Difference between revisions of "M700 Survey Scanner"

From Kerbal Space Program Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Added a table of power and time required (WIP))
m (Fix link to box)
 
(22 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{Stub|article|
+
{{:M700 Survey Scanner/Box}}
−
* Quantify the electricity usage / data transmission volume.  Is it the same for all bodies?
+
 
−
}}
+
The '''M700 Survey Scanner''' is an orbital low resolution [[resource scanner]]. It provides a low-detail map of an entire [[celestial body]]'s resource concentration. This can then be used to target specific areas for further scanning with the higher-resolution [[M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner]] or [[Surface Scanning Module]].
−
{{/Box}}
 
  
−
The '''M700 Survey Scanner''' is an orbital low resolution [[resource scanner]].  It is used to map broad areas of resource concentration on a [[celestial body]]. It is the first step in finding locations which are rich in resources, for subsequent extraction.  It provides a low detail overview of the entire celestial body, which can then be used to target specific areas for further detailed scanning with high resolution scanners (which can only scan a small area, not an entire celestial body).
+
Note that in the stock game, the only resource to scan for is [[Ore]]. Some mods add other resources; the orbital scan works similarly for these.
  
 
== Product description ==
 
== Product description ==
Line 13: Line 12:
  
 
== Usage ==
 
== Usage ==
−
[[File:M700 Survey Scanner (open).png|left|thumb|as it deployed for operation...]]
+
[[File:M700 Survey Scanner (open).png|left|thumb|Deployed for operation]]
−
The scanner works well on a small 1.25m satellite, but has a large electrical demand when activated, so a [[Z-1k Rechargeable Battery Bank|Z-1k battery]], or equivalent, is recommended.  The electrical demand is brief, so it is not necessary to have a huge generating capacity. It is not particularly heavy, so a [[FL-T200|FL-T200 fuel tank]] and [[LV-909|LV-909 engine]] are quite adequate for the final stage, providing the necessary power to establish and adjust the orbit, either from [[LKO]] to [[Mun]] and [[Minmus]], or entry from solar orbit to another system.  An [[antenna]] is required to upload the data back to [[KSC]], and any antenna will suffice.
+
 
 +
Once the scanner is in a polar orbit between specific altitudes ([[#Scanning orbit requirements|see below]]), it must be opened ('''''Deploy Scanner'''''), and then the scan can be performed ('''''Perform orbital survey'''''). Rather than taking half a [[w:Sidereal time|sidereal day]], which would be more realistic, a scan of the entire body is completed instantly. This generates a large amount of data, which the scanner does not store but rather attempts to transmit immediately, requiring an [[antenna]], a [[CommNet]] connection to [[KSC]], and a substantial amount of energy ([[#Electricity and time required|see below]]).
 +
 
 +
A successfully transmitted orbital scan earns 10 science points, and counts as a science broadcast in terms of "world's firsts" (that is, if you perform a resource scan before transmitting any other science data from that celestial body, you will receive a "We have transmitted our first science from X" accomplishment.)
  
−
Launching should probably make use of a [[fairings|payload fairing]] or [[cargo bay]], as the scanner is large and not a good aerodynamic shape, so is likely to cause atmospheric control issues when placed on top of a rocket.  The scanner requires a stable [[orbit#Inclination|polar orbit]] at an appropriate altitude ([[#Scanning altitude|see below]]). Once established in orbit, it must first be opened ('''''Deploy Scanner'''''), then the scan can be performed ('''''Perform orbital survey''''').  The scan is a once per body operation, and only takes a few seconds. The data acquired by the scanner is automatically transmitted, and it is the transmission which uses the large quantity of [[electricity]].  The scan result can be viewed in map mode (default {{key press|M}} key) while controlling the scanner satellite, or from the KSC [[Tracking Station]]. To view the results in [[map view|map mode]], right-click on the scanner while it is deployed and select '''''Toggle Overlay'''''. To view the results from the Tracking Station, select the orbital body and then click on the '''''Resources''''' icon on the right hand side of the window. The deployed scanner can be retracted by clicking on the '''''Retract Scanner''''' option.
+
The scan is a once per body operation. After the scan, the scanner can be retracted to its folded position, and either left in place as a polar relay satellite (if it has a relay antenna), sent to scan another body (if enough fuel remains for the transfer), or destroyed.
  
