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

[Miro Beero]

If you read just a few pages before, you'll find out the author of this mod is currently busy for the next two weeks. He says he'll find a way to put all the fixes together early if he can but he promised nothing.

I think someone spoke about a new techtree add-on which is able to read the tree.cfg file and act as the old add-on does. If I'm not mistaken, it's TechManager.

The title of this mod should still say IMO 24.99999 and not be .25 until that fix goes in. It confuses some of us in the masses where we will keep asking the same questions over and over again.

[Jagzeplin]

FrancoisH this is 3 days late but thanks so much for suggesting ATM since it worked and now KSPI doesnt crash my game. preesh

[FrancoisH]

The title of this mod should still say IMO 24.99999 and not be .25 until that fix goes in. It confuses some of us in the masses where we will keep asking the same questions over and over again.

FrancoisH this is 3 days late but thanks so much for suggesting ATM since it worked and now KSPI doesnt crash my game. preesh

Yes, I did ask as well. I prefer now to wait for an official release... There's so much little patches in the 10 last pages and it's quite confusing. A lot are just workaround the issues and not real fixes for everything so I'm a bit lost as I don't master the structure of files, neither I do program in C# or understand everything people do around here.

And sorry if I sounded harsh in my answer. I'm french and my english is far from being perfect.

Anyway, this is a great mod I already installed in the past and I hope it will be updated soon !

[Fractal_UK]

Yes, I did ask as well. I prefer now to wait for an official release... There's so much little patches in the 10 last pages and it's quite confusing. A lot are just workaround the issues and not real fixes for everything so I'm a bit lost as I don't master the structure of files, neither I do program in C# or understand everything people do around here.

And sorry if I sounded harsh in my answer. I'm french and my english is far from being perfect.

Anyway, this is a great mod I already installed in the past and I hope it will be updated soon !

I'm now just waiting for anonish to finish tweaking some of the changes I made to his TechManager mod before the next offical release. I don't know exactly when this will be ready but I now have the capability to release a temporary "official" fix for the existing version of Interstellar which will make the tech tree work correctly again as well as allow new save games to select the interstellar tree so I will try to release it as soon as I have some time.

FrancoisH: Si vous avez une problème avec les instructions, envoyez moi une message et j'essaierais les poster en français.

[Miro Beero]

And sorry if I sounded harsh in my answer. I'm french and my english is far from being perfect.

You can speak and write your native tongue + mine (English). I cannot say the same about myself. Speaking a language and especially reading and writing it takes skill. So in this case, you should not be apologizing to us. It really should be the other way around.

So back to you,

Je suis désolé, je ne l'ai pas appris le français comme vous avez appris l'anglais. (Thank you google translate)

[lemuwien]

Hello,

I have some questions about plasma/reactor/generator. It doesn't work, the thrust is so low... :/

What's wrong ?

Ty !

[Threadsinger]

Hi guys,

I've just unlocked the methane engines and tanks in my save, but I'm having a hard time implementing them into viable launch platforms. They keep overspinning when I get to the gravity turn, especially with Mechjeb Ascent Guidance enabled. I'd really like to use them as they are a much cheaper option for pushing things into space, but I can't seem to make orbit without doing a lot of acrobatics.

(For the record, I know how to launch a spacecraft, but after 200+ manual launches it's nice to let the Enterprise computer handle some of the work )

Do any of your master builders have any advice on how to use those engines and tanks? Are they too light for heavy payloads?

Also, on that note, I get NaN errors when I tweak the engine size or thrust... does that occur for anyone else?

And, while it's surely item #1023 on the list, are there plans to make "flatter" sizes of the tanks (like the regular fuel tanks) to accommodate landing craft? Or for that matter, slightly improved art for the tanks? I'd offer to put my money where my mouth is and do the art myself, but I can scarcely draw a stick figure, let alone know how to model anything on a computer.

Looking forward to whatever else might come down the pipeline! Thanks so much!

[BigD145]

Hello,

I have some questions about plasma/reactor/generator. It doesn't work, the thrust is so low... :/

Liquid fuel in a plasma thruster gives very low thrust. It's in the description.

[undercoveryankee]

Hello,

I have some questions about plasma/reactor/generator. It doesn't work, the thrust is so low... :/

http://s12.postimg.org/5zcf9u9pp/ksp_inter.jpg

What's wrong ?

