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

[KhaosCorp]

Fractal, to break away from the bug talk for a moment:

Have to given any thought to a steam-based RCS system? Bring along a tank of water and heat a small amount to high temperature and let it escape from an RCS nozzle like a propellant. Could use thermal power from a generator to do so.

Normal RCS blocks use a monopropellant like hydrogen peroxide passing through a catalyst mesh to produce steam and oxygen via chemical decomposition, but this could be a neat tie-in with your reactor system and refill-able anywhere water can be found. (or anywhere you could get hydrogen and oxygen to combine)

Id imagine a system like this could run RCS for some time off a 50gallon or so tank. Could the mining lab be made to harvest water if its within a certain distance? Maybe the science lab could be made to produce water...refining the waste liquid from the kerbals working inside.

[Myrten]

This unfortunately doesn't work because of the way the resource manager works - let's say we've put a transmitter in orbit, it isn't doing anything so it's not really needing to produce any power, generator is at 0%. Then we turn the microwave transmitter on, microwave transmitter says give me the current power, current power is 0, we get nothing. We have to request more power than we have right now, otherwise we get nothing or nearly nothing.

How about something like this pseudo code? :

    float generatorsAndPanelsMaxOutput  = GetMaxOutputFromAllGeneratorsAndSolarPanels();
    float consumedValue = consumeFNResource(generatorsAndPanelsMaxOutput,FNResourceManager.FNRESOURCE_MEGAJOULES);
    float generatorsAndPanelsCurrentOutput = GetCurrentOutputFromAllGeneratorsAndSolarPanels();

    float transmitterOutput = Math.Min(consumedValue ,generatorsAndPanelsCurrentOutput); // this way transmitter never sends more power then generators\solar panels have produced.

    float leak = transmitterOutput - consumedValue;  // energy that wasn't send by transmitter
    if(leak>0)
        supplyFNResource(leak,FNResourceManager.FNRESOURCE_MEGAJOULES);//is given back to Resource Manager

I think this part may be the key to the solution, there needs to be an additional step that compares the thermal power received to the reactor output and, in some sense, gets rid of the power from other sources.

I think that solution very similar to what I wrote above will work in this case too.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Myrten
Fix to prevent leaks

[RadHazard]

How is the temperature/ISP of a microwave thermal rocket calculated? Is it a constant value, or is it dependent on power received?

[Lightwarrior]

And here is another bug i mentioned above:

1. Lab producing antimatter:

2. Lab consuming antimatter. (No AM reactors are present on this test vessel):

Also you can notice strange numbers in AM tank charge.

p.s. and also another representation of those EC/MJ bug. I had to add "few" 4k batteries to even be able to turn on such high warp.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Lightwarrior

[forsaken1111]

Id imagine a system like this could run RCS for some time off a 50gallon or so tank. Could the mining lab be made to harvest water if its within a certain distance? Maybe the science lab could be made to produce water...refining the waste liquid from the kerbals working inside.

It wouldn't be difficult to make a part like the lab able to generate water while splashed down. Detecting water 'nearby' may be harder.

And yeah my thought was that a water tank would last quite a while and would overlap with life support function so if you don't use it all its not wasted. Currently any monoprop you don't use is just wasted ballast that you expended energy on for no reason.

[Saphykitten]

I really like the way that your nuclear reactors create a separate type of electrical charge (the megajoules) I think that you should script in a GUI that allows you to control the output of your reactors, kinda like how the Near Future Mod has them. Would be really neat to control how much output you're running.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

So what exactly is the benefit of the quantum vacuum upgrade to the plasma thrusters?

[Eadrom]

The quantum vacuum upgrade allows the plasma thruster to provide thrust with nothing but electrical power (MJ). Quantum vacuum provides same thrust and ISP as if you are using liquid fuel.

[rottielover]

Can someone point me to reading on how the radiation mechanics work? I updated to the latest version after having been away a while and noticed that on my new station my Hitchhiker can had a radiation value that kept climbing. Fearing I was going to kill my kerbals I evacuated them from the station.

I checked the Wiki, but didn't see anything about this mechanic.

[forsaken1111]

Can someone point me to reading on how the radiation mechanics work? I updated to the latest version after having been away a while and noticed that on my new station my Hitchhiker can had a radiation value that kept climbing. Fearing I was going to kill my kerbals I evacuated them from the station.

I checked the Wiki, but didn't see anything about this mechanic.

I'm fairly certain its just visual right now.

[Lightwarrior]

And one more interesting thing. I rebuilt those DT Vista/AM reactor powered ship to use 8 fusion reactors instead of AM and while the problem remains it is easily fixed by one single smallest solar panel being always exposed to sunlight. I just put few of then to different sides of the ship and have no problems at all while orbiting kerbol. And it does not matter if i leave something with high power consuption on during warp (say TAC LifeSupport recyclers), one panel is always enough.

