Need help with Ion thrusters!!!

[Blackjack]

So my predicament is that im attempting to build an A-Wing from star wars, but thats not important. The problem is that my Ion thrusters are putting out like no power, no matter how many reactors i put on teh ship (ship is being built with small blocks) If anyone has any idea as to how to fix this i would GREATLY appreciate it! I am building in creative, trying to design the ship, so i can later build it in survival on my frinds server (he made a Y-Wing), i wont be using any atmospheric thrusters, because Ill most likely be building hte ship in space (at our space station) and use it only for space(unless im forced to build it on earth than ill put atmospheric on it) Im not really the best at the game, still learning alot, so any of you space engineers veterans out there remember this is a learning curve for me before you no doubtedly tell me the probably obvious answer lol. Please and thannk you Space Engineers community! (obviously ill answer any questions you might have)

[Different Gnome]

How many thrusters(in the direction you want to go)?
how many batteries and reactors and or solar pannels are on the ship, and how heavy is the ship(find that in the info tab)

[Blackjack]

It is 34761.20 kg (couldnt find it in info tab, so look at bottom right of screen while in the cockpit)
i have 4 down thrust thrusters
I have 4 Up thrust thrusters (plus two atmospheric just cuz im building on earth right now)
2 large ion thrusters for forward movement
1 large hydrogen thruster for forward movement
3 small ion thrusters for strafing left
3 small ion thrusters for strafing right
10 small ion thrusters for stopping/reversing
18 small reactors(added so many because as I said above thought i didnt have enough power to power all the thrusters)
Hope this helps!
and thank oyu for replying!

[Different Gnome]

Current power requirement with just thrusters(13,244 kw). **Note other things need power too and you may need more than this:
Current power output is 9,000kw
You have 4,244 KW deficeit. you need more power
Small ship power sources and out puts:
- Small Reactor = 500kw
- Large Reactor = 14,750kw
- Battery = 4,200

Give me a minute to caluclate your thrust to weight ratio PS I'll leave a break down of how calucate stuff after for both energy requirements and thrust to wight ratio

[Blackjack]

awesome thank you! i will add some reactores to see what happens

[Different Gnome]

Your upward thrust(assuming small ion + the atmos) I think is 24.85 m/s for the weight you have and thrust you have. you need a minuim of 9.81 m/s. as for your forward you have 19.79 m/s are you using armor blocks.*

For the wieght you have you need ~342 Kn of force to have it float.
Thruster out put:
-Large hydrogen = 400Kn
-Large Ion = 288Kn
-Large Atmos = 408Kn
-Small hydrogen = 82Kn
-Small Atmos = 80Kn
-Small Ion = 12Kn

Formulas needed to calculate lift are:
Force(N)=Mass(Kg)xAccelration(m/s)
F=ma - this how much thrust you need at a given weight(Kg) at a tartget accerlation(9.81m/s for lift)
a=F/m - this is how much your current accelraion is (provied you have power)
m=F/a - this is how much of ship(cargo included) you can move

Formulas for power consuption:
Max required input - Max rquired output = surpluse/deficite.

*note that Ions might not work on planets so your actual m/s is

[Blackjack]

Alrighty thanks man!!

[Terramir]

ions don't put out much power in atmosphere, test the ship in space.

[Bahamut]

As has been noted, ion thrusters only produce about 30% of their available thrust at 1g (surface of earth like planet). Ion thrusters are really for space-only flight.

As far as power goes, I'm not sure if Gnome is calculating the total power required for all your thrusters going at once (which you woulnd't need to worry about) or if he is just basing off of 3 directions simultaneously. 18 small reactors should be enough to power what you have there assuming you are going to be in space and will need on average 2 directions of thrust for long periods of time.

[Blackjack]

alright thank you!!!

[Nyx]

yup, agree on the ion and planets. came from space with more than enough thrusters. hit the atmosphere(@about 100m/s) and hit the ground doing 400 m/s.(all of my forward thrusters, downward, side thrusters, all kicked in at once, sucked all my reserve batteries dry and the reactors couldn't keep up. of the 30% you have in the atmosphere, i may only have gotten 10% of it)
so, for the weight problem, though it might be big and bulky, put a large reactor(medium if you have it). could also get a mod that will allow you different sizes and shapes of reactors.

[Blackjack]

yah i figured out that the problem was the fact that the ion thrusters had ♥♥♥♥ power while on earth (where i was building) when i tested the ship, and flew to the atmosphere(usingthe hydrogen thruster to be able to get up there, along with atmospheric) they immediatedly kicked in. So that was a my bad oopsie, as I said learning curve!! Thank you all for helping me out!!!!