The Kraken Drive is Showing It's Worth

[flyin_ruski]

My KrakenDrive's first orbital test look promising. I put it into LKO then turned it on, in about 30 seconds it's orbit went slightly past the mun's. At its AP however it kinda fell apart. I need to place the reaction wheels better.

[Levelord]

This all feels somewhat historic in a RP kinda way. The Kerbals, trying to develop warp technology...

It's really fun to play with, though I feel that in the next update SQUAD might inadvertently fix it by improving joint reinforcements. I won't miss it when it's gone though.

[inigma]

This all feels somewhat historic in a RP kinda way. The Kerbals, trying to develop warp technology...

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100605052031/memoryalpha/en/images/thumb/9/99/Phoenix_space.jpg/500px-Phoenix_space.jpg

It's really fun to play with, though I feel that in the next update SQUAD might inadvertently fix it by improving joint reinforcements. I won't miss it when it's gone though.

I prob might make a video of it. Hey, you want to join SSI?

[flyin_ruski]

EDIT: disregard

Edited February 16, 2014 by flyin_ruski

[MinerEdgar]

Wow, I leave the forums for a month and when I come back people have found a whole new way of propulsion.

High five to Kerbal fans Ingenuity!

[Levelord]

I prob might make a video of it. Hey, you want to join SSI?

Sure, why not.

[flyin_ruski]

my most recent test was to create a craft that uses the K-drive as its primary means of propulsion

The Eve Insertion was done entirely with the k-drive. Ive found that activating the k-drive at low orbital speeds, generally in the triple digits, causes the craft to become incredibly unstable.

[Nick7892]

I came back after a little bit and I see a lot of stuff about kraken drive.

[Shadow Lane]

I was messing around with Jenken's drive and decided to split the landing legs into two sets of double symmetry, instead of one set of four. As a result, the ship should've been able to switch to a spare set provided the original broke, however, while testing it on Kerbin, the first set of landing legs worked fine, but if I tried to fire the second one, the ship would jump up and then explode.

EDIT: Just tested it in space, same thing. Action group 1 is fine, action group 2 jumps a little and then breaks. Maybe the placement of the two legs is slightly different?

Edited February 23, 2014 by Shadow Lane

[Shadow Lane]

Hey, Levelord, I have this really nice and stable infinigliding plane, maybe we could combine it with your nice and reliable miniaturized kraken drive? Most of the other ones are too large. I've been wanting to give the vehicle maneuverability in space for quite some time now, and the kraken drives looked like a good way to do that. Unfortunately, due to the size and instability of most models, and my inability to produce my own, I had to abandon the idea.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Shadow Lane

[Whackjob]

Sigh. I've been neglecting K-drives, haven't I? I should probably make an Arkingthaad "Special K" variant.

[Redrobin]

I fear the day Whackjob makes a Kraken Drive

[123nick]

what IS a K-drive?

[Hello moto]

*patiently waiting for Whackjob to K-Drive Kerbin into polar orbit*

[flyin_ruski]

what IS a K-drive?

It's an exploit of phantom forces caused by part clipping. Mostly landing legs that while in the deployed position push on another object like a structural panel that in turn pushes the ship to high G's. For best results do it in orbit going at least 800 or so m/s.

[gamowin]

So I have seen many craft using the K-drive, but I still can't quite wrap my head around the building process. If somebody could give a simple step-by-step, that would make my day. Also, what variables affect the speed of a K-drive?

[Whirligig Girl]

You're toying with powerful forces here, be warned

that's what they told Zefram Cochrane

[Dooz]

How Do i make one of these Kraken Drives?

[Felsmak]

The kraken drive has to be the best thing this community has ever invented.

[Rhyunix]

The kraken drive has to be the best thing this community has ever invented.

^^^

This

(10Char)

[FanaticalFighter]

Whackjob... kraken drive....

*Imagines computer exploding*

[nerdboy64]

After several of my own failed attempts, I downloaded Redshift's version and still got little success. Activating the drive while already moving caused the plane to explode immediately, while activating it from a standstill caused the ship to accelerate only lazily, drifting right until it eventually fell on its side due to the skinny wheelbase. Am I doing something wrong here? I'd love to actually get something working with this device.

[SpaceK531]

I tried out your bullet K and it isn't working for me.

All I have to do is press 4 when I'm outside of the atmosphere, and it turns on?

[nerdboy64]

I've finally made my first working K-Drive, rather blandly named "K-Drive Demonstrator 2." It's nice and compact, using only 1m parts, and is surprisingly reliable.

Now that I have a working design, I'll have to experiment a little more with this "technology."

[User Unrelated]

I wonder... if I could squeeze some Infernal Robotics parts into a K-drive to move the landing legs to a point where they could be repaired without instantly breaking again? (or is that not a problem anymore? I followed this for a while, but forgot about it until I installed IR, and the idea hit me!)