EAS-4 Strut Connector
| EAS-4 Strut Connector | ||
 | ||
| Strut by Kerlington Model Rockets and Paper Products Inc | ||
| Radial size | Radial mounted | |
| Cost | (total) | 42.00 
|
| Mass | (total) | 0.050 t [1] |
| Drag | 0.02 [1] | |
| Max. Temp. | 2000 K | |
| Impact Tolerance | 12 m/s | |
| Research |  General Construction
| |
| Unlock cost | 2 800
| |
| Since version | 0.9 | |
| Part configuration | strutConnector.cfg | |
| Packed volume | 10 l | |
| Stacking capacity | 4 units | |
| ||
The EAS-4 Strut Connector (frequently referred as "space tape") is a part that allows linking two parts together, for greater structural strength and stability. Strut links are much more rigid than normal part connections, dramatically reducing wobble. Currently, it is a physicsless part, meaning its mass and drag are added to the parent part.
Contents
Product description
| “ | The Strut Connector is highly regarded by many spacecraft engineers as they help in constructing more stable spacecraft. Once both sides are connected, a structural beam is created to link both ends, allowing for sturdier (and heavier) construction. — Kerlington Model Rockets and Paper Products Inc |
” |
Usage
Strut Connectors require two steps for placement on a craft. After placing one end of the strut, click somewhere else in range to place the other end. Once both ends are in place, the strut is created. When on the second step, pressing the ⌦ Delete or ⎋ Esc key will cancel placement.
Struts will automatically detach from both attached parts when one of those parts is lost via staging or undocking. They can also be manually disconnected using the 'Disconnect' action, allowing them to be disconnected using the part menu, action groups, or controllers.
Struts are an excellent way to repel the Deep Space Kraken.
Struts between docked ships
Struts can be placed EVA Construction Mode, even between docked ships that were launched seperately. This is helpful for increasing the stability of modular space stations and bases.
There is a bug that causes some struts built in EVA construction mode to disconnect after saving and reloading the game. This happens if the second end of the strut is placed on a part that comes from a different launch than the strut. The two ends of struts between separately launched vessels must therefore be placed in the correct order.
Variants
As of version 1.10 this part has two variants that can be switched in the editor.
Trivia
- Kerbal Space Program players often call this part "space tape" because of its durability and tape like usage.
- The price is
42, which may be a reference to the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which the number 42 is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, Universe, and Everything. This may also be a reference to struts being the solution to most structural problems in rockets.
Changes
- Struts can be disconnected using the 'Disconnect' action.
- Added white variant
- Struts can be selected from both ends.
- Struts completely overhauled - Both starting and ending connection are no longer always parallel to each other
- Cost reduced from 250 to 42, and made meaningful
- Initial release
