OFMM General Discussions Archive

[Izack]

If you're using the Arrow, you'll have to 'build' it in space first, as it can't launch itself. If possible, maybe a construction yard could be assembled in LEO or lunar orbit? If you do anything like that, I'd be happy to help there. If not, I volunteer for EVA crew!
(Come to think of it, I might prefer EVA crew.)

 

[supersonic]

For the sake of time I think the Arrows should already be built.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Here's some ideas for landing sites.

[nomedia="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3955"]Columbia Hills and Spirit landingsite for MER-2003[/nomedia]
[nomedia="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3952"]Ausonia Mensa[/nomedia]

There is always Olympus... I'd assume we'd get rid of the default Olympus base?

 

[Bj]

Here's some ideas for landing sites.

Columbia Hills and Spirit landingsite for MER-2003
Ausonia Mensa

There is always Olympus... I'd assume we'd get rid of the default Olympus base?

If we land there then yes, it would be easier to land somewhere else though :thumbup:

 

[Urwumpe]

As suggestion for the vehicles:

Arrow for resupply missions and small boxed cargo, via UCGO.
DG-XR5 for hauling large modules and bigger payloads to Mars.


I don't know if we need a special crew transport, I would personally favor the DG-XR2 as standard vehicle for that.

 

[Pablo49]

I think it would be cool to have the landing sites have some sort of importance. Like a polar site to gather water, etc. Any Mars missions would be at least somewhat sustainable.

 

[Urwumpe]

Really? I would have thought with all the developing you do, you would have this insanely fast expensive computer. How old is old?

Duron 2300+.... about 4 years old in general, only the graphics and GPU got replaced.

I plan buying a new computer since 3 years, but the money is a bit tight currently.

 

[supersonic]

I think it would be cool to have the landing sites have some sort of importance. Like a polar site to gather water, etc. Any Mars missions would be at least somewhat sustainable.

A polar site would be nice, but as we already said, It's not going to happen for a while.

 

[Artlav]

Sounds like a great idea in general, but what i would have hoped to see from it is a nice, station-like modular, near-future tech interplanetary spaceship stack, a thing which is notoriously lacking in Orbiter for the moment.

Thus, instead of Arrow, to build a Mars-bound vessel in MEO, using existing add-ons and maybe some glue meshes, and then launch it Mars-way.

 

[Urwumpe]

Thus, instead of Arrow, to build a Mars-bound vessel in MEO, using existing add-ons and maybe some glue meshes, and then launch it Mars-way.

I would have no problem with that, if somebody makes the meshes. I can't do that good enough to publish anything with my own graphics.

 

[Bj]

Duron 2300+

:blackeye:

Sounds like a great idea in general, but what i would have hoped to see from it is a nice, station-like modular, near-future tech interplanetary spaceship stack, a thing which is notoriously lacking in Orbiter for the moment.

Thus, instead of Arrow, to build a Mars-bound vessel in MEO, using existing add-ons and maybe some glue meshes, and then launch it Mars-way.

?

I didn't know they used glue to stick parts of rockets together, no wonder the SRBs break from the ET so easily.

My meshing skills are near zip, if anyone would like to design a new vessel then that's ok with me too.

 

[supersonic]

:blackeye:




?

I didn't know they used glue to stick parts of rockets together, no wonder the SRBs break from the ET so easily.

My meshing skills are near zip, if anyone would like to design a new vessel then that's ok with me too.

Ok, now who is going to fly that thing?

 

[Artlav]

I didn't know they used glue to stick parts of rockets together, no wonder the SRBs break from the ET so easily.

Figuratively speaking...

I would have no problem with that, if somebody makes the meshes. I can't do that good enough to publish anything with my own graphics.

Well, how much new modules do we need? There are a lot of add-ons. Although, i was getting kind of depressed while browsing thru them looking for something to make an interplanetary ship out of.

What would it take to make a vessel to go to Mars?
-Engine and fuel tanks
-Habitable area (lots of space station modules)
-Power system (solar panels or a reactor, first look cooler)
-Auxillary stuff (airlocks, ports, etc)
-Cargo decks (UCGO SDK+some simple meshes)
-Scaffolding and keel (some more meshes)
-Shuttles (available on Earth side a-plenty, something DG-like on Mars side)

Well, needs careful thinking out, to be honest.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

I'd thought for a while now the the station building blocks could be cobbled together into something with a vauge resembleance to a Descarte. But I lack the ability to put it together.
But to assemble a ship in orbit would greatly increase the mission manifest and add to the complexity of the mission. I'm interested in sticking around for the long haul, but planning all this is going to be a super-bit**.

 

[Bj]

Figuratively speaking...

right, gathered that

Well, how much new modules do we need? There are a lot of add-ons. Although, i was getting kind of depressed while browsing thru them looking for something to make an interplanetary ship out of.

What would it take to make a vessel to go to Mars?
-Engine and fuel tanks
-Habitable area (lots of space station modules)
-Power system (solar panels or a reactor, first look cooler)
-Auxillary stuff (airlocks, ports, etc)
-Cargo decks (UCGO SDK+some simple meshes)
-Scaffolding and keel (some more meshes)
-Shuttles (available on Earth side a-plenty, something DG-like on Mars side)

Well, needs careful thinking out, to be honest.

This looks like its turning into developing a whole new vessel rather then concentrating on just getting there, doing the mission, come back.

What about using the resources already available? Like the building blocks or similar. It would take a whole year just to get a station like it lifted into orbit and sent on its way. The only real think that needs developing is an engine with controllable pitch, just in case the COG is really off center.

