PresMat Barometer

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PresMat Barometer
Part image
Environmental sensor by
Probodobodyne Inc

Radial size Radial mounted
Cost (total) 880.00 Funds
Mass (total) 0.00500 t [N 1]
Drag 0.2 [N 1]
Max. Temp. 1200 K
Volume  ?
Impact Tolerance 8 m/s
Research Survivability.png Survivability
Unlock cost 2 200 Funds
Since version 0.18
Part configuration sensorBarometer.cfg
Experiment Atmospheric Pressure Scan
Electricity required 0.0075 ⚡/s

  1. 1.0 1.1 The mass and drag are from the part config, but the game handles it as physicsless.

The PresMat Barometer is a scientific instrument and environmental sensor that measures atmospheric pressure.

In career mode, it is available with Survivability, at level 3 of the technology tree.

Product description

A device for measuring the local atmospheric pressure. Warranty void if exposed to air.

Probodobodyne Inc

Usage

The PresMat Barometer can be radially mounted to a vessel. It is a physicsless part, and its mass and drag are instead added to its parent part.

Science experiment

→ Main article: Science#Modules
Experiment Atmospheric Pressure Scan
Requires PresMat Barometer
Data size 12 Mits
Base value 12
Maximum value 12
Data scale 1
Transmission efficiency 50%
Processing energy 120 ⚡

Right-clicking on the PresMat Barometer (from the vessel or from a scientist on EVA) will reveal an option to "Log Pressure Data". Using this option will make the PresMat Barometer perform an Atmospheric Pressure Scan, which can earn the player Science.

An Atmospheric Pressure Scan can be performed from anywhere. However, the PresMat Barometer only produces biome-specific results while on the surface (landed or splashed); logging pressure data while not on the surface will only produce a global result (e.g. "flying at Kerbin", compared to "splashed at Kerbin's Shores"). It produces one unique result when flying low, flying high, in space low, and in space high. (See Science#Celestial body multipliers)

Like all science modules, the PresMat Barometer can only hold one Atmospheric Pressure Scan at a time. Attempting to perform a second Atmospheric Pressure Scan while the PresMat Barometer is already holding one will result in the held Atmospheric Pressure Scan being overwritten. To avoid this, players can use a Kerbal on EVA to take the scan (transferring it to the Kerbal). Alternatively, an Experiment Storage Unit (or probe core with built-in storage functionality) can be used to collect the experiment. This can be done from the PresMat Barometer (by selecting "Transfer Data") or from the Experiment Storage Unit (by selecting "Container: Collect All". Note that this will collect all experiments, not just the Atmospheric Pressure Scan).

Once the Atmospheric Pressure Scan has been removed from the PresMat Barometer, it can be reused to perform another Atmospheric Pressure Scan.

The Atmospheric Pressure Scan must be transmitted or recovered on Kerbin to produce Science. Since the Atmospheric Pressure Scan has a transmission efficiency of 50%, only half of the potential Science can be gained by transmitting the experiment. However, unlike many other experiments, the Atmospheric Pressure Scan has a copy percentage of 100%; the PresMat Barometer only needs to log the temperature once in order to collect all available Science from that biome.

Environmental sensor

The PresMat Barometer's environmental sensor can be activated by activating "Toggle Display" in the part action window (right-click).

It shows pressure in kPa. A pressure below 0.0001 atm is shown as vacuum by the sensor. Lower atmospheric pressures markedly reduce lift and drag induced by the atmosphere, and cause a small change in engine efficiency.

While it is activated, the barometer drains 0.0075 units of Electric Charge per second (0.45 ⚡/m, 27 ⚡/hr).

Trivia

  • For some reason, it has a warranty void if exposed to air.
  • Prior to version 1.0, the PresMat Barometer could not perform an Atmospheric Pressure Scan in a vacuum, meaning that it was impossible to use it without voiding the warranty. How awful!

Changes

1.2
  • Changed tech from Engineering 101 to Basic Science.
  • Changed costs.
1.0
  • Mass halved, max temp reduced from 3200 K to 1200 K.
  • Can now do science in vacuums.
0.23.5
  • "PhysicsSignificance = 1" added. The part now has 0 mass and drag, despite the listed values.
0.22
  • Added functionality
0.18
  • Initial release