KSP Weekly: Thrusting into the future
Welcome to KSP Weekly! If we are ever to further our reach in terms of space exploration, we will need develop new types of propulsion systems. Long range vessels, like the Voyager spacecraft have relied on monopropellant propulsion systems, e.g. hydrazine, but if we want to go deeper into space, we can’t just rely on chemical propulsion systems, we need more fuel-efficient systems.
To tackle this problem, back in 2001, Roger Shawyer proposed radio frequency (RF) resonant cavity thrusters, also known as EmDrive, as a propellant-free propulsion system. Several prototypes of this concept have been constructed and tested, including at the Advanced Propulsion Physics Laboratory at NASA. Initially, a few tests of prototype drives were reported to produce a small apparent thrust, but repeated tests failed to reliably reproduce these results. Due to the inconsistencies with the laws of physics, including conservation of momentum and conservation of energy, and the absence of reproducible evidence, many theoretical physicists and commentators consider the device impossible.
However, NASA has taken this challenge seriously and started looking into new approaches. One of them, the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) has recently passed a critical test. AEPS is a next-generation ion-thruster. It creates propulsion by accelerating ionized atoms with an electric field. It creates a modest amount of thrust compared to traditional chemical rockets, but it is capable of doing so for a longer period of time and with a lot less fuel.
The test evaluated the propulsion systems discharge supply unit and power processing unit. The engineering team showed that the AEPS can convert power at a high-efficiency level, producing minimal waste heat. The test was performed in the thermal vacuum chamber at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. It is estimated that the AEPS thrusters are going to be over 10 times more powerful than any Hall thruster currently in operation.
These ion thrusters are being designed for a wide variety of missions—from keeping communications satellites in the proper position (station-keeping) to propelling spacecraft throughout our solar system. Ion propulsion is even considered to be mission enabling for some cases where sufficient chemical propellant cannot be carried on the spacecraft to accomplish the desired mission.
The next step will be testing the early systems integration. The team will then move into design finalization, and finally the critical design review. Once it passes that, the final design will move into actual production. The Lunar Gateway, for instance, is expected to make use of the AEPS technology, as well as chemical booster rockets.
It sounds like these engineers are collecting plenty of science points as they make great strides in propulsion technology!
[Development news start here]
Update 1.5 continues to be at the forefront of the agenda. Each passing week, new elements are being added to this upcoming and substantial free addition to KSP. For instance, this week the team worked on fixing a quite annoying aspect of the Camera in the VAB/SPH. Some of you may have noticed that if you removed the root part after having moved the camera, the camera would not be reinstated into its initial position, which in turn could cause a bit of confusion sometimes, especially if the new root part was out of view. With this fix, the camera will be reset to its original position every time a root part is removed from the editor.
The part-revamping effort continues. In this release we are focusing on some parts that are used heavily at the start of every career mode, this includes the MK1 pod and the FL-TXXX fuel tanks. This week the art team completed the makeover of the RT-5 "Flea" and RT-10 “Hammer” Solid Fuel Boosters. While working on these parts, we took various real-life references and worked on giving the boosters a panelized texture and new top that brings them closer to their real-life analogues. As you can see below, the belts and other heavy rings were also removed to make the boosters look lighter and more aerodynamic. Additionally, both of these boosters will have a secondary stripe-less texture variant that you’ll be able to choose at will. Click here to see a rotating gif animation of the new RT-5 “Flea”, and here to see the RT-10 “Hammer”.
Click here for full res images.
If you have been following along each week, you’ll know that the Making History Expansion will also get a few enhancements with the upcoming update as well. One such enhancement will make our fellow subaquatic Kerbals pretty happy: We are including the ability to place Fly Through Nodes underwater! After all, submarines are “flying” vehicles with negative altitudes, right? So, rejoice Mission Creator, with Update 1.5 you’ll be able to organize the subaquatic race of your dreams!
This week in the KSP Vault…
Munar 1 - A fun and very relatable short film by PuffballsUnited - Who hasn’t been through such hardships, right?
Mission Of The Week: Top Secret Mission to Gilly. Another challenging mission that will have you take Val to Gilly, land, drop your drills, and test a new and top secret ISRU technology on the tiny satellite. What could possibly go wrong? - By Cpt Kerbalkrunch Get it here.
Starchaser - A Sci-Fi Kerbal Space Program cinematic set in the future. Nucleartaxi is making this episodic web-series that follow the adventures of members of the Duna Independence Movement. Watch episode episode 1 here!
Have you seen cool KSP-related content that you consider worth highlighting? Share it with us and help us give content creators more exposure. :)
Remember that you can also share and download missions on Curse, KerbalX, the KSP Forum and the KSP Steam Workshop.
That’s it for this week. Be sure to join us on our official forums, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Stay tuned for more exciting and upcoming news and development updates!
Aerojet Rocketdyne Successfully Demonstrates Advanced Electric Propulsion Capabilities for Future Space Exploration. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.rocket.com/article/aerojet-rocketdyne-successfully-demonstrates-advanced-electric-propulsion-capabilities
Carpineti, A. (2018, September 03). We're Now One Step Closer To Deep Space Voyages After NASA's Latest Success. Retrieved from https://www.iflscience.com/space/nasas-new-propulsion-system-that-will-take-us-to-deep-space-just-passed-a-critical-test/
Dunbar, B. (2015, August 18). Ion Propulsion. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs21grc.html
NASA Team Claims 'Impossible' Space Engine Works-Get the Facts. (2016, November 21). Retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/nasa-impossible-emdrive-physics-peer-review-space-science/
