Can You Use Ion Engines to Make a Plane in Kerbal Space Program?

[@ReidCaptain]

It's fun experimenting with random things in this game occasionally, but I think for my next video I'll try running a somewhat normal mission. What else do you want to see me make?

[@foxfirefive]

make a car lol

[@hcgamer9354]

FURTHEST PLANET WITH TUTORIAL ROCKET

[@buildabrickhd]

Get to Eeloo and back without using struts or auto strut. Or a planet that's also challenging, if Eeloo's too hard.

[@buildabrickhd]

Don't forget, use G to retract landing gear, it helped me out a ton. :)

[@BITBITBIT-fd3gu]

Something involving BDA!

[@MichaelOxlongerThanYours]

There is a KSP youtuber called Bradley Whistance and he was able to make a functioning ion engine plane. His solution for the height issue was simply to transport the plane to tall mountain then roll down the mountain for some free delta v.

[@bastion_108]

Not only did he make a plane, but a mission to duna, really impressive channel

[@clayel1]

@@bastion_108 that was strazenblitz i believe

[@bartoszkola621]

@@clayel1 It was definitely Bradley. Stratzenblitz made a giant flying swing. Both of them succeeded but Bradley did it "legit" way (with insane part clipping).

[@Agent-ic1pe]

@@clayel1 stratzenblitz made another ion plane but I think bradley's was a bit more like an actual plane, both videos are really cool!

[@DPadGamer]

The "So I tried making a trebuchet" really caught me off guard.

[@Legomaster-jv8ll]

Hi Dpad. Weird seeing you here.

[@mumblety]

Note to self: Reid makes his own lemonade.

[@ReidCaptain]

Very important info

[@Amnimic333]

Obviously

[@waxedlightlyweatheredcutco2735]

I would like to taste a lemonade made by a such wise person 😀

[@Ie_Froggy]

@@ReidCaptain video idea: make a lemonade machine and proceed to make another machine to make the lemonade *reallity*

[@doctorhealsgood5456]

life gave him lemons

[@macroglossumstellatarum5932]

I remember seeing someone go to orbit on ions only. It was a really funky contraption using ion-powered propellers for the start, then spinning up a spin launcher in mid-air to get over that dead zone before finally using the engines as intended. And all of that before proper joints were added, so they had to make due with wheels holding a fuel tank in place. I thought it was Stratzenblitz75, but I can't find it now, so it may have been someone else.

[@Voyager2509]

It was Bradley Whistance iirc, although he used only ions to get to duna im pretty sure.

[@chadfalkin6850]

@@Voyager2509 nah bradley whistance made a legit ion plane to duna

[@ananttiwari1337]

@@chadfalkin6850 and without any motors

[@H3artFang]

Note to you: learn how to use action groups

[@serhiy-serhiiv]

Hey Reid, you mentioned that you ran out of PB2 material challenges, but i thought up of another one: beating levels using only 1 of each material (so 1 road, 1 reinforced road, 1 wood, 1 steel, 1 rope, 1 cable, 1 hydraulic, and 1 spring). If that is too extreme then increase the number to 2.

[@maxboskeljon6440]

This is exactly why i subbed to this channel. Stupid challenges? Check Creative and smart solutions? Check Cheesy jokes and sarcasm? Check Ksp? Check. Keep going rc! Your channel is awesome!

[@TheNephilimofEmpireCity]

Not properly reading or understanding the parts half the time - Check

[@bcrides1639]

Not having any idea what autostrut is - Check

[@u238productions]

Not knowing what mods are - check

[@Totally_Bonkers]

hold alt + rotational key to add trim. good for planes. you wouldve been able to set it to a rotation where you gain height and altitude

[@anonymous-rb2sr]

Reid: Just a tip: KSP wings are poorly optimised for level flight, rotating them 2-5° backwards is actually the optimal angle of attack for wings at level flight, and it's not a small difference, just angling wings back slightly will make them create a lot more lift and give them a better lift to drag ratio in horizontal flight

[@conqu3red545]

It would be really cool to see a longer flight!

[@vrlp]

Reid: "I'm gonna build a plane with ion engines only!" The actual plane: "I'm a prop plane now." Da fuq man?

[@Blei1986]

Today: "Ion engimes" ..."but i actually build a propeller plane"

[@sage5296]

The delta wing biplane is wild lmao

[@pyalot]

I have tried this before. The key is to find a glitchy wing that produces more lift with very little drag, drag glitch the entire fuselage, use the lightest possible construction and get a nuclear reactor for energy.

[@ReidCaptain]

Very fair way to do it, I wanted to try not glitching things too badly, but with this game it can be difficult to draw the line at what is fair and isn't

[@fusionwing4208]

This game is basically glitch or it wont happen tbh

[@Prince_Slimey]

What wing is glitchy

[@minoru1137]

Heat shields.

[@buildabrickhd]

Don't forget, use G to retract landing gear, it helped me out a ton. :)

[@ReidCaptain]

I always forget the keybinds, thanks!