But when i put antimatter tank (even without reactor) on ship this stops working. Even if tank is emty and its charging is disabled. It makes me think that this problem is somehow related to AM tanks.

[Eadrom]

Can someone point me to reading on how the radiation mechanics work? I updated to the latest version after having been away a while and noticed that on my new station my Hitchhiker can had a radiation value that kept climbing. Fearing I was going to kill my kerbals I evacuated them from the station.

I checked the Wiki, but didn't see anything about this mechanic.

I can confirm for you that the radiation value is only flavor text. Fractal has stated he might add flesh and blood to the radiation system, but for now, it's just a fun readout that does nothing functional.

[Quabla]

Hi,

I just tested your newest build (0.8.1) and I found a bug. In order to test some designs, I changed the config of the antimattertanks so I would have a small starting amount of antimatter (amount = 1600). It worked fine in previous. However, with the new update, my ship seems to PRODUCE antimatter on its own. It is also possible to produce thrust to a certain amount and still have a positive netgain of AM. I tested that in sandbox mode on the runway and in flight. It does NOT happen with with the stock value (amount = 0).

Details:

My ship (space plane) has following essential parts:

2x 2.5m AM-Reactor + Generator

1x 2.5m Alcubierre Drive (folded version OR normal version, tested both)

2x 2.5m AM-Tanks (AM amount: 1600/80000)

6x AM-Collectors (no AM-Flux)

1x 2.5m Plasmathruster

2x 1.25m Plasmathruster

16x Heatradiators (medium)

1x Computercore

Some data for each status:

No engines active, Warp-Drive not charging:

AM-Rate: -13.3 (production of AM)

No engines active, Warp-Drive charging:

AM-Rate: 13.3

EM-Rate: 143

Both thermal engines active (full thrust), Warp-Drive not charging:

AM-Rate: 13.3

Thust (each): 683.8 kN (on ground)

2.5m plasma engine active (full thrust), Warp-Drive not charging:

AM-Rate: 13.3

Thrust: 1883.5 kN (on ground)

Power: 143 377.20 MW (liquid, 72% efficiency)

Equilibrium thrust with no AM consumption: 941.7kN

Reactor data at 100% energy consumption:

Left AM-Reactor:

Core Temp: 343 117K

Status: Active (400.000%)

Current Power: 480 GW_th

Right one is inactive (0.000%)

Left and Right Electric Generator:

Current Power: 71.9 GW_e

Max Power: 71.9 GW_e

Efficiency: 59.9%

Bonus bug:

If I consume all of the antimatter (by using thrust or charging warp drive), the amount becomes negative huge values and then finally "NaN". Also I seem to produce litte to none waste heat.

Modlist:

AviationLights, B9_Aerospace, FAR, KAS, KerbalJointReinforcement, HyperEdit, KWRocketry, ModularFuelTanks, PreciseNode, ProceduralWings, UbioWeldingLtd, VOID, WarpPlugin

[Aranthos]

Hi,

I just tested your newest build (0.8.1) and I found a bug. [snip]

Could you try installing TAC fuel balancer and haxxing some AM into the tank on the pad and see if the same problem pops up?

[Quabla]

I also have two requests for your awesome mod regarding the Alcubierre Drive.

1. Can you add a "Toggle Warpdrive"-Option to the action groups? Right now I need to assign two action groups to start and stop the warpdrive.
   
2. Please add the Foldable Alcubierre Drive to your default parts. It's an awesome conctruction by ZZZ and can coexist with the standard version. It should additionally prohibit warping (and charging?) in its folded state though. Right now, it works in every state.
   

Also:

Wouldn't it be possible to change fuel of the fission reactors in the VAB? I don't know the details, but in the B9-Aerospace mod it is possible to change the starting states of the cargobay (open/closed) or the cockpit (lights on/off) before flight. Maybe it is not that complicated and you don't have to rely on the upcoming tweakables.

Thank you for your hard work on the mod

[Saphykitten]

I also have two requests for your awesome mod regarding the Alcubierre Drive.

1. Can you add a "Toggle Warpdrive"-Option to the action groups? Right now I need to assign two action groups to start and stop the warpdrive.
   
2. Please add the Foldable Alcubierre Drive to your default parts. It's an awesome conctruction by ZZZ and can coexist with the standard version. It should additionally prohibit warping (and charging?) in its folded state though. Right now, it works in every state.
   

Also:

Wouldn't it be possible to change fuel of the fission reactors in the VAB? I don't know the details, but in the B9-Aerospace mod it is possible to change the starting states of the cargobay (open/closed) or the cockpit (lights on/off) before flight. Maybe it is not that complicated and you don't have to rely on the upcoming tweakables.

Thank you for your hard work on the mod

Foldable drive? Where do you see a model of this at? Can you link?

[Quabla]

Could you try installing TAC fuel balancer and haxxing some AM into the tank on the pad and see if the same problem pops up?

