New Part: VASIMR Rocket Engine

[Master_Evar]

I watched a program yesterday about a new rocket engine which is driven of plasma called VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket) and i know that there is this small ion engine but i think that a bigger one like the vasimr would be quite good for stations and as an alternative for the atomic engine. It would og course use much energy so you need big solarpanels, but still it be pretty cool. It would then also be good to add bigger xenon tanks or instead use argon tanks, which it uses irl.

Link to VASIMR Engine: http://http://www.space.com/23613-advanced-space-propulsion-vasimr-engine.html

[crazyewok]

It been suggested a dozen times already and likely already on the Devs to do list.

In the meantime theres a number of mods that cover it.

[Master_Evar]

I´ve looked through the forums but cannot find it, and the devs haven´t put it on their alredy suggested list.

[architeuthis]

The stock ion engine is already substantially more powerful than a VASIMR.

[Skyler4856]

The Stock ions thrust should be contingent on power available.

[Kermunist]

I´ve looked through the forums but cannot find it [...]

Here's some of the previous discussion.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64764-VASIMER-Engine

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/63269-VASAMR-thrusters

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/49214-New-technologies-you-think-should-be-added-to-the-game

[Helix935]

here are two with Vasimrs

Near Future

PorkWorks (its not on the front page but it is in there somewhere)

[Captain Sierra]

The stock ion engine is already substantially more powerful than a VASIMR.

Not balanced to kerbal standards!!!

Near Future Propulsion has a great one.

[Captain Sierra]

here are two with Vasimrs

Near Future

PorkWorks (its not on the front page but it is in there somewhere)

It's a dev pack release, its not an official released pack yet so yo do have to go digging, but the megatruss is well worth it too.

[Master_Evar]

I just thought it would be nice with a little bit more powerful one, that could move larger craft into different orbits, even if it would need quite a lot of power. Or to use on a bigger probe so you don´t need a big wall of engines. It would be useful for a tug-craft or a refueling station.

[Master_Evar]

Also thanks for the links to these engines.

[Master_Evar]

Also thanks for the links to engine.

[coolitic]

The stock ion engine is already substantially more powerful than a VASIMR.

I didnt think it was possible for anything to be weaker than our ion engines. HONESTLY, WHAT USE WOULD A VASIMR HAVE AT ALL?!?!

[architeuthis]

I didnt think it was possible for anything to be weaker than our ion engines. HONESTLY, WHAT USE WOULD A VASIMR HAVE AT ALL?!?!

It would be used by real life astronauts who don't have kerbal style time warp, and won't get bored by month long burns.

If you want high thrust use the LV-N, if you want ridiculous amounts of delta-v use the ion engines. If you want both... download a mod and use warp drive.

Edited February 12, 2014 by architeuthis

[Captain Sierra]

It would be used by real life astronauts who don't have kerbal style time warp, and won't get bored by month long burns.

If you want high thrust use the LV-N, if you want ridiculous amounts of delta-v use the ion engines. If you want both... download a mod and use warp drive.

OR you could use a Near Future Propulsion MagnetoPlasmaDynamic Thruster. You get the power of a nuke (68kN for the MPDT) with tens of thousands of delta V.

The downsides:

It's gaseous hydrogen fuel has terrible density so even though your craft won't weigh much, it will be huge.

It needs a TON of power so you need the big 2.5m nuclear reactor just to power one of the larger 1.25m MPDTs.

[Master_Evar]

I didnt think it was possible for anything to be weaker than our ion engines. HONESTLY, WHAT USE WOULD A VASIMR HAVE AT ALL?!?!

You could use it to move bigger craft, just not tiny probes. The current Ion Engines are almost useless, only good for changing orbits of small probes. A bigger or at least a little stonger engine would be more useful, for changing orbits of just not probes but for example refueling-stations for rendevouz or to slow something in for landing or to land and lift small craft off the small asteroids in the kerbal system. It´s not a need but it would be a little bit more useful than the existing ion engine.

[Wahgineer]

Aren't VASMIRs actually stronger than ion engines?

[allmappedout]

Aren't VASMIRs actually stronger than ion engines?

Yes, but not stronger than Kerbal ones, I believe.

[coolitic]

Erm kerbals ion engines are weaker than some other ones but are stronger than other ones. It depends on which one.

[Serratus]

Last time I've checked the ion engine we have, had most in common to one of the NEXT models (by specific impulse) IRL. But NEXT has 236 mN (or 0.236 N) and our engine has 0.5 kN (or 500 N)... So VASMIR would have to have thrust in the range of Rocomax 24-77 (10-20 N). Or something like that. Maybe we shouldn't bother with VASMIR then?

EDIT:

Actually since KSP Ion engine is about 2118 times more powerful than its IRL counterpart, if You apply the same ratio to VASMIR (planned 5 N thrust) it would have to be 10.6 kN. This much thrust at that specific impulse might just break the balance for IP travel.

EDIT2:

I mean, since size doesn't matter in space anyway. Just mass.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Serratus

[Master_Evar]

It would still have a high isp, which is what the ion is about. Otherwise we could have used the rockomax on probes to change orbits instead of ion. The already existing ion engine is not really good for anything else but orbital changes of small probes. The Rockomax 24-77 is measured in kN aswell, and it´s max thrust is 20 kN.

Also it would need much more power, probably a couple of large solar arrays per engine, which agains makes this more ideal for stations. Also i still think that the nuclear engine is and will be the best for IP travel. It has higher thrust (making it probably less frustrating for IP travel) and will also have a smaller mass, since the electro-magnets are of pure copper and quite heavy, probably makin maybe a third of the VASIMR´s weight.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Master_Evar
Accidently wrote what somone else have already written.

[Serratus]

Master_Evar - now You MUST explain to us how KSP universe scale factor (1:10) has ANYTHING to do with thrust of ANY engine

[Master_Evar]

Master_Evar - now You MUST explain to us how KSP universe scale factor (1:10) has ANYTHING to do with thrust of ANY engine

Since the kerbal universe is scaled down, kerbin for example has 1/10 approx of the earths gravity, which is why all rockets thrust is reduced so that they are not too strong. Even lenghts are scaled down, so 1m IRL is still 1m in game, since that´s all scaled down.

[DJRWolf]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64764-VASIMER-Engine

Would be nice to have more powerful electric engines as stock parts. Yes you can add them with mods but it is a mod and not stock. Once multi-player comes into play that will be a huge difference.

[WhiteWeasel]

Since the kerbal universe is scaled down, kerbin for example has 1/10 approx of the earths gravity, which is why all rockets thrust is reduced so that they are not too strong. Even lenghts are scaled down, so 1m IRL is still 1m in game, since that´s all scaled down.

No they are not, kerbins surface gravity is 9.81 m/s^2, identical to earths.

Edited February 12, 2014 by WhiteWeasel