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

[Donziboy2]

I appear to have broken the game again Fractal_UK

After re-enting with the above craft I discovered that I could no longer restart my engines in atmospheric mode.... I ran out of atmo on the way up and did not have fuel lines for LFO routed

I tried turning them all off and then restaging them in a vain effort so save Jeb, who does not seem to care in the least from the photo.

Edit... This appears to happen even with fuel lines, just broke them again:/

Log in case it helps.

Not sure why the Temperater went to NaN.....

Ok the flying brick somehow made it, but the whole area now glows in the dark.....

Edited December 8, 2013 by Donziboy2

[Myrten]

Nice Myrten

Ok, so I grabbed a B9 SSTO and had some fun with it, put 8 fusion reactors on it with thermal turbojets. 10 seconds after I took the second picture, I noticed I did not route fuel lines.... almost a full orbit with nothing but hot air

Thanks

With properly working microwave network thermal turbojet + quantum plasma might be an awesome combination

Although my rockets somehow almost always ends up with 1000+ ton weight Maybe I've played for too much with super heavy NovaPunch's 5 meter parts

Edited December 8, 2013 by Myrten

[forsaken1111]

Oh man, now I want to test a spaceplane using plasma thrusters with microwave receivers.

[Myrten]

Oh man, now I want to test a spaceplane using plasma thrusters with microwave receivers.

I suggest that you start setting up your network already instead of waiting for Fractal to add my routing algorithm since you really must have good infrastructure in 3 dimensions for this and it takes time to place all these relays...

My network actually provides stable enough power to do microwave powered thermal turbojet->quantum plasma two stage (Yes, thermal turbo is so fast that I have re-entry effects during launch and it gives me 160 km apoapsis before I even turn plasma on...)

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Edited December 8, 2013 by Myrten

[DC118]

i'm kinda new to the mod... is there any "real" way to calculate how long to do a warp jump, or is it mainly just guess work?

[RadHazard]

What's the difference between the two phased array microwave transceivers now that they're transceivers? Does the larger one reduce distance penalties more than the smaller one when used as a transmitter as well as a receiver?

In other words, how would these setups be ranked, in terms of distance losses?

#1: Large Transmitter -> Large Receiver

#2: Medium Transmitter -> Large Receiver

#3: Large Transmitter -> Medium Receiver

#4: Large Transmitter -> Small Receiver

#5: Medium Transmitter -> Medium Receiver

#6: Medium Transmitter -> Small Receiver

I'm guessing if the size of the transmitter doesn't matter it'd be

1 = 2 < 3 = 5 < 4 = 6

If it uses the distance losses of the larger of the two dishes it'd be

1 = 2 = 3 = 4 < 5 = 6

And if it uses both transmitter and receiver size, I'm guessing it'd be something like

1 < 2 = 3 < 4 = 5 < 6

Although I'm not entirely sure where #5 (Large -> Small) would fall compared to the others in this case

Are any of these correct, and if so, which one?

[Myrten]

What's the difference between the two phased array microwave transceivers now that they're transceivers? Does the larger one reduce distance penalties more than the smaller one when used as a transmitter as well as a receiver?

In other words, how would these setups be ranked, in terms of distance losses?

#1: Large Transmitter -> Large Receiver

#2: Medium Transmitter -> Large Receiver

#3: Large Transmitter -> Medium Receiver

#4: Large Transmitter -> Small Receiver

#5: Medium Transmitter -> Medium Receiver

#6: Medium Transmitter -> Small Receiver

I'm guessing if the size of the transmitter doesn't matter it'd be

1 = 2 < 3 = 5 < 4 = 6

If it uses the distance losses of the larger of the two dishes it'd be

1 = 2 = 3 = 4 < 5 = 6

And if it uses both transmitter and receiver size, I'm guessing it'd be something like

1 < 2 = 3 < 4 = 5 < 6

Although I'm not entirely sure where #5 (Large -> Small) would fall compared to the others in this case

Are any of these correct, and if so, which one?

Range is only applicable to receivers so there is no point for using large one for relays\transmitters.

For receivers only thing that matters is the collector area they have, the larger it is the greater distance it can get power from without efficiency loss, here are the ranges:

Large:27.16 million KM

Medium:6.06 million KM

Small:2.37 million KM

[Donziboy2]

Range is only applicable to receivers so there is no point for using large one for relays\transmitters.