−
There are options to change the data presentation. You can modify the display cutoff value (the higher the value, the richer the deposit) and the results' color and style.  You cannot change these parameters from map mode.  Retracting the scanner will hide the results until the scanner is re-deployed and the overlay is toggled again.
+
[[File:Orbitalsurvey.png|right|thumb|The [[Mun]] in false color after completing an orbital survey]]
  
−
After using this scanner, it is possible to start resource extraction based on its results alone, but the best results will be achieved by using the scan results as the basis for performing detailed, targeted scans with the high resolution scanners:
+
The resource map resulting from the scan is displayed as an overlay on the view of the planet, either while controlling any craft, or in the [[Tracking Station]]. If controlling the scanner while it is deployed, the overlay can be toggled by right-clicking the scanner and selecting '''''Toggle Overlay'''''; if you retract the scanner, the resource view is automatically turned off. Otherwise, to toggle the overlay, center the [[map view]] on the celestial body and then click on the '''''Resources''''' icon on the right hand side of the window. There are options for changing the presentation of this information: you can modify the displayed color, style, and cutoff point (the minimum resource concentration shown).
  
−
* [[Surface Scanning Module]]
+
Because the scanner is lightweight, a final stage for establishing the needed orbit can be small, with e.g. a [[FL-T200 Fuel Tank|FL-T200]] and [[48-7S "Spark" Liquid Fuel Engine|Spark]] for propulsion. Transmitting the scan will also require a sufficiently strong antenna and battery storage for the transmission. Since the scanner is bulky and not a good aerodynamic shape, the launch vehicle should use a [[fairing]] or [[cargo bay]] to avoid high drag and possible loss of control.
−
* [[M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner]]
 
  
−
== Scanning altitude ==
+
== Scanning orbit requirements ==
  
 +
The scanner can only perform an orbital survey if in a stable polar orbit between 80° and 100° at medium altitude.
 
{| class="wikitable floatleft"
 
{| class="wikitable floatleft"
 
|- <!-- sort doesn't work with rowspan -->
 
|- <!-- sort doesn't work with rowspan -->
Line 54: Line 56:
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
The scanner has a minimum and maximum scanning altitude based on the radius of the body it is scanning:
+
The minimum and maximum scanning altitudes are based on the radius of the body it is scanning:
  
 
* The minimum altitude is one-tenth of the body radius <b>or</b> 25&nbsp;km, whichever is higher.
 
* The minimum altitude is one-tenth of the body radius <b>or</b> 25&nbsp;km, whichever is higher.
Line 61: Line 63:
 
{{clear|left}}
 
{{clear|left}}
  
−
== Power and time required ==
+
== Reaching a polar orbit ==
 +
There are three ways to establish a polar orbit: by launching into that orbit from the surface, by adjusting course before entering the body's sphere of influence (and subsequent orbital insertion burn), or via a plane change maneuver.
 +
 
 +
Since plane change maneuvers are costly, it is usually preferable to avoid or minimize them. When scanning Kerbin, it is best to launch your rocket into the 90° plane. For other bodies, you can use a mid-course correction to move your closest approach above one of the poles, then perform insertion burn there.
 +
 
 +
If you have already established another orbit, a plane change maneuver will be required to use the scanner. It takes less energy to perform plane change maneuvers at high altitudes, due to the decreased orbital velocity. Additionally, eccentric orbits have a much lower orbital velocity at apoapsis than circular orbits of the same altitude.
 +
 
 +
For sufficiently large inclination changes, using three maneuvers rather than a single plane change maneuver can save delta-v, at the cost of time. (For circular initial and target orbits, the crossover point is 37° of inclination change.) An initial prograde burn at periapsis raises apoapsis, a cheaper plane change burn is performed at the apoapsis of the resulting eccentric orbit, then a retrograde burn at periapsis brings the apoapsis back down to the target altitude.
 +
 
