Subscribe to download
Planet To Space Launch Script

WORKS ON THE LASTEST STABLE VERSION
Not tested on the development branch!

UPDATE:
August 30th
- Now the script can start a timer upon leaving the planet gravity
- Changed default Remote Control name to "(Main Controller)" tag

July 5th
- Added graphical LCD display

July 4th
- Added support for multiple thrusters
- Added auto speed adjustment based on estimated sim speed (useful on dedicated server)

BREAKING CHANGES
Warning! Naming conventions of blocks has changed in this new version to support multiple thrusters. Now the script searches by default the "(Main)" tag. All thrusters having the tag in the name will be used by launch control script.

Please rename your thrusters accordingly.

Description
This is a very simple script that tries to optimize fuel consumption while launching from a planet.
It actually for ships with one or more backward thrusters.

Requires:
1 x Programmable Block
1 x Timer Block
1 (or more) x Hydrogen Thruster
1 x Remote Control

Setup:
1) Place your timer and programmable block as you like. Be sure to have your remote control placed.
2) Configure the timer to run the programmable block with default arguments every second.
3) Change the script configuration parameters as described below.
4) Place an LCD and add the "(Launch LCD)" tag to its name (if you changed the tag in configuration use the appropriate one instead)
5) Start the timer.
6) In your cockpit configure an action to run the programmable block with argument "run" (without quotes) to start the launch sequence
7) (Optional) Configure another action to run the programmable block with argument "stop" (without quotes) to stop the script

The script will do the following actions:
1) Turn off inertial dumpeners (needed on dedicated servers)
2) Turn on main thruster if off
3) Launches the ship trying to reach the configured speed
4) If speed threshold is reached, gradually reduces thruster power while trying to maintain the target speed
5) If speed drops under the threshold, gradually increases thruster power
6) when outside of natural gravity field, turns off main thruster and shuts down
7) (Optional) Starts a timer upon leaving the planet gravity field

Configuration Options:
m_mainThrusterName - Change this value to the tag you applied to your main thrusters (Default: "(Main)")
m_mainRemoteControlName - Change this value to the name of your main remote control block (Default: "(Main Controller)")
m_lcdName - Change this value to the tag you applied to your LCD (Default: "(Launch LCD)")
m_debugTextPanelName - Change this value to the tag you applied to your debug LCD (Default: "(Launch Debug)")
m_speedLimit - Change this value to change the target speed (Default: 98.0)
m_thrusterPowerStep - Change this value to change the percentage step at which the script increases or decreases thruster power (Default: 5)
m_triggerTimerUponExitGravity - Enables/Disables running a timer block after leaving the planet gravity field
m_timerToTrigger - Name (or partial name) of the timer to trigger

Launch LCD
The launch LCD will display a graphical rapresentation of the launch status with:
- current speed indicator
- target speed indication
- action indicator (thust up, thrust down, launch, waiting)
- launch progress (both numerical percentage and graphical view)

Debug LCD
If you want to view some detailed informations about the launch control, just place down an LCD (or Text Panel) and add the "(Launch Debug)" tag to the name (if you changed the default config value, make sure to use the one you choose).

Future Enhancements:
Add support for multiple thrusters - DONE
Support for starting a timer block after leaving the gravity field - DONE
Refine the speed alignment algorithm
Any other idea? :)

Color codes have been taken from:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=627416824