[0.25]KSP Interstellar (Magnetic Nozzles, ISRU Revamp) Version 0.13

[cy-one]

all receivers were online, but yeah, the screenshot wasn't so good. it's a dt vista, which did work (no missing fuel lines or so).

Could be LOS, yes. Although I didn't think it would be that sensitive, thought just larger objects like the planet itself, moons, etc.

[acc]

Ahm, I'm right if I guess the science lab does not work with solar panels?

8 huge panels should bring more than the required 5MW

[cy-one]

Another question: How do I get more juice out of my generators? I should have around 9.49 GW from my reactor here (according to the megajoules display), but usually only get roughly 5 GW.

And still: Where's the difference between the differently sized microwave-transceivers?

[Kowal04]

Ahm, I'm right if I guess the science lab does not work with solar panels?

8 huge panels should bring more than the required 5MW

You wish. My satellite with 36 Gigantor XL Solar Arrays produces only 640kW. So 8 panels are not enough.

[Makeone]

Ahm, I'm right if I guess the science lab does not work with solar panels?

8 huge panels should bring more than the required 5MW

That would be correct. They need megajoules aka microwave receiver and that infrastructure OR at least 1.25m fission reactor with attached generator.

[Makeone]

Another question: How do I get more juice out of my generators? I should have around 9.49 GW from my reactor here (according to the megajoules display), but usually only get roughly 5 GW.

And still: Where's the difference between the differently sized microwave-transceivers?

By upgrading them if you are in career mode, in sandbox they are already upgraded. And with fusion reactors, you wish to use one generator with thermal power and another with direct conversion for charged particles. Again, in sandbox mode, there are options to run either KTEC or DC (direct conversion) in VAB. While in career mode, it is required to open certain node in tech tree to access upgraded generators, down at electric branch, if i recall correctly.

Biggest receiver is capable to access most beamed power as it has most area while the umbrella one has poorest. And that means from some distance from kerbin/source from transmission.

[Hremsfeld]

Ahm, I'm right if I guess the science lab does not work with solar panels?

8 huge panels should bring more than the required 5MW

Solar panels provide power on the order of kilowatts, which is what 1EC/s is presumed to be. Someone worked it out earlier, but you would need several hundred gigantors to get a single megawatt at Kerbin's distance from the sun. If they were in a low solar orbit, you could transmit power and it would work, but just solar panels directly attached to the ship will not be sufficient. A single 1.25m or two upgraded 0.625m fission reactors should be sufficient, however.

Another question: How do I get more juice out of my generators? I should have around 9.49 GW from my reactor here (according to the megajoules display), but usually only get roughly 5 GW.

And still: Where's the difference between the differently sized microwave-transceivers?

Are you using all of it? You should see a current supply and maximum theoretical supply entry; if the maximum's 9.49 GW but the supply's 5GW and you aren't losing megajoules, the system's working as intended.

The larger transceivers are more efficient at receiving incoming power than the smaller ones - it works based on the surface area of the receiver in addition to distance and angle.

Edit: Beaten like a horse at a race, but we all forgot to mention that transmission is not affected by surface area, i.e. the smallest one and the largest one are equally effective at transmitting.

[cy-one]

Problem is, I AM losing energy I was kinda worried I wouldn't reach orbit, but I had enough MJ "stashed", even with negative I reached orbit.

It's a Fission reactor (sandbox), btw.

[bonesbro]

Sooo, I'm currently a) trying to figure out that microwave-stuff and failing at it.

Problems:

- obviously, the generatorcraft is transmitting, and also obviously, the ship doesn't get any juice

Power transmission doesn't work if both craft are within physics range. Drive your power transmitter about 2.6km away and it should work.

[WaveFunctionP]

Power transmission doesn't work if both craft are within physics range. Drive your power transmitter about 2.6km away and it should work.

Well it does, but sometimes you need to reload the scene if you've undocked a craft. Some people will move the power supply out of physics range for performance issues.

[acc]

Thank you guys. But I don't want to use nuclear reactors, nor shot with microwaves at my research station. I was pretty sure 8 of the huge panels from the kosmos pack would do the job too

[phoenix_ca]

Thank you guys. But I don't want to use nuclear reactors, nor shot with microwaves at my research station. I was pretty sure 8 of the huge panels from the kosmos pack would do the job too

No. Even if they could output enough power (which they can't unless they're close to the sun), EC cannot be converted to MJ locally. That's slated for the next release.