Same result as above. Also, I noticed when the thermal power is building up the AM-consumtpion is at 39.89. When the bar is full we are again at +-13.3 at full power(400% + 0% ). The current power of the AM-reactor during that buildup stays the same as in normal mode.

[Quabla]

Foldable drive? Where do you see a model of this at? Can you link?

No Problem it was in this thread and I found it incidentally by roaming through the posts

Post #1440 by ZZZ

After some break I finally made something new but instead of something usefull it's something too complex and crazy shaped mostly for my own fun. It's warpdrive model with changeble shape for horisontal things, it still need some additional elevation but much less then with regular model.

Not supposed to be part of regular pack, more like "bonus content". Use on your own risk.

I copied modules from regular one but don't know can it actually warp or not.

http://www./?ewkw5zkzuss6s2h

[Donziboy2]

p.s. and also another representation of those EC/MJ bug. I had to add "few" 4k batteries to even be able to turn on such high warp.

Thats actually a problem with stock EC management at high warp. Your pulling 200ec/s from the system and at high warp it ends up pulling an amount higher then your storage.

It also does not help that currently the EC to MJ values are off so we are pulling far more MJ then we should, its already fixed but Fractal_UK is still working some bugs.

On another note I have something for you Fractal_Uk. Hard to tell if you have fixed this, thread moves so fast.

I was playing with multiple reactors and generators for a single transmitter and found a few things.

I can have 2x 3.75m reactors and 1 2.5m generator and it outputs fine, if I use a 3.75m generator I only get output equivalent to 1 reactor.

Also if I chain a group of reactor/gens together I only get 2 reactor/gens worth and the rest say 100% but nothing is transmitted.

[forsaken1111]

So I just designed a nuclear powered long range aircraft.

Its awesome.

[Xentoe]

Like I said a few pages before:

It is a pitty this cool Model mad eit not official into the Mod. (the Foldable Warpdrive)

(Eve rpatch it in manually because it is so horny cool)

[Fractal_UK]

Hi,

I just tested your newest build (0.8.1) and I found a bug. In order to test some designs, I changed the config of the antimattertanks so I would have a small starting amount of antimatter (amount = 1600). It worked fine in previous. However, with the new update, my ship seems to PRODUCE antimatter on its own. It is also possible to produce thrust to a certain amount and still have a positive netgain of AM. I tested that in sandbox mode on the runway and in flight. It does NOT happen with with the stock value (amount = 0).

Thanks for the report Quabla, this was a hard one to track down but I think I've figured out why this is happening now and the fix should be fairly straightforward.

On another note I have something for you Fractal_Uk. Hard to tell if you have fixed this, thread moves so fast.

I was playing with multiple reactors and generators for a single transmitter and found a few things.

I can have 2x 3.75m reactors and 1 2.5m generator and it outputs fine, if I use a 3.75m generator I only get output equivalent to 1 reactor.

Also if I chain a group of reactor/gens together I only get 2 reactor/gens worth and the rest say 100% but nothing is transmitted.

Yep, this one is already fixed ready for the update.

Like I said a few pages before:

It is a pitty this cool Model mad eit not official into the Mod. (the Foldable Warpdrive)

(Eve rpatch it in manually because it is so horny cool)

I do mean to add this eventually, it just hasn't been a major priority and it needs a bit of work to properly integrate the animation and such like.

[vardicd]

Okay, I've looked and haven't found any information, can some one explain to me or give me a link on how the waste heat works, exactly? I have two identical probes, one generates waste heat for some reason, but the other doesn't. both are the same probe cores, 8 solar panels and two communotron antennas, using them as boosters in the remote tech 2 network I have going. I don't understand why one gets hot, the other does not.

[rottielover]

I can confirm for you that the radiation value is only flavor text. Fractal has stated he might add flesh and blood to the radiation system, but for now, it's just a fun readout that does nothing functional.

Great! Next question. I eva'd a kerbal and shutdown the reactor. I went back on Eva to start it up again after reading your reply, but there is no start dialogue or button. The reactor remains down and displaying its decay heat.

Is it possible to restart it?

[Fractal_UK]

Okay, I've looked and haven't found any information, can some one explain to me or give me a link on how the waste heat works, exactly? I have two identical probes, one generates waste heat for some reason, but the other doesn't. both are the same probe cores, 8 solar panels and two communotron antennas, using them as boosters in the remote tech 2 network I have going. I don't understand why one gets hot, the other does not.

It could be something about the environment of your ships, is one in sunlight and the other not, for example?

Great! Next question. I eva'd a kerbal and shutdown the reactor. I went back on Eva to start it up again after reading your reply, but there is no start dialogue or button. The reactor remains down and displaying its decay heat.

Is it possible to restart it?

Yes, you just have to wait for the decay heating to subside, you can't work with the reactor while it's still running hot. It should take about 3 days to cool off.