A few part tweaks

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

So, I have several ideas for relatively small adjustments to the properties of some parts. I decided to put them all in the same thread to avoid cluttering up the forum.

#1: Make the nuclear engine generate power even when inactive, and not consume oxidizer.

As mentioned by this site:

http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Exploration/EXLibrary/docs/MarsRef/addendum/A5.htm#A5.3

"The solid core NTR propulsion system represents a "rich source of energy" in that it contains substantially more uranium-235 fuel in its reactor core than it consumes during its primary propulsion maneuvers. By configuring the NTR engine as a "bimodal" system, abundant electrical power can also be generated for a variety of spacecraft needs. During power generation, the reactor core operates in essentially an "idle mode" with a thermal power output of ~100 kilowatts. The reactor thermal energy is subsequently removed and routed to a turbo-alternator-compressor Brayton power conversion unit using a helium-xenon working fluid, as shown in Figure A5-6. A space radiator system rejects waste heat and also reduces decay heat propellant loss following propulsive burns."

In other words, atomic rockets have a nice hot nuclear reactor sitting there which can generate all the power your ship needs. Also, they don't actually need any oxidizer. It's possible to inject oxidizer into the exhaust of an NTR to increase the thrust (usually called a "LANTR"), but if our nuclear engines did that they wouldn't be getting an ISP of 800 and their TWR would be better (even accounting for Kerbal engines having lower TWRs than real ones).

#2: Make Laythe's atmosphere provide fuel to air-breathing engines instead of oxidizer. Also, add "oxidizer-only" fuel tanks.

Realistically, even with tidal heating and greenhouse effect Laythe should be too cold for liquid water; its ocean is more likely to be liquid ammonia (and its crust water ice). This also means that strong oxidizers would be horribly unstable in its atmosphere. However, methane is a perfectly reasonable substance to have in the atmosphere of an ammonia-ocean world, and it's what Kerbal rocket engines use for fuel!

#3: If a craft with landing legs touches down on sloped or uneven ground, have the legs automatically adjust to keep the vehicle vertical.

This could be toggled on and off. When active, this feature would cause the uphill legs to partially retract (but not beyond the point where part of the vehicle would collide with the ground.

[Themohawkninja]

1. If I am reading that correctly, you need some sort of other fuel (in that case, it was helium-xenon) to perform the power generation.

2. Ammonia isn't blue in liquid form, and it can be argued that the sand is the result of glacier movements in the past.

3. This might make landings too easy, but it would be kind of nice.

[rodion]

Making the NERVA generate a certain amount of electrical energy is a nice suggestion, but in terms of game balance it seems to overpower an already extremely good part a bit too much for me to be comfortable with. When a 2.25 ton engine alone, as well as providing extremely efficient thrust, can make RTGs and solar arrays virtually useless on the same ship, it's kind of crazy.

The oxidizer suggestion I've heard before...maybe that will happen, the devs are aware and it is in their hands.

The Laythe atmosphere problem doesn't really strike me as an issue though seeing as the temperature modeling in KSP currently is extremely crude and doesn't account for almost any real life conditions that affect temperature. I also saw someone post the elegant idea that a possible reason that Laythe's water oceans manage to persist in liquid form below 0C is because they are highly saline. In all, I'm pretty convinced that Laythe's has water/has oxygen status will persist through every version of the game since that's what makes it interesting and different from the other non-Kerbin bodies.

The craft legs idea seems good, no objections, except that landing on extreme slopes and crater rims becomes less hair-raising.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

Making the NERVA generate a certain amount of electrical energy is a nice suggestion, but in terms of game balance it seems to overpower an already extremely good part a bit too much for me to be comfortable with. When a 2.25 ton engine alone, as well as providing extremely efficient thrust, can make RTGs and solar arrays virtually useless on the same ship, it's kind of crazy.

Not even a kerbal engineer would build a spacecraft with a nuclear reactor on board, then use a completely redundant RTG to power the reaction wheels and landing lights.

Besides, unless you're a rover or have ion engines, RTGs and solar panels are pretty light... and if you do have rover wheels or ion engines, you probably shouldn't have a nuclear engine in the first place.

The craft legs idea seems good, no objections, except that landing on extreme slopes and crater rims becomes less hair-raising.

If you tried to land on an extreme slope, the legs' range of motion wouldn't be enough to keep you upright anyway, and you'd probably slide down the slope, hit a bump, flip over and explode. This would mostly be to keep the crew's pencils from rolling away. Although actually, adjustable-height landing gear would be perfect for getting the docking port on a base to line up.

