Space Shuttle Ultra 1.25 Revision B development

[Urwumpe]

Shouldn't be too much of a problem recreating it.

Would be nice, since you are always a bit pushing towards assembly operations, having this item would be nice.

Also, the SRB recovery ships would be pretty useful, not just for SSU, but actually for almost everything around Florida. They for example do launch monitoring with a special radar on-board.

 

[DaveS]

Sounds like another mission file entry.

Another thing is that when ODS= is set to FALSE, the ODS C/L cam view should be suppressed. Currently it's there no matter if of the airlock or ODS is installed.

 

[SiameseCat]

I've fixed the problem with the MPS GOX streams (one of the particle stream parameters was too small), but we should probably change they key mapping (it currently uses CTRL+X, which is also used to change the FOV). Any suggestions?

 

[Urwumpe]

I've fixed the problem with the MPS GOX streams (one of the particle stream parameters was too small), but we should probably change they key mapping (it currently uses CTRL+X, which is also used to change the FOV). Any suggestions?

Make it automatic. There is no switch in the shuttle for activating it, so I see no reason for keeping it manual. Maybe add a boolean switch to the SpaceShuttleUltra.cfg, for completely disabling this effect.

 

[DaveS]

I've fixed the problem with the MPS GOX streams (one of the particle stream parameters was too small), but we should probably change they key mapping (it currently uses CTRL+X, which is also used to change the FOV). Any suggestions?

Or we could tie it to the MPS directly as it's part of the MPS Purge Sequences(1-4).

---------- Post added at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:17 PM ----------

Just found a treasure trove of technical papers on NTRS:

JSC Space Shuttle Tech. Conf. Part 1: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19850008580_1985008580.pdf (605 pages)

JSC Space Shuttle Tech. Conf. Part 2: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19850008628_1985008628.pdf (542 pages)

 

[SiameseCat]

For the moment, I think the simplest solution is to have the purge on always; we don't properly simulate the MPS or any of the prelaunch sequences.

 

[DaveS]

For the moment, I think the simplest solution is to have the purge on always; we don't properly simulate the MPS or any of the prelaunch sequences.

Well, we could make it dependent on ET prop-level, let's say about 7% of LOX. And 65% for start of the GOX venting from the ET GOX vents which is ducted through the GOX Vent Arm pipes(for STS-1, the GOX needs to come directly from the ET vents as the GVA didn't work and it suffered several failures during the STS-1 pad flow).

 

[SiameseCat]

That probably isn't worth the bother until we simulate tanking; at the moment, I think all our scenarios have the ET filled.

 

[DaveS]

That probably isn't worth the bother until we simulate tanking; at the moment, I think all our scenarios have the ET filled.

Well, adding it now, we won't have to bother with it again as all it does is checking the ET levels. So it will be compatible now(will trigger MPS Purge venting and ET venting as it will notice that the levels are above the trigger levels). Also ET venting starts at around 10% of LOX, not the earlier 65% I wrote before.

So this will be sequence:

>6% of LOX, initiate MPS Purging
>10% of LOX, initiate ET venting

So the moment the levels drop below those, it will shut down. We already do something similar with the countdown and triggering events based on countdown time, here we just check propellant level and triggering certain events appropriately.

 

[SiameseCat]

How do we check the LOX levels, though? Just checking the propellant tank level probably won't work. IMHO, it make more sense to wait until we implement tanking; this feature won't work until we reach that stage anyway.

 

[DaveS]

How do we check the LOX levels, though? Just checking the propellant tank level probably won't work. IMHO, it make more sense to wait until we implement tanking; this feature won't work until we reach that stage anyway.

How are you going to implement tanking considering that as far as Orbiter is concerned, there's no fuel or oxidizer, just a combined propellant tank?

 

[SiameseCat]

My thinking was to have variables in the ET class indicating the fuel and oxidizer levels, and use these to calculate propellant mass (and propellant levels). Depending on how we implement the MPS, it might be possible to avoid using Orbiter's propellant tanks and thrusters altogether, and just use AddForce.