 +
The most costly case is starting in an equatorial orbit and adjusting inclination directly to 90° with a single burn. The following table shows the delta-v required to make such a 90° turn at the minimum and maximum operational altitudes for the M700. The last column shows the delta-v required if the turn is made at apoapsis while in an eccentric orbit bounded by the minimum and maximum operational altitudes.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Planet !! Min. altitude !! Delta v !! Max. altitude !! Delta v !! Eccentric Delta v
 +
|-
 +
| Moho || 25km || 1107.4m/s || 1250km || 474.1m/s || 263.9m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Eve || 70km || 4607.2m/s || 1500km || 2725.6m/s || 1962.3m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Gilly || 25km || 20.9m/s || 65km || 14.6m/s || 11.8m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Kerbin || 60km || 3721.6m/s || 1500km || 1834.1m/s || 1268.3m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Mun || 25km || 760.9m/s || 1000km || 329.5m/s || 185.2m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Minmus || 25km || 203.8m/s || 300km || 99.1m/s || 61.2m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Duna || 32km || 1308.6m/s || 1500km || 575.5m/s || 327.6m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Ike || 25km || 489.5m/s || 650km || 218.2m/s || 125.6m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Dres || 25km || 513.4m/s || 690km || 227.8m/s || 130.7m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Jool || 600km || 9252.4m/s || 1500km || 8679.5m/s || 8398.1m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Laythe || 50km || 2671.1m/s || 1500km || 1400.7m/s || 920.0m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Vall || 30km || 1121.4m/s || 1500km || 480.2m/s || 267.3m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Tylo || 60km || 2925.9m/s || 1500km || 1640.3m/s || 1134.4m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Bop || 25km || 235.1m/s || 325km || 112.9m/s || 69.2m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Pol || 25km || 144.6m/s || 220km || 73.9m/s || 47.6m/s
 +
|-
 +
| Eeloo || 25km || 795.8m/s || 1050km || 343.7m/s || 192.7m/s
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Electricity and time required ==
 +
Each body generates a certain amount of data when scanned, measured in [[Mit]]s. The data size correlates with the size of the body; Jool produces the most—1200 Mits—and Gilly the least—just 3 Mits.  ''Roughly'', the amount of data required for a survey is .205 mits per radial kilometer.
 +
 
 +
As with any science transmission:
 +
*More data requires more time and electricity to transmit, and different antennas have different speeds and efficiencies.
 +
*Though having multiple antennas affects range, only one antenna at a time is used for transmission, without stacking; the time and power required are determined by that antenna.
 +
*By default, if the energy required exceeds the craft's battery storage (plus energy generated during the transmission), the transmission will fail. Right-clicking the antenna and switching '''''Require Complete''''' to '''''Allow Partial''''' allows the antenna to keep trying to send the remaining data chunks while more electricity is generated. This can dramatically reduce the amount of battery storage required. However, '''''Allow Partial''''' may make the craft impossible to control during the lengthened transmission time, and the transmission may be lost if you switch away from the craft while it's retrying.
 +
 
 +
The following tables list the size of the scan data for each body, and the time and electricity required to transmit that data with a given antenna.<ref>Some values were found by experiment (in 1.2.2) and the rest were extrapolated from those and antenna stats.[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11Eg0rqqcETwN-7qE2KoKjMVVnmf9RtxsKQDblYnN8sU/ Details in this Google Sheet.]</ref>
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
−
|- <!-- sort doesn't work with rowspan -->
+
|+ Energy (⚡)
 +
|-  
 
! Body
 
! Body
 
! Kerbol
 
! Kerbol
Line 84: Line 143:
 
