

[Dictator Dan]

Yes, thats how acceleration works, hence the g-forces you feel if you accelerate or brake quickly in a car, but testing it in KSP will be hard, youll have to do what rodion_herrera suggest, and have someone flying, as you just have a kerbal standing there, you wouldnt be able to try walking and jumping and such, as the second you switched to the kerbal on EVA, thrust would be cut.

[rodion_herrera]

True, but that misses the point of being able to walk around.

Then press the bracket keys to switch to an EVAing Kerbal. You mean if you do that, the throttle on the inactive Kerbal gets cut? Then to do the experiment, try using SOLID rocket boosters--they cannot be throttled.

[Enigma179]

Well I did some kerbal science; first off going into eva for me had no effect on the rocket's throttle, alas I had designed my experimental platform to be booster-powered anyway so I didn't get any images of it using the rocket. The boosters... well they had a combined thrust of something like 1000 so when they fired and Bill stepped outside they just went spinning around and he clipped through the floor a bit before flying off of the platform with the rest of the experiment speeding away in the opposite direction.

However the low thrust experiment worked pretty well, and proved that no, acceleration is NOT the same as gravity in the kerbal-verse, or at the very least the kerbals themselves don't realize it; Bill was gently pushed into the floor (probably a little bit less G force than sea level of Kerbin, but I forgot to check kerbal engineer beforehand), but would not get up and walk around even though the acceleration was pretty stable.

Experiment photos

My bad on the crappy lighting but I cobbled it together in a few minutes and didn't bother checking that it'd be in the sun.

[MRab2]

Sadly the kerbal in question will just fall over and refuse to get back up again. Don't know why.

[comham]

Then press the bracket keys to switch to an EVAing Kerbal. You mean if you do that, the throttle on the inactive Kerbal gets cut? Then to do the experiment, try using SOLID rocket boosters--they cannot be throttled.

Or you could stage and decouple an active engine trapped in a strut cage.

But, yeah. I don't expect this will work, since acceleration due to a rocket engine is handled differently to gravity on planets in the KSP engine.

Maybe KSP2 will have a custom engine, no unity worries or figuring out workarounds, and that will support this.

[magnemoe]

In real world this will work, however using the airship mod, kerbals are unable to walk on decks if the airship floats, some other has tried to make an centrifuge and it does not work either.

[rodion_herrera]

I tried it just now. My only mistake was I had too much solid booster thrust (used 4, maybe 2 will be better) Jeb got pinned on the platform I made--he couldn't move, but at least he sticks to the floor So maybe I think, if the thrust is indeed 9.8 m/s^2 then you can simulate gravity.

EDIT: Oh you guys tried it, and even with lower thrust, he still is pinned? Aww that's too bad

[Yuming]

I think it is only logical the the kerbal gets pinned, if you were in front of an engine of that power you would to. Or you could be splattered:)

[haltux]

Just like in Tintin on the moon: engine thrust does generate artificial gravity, until Dupont is accidentally switching off the engine.

(bonus game: guess in what language that is)

[MRab2]

The bottom line is if the thing isn't landed the kerbal can't wall on it.

[rodion_herrera]

Belgian. Herge is Belgian isn't he?

[Enigma179]

Belgian. Herge is Belgian isn't he?

Jokes on you, Tintin *is* Belgian, but in Belgium they speak French

(I know a fair bit of French, being Canadian myself)

[Tw1]

No I really want to read that again.

Got to find a copy first....

But that thing about having the engine on all the time might bother me a little, now. The guy was a great writer, but didn't have the knowledge we all have now.

[rodion_herrera]

No I really want to read that again.

Got to find a copy first....

I have two copies of "Destination Moon" and two copies of "Explorers on the Moon" ...the other pair is still sealed in the protective plastic pouch, in my hope it stays mint--I wonder how much they will fetch in 30 year's time?

I do wish I had the cover that said "Objectif Lune", but of course, I don't speak French so

Edited May 31, 2013 by rodion_herrera

[haltux]

But that thing about having the engine on all the time might bother me a little, now. The guy was a great writer, but didn't have the knowledge we all have now.

This tintin is quite bad from the scientific point of view. Not as bad as "The shooting star" who is really terrible (even as little kid I was able to locate major bugs).

However, the live description by tintin of its first EVA on the moon is epic. One of the best scene of all tintins I think.

[Mephane]

In real world this will work, however using the airship mod, kerbals are unable to walk on decks if the airship floats, some other has tried to make an centrifuge and it does not work either.

Yeah, I also once tried to simulate gravity in a rotating space-thing (I would not call that contraption a "station"), though they are pushed to the "ground", they cannot stand up, similarly to when they are rolling down a mountain.

Edited June 2, 2013 by Mephane

[Tw1]

If you think about it, there is something kerbal-esque about the way the professor chose his friends Tintin and Haddock to go to the Moon with him, two civilians who knew nothing of the project previously, over all the scientists that could've gone. Especially as Haddock was complaining most of the way.

Makes me think of another trio of astronauts...

[haltux]

Belgian. Herge is Belgian isn't he?

Jokes on you, Tintin *is* Belgian, but in Belgium they speak French

(I know a fair bit of French, being Canadian myself)

Actually roidon_herrera is amazingly right. This page of tintin is in Gaumais, a dialect from the south east of belgium.

That was the only version of this page found by Google.

[haltux]

If you think about it, there is something kerbal-esque about the way the professor chose his friends Tintin and Haddock to go to the Moon with him, two civilians who knew nothing of the project previously, over all the scientists that could've gone. Especially as Haddock was complaining most of the way.

Makes me think of another trio of astronauts...

This whole tintin is very Kerbalesque. Look at the Dupondts:

[haltux]

BTW I'll stop hijacking this thread, to go back on topic, a good way to test artificial gravity in KSP could be that:

[rodion_herrera]

Actually roidon_herrera is amazingly right. This page of tintin is in Gaumais, a dialect from the south east of belgium.

That was the only version of this page found by Google.

Although I don't speak French, I can tell that it was a "weird" kind of French, so I concluded it must be one of the Belgian dialects, and since Herge is Belgian, naturally he would have taken time to write it in that dialect. And again sorry about contributing to the derailment too