---------- Post added 08-14-10 at 12:05 AM ---------- Previous post was 08-13-10 at 10:32 PM ----------

Checked in fix for the vent streams and the ODS camera view. At the moment, the purge stream is on by default, and can be toggled by pressing CTRL+X.

 

[DaveS]

I used to have a complete Pegasus mesh but it was lost about a year ago when one of my two internal HDDs failed.

Shouldn't be too much of a problem recreating it.

OK, this is what I have now. The only missing parts is the bow structure, including the bridge. Other than that, it's nearly complete.

There has been two ET barges used, the first one was named "Poseidon" which I suspect was the original barge used to move the Saturn 1C stages from MAF to KSC. "Poseidon" was retired in 2000, when the current barge, "Pegasus" took over the duties.

The only real difference between the two is that "Poseidon" had a regular sharp angle bow while "Pegasus" has a flat bow.

 

[DaveS]

Here's today's work on "Pegasus". The bow is nearly complete. Redid the cargo hold as it was wrong. Something that came to me as I was redoing the cargo hold is that with the bipod struts, the ET on the transporter doesn't fit inside the hold. It barely fits only with the lower aft umbilicals and equipment.

So we have to hide the bipod struts and add them during ET/SRB closeouts in the VAB shortly before Orbiter/ET mate.

 

[DaveS]

Urwumpe: Could you give a minimum item list of what you need to start on the vehicle assembly operations?

 

[Urwumpe]

Urwumpe: Could you give a minimum item list of what you need to start on the vehicle assembly operations?

Well, lets see... I could use a VAB mesh, that is not monolithic. The level of detail of the current ones is fine, but not optimal to display, since we essentially see only 1-2% of the details while the rest is hidden behind platforms and structure.

The VAB could use a office "VC" mesh, that can be used for displaying assembly status information and schedules.

I could need SRBs split into segments, or test-wise, use the complete SRBs.

Low poly meshes of generic assembly workers would be nice for making it all less ghost like.

I could use people who know the assembly sequence and who are not afraid of programming the checklists into Lua files.

Meshes of the other processing buildings would be nice, maybe not as detailed as the VAB, but good enough for acting as spawn points for assemblies, if we don't want to transport the parts from the factory to KSC.

 

[DaveS]

Well, lets see... I could use a VAB mesh, that is not monolithic. The level of detail of the current ones is fine, but not optimal to display, since we essentially see only 1-2% of the details while the rest is hidden behind platforms and structure.

Well, the VAB is 95% beams, while the remaining 5% is for the doors, cranes, platforms and the exterior metal panels.

The VAB could use a office "VC" mesh, that can be used for displaying assembly status information and schedules.

Well, how about one of the LCC Firing Rooms?

I could need SRBs split into segments, or test-wise, use the complete SRBs.

Well, a complete stackable set of the STS-1 SRBs have already been checked in.

Low poly meshes of generic assembly workers would be nice for making it all less ghost like.

Well, this a little out of my league right now, maybe later?

I could use people who know the assembly sequence and who are not afraid of programming the checklists into Lua files.

Well, if you create the basic Lua script structure I could fill in the unknowns.

Meshes of the other processing buildings would be nice, maybe not as detailed as the VAB, but good enough for acting as spawn points for assemblies, if we don't want to transport the parts from the factory to KSC.

Should be easy enough as I have OPF-1&2 nearly ready go. Nothing too fancy, just accurate exterior of the High Bays and the Low Bay/annex.

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, how about one of the LCC Firing Rooms?

Too special for the task, would look strange. also it is too far away from the VAB High Bay. Isn't there somewhere a small office for the operations manager inside the VAB? You know, like having a small board on the wall, a desk, and windows that look into the highbay.

 

[DaveS]

Too special for the task, would look strange. also it is too far away from the VAB High Bay. Isn't there somewhere a small office for the operations manager inside the VAB? You know, like having a small board on the wall, a desk, and windows that look into the highbay.

Nope. Most offices are in the two Ops Support Buildings(OSBs) I and II. OSB-II was built to replace several trailers and modular housings with modern offices.

 

[DaveS]

Another thing I thought that would be nice now that localized light sources is supported, is the deep red glow from the OMS engines that they emit during nighttime firings.