! Eeloo
 
! Eeloo
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! Mits
+
! style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | Mits
−
| – || 123 || 42 || 15 || 51 || 141 || 66 || 27 || 1200 || 102 || 63 || 15 || 123 || 3 || 9 || 30 || 45
+
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | –
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 123
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 42
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 15
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 51
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 141
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 66
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 27
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 1200
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 102
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 63
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 15
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 123
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 3
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 9
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 30
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 45
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | Communotron 16
+
! Communotron 16
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| – || 37 || 13 || 5 || 15 || 42 || 20 || 8 || 360 || 31 || 19 || 5 || 37 || 1 || 3 || 9 || 14
+
! Communotron 16-S
 +
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | Communotron 16-S
+
! Communotron DTS-M1
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| – || 37 || 13 || 5 || 15 || 42 || 20 || 8 || 360 || 31 || 19 || 5 || 37 || 1 || 3 || 9 || 14
+
! Communotron HG-55
 +
| – || 820 || 280 || 100 || 340 || 940 || 440 || 180 || 8004 || 680 || 420 || 100 || 820 || 20 || 60 || 200 || 300
 +
|-
 +
! Communotron 88-88
 +
| – || 1230 || 420 || 150 || 510 || 1410 || 660 || 270 || 12000 || 1020 || 630 || 150 || 1230 || 30 || 90 || 300 || 450
 +
|-
 +
! HG-5 High Gain Antenna
 +
| – || 1107 || 378 || 135 || 459 || 1269 || 594 || 243 || 10800 || 918 || 567 || 135 || 1107 || 27 || 81 || 270 || 405
 +
|-
 +
! RA-2 Relay Antenna
 +
| – || 2952 || 1008 || 360 || 1224 || 3384 || 1584 || 648 || 28800 || 2448 || 1512 || 360 || 2952 || 72 || 216 || 720 || 1080
 +
|-
 +
! RA-15 Relay Antenna
 +
| – || 1476 || 504 || 180 || 612 || 1692 || 792 || 324 || 14400 || 1224 || 756 || 180 || 1476 || 36 || 108 || 360 || 540
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | Communotron DTS-M1
+
! RA-100 Relay Antenna
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 +
|}
 +
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|+ Time (s)
 +
|-
 +
! Body
 +
! Kerbol
 +
! Kerbin
 +
! Mun
 +
! Minmus
 +
! Moho
 +
! Eve
 +
! Duna
 +
! Ike
 +
! Jool
 +
! Laythe
 +
! Vall
 +
! Bop
 +
! Tylo
 +
! Gilly
 +
! Pol
 +
! Dres
 +
! Eeloo
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
+
! style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | Mits
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | –
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 123
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 42
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 15
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 51
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 141
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 66
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 27
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 1200
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 102
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 63
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 15
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 123
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 3
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 9
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 30
 +
| style="border-bottom: 1px solid black;" | 45
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | Communotron HG-55
+
! Communotron 16
−
| – || 820 || 280 || 100 || 340 || 940 || 440 || 180 || 8004 || 680 || 420 || 100 || 820 || 20 || 60 || 200 || 300
+
| – || 37 || 13 || 5 || 15 || 42 || 20 || 8 || 360 || 31 || 19 || 5 || 37 || 1 || 3 || 9 || 14
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
| – || 6 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 7 || 3 || 1 || 60 || 5 || 3 || 1 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 2
+
! Communotron 16-S
 +
| – || 37 || 13 || 5 || 15 || 42 || 20 || 8 || 360 || 31 || 19 || 5 || 37 || 1 || 3 || 9 || 14
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | Communotron 88-88
+
! Communotron DTS-M1
−
| – || 1230 || 420 || 150 || 510 || 1410 || 660 || 270 || 12000 || 1020 || 630 || 150 || 1230 || 30 || 90 || 300 || 450
+
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
 
|-  
 
|-  
 +
! Communotron HG-55
 
| – || 6 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 7 || 3 || 1 || 60 || 5 || 3 || 1 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 2
 
| – || 6 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 7 || 3 || 1 || 60 || 5 || 3 || 1 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 2
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | HG-5 High Gain Antenna
+
! Communotron 88-88
−
| – || 1107 || 378 || 135 || 459 || 1269 || 594 || 243 || 10800 || 918 || 567 || 135 || 1107 || 27 || 81 || 270 || 405
+
| – || 6 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 7 || 3 || 1 || 60 || 5 || 3 || 1 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 2
 
|-  
 
|-  
 +
! HG-5 High Gain Antenna
 
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
 
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | RA-2 Relay Antenna
+
! RA-2 Relay Antenna
−
| – || 2952 || 1008 || 360 || 1224 || 3384 || 1584 || 648 || 28800 || 2448 || 1512 || 360 || 2952 || 72 || 216 || 720 || 1080
 
−
|-
 
 
| – || 43 || 15 || 5 || 18 || 49 || 23 || 9 || 420 || 36 || 22 || 5 || 43 || 1 || 3 || 10 || 16
 
| – || 43 || 15 || 5 || 18 || 49 || 23 || 9 || 420 || 36 || 22 || 5 || 43 || 1 || 3 || 10 || 16
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | RA-15 Relay Antenna
+
! RA-15 Relay Antenna
−
| – || 1476 || 504 || 180 || 612 || 1692 || 792 || 324 || 14400 || 1224 || 756 || 180 || 1476 || 36 || 108 || 360 || 540
 
−
|-
 
 
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
 
| – || 22 || 7 || 3 || 9 || 25 || 12 || 5 || 210 || 18 || 11 || 3 || 22 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 8
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
! rowspan="2" | RA-100 Relay Antenna
+
! RA-100 Relay Antenna
−
| – || 738 || 252 || 90 || 306 || 846 || 396 || 162 || 7200 || 612 || 378 || 90 || 738 || 18 || 54 || 180 || 270
 
