Difference between revisions of "Thruster"

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(+Cleaned up page and expand, still missing information about hydrogen thrusters but it will be filled in later.)
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Thrusters for both small and large ships require energy and apply two different kinds of thrust. A thruster applies its maximum rated thrust value (the highest value the override slider can be set to) when using the movement keys. While automatically dampening the thrusters apply 10 times that rated thrust value.  This means a ship will stabilize faster if the pilot does not activate any manoeuvring controls.
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Thrusters are the primary means that all ships and even stations use to maneuver around. Thrusters only provide direct linear thrust in the direction away from the nozzle regardless of their physical position on the ship, they will not apply any torque or cause any rotation of the ship to any axis (see [[Gyroscope]]). As long as the thruster is directly connected to the [[Grid]] (not a sub-grid or attached via [[Landing Gear]]), they will provide thrust essentially from the center of mass so there is little restriction on placement. There are two major types of thrusters: [[Small Thruster|Standard Thrusters]], Ion based thrusters that use [[electricity]] as a fuel source to provide thrust and [[Small Hydrogen Thruster|Hydrogen Thrusters]], which use [[Hydrogen]] as a fuel which is comparatively much more powerful but also much more limited.
  
To calculate how many thrusters you need, use [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_second_law Newton's Second Law], specifically the formula '''F'''=''m'''''a'''. Here '''F''' is force in newtons, ''m'' is the mass of the ship in kilograms and '''a''' is the desired acceleration in meters per second<sup>2</sup>. For additional ease of use it may be helpful to think of '''a''' as the final velocity (in meters per second), minus the initial velocity all over time (in seconds).  Using this definition of '''a'''=('''v'''<sub>f</sub>-'''v'''<sub>i</sub>) '''/''' ''t'' it is possible to choose a speed of travel and the time it will take your craft to reach it. In terrestrial terms this would be akin to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_to_60_mph zero to 60] metric for cars. By dividing your calculated force by the listed thrust of the engine you choose, you arrive at the number of thrusters needed.
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Before Update 1.105, Thrusters used to have two specific modes: a normal thrust and the inertial dampening thrust. Normal Thrust that is used when manually piloting with the keys and mouse or using the thrust override slider and an dampening thrust that is automatic providing 10x more force for 50% more electricity consumption. All Thrusters from large to small when inertial dampening is on and the ship is moving, will kick in and attempt to slow the ship to a stop. Due to this, ships were much more able to come to a complete stop than they were able to accelerate before that update.  
  
For example, if you have a 2 million kg large ship that needs to accelerate 5 m/s<sup>2</sup> you would use the following equation. '''F''' = 2,000,000 kg '''x''' 5 m/s<sup>2</sup>, resulting in 10 MN thrust required. Large thrusters for large ships produce 3.6 MN of force. 10 MN divided by 3.6 MN gives you a total of 2.78. This is the number of large thrusters you would need both to accelerate and manually brake.  If you apply the other definition of acceleration you can find the time it takes your ship to reach an arbitrary speed.  If you let your cruise speed equal 100 m/s the equation solved for time will be ''t'' = '''v''' '''/''' '''a'''.  Substituting the values in results in a zero to 100 time of 20 seconds for this particular ship.  It's important to note these calculations only hold true for manual firing of the thrusters.  Automatic inertial dampening will produce much higher forces and therefore lower times to zero velocity, in this case approximately 2 seconds.
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Currently all Large ship thrusters do not have any special super-dampening capabilities beyond their rated power and power consumption, while small ship thrusters only possess 5x the power when dampening and do not seem require any more power while doing so.
  
 
Currently thrusters act in a purely linear fashion and do not turn vehicles. See [[Gyroscope]] for information on rolling and turning.
 
