Kerbal-deployed sensors/beacons/lights

[Tassyr]

So I'm attempting to do this myself via modding- but the chances of success are nil, since I have no idea where the relevant code even is.

What I was thinking might be fun is to have something that your kerbals can deploy like the flags- except, of course, they have a few more than one. A spike with a light/sensors on the opposite end for things like marking off a trail, setting up a network of sensors to measure the environment without having to land an entire second craft.

Say, five or six (Or maybe a configurable amount) per Kerbal. Might be fun.

[Javster]

Great idea! Basically making an EVA more useful.

[boomerdog2000]

Big fan of deployable lights. Could make planetary bases much more interesting and sort of alive. General lighting around the base, a trail to a nearby anomaly, an impromptu landing strip near the base.

[Drunkrobot]

This sounds like an interesting thing to do, should be in stock. I had made a similar suggestion a month ago about Kerbals taking out and deploying experiments. If you don't mind the obnoxious self-plugging, it's here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/39793-ALSEP-Long-term-scientific-legacy-of-manned-missions

[Dart980]

Deploying lights is a great idea. You just need to go where you want to deploy the light and put it, also the pod can have 3 lights for each Kerbal.

[Beeman]

I get the feeling that this...or at least, drunkrobot's ploppable science is planned. I mean, the first thing we did on the moon in real life was drop a bunch of crap there. Then we took and dropped more crap up there over the years. Would be a shame if that aspect of operating a space program were left out, especially with the epic expansion to science we're getting in the next update.

[User Unrelated]

I'd love this! Especially the lights, that'd really "liven up" an extraterrestrial scene

[Apollo13]

+1 to this idea. Make EVAs useful, besides just planting flags.

[ausfox]

A while back I was actually trying to design spaceships at one stage that had no purpose other than dropping small lampposts on the Mun to place in-between my "Research" pods. The ability to drop them using my kerbals was something I was wishing for back then, and I'd still love now!

[Sean Mirrsen]

The new version of KAS, Kerbal Attachment System, allows stuff to be carried in containers and placed during EVA. Including lights and science apparatuses, though I am far from sure that said science apparatuses will still count if they're still in their container when the craft is recovered, or if they will retain their previously stored science experiment if they're subsequently taken out and placed on the ship so they can be recovered.

[kerbonaut101]

(I didnt want to start a new thread about EVA activities and risk it being locked, so i thought I'd add my ideas here)

Here is my idea for EVA deployable experiments. Basically, you would right click on your Kerbal and click deploy and you would be able to see the Kerbal setting up the equipment. Here are a some experiments I came up with...

Laser Reflector - Lasers are fired from Kerbin to the reflector in order to precisely monitor the distance between the two bodies

Seismic Monitor - This device detects whether there is any kind of geological activity occurring (earthquakes, volcano's, ice gasyer's ect...)

Geological analyzer - Analyzes rock samples taken by Kerbals and detects the elements it contains.

Solar Wind analyzer - Analyzes the amount of solar particles impacting the surface of the celestial body

Radiation Detector - Detects the amount of lethal radiation impacting the surface of the celestial body

Obviously for career mode these would have to organised into the tech tree and each would have to produce an appropriate amount of science.

[Neshma]

Love all these ideas, some great stuff for EVAs on planets. One thing I havnt seen mentioned which keeps coming to me is on orbit repair and building type activities.

- Allow Kerbals to bring repair/extra parts on orbit (ie struts!!!) then EVA to attach parts

- Allow space station construction to include on orbit strut deployment to improve the stability of your constructs

- Allow space station construction to include on orbit experiment deployment

- Allow damaged parts to be repaired by EVA Kerbals

Id love to see "firsts" added into science points (First EVA, first docking, first on orbit repair, first on orbit construction etc.)

[Kegereneku]

I like the idea and fully expect things like that.

But I have two concern :

- Would those have infinite energy ? (acceptable break from reality)

- How to you orient them and turn them on/off ?

[One-Way Films]

That sounds amazing tell me when the mod's done!

[Tw1]

That sounds amazing tell me when the mod's done!

Old thread is old.....

Wait, this is a potential mod? Never mind then.

Perhaps start by asking other modders how they add actions to the kerbal.

Then you need code that spawns a specific object just in front of the kerbal. And maybe something that triggers the deploy flag animation.

Then you need the models and programing for each deployable experiment.

If you're still planning on doing that, maybe talk to the maintainer of KAS. That plugin both stores and spawns things, and adds abilities to the EVA'd kerbal.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Tw1

[coolitic]

KAS can sort of do this, but, not completely like how you say it.

[Strikerklm96]

One thing that I would like a Kerbal to be able to do is detach(permanently) or otherwise destroy parts on a vessel. Your probably thinking WTF? But surely you have run into a problem where you could have detached things to help solve the problem. Occasionally I will run a little short on fuel, and small parts make a big difference. If my Kerbal could have just unbolted a few things like excess parachutes, the Goo Canisters, and Lander Legs, he would have had enough Delta-V to get him and his ship into orbit, instead I had to ditch the craft (including all the science it had), and use his RCS to get picked up by another ship. If he can carry enough materials to repair things, he can carry a wrench to unbolt them.

[Helix935]

well this takes care of the lights

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50531-Sunshine-movie-style-Deployable-Light-Globe-%28updated-25-10-2013%29?highlight=alexustas

[Syous]

+1 for this idea