A solar eclipse just destroyed my space station!

[Skylion]

So there I was, minding my own business preparing to put in the final burn to circulize my orbit. I turn off the engine and deploy the solar panels to the core of my new space station and get ready for the probe to fire the rocket. Suddenly, the probe dies. I look and see that the solar panels are blocked by the Mun. I look up and see the solar eclipse. I do not regain power until space station reaches 40,000 ft and begins to break apart. It cost 80,000 funds to launch too. Has this happened to anyone else?

Edited December 30, 2014 by Skylion

[Gargamel]

My first question is why would a station core not have batteries sufficient to go an orbit or so without a power supply?

[Rithsom]

I never had any problems with solar eclipses before, but they really should be less common...

[SubzeroSpartan7]

Well the Mun is on a completely equatorial orbit so these happen more frequently than you might think.

[RocketPilot573]

Try batteries next time.

[LABHOUSE]

Always turn off energy consumption from one battery just in case.

Or you could always do an inclined orbit to make eclipses less common.

[Camaron]

All these suggestions, all I can say is,

I wouldn't count on being shut down by another eclipse like this anytime soon, but I would also suggest having more battery on your larger crafts.

[lajoswinkler]

This happened to me at least once, a long time ago. Here's some rep for you to cheer you up.

[Boris_T_Roach]

Been there, done that.

Amazing what value a 100 funds battery has on a 100 000 funds spacestation

.... and annoyance factor when your remote Jool probe on its aero braking manover pulls in the solar panels, enters atmosphere behind Jool when

you notice the serious lack of batteries... leading to a dead probe when it emerges from behind jool and theres nothing to do but watch it orbit once

and then plunge back in to its doom..

[worir4]

I think you need to give a call to Battman.

Lol wut 7 reps for this?

Edited December 31, 2014 by worir4

[X-SR71]

Having an engine with an alternator has saved me a few times when finding myself without energy...

[Greep]

I think you need to give a call to Battman.

More like harry potter... better suited for Volte-morte

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

I suggest using a few RTGs or a lot of batteries, or for a 'simple' and 'cheaper solution'; have 2 engines of the same type firing into one another, make sure they have alternators!

[Janos1986]

There are never enough batteries.

Never.

Especially using RemoteTech.

[Felsmak]

I once sent an orbital science station to Minmus. Kerbin blocked the Sun so I couldn't make the final burn.

[Janos1986]

It happened to me while landing a probe on Duna once.

Here's an accurate timeline of events that occured that day.

Landing approach, nice and smooth.

Eclipse, Out of power.

Wait and pray.

End of the eclipse, the probe is alive again.

Need to deploy chutes badly, press space with my forehead, nothing happens.

signal delay to deploy chutes 1m14s, estimated time of impact 1m05s.

"Fudge yourself, I'm getting a coffee, go ahead and crash you stupid chunk of metal"

The coffee was good though.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Janos1986

[MarvinKitFox]

Has this happened to anyone else?

Yep we all commit unforgivable acts of rampant stupidity from time to time.

In all vehicles, include enough batteries to last you one darkside orbit, plus two eclipses.

In all solar-powered vehicles, include at least 2 opposing surfacemount ox-stat panels, just in case you forget to deploy in time.

In all vehicles, include one teensy-weensy battery, with usage switched off. When you need juice, it can be manually switched on even if all other power is dead.(i typically disable the pod's *own* battery for this)

Edited December 30, 2014 by MarvinKitFox

[Guest]

We have main bus A undervolt... Bus B is showing zip right now...

Always add 1 RTG to big craft. And enough batteries to run probe core and SAS for 24 hours...

Edited December 30, 2014 by Guest

[1101]

In all vehicles, include one teensy-weensy battery, with usage switched off. When you need juice, it can be manually switched on even if all other power is dead.(i typically disable the pod's *own* battery for this)

This is a very useful trick. In fact, I think I got a Stayputnik to Mun and possibly back by doing this when I forgot solar panels. It was a pain, but when it's a no reverts career mission, it's worth it.

[Norpo]

I once timewarped in solar orbit with poorly placed stationary solar panels (before I knew about the disable one battery trick)

...Needless to say, the orientation of the craft was just so that it blocked the solar panels for a long time. Couldn't perform the Moho correction burn.

...However, it wasn't all for naught, as I recall it visited Eve, and Dres after a quick... "re-mission-planning" (Basically, it had a crudton of fuel left intended for the Moho circualization burn.) (Was my first time visiting Dres too!)

..Didn't know that eclipses affected solar panels, though, that's interesting

[Janos1986]

In all vehicles, include one teensy-weensy battery, with usage switched off. When you need juice, it can be manually switched on even if all other power is dead.(i typically disable the pod's *own* battery for this)

Uuuh backup battery. Never thought of that. Neato.

[moogoob]

I had a satellite launcher upper stage run out of battery during the circularization burn. Engine had no alternator, couldn't shut it down. The sun being right behind me meant that none of my OX_Stats could generate any power at all. :/ Turns out I had way way way too much delta-v, cause the satellite is now on an eccentric orbit between the orbits of Eve and Dres.

[LABHOUSE]

More like harry potter... better suited for Volte-morte

I think the give a call to batman was a reference to the radial batteries saying battman batteries.

[worir4]

I think the give a call to batman was a reference to the radial batteries saying battman batteries.

It was. And by the way its Battman..... *Battman theme tune*

Because i'm Battman!!!!!!!

[DivisionByZero]

Losing power with RT2 has been common for me in the past. I still do it from time to time when I forget. It's a mission killer, usually.