−
|-
 
 
| – || 11 || 4 || 1 || 4 || 12 || 6 || 2 || 105 || 9 || 6 || 1 || 11 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 4
 
| – || 11 || 4 || 1 || 4 || 12 || 6 || 2 || 105 || 9 || 6 || 1 || 11 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 4
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
  
 
== Changes ==
 
== Changes ==
 
;[[1.0]]
 
;[[1.0]]
 
* Initial release
 
* Initial release
 +
 +
== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
 
{{Parts}}
 
{{Parts}}
 +
[[Category:Scanners]]

Latest revision as of 07:54, 15 October 2024

M700 Survey Scanner
Part image
Scanner by
Experimental Engineering Group
Radial size Small, Radial mounted
Cost (total) 1 500.00 Funds
Mass (total) 0.200 t
Drag 0.2
Max. Temp. 2000 K
Impact Tolerance 7 m/s
Research ScanningTech.png Scanning Tech
Unlock cost 4 500 Funds
Since version 1.0
Part configuration SurveyScanner.cfg
Mode Orbital
Resource All
Scanning time 5 s
Science bonus 10
Min. Altitude 25 000 m [1]
Max. Altitude 1 500 000 m [2]
Packed volume None
  1. ↑ unless body radius / 10 is bigger
  2. ↑ unless body radius * 5 is smaller

The M700 Survey Scanner is an orbital low resolution resource scanner. It provides a low-detail map of an entire celestial body's resource concentration. This can then be used to target specific areas for further scanning with the higher-resolution M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner or Surface Scanning Module.

Note that in the stock game, the only resource to scan for is Ore. Some mods add other resources; the orbital scan works similarly for these.

Product description

“ This orbital survey scanner uses a combination of advanced sensor technology and witchcraft to provide information on a planet or moons natural resources. These images can be viewed either in flight, or in relative safety and comfort back at the KSC. Be sure to bring an antenna capable of transmitting the information back, and sufficient power.

— Experimental Engineering Group

”

Usage

Deployed for operation

Once the scanner is in a polar orbit between specific altitudes (see below), it must be opened (Deploy Scanner), and then the scan can be performed (Perform orbital survey). Rather than taking half a sidereal day, which would be more realistic, a scan of the entire body is completed instantly. This generates a large amount of data, which the scanner does not store but rather attempts to transmit immediately, requiring an antenna, a CommNet connection to KSC, and a substantial amount of energy (see below).

A successfully transmitted orbital scan earns 10 science points, and counts as a science broadcast in terms of "world's firsts" (that is, if you perform a resource scan before transmitting any other science data from that celestial body, you will receive a "We have transmitted our first science from X" accomplishment.)

The scan is a once per body operation. After the scan, the scanner can be retracted to its folded position, and either left in place as a polar relay satellite (if it has a relay antenna), sent to scan another body (if enough fuel remains for the transfer), or destroyed.

The Mun in false color after completing an orbital survey

The resource map resulting from the scan is displayed as an overlay on the view of the planet, either while controlling any craft, or in the Tracking Station. If controlling the scanner while it is deployed, the overlay can be toggled by right-clicking the scanner and selecting Toggle Overlay; if you retract the scanner, the resource view is automatically turned off. Otherwise, to toggle the overlay, center the map view on the celestial body and then click on the Resources icon on the right hand side of the window. There are options for changing the presentation of this information: you can modify the displayed color, style, and cutoff point (the minimum resource concentration shown).

Because the scanner is lightweight, a final stage for establishing the needed orbit can be small, with e.g. a FL-T200 and Spark for propulsion. Transmitting the scan will also require a sufficiently strong antenna and battery storage for the transmission. Since the scanner is bulky and not a good aerodynamic shape, the launch vehicle should use a fairing or cargo bay to avoid high drag and possible loss of control.

Scanning orbit requirements

The scanner can only perform an orbital survey if in a stable polar orbit between 80° and 100° at medium altitude.