1. If I am reading that correctly, you need some sort of other fuel (in that case, it was helium-xenon) to perform the power generation.

Judging by the diagram, the helium-xenon seems to be like a car's radiator fluid; it transfers heat from the hot reactor to a radiator, but isn't consumed in the process.

2. Ammonia isn't blue in liquid form, and it can be argued that the sand is the result of glacier movements in the past.

According to this, somewhat salty liquid ammonia is blue in color. Laythe ought to have active volcanoes or cryovolcanos, which could introduce upwellings of hot brine to the ocean. Once the water froze and sank, dissolved ions would be left in the ocean. After billions of years, you get a salty blue ammonia ocean.

[karolus10]

Making the NERVA generate a certain amount of electrical energy is a nice suggestion, but in terms of game balance it seems to overpower an already extremely good part a bit too much for me to be comfortable with. When a 2.25 ton engine alone, as well as providing extremely efficient thrust, can make RTGs and solar arrays virtually useless on the same ship, it's kind of crazy.

NTR's and compact nuclear plants would require cooling system to operate, so we would need Add some radiator arrays (they look similar like over-sized solar panels) to make it work in first place.

Reactors output is limited by cooling system capacity ,so for some real power (small mun base reactor with petty radiators would be quite weak) You would need entire array of radiators (and used with big ion engines, for example) attached to craft, so it's not so OP it would look.

Edited July 27, 2013 by karolus10

[Themohawkninja]

Judging by the diagram, the helium-xenon seems to be like a car's radiator fluid; it transfers heat from the hot reactor to a radiator, but isn't consumed in the process.

Either way, you will need to have some sort of coolant, and a way to keep it from overheating, which equates to more weight at the cost of

[quote name=Armchair Rocket Scientist;549391

According to this' date=' somewhat salty liquid ammonia is blue in color. Laythe ought to have active volcanoes or cryovolcanos, which could introduce upwellings of hot brine to the ocean. Once the water froze and sank, dissolved ions would be left in the ocean. After billions of years, you get a salty blue ammonia ocean.[/quote']

While I can't deny your source, and while you do make a very valid and logical point (and by logical, I do agree that as far as IRL science is concerned, I do believe you are correct), the devs do view it as liquid H₂O.

The general idea I had was if you scooted Europa in to around Io's position through some gravitational mishap. The tidal forces worked to melt the surface ice completely, and keep an ocean. (The atmosphere is a bit of artistic license there, it would have to form through some other means, unless it's mostly water vapor or something) Eventually I do want to make laythe quite volcanically active in addition to just having oceans. So pretty much a melted Europa plus Io. Despite the surface liquid it's not really a habitable place. Very radioactive (like Io).

[Anthlon]

#3: If a craft with landing legs touches down on sloped or uneven ground, have the legs automatically adjust to keep the vehicle vertical.

This could be toggled on and off. When active, this feature would cause the uphill legs to partially retract (but not beyond the point where part of the vehicle would collide with the ground.

If this will be new part with feature noted, and needed SAS/ASAS + consuming energy to work, that would make some kind of logic..

part itself will be limiting use (weight, dimmension, mount space...)

[Ricardo79]

Oxidiser only tank is a great idea.

But for a little twist: Why don't allow us players to choose tank type on EACH and EVERY tank?

Fs fuelswitch for example but stock enabled and for every tank.

Each tank has a size... but in VAB/SPH adjusting how many what we are filling in should be basic.

So a torrodial XENON tank or the big "red" one with monoprop in it or half monoprop half oxidizer for example...

So a better configurablity can be nice.

Speaking of tanks: each and every adapter and bi-tri-quad-couplers are now "unnecessary" as aerodinamics won't work (in stock) They looks good, but what if they have a storage capacity? for a KAS like stock feature and/or for configuring as a fuel tank (including life support stuff)

Or maybe habitat modules. (for example the kerbodine adapter is almost bigger than a city apartment so one or two kerbal should travel in them as an option to utilize otherwise unused space )

It is not a part tweak instead it is a request: inline RTG (or simillar) should be good. Maybe tweakable generators with a much more than enought possible max rate (initially set to lower rate) should be a useful feature.

Inline fuel consuming generator as well should be okay but please make it "possibile to overpower it" and inline.

Basicly each part which can be found surace attachable should have a version with inline capabilty And resizeability should be stock too.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Ricardo79