Automatic shut-off for Ion-powered crafts

[SunJumper]

It can take many hours for even the smallest of ion powered crafts to execute each burn. This idea would be to have a dialogue (clickable from the ion engine), that would allow the player to specify a burn time, and when that time is over, the engine will be shut off automatically. Thus, the ion-engines would be easier to use, and more practical.

[leax256]

seems like a good idea. never thought of from my knowledge

[allmappedout]

Whilst I agree in theory, what I'd like to see is something like Kerbal OS where you can program an entire set of commands, including something like shutting off the engine. That way it'd be a much more robust and flexible system whilst also accounting for your suggestion.

[Nobody]

A programmable auto pilot for probes would add realism to their use in space. Reentry or having a moon/planet between the probe and mission control blacks out communication and distance creates lag so important maneuvers are often programed in advance.

It shouldn't be as easy as telling the probe to launch and fly to mun with 10Km orbit but allow plotting with maneuver nodes which once transmitted to the probe it would follow. Maybe allow more precise controls such as manually entering pitch, roll, and yaw with burn times and delays.

If such a system was added new parts would be needed to allow landing of probes with less active control like the air bag system the Mars rovers used to soften their landing.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Nobody

[docfish]

Check out Kerbal Alarm Clock, it doesn't stop the burn automatically but one of it's options is to entirely pause the game, you're still looking at it running real time but you could at least make sure you didn't overshoot your time frame. Also, to take it the same angle as the last commentor, there is a programable auto pilot already, kOS. You've got to write it yourself, and I admit I've not done more than read up on it, but it looks pretty powerful