Celestial body Radius Altitude
Min. Max.
Kerbol 261.6 Mm N/A N/A
Moho 250 km 25 km 1.25 Mm
Eve 700 km 70 km 1.5 Mm
Gilly 13 km 25 km 65 km
Kerbin 600 km 60 km 1.5 Mm
Mun 200 km 25 km 1000 km
Minmus 60 km 25 km 300 km
Duna 320 km 32 km 1.5 Mm
Ike 130 km 25 km 650 km
Dres 138 km 25 km 690 km
Jool 6 Mm 600 km 1.5 Mm
Laythe 500 km 50 km 1.5 Mm
Vall 300 km 30 km 1.5 Mm
Tylo 600 km 60 km 1.5 Mm
Bop 65 km 25 km 325 km
Pol 44 km 25 km 220 km
Eeloo 210 km 25 km 1.05 Mm

The minimum and maximum scanning altitudes are based on the radius of the body it is scanning:

  • The minimum altitude is one-tenth of the body radius or 25 km, whichever is higher.
  • The maximum altitude is five times the body radius or 1.5 Mm, whichever is lower.

Reaching a polar orbit

There are three ways to establish a polar orbit: by launching into that orbit from the surface, by adjusting course before entering the body's sphere of influence (and subsequent orbital insertion burn), or via a plane change maneuver.

Since plane change maneuvers are costly, it is usually preferable to avoid or minimize them. When scanning Kerbin, it is best to launch your rocket into the 90° plane. For other bodies, you can use a mid-course correction to move your closest approach above one of the poles, then perform insertion burn there.

If you have already established another orbit, a plane change maneuver will be required to use the scanner. It takes less energy to perform plane change maneuvers at high altitudes, due to the decreased orbital velocity. Additionally, eccentric orbits have a much lower orbital velocity at apoapsis than circular orbits of the same altitude.

For sufficiently large inclination changes, using three maneuvers rather than a single plane change maneuver can save delta-v, at the cost of time. (For circular initial and target orbits, the crossover point is 37° of inclination change.) An initial prograde burn at periapsis raises apoapsis, a cheaper plane change burn is performed at the apoapsis of the resulting eccentric orbit, then a retrograde burn at periapsis brings the apoapsis back down to the target altitude.

The most costly case is starting in an equatorial orbit and adjusting inclination directly to 90° with a single burn. The following table shows the delta-v required to make such a 90° turn at the minimum and maximum operational altitudes for the M700. The last column shows the delta-v required if the turn is made at apoapsis while in an eccentric orbit bounded by the minimum and maximum operational altitudes.

Planet Min. altitude Delta v Max. altitude Delta v Eccentric Delta v
Moho 25km 1107.4m/s 1250km 474.1m/s 263.9m/s
Eve 70km 4607.2m/s 1500km 2725.6m/s 1962.3m/s
Gilly 25km 20.9m/s 65km 14.6m/s 11.8m/s
Kerbin 60km 3721.6m/s 1500km 1834.1m/s 1268.3m/s
Mun 25km 760.9m/s 1000km 329.5m/s 185.2m/s
Minmus 25km 203.8m/s 300km 99.1m/s 61.2m/s
Duna 32km 1308.6m/s 1500km 575.5m/s 327.6m/s
Ike 25km 489.5m/s 650km 218.2m/s 125.6m/s
Dres 25km 513.4m/s 690km 227.8m/s 130.7m/s
Jool 600km 9252.4m/s 1500km 8679.5m/s 8398.1m/s
Laythe 50km 2671.1m/s 1500km 1400.7m/s 920.0m/s
Vall 30km 1121.4m/s 1500km 480.2m/s 267.3m/s
Tylo 60km 2925.9m/s 1500km 1640.3m/s 1134.4m/s
Bop 25km 235.1m/s 325km 112.9m/s 69.2m/s
Pol 25km 144.6m/s 220km 73.9m/s 47.6m/s
Eeloo 25km 795.8m/s 1050km 343.7m/s 192.7m/s

Electricity and time required

Each body generates a certain amount of data when scanned, measured in Mits. The data size correlates with the size of the body; Jool produces the most—1200 Mits—and Gilly the least—just 3 Mits. Roughly, the amount of data required for a survey is .205 mits per radial kilometer.

As with any science transmission:

  • More data requires more time and electricity to transmit, and different antennas have different speeds and efficiencies.
  • Though having multiple antennas affects range, only one antenna at a time is used for transmission, without stacking; the time and power required are determined by that antenna.
  • By default, if the energy required exceeds the craft's battery storage (plus energy generated during the transmission), the transmission will fail. Right-clicking the antenna and switching Require Complete to Allow Partial allows the antenna to keep trying to send the remaining data chunks while more electricity is generated. This can dramatically reduce the amount of battery storage required. However, Allow Partial may make the craft impossible to control during the lengthened transmission time, and the transmission may be lost if you switch away from the craft while it's retrying.