[Tristavius]

It depends if you're talking about before or after upgrades. Unupgraded, the Sethlans/Akula reactors are a lot more complicated in the way they behave than the other reactor types because you can control their temperature by changing the amount of radiators on the ship - they lose power output with increasing temperature but provided you get the balance right you can get improved specific impulse performance compared to the other unupgraded fission reactors while saving on radiator mass as well. Their performance as a rocket in atmosphere, however, is pretty poor because convection will keep the temperature low.

I find those reactors with thermal rockets really useful for early ships on longer range voyages, that might be one area to consider taking a look at them in.

Ah, of course - should have thought of that really (too much work frying my brain right now). I only touched career mode briefly and wasn't really that interested, I much prefer KSP as a sandbox. Looking at the un-upgraded stats I can see exactly where they fit in compared to un-upgraded fusion. Guess they just look odd from a sandbox perspective, but then I guess there's even stock bits that do too - just part of the necessary structure for career.

[Aedile]

Yes, but there's no reason that a complex system can't be presented in simple terms. What we have right now with KSPI is many complex concepts explained in complex terms. There's even a fair bit of irreducible complexity in learning the main concepts (like power management and production), which is problematic.

There is difference between making things more user friendly, and just removing them from simplicity. Complex does not need to be complicated.

There are also few things which need to be adjusted so different reactors fulfill their roles better, and are more useful. Still it would depend on your gemeplay.

Also resource gathering such as the He3 should be improved. Also would be nice to be able to store gasses in tanks, and have the refinery use them.

IMO the reactors themselves are good for the most part, what personally annoys me is that once you get the upgraded version, you no longer have access to the simple one.

[JeffreyCor]

I have the same complaint on reactors that the upgrade is not just a flat out improvement but reduces performance in a different area. Such as more power but faster fuel consumption. There are times when lower power output is needed in favor or longer duration which the stock upgrade does not account for. In the interim I've made my own custom MM file to tweak such parts to remove the upgrade "penalty" to compensate for the inability to chose which to use.

[Aedile]

I have the same complaint on reactors that the upgrade is not just a flat out improvement but reduces performance in a different area. Such as more power but faster fuel consumption. There are times when lower power output is needed in favor or longer duration which the stock upgrade does not account for. In the interim I've made my own custom MM file to tweak such parts to remove the upgrade "penalty" to compensate for the inability to chose which to use.

Yes it's an issue. One is the resource consumption, the other is the need for more radiators. I use remote tech TAC, and use the mini generators for DC supply so they basically run on 'idle' for the most part, so the upgrade is actually undesirable.

[BigD145]

Yes it's an issue. One is the resource consumption, the other is the need for more radiators. I use remote tech TAC, and use the mini generators for DC supply so they basically run on 'idle' for the most part, so the upgrade is actually undesirable.

I wouldn't mind a "pay science to de-grade" button on some reactors.

[Harusee]

Hey guys; not sure if I'm doing something wrong or what the deal here is, but at the moment the KSPI tech I've unlocked seems fairly inefficient when compared with stock KSP tech. I've only gotten the fission reactors, thermal rocket, plasma jets, and electrical generators thus far, and I realize they probably get better with upgrades, but I haven't gotten to the science lab yet and I have to say it's kind of disappointing how useless these parts are when you get them. First I tried a nuclear rocket-powered probe, and while it had fantastic ISP (using pure hydrogen as fuel) it completely lacked the thrust to make any notable course corrections. It's presently stuck in an orbit around Duna, and the only reason it got there was because my 2nd stage 1.5m Orbital Achievement device put it there. I figured I just made an error in judgement, later tried a larger thermal rocket (2.5m) running LFO, which made decent thrust (more than the 2.5m Nerva) but weighed so much that it ran out of fuel before it got anywhere. Finally, I figured the mod's description of plasma jets indicated they were somewhat superior in thrust to the stock Ion engines, so I loaded up a probe with a tiny fission reactor, plasma jet, electrical generator, and a stack of xenon and some sensors. Total weight: 1.5 tons, and total thrust output? 0.0kn indicated. So, yeah. I get that this is supposed to be endgame stuff, but I really think I should be getting some better results, at least useful stuff, even if it could be better. For example, the thermal rockets should be a bit more powerful considering that each one of them MUST be attached to a nuclear reactor, so building a craft with more than one of them requires more than one reactor, plus cooling stuff for it.