 
== Thrusters ==
 
== Thrusters ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
|-
 
! scope="col" | Block
 
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Icon
 
! scope="col" | Mass for Small ships (kg)
 
! scope="col" | Mass for Large ships (kg)
 
! scope="col" | Description
 
|-
 
| [[Small Thruster]] || {{icon|Small Thruster}} ||{{#show: Small Thruster | ?smass}}||{{#show: Small Thruster | ?lmass}}||{{#show: Small Thruster | ?description}}
 
|-
 
| [[Large Thruster]] || {{icon|Large Thruster}} ||{{#show: Large Thruster | ?smass}}||{{#show: Large Thruster | ?lmass}}||{{#show: Large Thruster | ?description}}
 
|}
 
=== Small Thrust ===
 
A small component to create thrust for your ship.
 
 
=== Large Thrust ===
 
A large component to create thrust for your ship.
 
 
== Thruster Characteristics ==
 
=== Small Ships ===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|colspan="2"| || Force (N) || Power (kW) || Mass (kg)
 
|-
 
|rowspan="2"|Small Thruster || Normal || align="center"|12 000 || align="center"|201 || rowspan="2" align="center"|93
 
|-
 
|Dampening || align="center"|120 000 || align="center"|201
 
|-
 
|rowspan="2"|Large Thruster || Normal || align="center"|144 000 || align="center"|2 400|| rowspan="2" align="center"|721
 
|-
 
|Dampening || align="center"|1 440 000 || align="center"|2 400
 
|}
 
  
=== Large Ships ===
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
|colspan="2"| || Force (N) || Power (MW) || Mass (kg)
+
!colspan="2" style="text-align:center ;" | Thruster !! Block size !! Dimensions <br>[size in m<sup>3</sup>] !! Maximum Thrust <br>[KN] !! Mass <br>[kg] !! Max Power Consumption <br>[KW] !! Mass-to-Thrust <br>[KN/Kg]!! Size-to-Thrust<br> [KN/m<sup>3</sup>] !! Power-To-Thrust<br> [KN/KW] !! Max Thrust /w Dampening<br> [KN]
|-
+
|-
|rowspan="2"|Small Thruster || Normal || align="center"|288 000 || align="center"| 3.36 || rowspan="2" align="center"|4380
+
|rowspan="2" | {{icon|Large Thruster|small}} ||rowspan="2"| [[Large Thruster]] || {{icon|Large_Ship|small}} Large ||style="text-align:right;"| 3x4x2 [375 m<sup>3</sup>]||style="text-align:right;"| 3'600 ||style="text-align:right;"| 43200 ||style="text-align:right;"| 33600 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.0833 ||style="text-align:right;"| 9.6 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.1071 || Nil - no extra thrust
|-
+
|-  
|Dampening || align="center"|2 880 000 || align="center"|3.36
+
| {{icon|Small_Ship|small}} Small ||style="text-align:right;"| 3x4x2 [3 m<sup>3</sup>]||style="text-align:right;"| 144 ||style="text-align:right;"| 721  ||style="text-align:right;"| 2400 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.1997 ||style="text-align:right;"| 48 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.06 || 720
|-
 
|rowspan="2"|Large Thruster || Normal || align="center"|3 600 000 || align="center"|33.6 || rowspan="2" align="center"|43200
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Dampening || align="center"|36 000 000 || align="center"|33.6
+
|rowspan="2" |{{icon|Small Thruster|small}} ||rowspan="2"| [[Small Thruster]] || {{icon|Large_Ship|small}} Large ||style="text-align:right;"| 1x2x1 [31.250 m<sup>3</sup>]||style="text-align:right;"| 288 ||style="text-align:right;"| 4384 ||style="text-align:right;"| 3360 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.0657 ||style="text-align:right;"| 9.216 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.0857 || Nil - no extra thrust
 +
|-
 +
| {{icon|Small_Ship|small}} Small ||style="text-align:right;"| 1x2x1 [0.250m<sup>3</sup>]||style="text-align:right;"| 12 ||style="text-align:right;"| 93 ||style="text-align:right;"| 201 ||style="text-align:right;"| 0.1290 ||style="text-align:right;"| 48 ||style="text-align:right;"| 59.7015 || 60
 
|}
 
|}
  
*Dampening values only apply when Inertial Dampeners are activated and no thrusters are being fired manually.
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* Dampening values only apply when Inertial Dampeners are activated and no thrusters are being fired manually, in addition while dampening the thrusters will not consume any more power than their rated maximum power consumption.
  