The following tables list the size of the scan data for each body, and the time and electricity required to transmit that data with a given antenna.[1]

Energy (⚡)
Body Kerbol Kerbin Mun Minmus Moho Eve Duna Ike Jool Laythe Vall Bop Tylo Gilly Pol Dres Eeloo
Mits – 123 42 15 51 141 66 27 1200 102 63 15 123 3 9 30 45
Communotron 16 – 738 252 90 306 846 396 162 7200 612 378 90 738 18 54 180 270
Communotron 16-S – 738 252 90 306 846 396 162 7200 612 378 90 738 18 54 180 270
Communotron DTS-M1 – 738 252 90 306 846 396 162 7200 612 378 90 738 18 54 180 270
Communotron HG-55 – 820 280 100 340 940 440 180 8004 680 420 100 820 20 60 200 300
Communotron 88-88 – 1230 420 150 510 1410 660 270 12000 1020 630 150 1230 30 90 300 450
HG-5 High Gain Antenna – 1107 378 135 459 1269 594 243 10800 918 567 135 1107 27 81 270 405
RA-2 Relay Antenna – 2952 1008 360 1224 3384 1584 648 28800 2448 1512 360 2952 72 216 720 1080
RA-15 Relay Antenna – 1476 504 180 612 1692 792 324 14400 1224 756 180 1476 36 108 360 540
RA-100 Relay Antenna – 738 252 90 306 846 396 162 7200 612 378 90 738 18 54 180 270
Time (s)
Body Kerbol Kerbin Mun Minmus Moho Eve Duna Ike Jool Laythe Vall Bop Tylo Gilly Pol Dres Eeloo
Mits – 123 42 15 51 141 66 27 1200 102 63 15 123 3 9 30 45
Communotron 16 – 37 13 5 15 42 20 8 360 31 19 5 37 1 3 9 14
Communotron 16-S – 37 13 5 15 42 20 8 360 31 19 5 37 1 3 9 14
Communotron DTS-M1 – 22 7 3 9 25 12 5 210 18 11 3 22 1 2 5 8
Communotron HG-55 – 6 2 1 3 7 3 1 60 5 3 1 6 0 0 2 2
Communotron 88-88 – 6 2 1 3 7 3 1 60 5 3 1 6 0 0 2 2
HG-5 High Gain Antenna – 22 7 3 9 25 12 5 210 18 11 3 22 1 2 5 8
RA-2 Relay Antenna – 43 15 5 18 49 23 9 420 36 22 5 43 1 3 10 16
RA-15 Relay Antenna – 22 7 3 9 25 12 5 210 18 11 3 22 1 2 5 8
RA-100 Relay Antenna – 11 4 1 4 12 6 2 105 9 6 1 11 0 1 3 4

Changes

1.0
  • Initial release

References

  1. ↑ Some values were found by experiment (in 1.2.2) and the rest were extrapolated from those and antenna stats.Details in this Google Sheet.
 
Manned pods
Command seats
Probe cores
 
Liquid fuel tanks
Monopropellant fuel tanks
Jet fuselages
Fuel transfers
Xenon containers
Ore tanks
 
Jet engines
Liquid fuel engines
Solid fuel rockets
Monopropellant engines
Ion engines
 
RCS thrusters
Reaction wheels
SAS modules
 
Beams, panels and radial elements
Launch assistance
Stackable elements
 
Decouplers
Separators
Claws
Docking ports
 
Fairings
Cargo bays
Service bays
 
Air intakes
Control surfaces
Modular wings
Nose cones
Static wings
Tail connectors
Winglets
 
Landing struts
Landing gears
Rover wheels
 
Heat shields
Radiators
 
Fuel cell
Generators
Batteries
 
Direct Antennae
Relay Antennae
 
Sensors
Labs
Telescopes
Resource scanners
Storages
 
Storages
Equipment
Deployables
 
Parachutes
Ladders
Lamps
Escape systems
Habitation modules
Resource harvesters
Ore processing
Flags
Fireworks
 
Command modules
Fuel Tanks
Decouplers
Separators
Retrieved from "https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?title=M700_Survey_Scanner&oldid=108661"