Either that or I'm just doing something horribly wrong and misread something, so feel free to correct me if I've missed something...

Using microwave energy beaming technology the thermal rocket engines attached directly to the microwave heating units, I have produced probes with 250ms2 accel that blow up at full accel. With enough microwave energy transmission deployed in kerbins SOI and maybe around the sun, your thermal rockets almost always have enough power to outperform electric engines by wide margins and are very fuel efficient with enough microwave power coming in. I have a resistojet comsat over eve that I had to baby for hours to get where I wanted. My even probe got there and into low orbit in a fraction of the time. I am now building balloons to place transmitters all around kerbins equator with the large 3.75 meter reactors and generators and the large microwave arrays. My space program is going majority mwave power at this point.

This probe was capable of 225ms2 but just after reaching 180ms2 as it was accelerating, the probe just went poof! You can see the Gmeter needle pegged at the top of the scale. While no good for manned missions with deadly reentry it is fine for unmanned craft and very fuel efficient.

[Makeone]

IF i recall correct, they are not that fuel efficient, as they doesn't get as hot as upgraded reactor cores do, and it is the temperature that defines the efficiency (Isp). Microwave powered thermal rocket gets lots of thrust because of the massive power available from the net.

[TheGatesofLogic]

Ah, He3 seems to have become a bit of a debate! Maybe I shouldn't have gone on about cloud scooping! Well anyway, for my two cents on the issue...

Well, I actually just wrote this paragraph slating why there would be He3 on Mun but then I went a did a bit of research and err, well, I guess you're right! The real world moon is supposed to have a bit, all be it in still very small concentrations. I still have concerns about this - Mun would make life just a little bit too easy in my opinion. Mun of course also doesn't have to be an exact analogue of our own, so maybe this idea would work but use it on other bodies. Maybe Tylo would be a perfect place to have some, still making He3 something of a challenge. I also think cloud harvesting is a brilliant fun engineering challenge (far different from yet another 'land a base on X and press extract') and thus should still be the best source of He3. Perhaps this is exactly what Fractal had in mind? The best way to make this more relevant is an quantity increase in Jool. 10x Would make large harvesters like my own able to fill a tank in 12 minutes instead of 120 - a good upgrade. It could even be increased further to allow for higher atmosphere dives to pull in small quantities and deep dives to rapidly fill many tanks.

The bigger issue still remains - what the hell is the point of it in Fusion? The larger reactors become worthless and the smaller ones are well, small! By the time you have access to He3 you probably don't need every last Megawatt out of small reactors as you're probably already thinking big by then. It is useful in AIRs, which in turn are a fairly useful reactor but still, it could be a lot better.

Yeah, the problem is in the time-expenditure vs the gain. Currently KSPI hardly incentivizes ISRU at all, and since using He-3 requires you to have the delta-V to send a ship out into Jool AND come back you run into the issue of it costing more than it's worth in terms of gameplay. Adding He-3 to the moon adds a much needed early source of He-3, and allows you to set off for jool using only the reactor that you plan to use there. What I think is the best approach to this is adding a very small concentration of Munar He-3 to the game, and then increase the concentration of He-3 in Jool's atmosphere to provide a progressive and useful gameplay dynamic.

[cy-one]

My new nuclear plant, ready to beam 40+ GW into spaaaace.

I know that the atmosphere will reduce the efficiency a lot, but for now it should suffice

Includes a refinery under the transceiver.

[phoenix_ca]

Why are you using two generators on fission reactors? O.o

[cy-one]

Because I have no idea how the stuff works... And one generator doesn't make more juice if I turn off the other.

Btw, does one know how much heat microwave receivers actually produce?

[phoenix_ca]

I believe that's tied to the amount of power being received by it. Can't recall what percentage of it gets thrown-out as waste heat though.

[cy-one]

Irgs, that's kinda inconvenient... Assume you have quite a good network, but want to only supply a small satellite... that thing would need ten times it's mass in radiators o.O