Ty !

It's working as designed. A plasma-thruster rocket that size needs a few hundred megawatts to deliver a useful thrust-to-weight ratio. They're really only useful with beamed power until you get the small fusion and antimatter reactors, unless you have the patience of NASA for multi-day engine burns.

[Threadsinger]

Hello,

I have some questions about plasma/reactor/generator. It doesn't work, the thrust is so low... :/

http://s12.postimg.org/5zcf9u9pp/ksp_inter.jpg

What's wrong ?

Ty !

That engine is more of a super-efficient interplanetary drive - look at the ISPs (11000!). Coupled with a ridiculously powerful reactor, you'd be able to generate more thrust, but it's more designed for a more fuel efficient replacement to the PB-ion drive. Use conventional rockets to bring it to space (or fusion engines if you have 'em), then kick on the plasma drive.

Also remember your energy conversion ratio from reactor to electrical power isn't 100%.

[wolverine5pl]

The TreeLoader mod that used to handle adding the later nodes nodes is broken. The best replacement available is TechManager from http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/98293-0-25-TechManager-Version-1-1.

Tried that still no luck.

copied tree.cfg from warpdrive directory to save game dir same.

have i done something wrong?

[Oscilllator]

Can anybody tell me how to open the dish of a microwave power receiver? I have tried right clicking activate, but that doesn't cause it to open for some reason even when the option is set as an action group. I feel like I'm missing something super obvious here so if somebody could tell me what's going on I would very much appreciate it.

Sorry, I may not have been clear before. As you can see by my screenshot I have a receiver pointed directly at a transmitter. Both have been activated, and those girders you see have been separated, so the receiver and transmitter are two separate vessels. The receiver however still does not open itself though, so I don't know what's going on.

[Fractal_UK]

Sorry, I may not have been clear before. As you can see by my screenshot I have a receiver pointed directly at a transmitter. Both have been activated, and those girders you see have been separated, so the receiver and transmitter are two separate vessels. The receiver however still does not open itself though, so I don't know what's going on.

If you switch back to the space centre (leaving the transmitter on), then back to the vessel, does it start to work?

[Northstar1989]

If you switch back to the space centre (leaving the transmitter on), then back to the vessel, does it start to work?

Fractal, good to see you posting again.

Did you notice my list of fixes/changes/suggestions a little while back? They're in this post, and the one immediately after it...

The super-short version of the list:

- Tweaking Microwave Receiver reception does not tweak WasteHeat generation. WasteHeat is always calculated from the maximum available power.

- The Meth/LOX (Methane/Oxidizer) engine has too low ISP and TWR values compared to its real-life analog, the Raptor.

- The Haber Process (Nitrogen+Hydrogen-->Ammonia) doesn't currently appear to be implemented, or isn't working properly utilizing atmospheric Nitrogen.

- Nitrogen cannot be used as a fuel in plasmodynamic thrusters, but can in real life. *EXTREMELY* useful for Propulsive Fluid Accumulators if it could be.

- Atmospheric Scoops don't work above the Karman Line (KSP's edge of atmosphere). They do in real life, and Karbonite mod has already found a way to implement that.

- The scaling of the Al-Hybrid and Argon tanks are messed up, creating gaps at the end of the parts. A community patch was created to fix this.

- The Magnetic Nozzle has gaps between the part ends and the nodes. A community patch was created to fix this, and the node sizes.

- The 3.75 meter parts in KSP-Interstellar almost all fail to use the new, "size 3" nodes than were introduced in the Asteroid Redirect Mission update for 3.75 meter parts. They use 2.5 meter ("size 2") nodes instead at the moment, which are too weak for their size.

Regards,

Northstar

Edited November 1, 2014 by Northstar1989

[Fractal_UK]

Fractal, good to see you posting again.

Did you notice my list of fixes/changes/suggestions a little while back? They're in this post, and the one immediately after it...

I've seen them, yes. I've even managed to read through some of it but I am struggling a lot for time at the moment so all of the time I have had to work on Interstellar-related things has been occupied by tech tree work. Hopefully I will get on to other things in the nearish future.

