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Resources (Scanning and Extracting)
This is accurate as of USI Kolonization Systems (UKS) version 0.40.2
Players using UKS will eventually get into a position where their bases will need to be supported by extra resources. The easiest, best, and most cost effective way to supply your UKS bases will be to find and extract resources from the planetary body you build your ground base on.
Players will use these extracted resources to keep their bases supplied with little or no extra shipments from KSC. This is also an effective way to support an Oribtal base in the same SOI the farther away they venture from Kerbin, reducing the need to send and wait for shipments from Kerbin.
Below is some information on where resources can be found in the environment, as well as how to detect and find these resources, and how to extract these resources with UKS parts.
Note: KSP 1.0 introduced stock Ore resource and a basic resource extraction and conversion system. UKS does not use or replace this stock KSP Ore resource or the stock extraction and conversion system. For that information, check the KSP Wiki.
For information on resource production, please view this visual guide for all resource conversion processes available in UKS in the Flowcharts page.
For detailed information on dealing with Life Support with UKS visit the Life Support page.
For detailed information on the stats of all UKS Resources visit the Resource Stats Page.
The resource detection generally used is the same stock resource detection method in KSP, and used in the same manner as same manner as for stock Ore, except we will be looking for different resources. The stock system uses 3 parts to accomplish a full analysis of resources present on any planetary body in the Kerbol System. The M700 Survey Scanner and M4435 Narrow-Band Scanner are stock parts that can be used in a polar orbit to locate surface resources and concentrations and display them as an overlay on the map. Simply put them in an acceptable orbit of the planetary body you wish to scan and then select the scanner on the vessel and cycle through which resource to display. It will offer every resource it is capable of scanning for.
The M700 is used to give a general idea of what resources are present, while the M4435 can also be used while landed and is used to give a slightly more detailed idea of how much is present. To get more exact readings on how high of a concentration of a resource is actually present, a Surface scanner such as the stock Surface Scanning Module, or the UKS Scan-O-matic Soil Sampler must be used while landed.
Each resource is tied to a biome and once you find data on any biome those resources will be present in the same concentrations in that same type of biome across the planetary body. Any biome could possibly contain zero, one or many types of resources, depending on luck. This is generated randomly for each new game.
UKS also works with SCANsat (thread/github)which offers a more immersive resource scanning experience and more detailed mapping options. Its a slightly more complex method than stock and has a few different options on how it can function.
Below is a nice step by step approach thanks to a post in the MKS thread from Admac. This outlines an approach to finding a nice area for resource extraction and base construction, as well as a few tips on what to look for in a site.
- Scanning
- Build a small satellite to put the M700 Survey Scanner into a polar orbit of the body you're looking for resources on. Be sure to include some decent EC storage and solar panels, plus an antenna so the data it gets can be transmitted if you want the data to be viewable from the KSC tracking station.
- Once established in an acceptable orbit, deploy the scanner and perform a scan. This will give you a basic idea of what resources are present, and where higher and lower concentrations are, though its not highly detailed.
- Turn on the overlays in map mode, and find a spot that is bright in things you care about to choose an area for further exploration.
- Land a rover/hopper with the narrow band scanner in the spot you chose.
- Take a surface reading. (Doesn't matter with what, there are three science parts that'll do it)
- Look at narrow band scanner UI, find a spot with better concentrations of things you care about, drive/hop there
- Repeat until you are feeling good and have found a suitable spot for your mining.
- Land your base as close as you can to your rover.
Things to look for in a site
-
GypsumandMinerals(and, with USI-LS 0.4.4,Ore) will alow you to indefinitely extend your life support. - Either
OreorKarboniteis essential if you want to launch again, since you'll need a supply of LFO. -
MetalicOre,Substrate, &Minerals, in roughly equal quantities. All that matters is the lowest of the three, since that'll govern your industrial production. -
Water,Uraniniteand a second fuel resource don't really matter at all, and can be ignored in your initial base. - Landing near (within 100 meters of) a biome border allows you to use proxy logistics to mine from 2 different biomes in one base. making a finding a high yield site easier/possible.
Several options are provided for the extraction of UKS resources:
Sometimes, you just need to move some kerbin. These will allow you to excavate dirt from the body's surface, at a speed dependent on concentration at that location. This dirt can then be used either to grow more supplies, or used in a Sifter to extract the other resources present on that body as a whole. The Portable Strip Miner has the advantage of being unlocked earlier, and so allows you to get something up from the ground on your early bases.
The MEU Series of Drills have identical weight, size, and unlock requirements. Where they differ is in the resources they extract. The extraction rate is always a function of the specific resource concentration at that location. Extraction will consume ElectricCharge and will continue even when the vessel is out of focus and under warp.
MEU-250 Drill [Gypsum/Dirt/Hydrates]: Extracts resources which directly feed into the Life Support chain.
MEU-500 Drill [MetallicOre/Substrate/Uraninite]: Extracts resources which can be used for the Nuclear Fuel chain ('Uraninite') and two of three resources for the industrial goods chain (MetallicOre/Substrate).
MEU-750 Drill [Water/Minerals]: Extracts Minerals as the 3rd and final part of the industrial goods chain, and Water to assist with Life Support.
Certain resources can be extracted from the environment in KSP, these resources can be found in the atmosphere (A), in the water (W), in the crust (C), and in space (S). Resources are biome-specific, and some biomes may not contain certain resources. Further, the concentration of resources varies within each biome and will change with each save game. Some locations will have higher concentrations of each resource than other locations. This will affect the rate of resource extraction.
Note: Although these resources can be shipped in from the KSC, eventually you will want to be extracting these resources at your base's location.
This is accurate as of Community Resource Pack (version 0.5.0)
| Resource | Body & Situation | Frequency | Abundance | Variance | Dispersal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Crust | 20% | <10 | 50 | 3 |
| Water | Ocean | 20% | <50 | 20 | 3 |
| Water | Atmosphere | 20% | <50 | 50 | 3 |
| Water | Interplanetary Space (0.2km-2km of body) | 20% | <0.5 | ||
| Substrate | Crust | 70% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| MetallicOre | Crust | 70% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Minerals | Crust | 70% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Uraninite | Crust | 70% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Dirt | Crust | 100% | 20-50 | 50 | 3 |
| Gypsum | Crust | 70% | <10 | 50 | 3 |
| Hydrates | Crust | 70% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| ExoticMinerals | Crust | 50% | <10 | 50 | 10 |
| RareMetals | Crust | 50% | <10 | 50 | 10 |
| Water | Laythe Crust | 100% | 1-50 | 20 | 3 |
| Water | Laythe Water | 100% | 10-90 | 0 | 3 |
| Water | Laythe Atmosphere | 100% | 1-20 | 10 | 3 |
| Water | Duna Poles | 100% | 5-20 | 10 | 3 |
| Substrate | Kerbin Crust | 100% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| MetallicOre | Kerbin Crust | 100% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Minerals | Kerbin Crust | 100% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Uraninite | Kerbin Crust | 100% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Gypsum | Kerbin Crust | 100% | <10 | 50 | 3 |
| Hydrates | Kerbin Crust | 100% | < 10 | 50 | 3 |
| Water | Kerbin Crust | 100% | 1-50 | 20 | 3 |
| Water | Kerbin Water | 100% | 90 | 0 | 3 |
| Water | Kerbin Atmosphere | 100% | 1-20 | 10 | 3 |
NOTE: There are no resources on Jool's Crust. Asteroids use the default crust values.