 
==Thruster Damage==
 
==Thruster Damage==

Revision as of 08:28, 30 October 2015


Thrusters are the primary means that all ships and even stations use to maneuver around. Thrusters only provide direct linear thrust in the direction away from the nozzle regardless of their physical position on the ship, they will not apply any torque or cause any rotation of the ship to any axis (see Gyroscope). As long as the thruster is directly connected to the Grid (not a sub-grid or attached via Landing Gear), they will provide thrust essentially from the center of mass so there is little restriction on placement. There are two major types of thrusters: Standard Thrusters, Ion based thrusters that use electricity as a fuel source to provide thrust and Hydrogen Thrusters, which use Hydrogen as a fuel which is comparatively much more powerful but also much more limited.

Before Update 1.105, Thrusters used to have two specific modes: a normal thrust and the inertial dampening thrust. Normal Thrust that is used when manually piloting with the keys and mouse or using the thrust override slider and an dampening thrust that is automatic providing 10x more force for 50% more electricity consumption. All Thrusters from large to small when inertial dampening is on and the ship is moving, will kick in and attempt to slow the ship to a stop. Due to this, ships were much more able to come to a complete stop than they were able to accelerate before that update.

Currently all Large ship thrusters do not have any special super-dampening capabilities beyond their rated power and power consumption, while small ship thrusters only possess 5x the power when dampening and do not seem require any more power while doing so.

Thrusters

Thruster Block size Dimensions
[size in m3]
Maximum Thrust
[KN]
Mass
[kg]
Max Power Consumption
[KW]
Mass-to-Thrust
[KN/Kg]
Size-to-Thrust
[KN/m3]
Power-To-Thrust
[KN/KW]
Max Thrust /w Dampening
[KN]
Large Thruster Icon.png Large Thruster Large Ship Icon.png Large 3x4x2 [375 m3] 3'600 43200 33600 0.0833 9.6 0.1071 Nil - no extra thrust
Small Ship Icon.png Small 3x4x2 [3 m3] 144 721 2400 0.1997 48 0.06 720
Small Thruster Icon.png Small Thruster Large Ship Icon.png Large 1x2x1 [31.250 m3] 288 4384 3360 0.0657 9.216 0.0857 Nil - no extra thrust
Small Ship Icon.png Small 1x2x1 [0.250m3] 12 93 201 0.1290 48 59.7015 60
  • Dampening values only apply when Inertial Dampeners are activated and no thrusters are being fired manually, in addition while dampening the thrusters will not consume any more power than their rated maximum power consumption.

Thruster Damage

If 'Thruster Damage' is enabled for a map or server, thrusters will deal damage while active to any blocks directly behind within a certain distance. If this occurs, blocks adjacent to the block/s in "the line of fire" will also be damaged in a cross-pattern. If the block is too close to the thruster, this can even damage the thruster, causing it to explode. The "danger zone" varies in size based on the thrust being applied by the thruster. Large thrusters deal damage further than small thrusters. Likewise, thrusters on large ships deal damage further than those on small ships.

This table (and the images below it) indicate the damage distances for small and large thrusters and ships. They apply only to blocks directly behind the thruster, and do not account for damage to adjacent blocks.

Damage Distance
with Manual Thrust...
...and with Max. Thrust
(Dampeners)
Blocks Metres Blocks Metres
Small Ship Small Thruster 3 sb 1.5m 4 sb 2.0m
Large Thruster 5 sb 2.5m 7 sb 3.5m
Large Ship Small Thruster 2 lb 5.0m 3 lb 7.5m
Large Thruster 5 lb 12.5m 6 lb 15.0m
  • sb = small-ship blocks (0.5m each)
  • lb = large-ship blocks (2.5m each)