[@Mrcake0103]

Back before you whippersnappers had DLC and motorized joints, ion engines and reaction wheels were the only things we had to turn electricity into thrust, and our “all electric” planes were essentially this.

[@Camqu9]

1:40 Kraken attack

[@lcasbdr254]

powered by propellers*

[@shelleysimms222]

Looks like a flying windmill

[@littlebitmoreksp]

For the debug menu, you can set physics easing off when you do the set craft position thing

[@mitchelparker9132]

Hey Reid, if you need to do a challenge like this again, why not use a second, larger and more powerful plane to get the mission craft up to operational heights? A real world example would be like what they did for the X-15. Just make a big ol' plane with rapier engines and enough fuel, and detach the mission craft when ready.

[@erridkforname]

14:30 am i the only one who noticed the propellers flying awkwardly and dying?

[@skogen5357]

In this episode, Reid makes an intergalactic flying windfarm

[@nomekop777]

Ok, but that mechanism in the beginning is actually genius

[@theepicslayer7sss101]

i think the propellers are limited by angles, having them set to a HAL1000 really helps in tuning the required angle per speed/height. when i made a helicopter i realized that they only work within a frame of speed per angles and outside they either slow down the plane/helicopter or fight the air and slow them selves down. also the turning thing might be the gyro effect acting like a reaction wheel. (1 engine or 2 turning on the same side creates a rotating force, on opposing force it is like 90/-90 degrees shifted... so instead of rolling left/right it tilts up/down.)

[@maxjones9802]

Omg, finally released. Been waiting for this since you announced it in the community tab. 👌👍👌

[@ReidCaptain]

Yeah I was a day late because I was burnt out from a midterm, but I finally wrapped it up!

[@maxjones9802]

@@ReidCaptain keep the grind up, brother 👍👌👍

[@dailytdsgaming351]

Ngl your my favorite KZbinr rn because of how humble you are about how long it takes to even makes the video.

[@petersmythe6462]

Climbing up a tall mountain works as a way to start an ion plane. I happen to know the location of every peak over 6000 which has a pretty easy ramp all the way up. Although the route to get to that mountain isn't easy.

[@thatguy4305]

"compresses as it comes down".... uh... chief? thats.... decompression

[@Peter-dp4nd]

About spring, so you jump using springs mass hitting your spaceship , to get more power, you need to use spring as a spring as you did at 2:00

[@Totally_Bonkers]

today ive discovered several new parts, such as the controller and the engine plate

[@entropic-decay]

now you just need to slap some reaction wheels on there and you'll have a tiny ion SSTO

[@thewanderers97]

this is the second ksp video we've been jumpscared by seeing you in the comments

[@saltii5899]

i love this content sooo much i really wish you had infinite ideas

[@ninjabaiano6092]

This must be what the wright brothers were thinking at the time. As long as it holds up for 5 seconds we are flying

[@trombonedude5312]

Do something with exactly one of every fuel tank

[@CertifiedAnything]

0:43 I call this one the “Wobble Wobble V1”.

[@DomedCity]

I've always wondered this, I never even got my plane of the ground XD. Great video! :D

[@skumomcbee9280]

adjusting the angle of the propeller using a controller mid flight is a great way to boost your speed

[@CityAstro]

Me with a KAL 1000 controller exploit: You under-estimate my power.

[@195j]

9:32 Renewable energy

[@davidmonheim21]

Looney toons space program

[@sage5296]

The title: KSP with ion engines The video: can we make siege weapons in ksp

[@ReinTenebres]

A typical Reid Captain video. I did something, but forgot to reinforce. So I reinforced it. Every single time he does something. xD

[@Theaksten]

no cockpit, just a seat on a square wing with propeller in front and a few ion engines on back. Lack of energy is biggest problem though.

[@Matoro342]

Another day, another plane without vertical stabilizers.

[@pyroman7196]

Hey Reid, I just wanted to mention I’ve been watching your channel since it was peewee, I dropped off for a while in college and I was pleasantly surprised to see you’re still going strong. Now that I’ve caught your attention; please don’t tell me you’re an aviation engineer in the real world D: Great to see ya again :)

[@sphericalcat1434]

Tip: use a lot of battery so it will be enough for you to fly. They are quite lightweight

[@yukaira]

babe wake up new reid ksp video

[@munkeyi]

another game that i think you would like is simplerockets 2 its like ksp but with procedural parts

[@ReidCaptain]

Interesting, will look into it

[@philismenko]

Reid shows us the importance of vertical stabilizers

[@CLOUDEE33]

You should do only those solid fuel seperators

[@thefatcat2790]

the King is back

[@ProGamer_69420]

reid’s friends before he builds this monstrosity: *look closely hes gonna do something stupid but works*

[@keixsy]

Note to self #2: Steal Reids lemonade

[@karl_franz_prince_and_emperor]

Man, this video made me realize im an extreme pendant

[@AndGoatz04]

"minor problems" [face rams a fuel tank]

[@phobiavirus5200]

i didnt even know what ion engines were before i saw this video, yet i watched it anyways because this is Reid Captain

[@R0dolphus]

A pusher-puller ion engine-propellor aircraft is really cool

[@riansteward5163]