For receivers only thing that matters is the collector area they have, the larger it is the greater distance it can get power from without efficiency loss, here are the ranges:

Large:27.16 million KM

Medium:6.06 million KM

Small:2.37 million KM

Actually I tested this with the Dev Build that Fractal_UK gave out a few days ago and from what I can remember you did receive more using a large transmitter.

I will retest in the morning, im tired atm

[Myrten]

Actually I tested this with the Dev Build that Fractal_UK gave out a few days ago and from what I can remember you did receive more using a large transmitter.

I will retest in the morning, im tired atm

There is nothing about that in this code: https://github.com/FractalUK/KSPInterstellar/tree/develop/FNPlugin remember that what used to be transmitter is now medium transreceiver and can receive too.

[RadHazard]

Okay, so transmitter size isn't important then. I ended up using large transceivers for both transmitting and receiving on my relay satellites anyway due to the ease of 2x symmetry, but I'll keep that in mind when I make more solar power satellites.

[Myrten]

Okay, so transmitter size isn't important then. I ended up using large transceivers for both transmitting and receiving on my relay satellites anyway due to the ease of 2x symmetry, but I'll keep that in mind when I make more solar power satellites.

On relays you actually need one medium or large trans-receiver set to relay mode. Active transmitter and receiver do not constitute a relay.

[RadHazard]

On relays you actually need one medium or large trans-receiver set to relay mode. Active transmitter and receiver do not constitute a relay.

Yes, I have one of the large transceivers set to relay mode and the other set to receiver mode. I was just wondering if there were any efficiency gains to using the large transceivers for transmitters. Although now that I think about it, does the transmitter/receiver size on a relay matter at all? Or are they modeled as being 100% efficient, with the only losses coming from the receiver on the end craft?

[forsaken1111]

Does a relay need two transceivers if it, itself, is producing power? One set to transmit, one set to relay?

[Myrten]

Yes, I have one of the large transceivers set to relay mode and the other set to receiver mode. I was just wondering if there were any efficiency gains to using the large transceivers for transmitters. Although now that I think about it, does the transmitter/receiver size on a relay matter at all? Or are they modeled as being 100% efficient, with the only losses coming from the receiver on the end craft?

Only receiver size on end craft matters and let me repeat this again: if you put 2 transceivers on relay craft and set one to work as transmitter and other one as receiver it won't be work as a relay. You have special activate relay button and you only need one transceiver.

Does a relay need two transceivers if it, itself, is producing power? One set to transmit, one set to relay?

Relay always need one but one ship can act as both relay and transmitter so if let's say your ship has 3.75m nuclear reactor + 3.75m generator then it makes sense to act one more transceiver and set it to transmitter so your ship would also transmit power into the system.

[RadHazard]

Only receiver size on end craft matters and let me repeat this again: if you put 2 transceivers on relay craft and set one to work as transmitter and other one as receiver it won't be work as a relay. You have special activate relay button and you only need one transceiver.

Yes, and as I've said, I did put one transceiver into relay mode. I was not aware that you only need a single transceiver on a relay, but I am using relay mode.

[Myrten]

Jebediah has just made an orbit with thermal turbo jet\vacuum plasma SSTO

[Feladris]

Hey I've been trying to use this mod, but whenever I try to start the game up it loads everything until it tries to load the WarpPlugin/Spaces/sci/internal/crewtestInternals file. Then the game crashes, i'm not sure why this happens, I've tried re installing the mod, and removing my other mods but it doesn't work. I would really like to play with this mod and would appreciate any help. Thank you for your time.

[CatastrophicFailure]

What kind of tutorials are you interested in? There are lots of different topics that could be covered, as an example, a lot of people ask about building fission planes so I could make a tutorial about how to do that but that's no use to someone who wants information on using and refueling the DT-vista, for example.

It's very tricky for me to know what features people aren't making the most of or are struggling to make best use of because, for me, every feature that goes into the mod is already second nature by the time it's publically released, so watching this thread is the only way I find out what people understand and what they don't.

Now the thorium link isn't working

Like a few step by step guides on the major parts so it's not just "throw bits together on the launch pad and see what lets you right click. ". I'm just trying to figure out how to swap reactor fuels at the moment. I've got supplies of uranium and thorium, I get the swap fuel button in EVA after the reactor's cooled, but nothing seems to happen when I click it.

Edited December 8, 2013 by CatastrophicFailure
ETA: actually, none of the fuel pages seem to be working (antimatter, uranium, etc...)

[Lightwarrior]

... I've got supplies of uranium and thorium, I get the swap fuel button in EVA after the reactor's cooled, but nothing seems to happen when I click it.

