Can I Separate Power Usage?

[TheCoolSideofthePillow]

I want to build a probe, like Voyager, to go out and send back data on all the planets beyond Kerbin.

I want to conserve power, though, because I am playing in Career mode and do not yet have solar panels (hence why I need the research data).

I figure, the engines can recharge the batteries, and I have enough fuel for the course corrections I will need when passing by all the planets, but they only recharge while running. Most of the trip will be just drifting to the next course change, and since it's a probe, it uses up all the power before it can make those source changes past Mun. No power, means no control, no control means I can't recharge the batteries by thrusting.

So what I was wondering is if I could, some how, have the engines and the instruments run on separate power lines. Like have my current battery array for my instruments and the stayputnik, and 1 battery for each engine, just to start them up when I need to?

[EndOfTheEarth]

Unless you're running an Ion engine, you shouldn't need electricity to power them. If anything, the engines should be generating power.

Your best bet it to transmit data WHILE doing your course-corrections.

Also, as solar panels are very important, you should probably hit that research tier before you attempt interplanetary flight. It's relatively low on the list, and also opens up bigger batteries.

[Kasuha]

You don't need battery for engines. Some of them produce energy and recharge your batteries. Some don't produce energy, but don't need any energy, either. Engines run on propellant.

What uses energy on your ship is:

- your probe core

- using torque (SAS)

- data transmissions

If you want source of energy which doesn't push your ship anywhere, you can get a fuel tank and put one engine at each end - their action will zero out so you will just change fuel to energy. But I did not really have to do that ever through the Career. And it may be better idea to just put enough batteries on the ship.

[Crush]

When the Stayputnik has no power, you can't control your probe. That means you can't do anything with it.

You can't control the engines, you can't change the "disable crossfeed" setting of docking nodes, you can't even change the locked/unlocked settings of batteries or other power-storing parts to supply it with energy you still have on the probe.

Sorry, but without solar panels or radioisotope generators, interplanetary probes are pretty much impossible.

But when you need more science points: are you aware that the Mun has fourteen different biome zones, each one alone having about as much scientific value as a whole other planet/moon?

[The_Rocketeer]

I want to build a probe, like Voyager, to go out and send back data on all the planets beyond Kerbin.

I want to conserve power, though, because I am playing in Career mode and do not yet have solar panels (hence why I need the research data).

I figure, the engines can recharge the batteries, and I have enough fuel for the course corrections I will need when passing by all the planets, but they only recharge while running. Most of the trip will be just drifting to the next course change, and since it's a probe, it uses up all the power before it can make those source changes past Mun. No power, means no control, no control means I can't recharge the batteries by thrusting.

So what I was wondering is if I could, some how, have the engines and the instruments run on separate power lines. Like have my current battery array for my instruments and the stayputnik, and 1 battery for each engine, just to start them up when I need to?

You've really answered your own question. Once the power for the Stayputnik died, you'd have no way to activate the batteries for the engines. You'd be a big chunk of space debris.

It's a rock-paper-scissor. Engines require Probe, Probe requires Power, Power requires Engines. Shut any of those down for any length of time and the system breaks down.

[SRV Ron]

Power generation via solar panels or nuclear generator are a must for a Voyager style mission in either sandbox or career mode.

[Oddible]

You do realize that you can do plenty within Kerbin's SoI to get you the science for solar panels without having to go interplanetary. Remember that when you send a probe to orbit the Mun, do your science and transmit many times in high Mun orbit, then again in low Mun orbit. Same with Minimus. Hell, same with Kerbin!