Super Long Range Survey Ship

[Arcanestomper (OP)]

I got tired of seeing those comets in Sol that were far outside the range of my regular survey ships.  So I built something to reach them.

Camel class Geological Survey Craft (P)      7,000 tons       103 Crew       645. 7 BP       TCS 140    TH 96    EM 0
685 km/s      Armour 1-32       Shields 0-0       HTK 50      Sensors 5/5/0/2      DCR 9      PPV 0
Maint Life 39. 35 Years     MSP 6,918    AFR 44%    IFR 0. 6%    1YR 9    5YR 131    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein ter Zee     Control Rating 2   BRG   SCI   
Intended Deployment Time: 420 months    Morale Check Required   

Heriet Hynde NP40 96C (1)    Power 96. 0    Fuel Use 1. 97%    Signature 96. 0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 595,000 Litres    Range 775. 1 billion km (13096 days at full power)

Thermal Sensor TH1. 0-5. 0 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17. 7m km
EM Sensor EM1. 0-5. 0 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17. 7m km
Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

[skoormit]

I got tired of seeing those comets in Sol that were far outside the range of my regular survey ships.  So I built something to reach them.

Camel class Geological Survey Craft (P)      7,000 tons       103 Crew       645. 7 BP       TCS 140    TH 96    EM 0
685 km/s      Armour 1-32       Shields 0-0       HTK 50      Sensors 5/5/0/2      DCR 9      PPV 0
Maint Life 39. 35 Years     MSP 6,918    AFR 44%    IFR 0. 6%    1YR 9    5YR 131    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein ter Zee     Control Rating 2   BRG   SCI   
Intended Deployment Time: 420 months    Morale Check Required   

Heriet Hynde NP40 96C (1)    Power 96. 0    Fuel Use 1. 97%    Signature 96. 0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 595,000 Litres    Range 775. 1 billion km (13096 days at full power)

Thermal Sensor TH1. 0-5. 0 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17. 7m km
EM Sensor EM1. 0-5. 0 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17. 7m km
Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Nice idea. It'll take a while to get there, but it will do the job.

The MSP cost is insane, though.
Running this thing for 35 years has an expected MSP cost of ~5,500. That's the combined output of 2 maintenance facilities.

Of course, you should just run it until it runs out of MSP and explodes. After 16 years, it's more expensive (and more time consuming) to overhaul it than to build a new one.

[Arcanestomper (OP)]

To be honest I haven't really gotten a handle on the maintenance costs. I just add engineering spaces and maintenance storage until the maintenance life matches the deployment time. Then do an overhaul at the end.

Despite my first post I haven't actually built one of these to test it yet. Everything is ready, but my mineral situation is such that I don't want to build any more ships until my mining platforms start making some progress.

[Suxxor]

39 years is too long. You'll research better tech by then and this ship will be obsolete.

[DFNewb]

I suggest making a smaller ship to do this, all you really need is a geo-survey scanner and those are only 250 tons. You can easily make a 1000 ton ship with the same range if you wanted to.

[Father Tim]

At 685 km/s you might not catch some of those long-range comets way out in Sol system.

[Arcanestomper (OP)]

39 years is too long. You'll research better tech by then and this ship will be obsolete.

In a normal game sure. Normally I outfit my jump survey ships with enough fuel to reach these comets as a matter of course. But this is a conventional start, and my research is very very slow.

I suggest making a smaller ship to do this, all you really need is a geo-survey scanner and those are only 250 tons. You can easily make a 1000 ton ship with the same range if you wanted to.

I don't see how. The engines and crew space take up too much room. This is the best I could do for 1,000 tons and not only does it lack the range to reach the farthest comet, but I'm pretty sure it will explode before it's finished.

Adder class Geological Survey Craft (P)      999 tons       16 Crew       136 BP       TCS 20    TH 24    EM 0
1202 km/s      Armour 1-8       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.04 Years     MSP 42    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 4    5YR 62    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein-luitenant ter Zee     Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 47,000 Litres    Range 214.9 billion km (2069 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

At 685 km/s you might not catch come of those long-range comets way out in Sol system.

I hadn't considered that. I may need to rework the engines a bit, but I have plenty of fuel capacity to sacrifice at least.

[consiefe]

Adder class Geological Survey Craft (P)      999 tons       16 Crew       136 BP       TCS 20    TH 24    EM 0
1202 km/s      Armour 1-8       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.04 Years     MSP 42    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 4    5YR 62    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein-luitenant ter Zee     Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 47,000 Litres    Range 214.9 billion km (2069 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Unless I miss something, this seems completely fine to me. It has more than enough range for Sol. My survey ships search 20LY away systems with 313b range.

[Arcanestomper (OP)]

Adder class Geological Survey Craft (P)      999 tons       16 Crew       136 BP       TCS 20    TH 24    EM 0
1202 km/s      Armour 1-8       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.04 Years     MSP 42    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 4    5YR 62    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein-luitenant ter Zee     Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 47,000 Litres    Range 214.9 billion km (2069 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Unless I miss something, this seems completely fine to me. It has more than enough range for Sol. My survey ships search 20LY away systems with 313b range.

In my game 2017 MB7 is 254.8 B km from Earth. I could probably squeeze enough range to get there out of a 1000 ton craft, but it wouldn't be able to get back.

The design parameter for this ship wasn't to make a reasonably ranged survey ship. It was to make a ship that could comfortably reach the really really long period comets that aren't really feasible targets for anything.

[consiefe]

Adder class Geological Survey Craft (P)      999 tons       16 Crew       136 BP       TCS 20    TH 24    EM 0
1202 km/s      Armour 1-8       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.04 Years     MSP 42    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 4    5YR 62    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein-luitenant ter Zee     Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 47,000 Litres    Range 214.9 billion km (2069 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Unless I miss something, this seems completely fine to me. It has more than enough range for Sol. My survey ships search 20LY away systems with 313b range.

