The summary of ‘Space Engineers – Everything you need to know about Thrusters and how many you need on planets.’

The video provides a comprehensive guide on thrusters in Space Engineers, covering hydrogen, ion, and atmospheric thrusters. It details calculations for thruster requirements, lifting capacities, and performance in different environments. Various thruster types are compared for efficiency and practicality, with advice on setup and usage. The use of conveyors and the impact of ship damage on thrusters are also discussed. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of informed thruster choices and encourages viewers to engage with future tutorial content.

00:00:00

In this segment of the video, the presenter discusses everything viewers need to know about thrusters in Space Engineers. They explain the three types of thrusters in the game: hydrogen, ion, and atmospheric. The video is divided into five sections with timestamps for each topic. The first section covers calculating the number of thrusters needed for a ship and determining if the existing thrusters can lift the ship off the ground. The subsequent sections delve into the pros and cons of hydrogen, atmospheric, and ion thrusters, as well as the differences between small and large thrusters. An example of power calculation is provided using the Atlas Mark II ship, which has a mix of small and large thrusters totaling 74 mega newtons of thrust.

00:03:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker explains how thrusters work based on the planet’s gravity, providing a table with gravity values for different planets. They calculate the lifting capacity of the thrusters for a specific scenario on Pertam. The conversion of mega newtons to newtons is detailed, resulting in a lifting capacity of 6.286 million kilos for the discussed thrusters. The speaker then showcases different types of thrusters with varying lifting capacities. The control panel of the ship is shown, demonstrating its capability to lift 6.2 million kilos when it weighs 3.7 million kilos, indicating space for additional cargo.

00:06:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses how the weight of cargo affects a ship’s ability to exit the atmosphere of a planet and the performance of a ship solely in space. Atmospheric thrusters are highlighted for being easy to place on a ship, relatively powerful, and not requiring fuel. However, they cannot be used in space and become less effective the higher you go in an atmosphere. Different planets have varying lift values for atmospheric thrusters, with the speaker listing values for Mars, Earth, Europa, and other planets. It is advised to add extra thrust to a cargo ship supported only by atmospheric thrusters to ensure clearance of obstacles like mountains.

00:09:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses atmospheric thrusters and how to calculate the number needed to lift a ship’s weight. They mention the flexibility of hydrogen thrusters, which provide consistent power in various environments. These thrusters are described as the most powerful in the game, but setting up a plumbing system and fuel tanks can be complex. The video points out the need for piping to connect thrusters and fuel tanks on the ship.

00:12:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the disadvantages of hydrogen thrusters in a firefight scenario where damaged conveyors can impede fuel flow to thrusters. The focus then shifts to ion thrusters, which do not require fuel and are suitable for space use. The ion thrusters are showcased on a heavy armor corvette ship, ideal for space travel only. Additionally, it is noted that ion thrusters are somewhat effective in the atmosphere, providing about 20% thrust at sea level. The possibility of constructing a ship solely with ion thrusters for atmospheric flight is discussed, but it is recommended to use a mix of ion and atmospheric thrusters for practicality.

00:15:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker explains how ship damage can affect thrusters, noting that as long as one block is connected, the thruster will function. They compare the effectiveness of ion thrusters to atmospheric and hydrogen thrusters, highlighting that ion thrusters are weaker but more compact. The speaker then discusses the difference between small and large thrusters, demonstrating that multiple small hydrogen thrusters can provide more thrust than a single large one without using more fuel. This arrangement offers more thrust for the same amount of fuel usage.

00:18:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker explains the impact of using conveyors in Space Engineers, highlighting the need to keep them to a minimum to avoid slowing down the game. Conveyors make the game check each port for the direction of items passing through them, which can lead to performance issues, especially with a high number of conveyors. The speaker also discusses the difference between using large and small atmospheric thrusters, noting that using nine small thrusters instead of one large one would result in less thrust and higher power usage. The recommendation is to use the large variants of thrusters whenever possible for better performance.

00:21:00

In this segment of the video, the narrator discusses the use of large atmospheric thrusters over small ones on the bottom of a ship for more power and thrust. The comparison is also made between replacing one ion thruster with six smaller ones, noting the disadvantages of using small thrusters. The importance of altitude in relation to thruster effectiveness is demonstrated, showing that ion thrusters become more effective at higher altitudes compared to atmospheric thrusters. The suggestion is made to use both atmospheric and ion thrusters in a ship powered solely by batteries to save space and enhance performance.

00:24:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses finding hydrogen to be the easiest to use for thrusters. They hope the information provided helps viewers make decisions on their thruster choices. The speaker encourages leaving a like and subscribing for future tutorial videos. They express gratitude for the viewers’ participation and hope to see them in the next video.