Has anyone else done this?

[Starwhip]

I was playing the other day and designed an ion-powered probe for Jool. I launched it at noon, made it out of the atmosphere, and then so happened to run out of battery life because of a Munar eclipse. Am I the only one who this kind of thing happens to?

[Rage097]

You are not alone. except in my case, I was putting a satellite into Mun orbit when my craft was rotated so that no light shone on the panels. Thus, Mun slingshot into interplanetary space, crossing Duna's and Eve's orbits.

[rodion]

After a successful and productive stay in Dres orbit, an ion probe I was trying to insert into orbit around Laythe was nearly killed/shot back out out of Laythe SoI due to Jool eclipsing the sun. Worse, I a. couldn't time-warp at all because it was throttled-up, and without electrical power the throttle is stuck, and b. was losing my precious small amount of remaining Xenon at the rate roughly of 1 unit per 6 seconds, without generating any thrust, due to the thrusters being classed as flamed-out by the game. After 15 or 20 frustrating real-time minutes waiting to either run out of fuel or get some power back, the Sun finally reappeared. I had enough fuel to get into a nearly circular orbit, and absolutely nothing else, and there it stayed (until I downloaded 0.20).

[ArmchairGravy]

Nope. I got hosed by using just solar so much that I now put at least one thermal gen on everything.

[Starwhip]

I did the same thing again Duna with a rover once. That was the last time I never used generators and also when I discovered quicksaving.

[Odo]

Nope. I got hosed by using just solar so much that I now put at least one thermal gen on everything.

This.

every single one of my crafts has an RTB on it.

[KatzOhki]

I had it happen testing rovers on the surface! I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't work and then I right clicked the panels and they said blocked by mun

[Starwhip]

I think that this kind of thing is a milestone for all KSP-ers.

[Moon Goddess]

I had it happen testing rovers on the surface! I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't work and then I right clicked the panels and they said blocked by mun

I just wish that the shadows worked so I wouldn't have to wonder why my Solar panels weren't working.

If the light is really blocked by Mun, block it.

[-Velocity-]

I just wish that the shadows worked so I wouldn't have to wonder why my Solar panels weren't working.

If the light is really blocked by Mun, block it.

Agreed. Imagine how much cooler Jool would be if it had shadow transits.

[Hodo]

I always put a nuclear generator on all of my manned flights for this very reason. But I have had a ISA Map sat make it to Duna and start mapping when its solar panels were knocked off by the debris of its own rocket.

[Starwhip]

I always put a nuclear generator on all of my manned flights for this very reason. But I have had a ISA Map sat make it to Duna and start mapping when its solar panels were knocked off by the debris of its own rocket.

That, my friend, is skill.

[magnemoe]

I was playing the other day and designed an ion-powered probe for Jool. I launched it at noon, made it out of the atmosphere, and then so happened to run out of battery life because of a Munar eclipse. Am I the only one who this kind of thing happens to?

Multiple times, has also had problem with normal ships because of eclipses, once I got an Kerbin ellipse then getting close to Mun, making me miss the adjustment burn inside Mun SOI and optimal point for circulate.

My Jool landing was got an Tylo eclipse both during aerobrake and going up again as Tylo catched up with me. This was more weird as Tylo was invisible against the sun.

I have also get Kerbin eclipses outside Minmus orbit, here Kerbin is also invisible against the sun, It should be an check on planet or mun relative size compared to the sun, if they are smaller than the sun the eclipse should not block solar power.

[JiWint]

Why don't you add just a single RTG? (radioisotopic generator). I everytime add just one,and I feel safe everytime.

[FuzzyLlama]

Kerbinar eclipse?

[Starwhip]

Yeah, I always have at least one generator now somewhere on my ship. I've lost control of unmanned modules for stations and had them destroy the station when I'm not looking.

[magnemoe]

Why don't you add just a single RTG? (radioisotopic generator). I everytime add just one,and I feel safe everytime.

On larger ships I always add them, not on mini probes or landers. The ship outside Minmus orbit was converting kertane and had an RTG.

For the Jool lander, well an rtg would not help much powering 10 reaction wheels.

It drew a lot of power with SAS enabled, had to dock more batteries and larger solar panels to it or it would run dry while docking.