Flight Question Shuttle underpowered,no control

[ripley1]

Ok,after days of frustration and reading through all sorts of manuals and posts without success,I've decide to ask here.
It seems like there is something wrong with my Shuttle fleet and Shuttle ultra.(or me.... When launching any shuttle from the fleet,main engines produce only small amount of thrust,not enough to keep the altitude and speed.I am trying everything,but nothing makes the engines working on 100%.
Other problem is with the Shuttle ultra. There the engines do produce enough thrust,but shuttle won't roll or steer and keeps climbing vertically.
Makes me wonder if I need some adon autopilot.
How do I roll and steer manually using the keyboard? DG controls works just fine,but shuttle is my problem.
I tired to avoid asking this,but i hope someone can help me.
Thank you.

 

[Urwumpe]

Disable unlimited fuel!

The Shuttle is a realistic spacecraft, which is designed with the spacecraft getting lighter by fuel consumption in mind.

And for SSU: Read the fine manual. We did not add the switches in the VC for beauty (Well, not only because of that). Starting the APUs, so you have hydraulic pressure to move the Space shuttle Main Engines might be a good help for your problem.

But judging your complaints, I have a better suggestion: Don't use them. You are not ready yet and you will get many disappointments. Learn flying the Deltaglider and Shuttle-A with limited fuel until you are ready.

 

[ripley1]

Thanks Urwumpe,
I really like the realism of the R2 panel and after following carefully the checklist,I got it into orbit. (SSU)
I am glad it works and I can continue to enjoy it.
The problem with the fleet is still not solved,tried to disable the fuel limitation and almost everything else,but still no power.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Thanks Urwumpe,
I really like the realism of the R2 panel and after following carefully the checklist,I got it into orbit. (SSU)
I am glad it works and I can continue to enjoy it.
The problem with the fleet is still not solved,tried to disable the fuel limitation and almost everything else,but still no power.

Actually you should ENABLE the fuel limitation. (this version of Orbiter anyways has an limitation checkbox, not an 'Unlimited' checkbox) You may also need to enable 'Complex flight model'.

 

[ripley1]

Thanks Quick_Nick,I tried that too,but still no power.
Its strange,but shouldn't + button engage full thrust?
At least my SSU works fine.

 

[RisingFury]

Thanks Quick_Nick,I tried that too,but still no power.
Its strange,but shouldn't + button engage full thrust?
At least my SSU works fine.

Try holding it.

Are you on a laptop?

 

[Master of Blades]

Shuttle Fleet works on an autopilot in the GDC MFD (I think that's the name), one of the panels in the VC should have it open when you load a Shuttle Fleet scenario... It will show a countdown to launch... I also think you can engage the launch autopilot by pressing P.

 

[caningo]

Shuttle Fleet works on an autopilot in the GDC MFD (I think that's the name), one of the panels in the VC should have it open when you load a Shuttle Fleet scenario... It will show a countdown to launch... I also think you can engage the launch autopilot by pressing P.

ITEM 777 on the GPC MFD.

 

[ripley1]

RisingFury,yes it is a laptop. I am holding + button,still only very little thrust. (Fn and +)

 

[Hielor]

Does it work with other vessels?

 

[Scarecrow]

RisingFury,yes it is a laptop. I am holding + button,still only very little thrust. (Fn and +)

This is probably something fairly basic to ask, but in what stage of flight are you getting very little thrust? Do you still have the SRBs attached? Do you still have the ET attached? Is the shuttle on-orbit? In the atmosphere on re-entry or landing? The reason I ask is that the DG is overpowered from a realism standpoint, and the shuttle is a real craft. If you're reentering or landing, the OMS (orbital maneuvering system) will not provide significant thrust; you have to do reentry and landing deadstick. If you're in orbit, the OMS is still low powered, and only provides a small amount of acceleration compared to the DG; it just requires more planning to get where you're going. If you've still got the SRBs attached, you shouldn't have any problems. If it's after SRB seperation and you're still trying to get into orbit, the SSMEs (Space Shuttle Main Engines) aren't terribly powerful for the vehicle, but if you're good, you should be able to almost get to orbit, at which time you ditch the ET and finish off with the OMS.

Assuming you know all this, carry on then, and good luck!

 

[ripley1]

First thing is to say thank you all for the help,appreciate it very much.
I tried to load item777 into the GPC MFD and it started automatically and took the vessel into orbit.(thank you caningo)
Scarecrow,thanks for that.The problem was from liftoff to SRB separation,after sep.,the shuttle slowly pitched towards to earth and strated to fall. But now it works,so it makes me feel little confused though.
Thank you!

 

[-Pv-]

The Shuttle typically launches into a low slightly elliptical orbit which needs to be circularized (usually at the next node after you reach orbit.)

The problem wasn't that the shuttle pitched forward and dived into the Earth from lack of power, but that the Shuttle was in a slow tumble toward the atmosphere where it gets dragged back into collision with the ground. In other words, after launch and initial orbit, you didn't finish the job of creating a stable orbit (which the OMS engines have plenty of power to do once the external tank is gone.)

You will understand better when you study Shuttle operations a little more in depth.

Next time you launch into orbit in the Shuttle, load the ORBITMFD and you'll see the problem.
-Pv-

 

[RisingFury]

When the SRBs separate, you should be around 40 kms high. The rest of the energy should already be put into horizontal velocity.

Getting to orbit isn't about height, it's about speed. There's about 30 times as much energy loaded in velocity then it is into height above ground.

Your problem is that you're pushing up too much and burn out your SRBs without providing the necessary velocity.

 

[ripley1]

Thank you for the comment,It makes sense what you're saying,but I really don't think I was making this mistake.But its possible.I learned in DG and know how to get to orbit,fix it and dock and all that stuff,but I guess I was making mistake somewhere with the shuttle though.

 

[RisingFury]

DG is easy. You can fly up to 200 km and then pitch down and you'll get in orbit. Hell, you can get to the moon by flying straight up to it.

Shuttle is different, it has very little room for error. When I first flew it, I thought I had to go up until the SRBs separated and then pitch down, when in fact, you have to pitch down a lot quite soon after takeoff. You have to roll and as soon as you're done with it, start pitching down. By the time you lose SRBs, you have to be carrying a significant amount of velocity or you're not gonna make it. Shuttle's engines aren't powerful enough on their own to get you to orbit, that's why the SRBs are for.

You should watch the Atlantis launch playback to see how the shuttle gets to orbit. I really think this is a case of pilot error and not software, especially because your other vessels work fine.

 

[ripley1]

You're right about the DG,its so much easier compare to the lot more more realistic shuttle. I am glad to finally fly it and learn more.