In my game 2017 MB7 is 254.8 B km from Earth. I could probably squeeze enough range to get there out of a 1000 ton craft, but it wouldn't be able to get back.

The design parameter for this ship wasn't to make a reasonably ranged survey ship. It was to make a ship that could comfortably reach the really really long period comets that aren't really feasible targets for anything.

Yeah, I later figured out what you are after. 99% survey of Sol is bothering me as well. Maybe you can use a tanker for the return trip. It can be more feasible cost wise.

[DFNewb]

Ok Ok you got me. with your tech it will need to be closer to 1500tons than 1000 tons.

Still better than sending a larger ship for a specialized 1 time thing.

Pretty sure this engine matches the one you posted:

Barsoom  class Geological Survey Craft      1 451 tons       33 Crew       215.4 BP       TCS 29    TH 24    EM 0
827 km/s      Armour 1-11       Shields 0-0       HTK 16      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 3      PPV 0
Maint Life 20.19 Years     MSP 278    AFR 6%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 19    Max Repair 100 MSP
Capitão-de-Corveta    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 240 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 200 000 Litres    Range 629.1 billion km (8804 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

[Arcanestomper (OP)]

Ok Ok you got me. with your tech it will need to be closer to 1500tons than 1000 tons.

Still better than sending a larger ship for a specialized 1 time thing.

Pretty sure this engine matches the one you posted:

Barsoom  class Geological Survey Craft      1 451 tons       33 Crew       215.4 BP       TCS 29    TH 24    EM 0
827 km/s      Armour 1-11       Shields 0-0       HTK 16      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 3      PPV 0
Maint Life 20.19 Years     MSP 278    AFR 6%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 19    Max Repair 100 MSP
Capitão-de-Corveta    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 240 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 200 000 Litres    Range 629.1 billion km (8804 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

That is pretty good. I may rework my designs to be smaller. The major roadblock right now is that I lack a shipyard to build any additional ships. So one time use ships are kind of off the table for the moment regardless of their size.

[kenlon]

Those designs are so slow it'll take forever for the ship to get out there - I'd not go for it until you have an engine design that can get you up over 2kkm/s.

The build I used to survey 2017 MB7 in my current game was this:

Code: [Select]

Adana class Long Range Survey Ship      4,059 tons       61 Crew       398.7 BP       TCS 81    TH 200    EM 0
2463 km/s      Armour 1-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 22      Sensors 0/0/0/2      DCR 3      PPV 0
Maint Life 7.62 Years     MSP 584    AFR 44%    IFR 0.6%    1YR 18    5YR 266    Max Repair 100 MSP
Capitaine de frégate    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 83 months    Morale Check Required   

Perkowski Engines Limited High Efficiency NPE-I 2Kt EP200.00 (1)    Power 200    Fuel Use 7.07%    Signature 200    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 850,000 Litres    Range 532.9 billion km (2504 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Just enough range to make it to the comet and back, and enough maint life and deployment that it should be able to make it home. Unfortunately, I hit some unlucky failures and it ran out of MSP around the orbit of Jupiter and lost the engine, which led to me discovering I'd forgotten to research tractor beams.
Still managed to get it home, though, and learned how to make supply ships that actually worked out of the process.

[DFNewb]

Those designs are so slow it'll take forever for the ship to get out there - I'd not go for it until you have an engine design that can get you up over 2kkm/s.

The build I used to survey 2017 MB7 in my current game was this:

Code: [Select]

Adana class Long Range Survey Ship      4,059 tons       61 Crew       398.7 BP       TCS 81    TH 200    EM 0
2463 km/s      Armour 1-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 22      Sensors 0/0/0/2      DCR 3      PPV 0
Maint Life 7.62 Years     MSP 584    AFR 44%    IFR 0.6%    1YR 18    5YR 266    Max Repair 100 MSP
Capitaine de frégate    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 83 months    Morale Check Required   

Perkowski Engines Limited High Efficiency NPE-I 2Kt EP200.00 (1)    Power 200    Fuel Use 7.07%    Signature 200    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 850,000 Litres    Range 532.9 billion km (2504 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

Just enough range to make it to the comet and back, and enough maint life and deployment that it should be able to make it home. Unfortunately, I hit some unlucky failures and it ran out of MSP around the orbit of Jupiter and lost the engine, which led to me discovering I'd forgotten to research tractor beams.
Still managed to get it home, though, and learned how to make supply ships that actually worked out of the process.

I was gonna say the math doesn't add up for the maintenance life. You would need a maintenance life of over 9 years for that design to be able to make the full trip without worries.

Either way the whole trip is a waste to begin (the only thing it would do is allow a civ colony on it) with so I suggest using the smallest ship possible regardless of speed, to waste as little resources on the whole thing (including fuel and MSP).

[Father Tim]

. . .This is the best I could do for 1,000 tons and not only does it lack the range to reach the farthest comet, but I'm pretty sure it will explode before it's finished.

Adder class Geological Survey Craft (P)      999 tons       16 Crew       136 BP       TCS 20    TH 24    EM 0
1202 km/s      Armour 1-8       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.04 Years     MSP 42    AFR 16%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 4    5YR 62    Max Repair 100 MSP
Kapitein-luitenant ter Zee     Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

Nuclear Pulse Engine  EP24.0 (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 3.94%    Signature 24.0    Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 47,000 Litres    Range 214.9 billion km (2069 days at full power)

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

With only 42 MSP aboard, I suspect it will lose its GEO sensor within a few months and turn back long before it explodes.