 

[dgatsoulis]

Mars is the next step, but we need a time-table.

Instead of building just a couple of bases on Mars and a Martian space station, how's this for an idea? Terraform Mars.

Orbiter Martian Terraforming Project (OMTP)

Here is a "crappy" timetable (any ideas or suggestions are welcome)

1. Detonate high-yield conventional bombs on the Martian poles to start the melting process. (I'm not using nuclear because of the radiation)

1b.Begin the construction of a Martian monitoring system with satellites and a space station to monitor the process.

1c. Divide the Martian surface into quadrants and send over algae (a certain amount at each quadrant) to start the Oxygen build up. (This can be done simultaneously with the bombs and the monitoring system. We can start from the equator and work our way up and down.)

2. (just an idea) A 10 MT (or less?) explosion inside the crater of Mount Olympus could wake up that sleeping giant, no?
All that CO2 that would be realised from the volcano would be precious for the algae. (unless the explosion blocks the sunlight, which is bad.)
Also start making Bases on Mars

3.Once enough oxygen exists in the atmosphere: Switch to a Mars 1.5 scenario where enough oxygen in the atmosphere exists to allow plants to live. (different atmospheric parameters for Mars through a config file. See Mars fist steps or the Blue Mars addon)
Send plants (a certain amount at each quadrant) to speed up the process.

4.In a similar way that the GDIMiner addon works, build super-drills (with "local" material) to drill as close as possible to the Martian core and detonate nuclear bombs to "recandle" Mars' magnetic field. (Because all that "atmosphere build-up" process would just go to waste in a few years -or less- without a magnetic field to shield us from the Sun.)

5. Finally, Mars with an atmosphere similar to Earth's and a magnetic field to keep the radiation out. (switching to a Mars 2.0 config file). Colonization is possible. The first ships are ready to go.

Another idea: Phobos and Deimos could be exploited for minerals, which could be send down to Mars.

 

[Dambuster]

Figuratively speaking...

Well, how much new modules do we need? There are a lot of add-ons. Although, i was getting kind of depressed while browsing thru them looking for something to make an interplanetary ship out of.

What would it take to make a vessel to go to Mars?
-Engine and fuel tanks
-Habitable area (lots of space station modules)
-Power system (solar panels or a reactor, first look cooler)
-Auxillary stuff (airlocks, ports, etc)
-Cargo decks (UCGO SDK+some simple meshes)
-Scaffolding and keel (some more meshes)
-Shuttles (available on Earth side a-plenty, something DG-like on Mars side)

Well, needs careful thinking out, to be honest.

What about some sort of DG-based shuttle, but one built for Mars (maybe far larger wings to account for the density of the atmosphere)?

 

[supersonic]

Mars is the next step, but we need a time-table.

Instead of building just a couple of bases on Mars and a Martian space station, how's this for an idea? Terraform Mars.

Orbiter Martian Terraforming Project (OMTP)

Here is a "crappy" timetable (any ideas or suggestions are welcome)

1. Detonate high-yield conventional bombs on the Martian poles to start the melting process. (I'm not using nuclear because of the radiation)

1b.Begin the construction of a Martian monitoring system with satellites and a space station to monitor the process.

1c. Divide the Martian surface into quadrants and send over algae (a certain amount at each quadrant) to start the Oxygen build up. (This can be done simultaneously with the bombs and the monitoring system. We can start from the equator and work our way up and down.)

2. (just an idea) A 10 MT (or less?) explosion inside the crater of Mount Olympus could wake up that sleeping giant, no?
All that CO2 that would be realised from the volcano would be precious for the algae. (unless the explosion blocks the sunlight, which is bad.)
Also start making Bases on Mars

3.Once enough oxygen exists in the atmosphere: Switch to a Mars 1.5 scenario where enough oxygen in the atmosphere exists to allow plants to live. (different atmospheric parameters for Mars through a config file. See Mars fist steps or the Blue Mars addon)
Send plants (a certain amount at each quadrant) to speed up the process.

4.In a similar way that the GDIMiner addon works, build super-drills (with "local" material) to drill as close as possible to the Martian core and detonate nuclear bombs to "recandle" Mars' magnetic field. (Because all that "atmosphere build-up" process would just go to waste in a few years -or less- without a magnetic field to shield us from the Sun.)

5. Finally, Mars with an atmosphere similar to Earth's and a magnetic field to keep the radiation out. (switching to a Mars 2.0 config file). Colonization is possible. The first ships are ready to go.

Another idea: Phobos and Deimos could be exploited for minerals, which could be send down to Mars.

Good idea, but first I think we need to think about getting there.:thumbup:

 

[Pablo49]

The only real think that needs developing is an engine with controllable pitch, just in case the COG is really off center.

Kulch's Mir2 has the titan service module, which apparently compensates for the total mass of the station. So could we use that with SSBB or whatever?

 

[Artlav]

This looks like its turning into developing a whole new vessel rather then concentrating on just getting there, doing the mission, come back.

What about using the resources already available? Like the building blocks or similar. It would take a whole year just to get a station like it lifted into orbit and sent on its way.

Isn't Mars mission all about the vessel that would get us there and back?
A vessel like that, once developed, can be a stepping stone for various interplanetary missions.
I'd say it's worth the effort.

The only real think that needs developing is an engine with controllable pitch, just in case the COG is really off center.

A thing i had a long time.

What about some sort of DG-based shuttle, but one built for Mars (maybe far larger wings to account for the density of the atmosphere)?

Any of such around? XR-2 seems to fit, conveniently powered-down.