Seems like you do not have enough new fuel or free space for old fuel.

[CatastrophicFailure]

So the warp drive keeps you at the speed you were going even when you turn it off? Or does it set you to some arbitrary speed? Either way, I'm glad you made a point to balance this.

Seems like you do not have enough new fuel or free space for old fuel.

Expound plz. I've got a 2.5m non-upgraded (how do you upgrade anyway?) reactor, and one tank each of the fuels, which are half empty by deafault?

[Lightwarrior]

Expound plz. I've got a 2.5m non-upgraded (how do you upgrade anyway?) reactor, and one tank each of the fuels, which are half empty by deafault?

2.5m reactor needs 1.2 fuel, tanks have only 0.4, and 0.4 free space. So you will need 3 tanks of each type to swap fuel in 2.5m reactor.

[Eadrom]

As lightwarrior stated, you need enough space to store the uranium you are taking out of the fission reactor before you can fill it with thorium. Easiest way to figure out how many canisters of each type of fissionable material you need, divide the fuel capacity by 0.4 and round up. The most you will need is eight of each type of fuel for a 3.75m fission reactor. These can be attached anyhere on the craft. If you can access the reactor at launch via Eva and ladders, you can just throw the fission fuel canisters in launch clamps. Or you can launch a small module with the fuel canisters and dock it with your ship in orbit. Swap out your fuel and then either deorbit the module and rain uranium down in the Kerbin atmosphere or crash it on the Mun or something.

[Fractal_UK]

I appear to have broken the game again Fractal_UK

After re-enting with the above craft I discovered that I could no longer restart my engines in atmospheric mode.... I ran out of atmo on the way up and did not have fuel lines for LFO routed

I tried turning them all off and then restaging them in a vain effort so save Jeb, who does not seem to care in the least from the photo.

Edit... This appears to happen even with fuel lines, just broke them again:/

Not sure why the Temperater went to NaN.....

Ok the flying brick somehow made it, but the whole area now glows in the dark.....

Cheers, this looks like to be one of those bugs that happens due to particular flight and engine use profiles so I hadn't spotted it before. You can write this one down as fixed for next time.

Here is complete version of my relay routing algorithm with routes optimized for efficiency.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1k16uz (updated for this dev version: https://github.com/FractalUK/KSPInterstellar/commit/17f5e268461f7abb072bda608dc1c93a2b524cdd)

This zip contains 2 files:

MicrowavePowerReceiver.cs - there are some changes in few places besides primary algorithm so I think it's better to post entire file. If you don't want some changes like extended labels with satellites\relays connected which I've made for testing let me know, I'll remove them.

MicrowaveRoute.cs - This file has to be added to the project, I had to create this class since KSP doesn't support System.Tuple. It's only for storing optimal route when algorithm is processing satellites.

How it works:

Algorithm is in GetConnectedTransmitters method and returns all transmitters towards which there is a line of sight and optimal routes to them in terms of highest efficiency possible given current vessel's orientation and position.

Since effective range of receivers is quite big, algorithm primarily focuses on angle (but since it calculates actual efficiency it will adapt to any changes if for example in future versions of KSPI receiver's ranges get nerfed).

Thanks Myten, I'll try and incorporate this code sometime this evening or tomorrow. Once that it's in, we should be about ready for a new update including the improved thermal mechanics.

i'm kinda new to the mod... is there any "real" way to calculate how long to do a warp jump, or is it mainly just guess work?

You want your velocity vector on departure to be parallel to your velocity vector on arrival for the minimum burn to circularise at your destination, so travelling is optimal when the destination and departure planets are moving parallel in their orbits, which will occur at those planet's minimum seperation.

[ExEvolution]

The DT Vista Inertial Fusion Engine doesn't generate heat while on the map screen, but will cool down instead

[evilphish]

I noticed a discrepancy between the displayed values for radiators and their actual cooling. I.e. with the 1.25m inline radiator it says in the VAB 0.941 MW radiated. If I use it I actually only get a power radiated readout of 0.527 MW both in space and on kerbin at sea level. Of course at sea level you also get convected power of about 180 MW but where do the 0.527 MW come from and if that is the maximum it can actually radiate why doesn't it say so in the VAB?

If you want to plan ahead how much cooling you need for, lets say 2 1x6 solar panels, at present it is a pain to figure out which and how much cooling parts you need as there is no information about the actual cooling in the parts description.

Is there a way to derive the actual power radiated from the values displayed in the VAB?