Real Reaction Wheels

[Alpheratz]

Hello everyone. I came across this text: (http://www.braeunig.us/space/)

Reaction wheels: Electrically-powered wheels mounted in three orthogonal axes aboard a spacecraft. To rotate the vehicle in one direction, you spin up the proper wheel in the opposite direction. To rotate the vehicle back, you slow down the wheel. Excess momentum that builds up in the system due to external torques must be occasionally removed from the system via propulsive maneuvers.

What's missing in KSP you say? Reaction wheels can absorb any amount of momentum without reaching a maximum. We'd need a mod for that. A display with pitch, yaw and roll progress bars would show the speed at which the reaction wheel is turning. After reaching the maximum, external thrusters would have to be used to ease on the reaction wheel.

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to make this mod. Perhaps someone would be interested?

Alpheratz

[Axelord FTW]

It'S an interesting idea but I have no idea how it could be implemented.

Considering rotation can be killed via time warp, I don't see how people just wouldn't spoof whatever system you'd have to simulate actual reaction wheels.

[Boomerang]

I know some one out there has a WIP mod that makes craft rotation in orbit persistent and that that mod has managed to nix the 'time warp to kill rotation' bug/feature, so that's not the end of the world. I've seen plenty of discussion about our reaction wheels and how they're entirely unrealistic and how some people would like ones that need to be desaturated and such. But to the best of my knowledge, no one's working on it. I too would like to see such a thing though.

[S1gmoid]

I know some one out there has a WIP mod that makes craft rotation in orbit persistent and that that mod has managed to nix the 'time warp to kill rotation' bug/feature

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/85990

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/67821-Timewarp-Rotation-Fix

I am tempted to look into them as an exercise in learning the KSP mod API.

Edited October 10, 2014 by S1gmoid

[Alpheratz]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/85990

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/67821-Timewarp-Rotation-Fix

I am tempted to look into them as an exercise in learning the KSP mod API.

Yeah, the Real Reaction Wheels mod would benefit from being used in conjunction with Persistent Momentum 1.0

[S1gmoid]

I think it would make sense to add small, built-in RCS thrusters to all pods by default, if this were implemented.

[Alpheratz]

Are you sure? It would lead to funny situations where your reaction wheels get to maximum radial velocity and you can't do anything about it! I guess it depends how hard we want the game to be

[S1gmoid]

Are you sure? It would lead to funny situations where your reaction wheels get to maximum radial velocity and you can't do anything about it! I guess it depends how hard we want the game to be

Pods don't carry a whole lot of monopropellant, so in case of bad piloting, those situations would arise nonetheless.

[Boomerang]

Are you sure? It would lead to funny situations where your reaction wheels get to maximum radial velocity and you can't do anything about it! I guess it depends how hard we want the game to be

Eh, I don't think too many folks want this for stock, outside of the people who are into hardcore realism. The stock reaction wheels are basically a hack so that people aren't overwhelmed by not being able to consistently rotate their crafts properly once they actually manage to get something into orbit. I'm fine with them being overpowered for the newbies, but it would also be nice to have a mod option to throw in a bit more difficulty and realism.

[Alpheratz]

Yeah, an option to choose between two modes would be good. I was thinking this mod could be added to the list of Realism Overhaul mods, which already make the game very difficult.

[FreeThinker]

Has anyone ever attempted to create this? I have often wondered why I have never been able to find such a mod, even a limited version of it would be better than stock reaction wheels. I would certainly be interesting to anyone that which to improve realism.

Edited February 1, 2015 by FreeThinker