First part of the video bro's trying to make a slingshot

[@stevray98]

This episode brought to you by the Wile E. Coyote School of Aviation

[@gkfhjzhshsh998]

Everyday, he's voice slowly becomes more and more similar to nile red's one lmfao

[@brutas_warman]

You can use action groups to make motors even easier to use, toggle motor torque on/off with a press of 1 button... rather than going to each 1 individually and turning them on which upsets thrust balance

[@nixoproto7545]

in today's episode: reid makes way more than a plane

[@oceanbytez847]

Just some advice, but on staged planes of any type always have the stage on the bottom. It keeps you from wrecking yourself during the stage. For added safety make the staged parts have a aerodynamic downforce so that the air itself will pull the parts away for a clean motorless staging. I use this when i need to give my SSTO's a little boost (yes i know it isn't an SSTO now, but sometimes you just need more Dv to get heavy objects, like a large fuel tank for my orbital fuel station, into orbit).

[@logansinger2948]

Ive gotten this to work by using a single ion engine. the trick is using a probe core and detachable landing gear while keeping weight to an absolute minimum. the landing gear is actually shockingly heavy

[@vortexspace5718]

Fun Fact: you can break everything by using KAL1000 controllers to change the throttle of any engine to stupid speeds.

[@mach5620]

Didn't that get patched?

[@vortexspace5718]

@@mach5620 No still works.

[@opacocastilla8238]

12:00 the reason for why is it so unstable is because of the centrifugal force the rotors are causing

[@bread0237]

Bread 👍

[@ReidCaptain]

👍

[@piepcheck3213]

pretty neat idea, but for the next time you have stability issuses: use autostrut, it would probably have helped allot, same thing could be said about your nuclear orbiter

[@thunderatsea3843]

I think you can do this, I would try making another plane and launching it from that. Or making a Russian-Bear like aircraft with lots of ion engines crammed in a small space.

[@MiG-25IsGOAT]

Seeing this channel makes me appreciate my horrible skills

[@The_Orb]

Someone took an only ion engine plane to orbit 3 years ago

[@paladin_au]

MORE TREBUCHET PLEASE GOD YES

[@faintduch6630]

This is... pain, I remember trying to use these engines in atmosphere and it’s... good god it’s so difficult. The most useful thing I could find for them is to make them into auxiliary or just backup power/boost for a rover, a REALLY lightweight small rover, and essentially all they do is lighten the load on the wheels so they’re not using as much power... I’ve them in space and yeah they’re much better, for patience based very slow interplanetary orbit sling(guess that’s what it’s called) travel... I love the Ion engines for their idea and concept but they’re just so hard to work with

[@canaldoinfinitooficial]

Now make a rocket go to space using the spring mecanism.

[@Akotski-ys9rr]

Looks like a flying solar farm

[@foxfirefive]

Im glad that i actually own this, cause when i was younger my dad just pirated it lol

[@ReidCaptain]

I would just play the demo, but that was very limiting

[@LiamLimeLarm]

based dad

[@dannypipewrench533]

I really like the big wings on this aircraft.

[@LC-mq8iq]

When do we get a lemonade making challenge video? Something like: **Can you make lemonade using only cardboard and coins?**

[@The_Orb]

11:22 "looks like its a little unstable The plane: i only have 2 back wheels pls help

[@dumbnutt]

Next video: can you get to space with only nuclear weapons in kerbal space program?

[@canaldoinfinitooficial]

Reids secret: MOAR BOOSTERS

[@freevbucks8019]

7:13 - Use propeller blades and use a collective to manage pitch. Robotics are complex in ksp.

[@landonhampton3799]

PLAY SPACE ENGINEERS PLZ! Its amazing!!!!

[@waywardscythe3358]

The whole "vertical stabilizers are optional until proven otherwise" design of aircraft is killing me.

[@AJ1Aerospace]

Bro was using physics and gravity to move

[@dannypipewrench533]

8:24 How about separate takeoff and flight engines? Once off the ground, jettison the smaller takeoff engines and start the flight engines.

[@quackecs]

You could have carried the aircraft under a larger launch-plane and dropped it once at altitude and saved you a whole lot of trouble with the propellers.

[@Phoon_bhop]

@Reid captain Pc Version of SFS is out 😮😮

[@cat-nl4sv]

what mods do you play with? or this DLC content

[@chubbmaster6164]

You should play stormworks

[@namedindividual3131]

RTG's are your best friend.

[@ezlife7127]

Dude sounds like the NileBlue of KSP

[@Eis_]

Technically, you can, just not conventional. You can't really take off like normal planes can, you have to be launched or be brought to thinner atmosphere where there is less drag and the ion engine can do more.

[@somedudethatripsplanetinha4221]

*_Infinite throttle glitch intensifies_*

[@mickeyomega2032]

Me who can bearly get to space using a massive rocket

[@spaceflight001]

next: go to Jool with Kraken drive.

[@soxxz2028]

can't you use action groups to toggle engines?

[@whiteiscool9456]

i could have a ''thrust'' issue if my spacecraft explodes even if they said if its safe