Edit: Thanks for the summary, I'm aware of most of those issues and many of them are easy fixes - I should be able to release them along with a version including the tech tree fixes.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Fractal_UK

[Northstar1989]

I've seen them, yes. I've even managed to read through some of it but I am struggling a lot for time at the moment so all of the time I have had to work on Interstellar-related things has been occupied by tech tree work. Hopefully I will get on to other things in the nearish future.

Edit: Thanks for the summary, I'm aware of most of those issues and many of them are easy fixes - I should be able to release them along with a version including the tech tree fixes.

Awesome. I especially hope you'll include the Meth/LOX engine ISP/TWR fixes, and a Nitrogen resource (which would also be useful for ISRU) and plasma fuel mode in the near future...

Also, I updated the post with built-in links and slight corrections to the summary in the past 15 minutes. So take another look at it when you get the chance.

Regards,

Northstar

[theepicflyer]

If you read just a few pages before, you'll find out the author of this mod is currently busy for the next two weeks. He says he'll find a way to put all the fixes together early if he can but he promised nothing.

I think someone spoke about a new techtree add-on which is able to read the tree.cfg file and act as the old add-on does. If I'm not mistaken, it's TechManager.

Has anyone tried the TechManager yet?

[Demitor]

Ever since getting the new version for .25 KSP.. The interstellar engines wont produce any thrust or fuel flow. (Even using cheats for infinite fuels).. Even the DT Vista engine will not produce any thrust. Was this a bug? I cant find it discussed anywhere in the forum thread and i searched for hours.

[Atrius129]

Has anyone tried the TechManager yet?

TechManager has been working flawlessly for me so far.

[LucidPixels]

I too have been using TechManager, without apparent issues.

[Shirson]

Ever since getting the new version for .25 KSP.. The interstellar engines wont produce any thrust or fuel flow. (Even using cheats for infinite fuels).. Even the DT Vista engine will not produce any thrust. Was this a bug? I cant find it discussed anywhere in the forum thread and i searched for hours.

Same problem.

What the correct configuration of parts (reactors-generators-engines) should be?

How to start any magnetic nozzles?

Why DT Vista engine start works, but shutting down after couple of seconds?

Can anyone please clearly explain how to combine parts for IS propulsion (youtube tutorials not really helps)?

[Shirson]

TechManager has been working flawlessly for me so far.

After each loading of saved game, TechManager give me Alcubierre Drive (not yet discovered), but hide already opened DT Vista. Visiting Research Complex (open-close) solve problem.

[KoolBreeze420]

Can some one tell me what LFO stands for? and Can anyone tell me what nozzle or engine uses thermal power? I have attached a few nozzles to a reactor but they all flame out no matter where I am or how much thermal power is available I Am stumped and the wiki guide isn't helping me much any direction would be greatly appreciated thanks.

[robino]

is this mod compatible with other mods like Kethane and Fine Print?

[AetherGoddess]

Can some one tell me what LFO stands for? and Can anyone tell me what nozzle or engine uses thermal power? I have attached a few nozzles to a reactor but they all flame out no matter where I am or how much thermal power is available I Am stumped and the wiki guide isn't helping me much any direction would be greatly appreciated thanks.

Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer: essentially the same stuff that most regular rockets use.

Most of the Thermal nozzles are explicitly marked as such. the Thermal engines use Thermal power, which requires a reactor and they break down into two classes: Thermal rockets, which heat and expel fuels without atmosphere, and Thermal Turbojets, which heat and expel only atmosphere. Thermal turbojets can be upgraded to be Thermal Hybrid rockets, which can use intake air, LFO, LF, or sometimes more exotic fuels. Make sure you have 1) enough fuel for the reactor in the form of Uranium, thorium, deuterium, tritium, or antimatter 2) enough thermal reactant, in the form of Liquid fuel, LFO, or intake air, and 3) enough radiators that your reactor doesn't melt. thermal engines throw off waste heat, but not generally enough to keep the reactor cooled in vacuum.

related, there are three classes of Electric engines, Plasma rockets, Arcjets and Magnetic Nozzles, all of these require megajoules, not thermal power. Plazma jets are essentially high-thrust Ion engines, that expel high temperature charged plasma. Arcjets use electical arcing to add energy to the propellent. Magnetic Nozzles take advantage of focused charged particles put off by reactors to create thrust for the craft. all of these require a generator attached to a reactor, and the magnetic nozzles require a charged particle source, such as a fusion reactor.