Question Atmospheric Sub-Orbital MFD?

[Usquanigo]

I snagged SubOrbMFD when I saw it, didn't really read it too closely though, I thought it was for ANY suborbital flight on any body, and it was just too cool an idea to pass up. But last night when I tried to use it and realized I needed to look through the docs, I saw it was for a atmopheric-less planteray body (and kinda/sorta worked on Mars).

Is there anything like this for Earth?

Could be neat to set up flights in things like the XR2 to ferry VIPs and cargo and such around the planet without the need for a launcher or circling the planet several times.

 

[McWgogs]

Have you tried this?
http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2139

 

[Usquanigo]

Have you tried this?
http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2139

I have downloaded that, and even tried playing with it in a previous Orbiter installation, but never really got far with it (too much coolness at once to do it all lol). How would that work for setting up a sub-orbital flight? The thing that seemed neat about sub-orb is that it would tell you the direction, pitch angle, and deltaV needed to get where you were going in a nice ballistic arc (from what I read of it at least lol).

I hadn't thought AeroBrake could do the same (thought it was just for re-entry).

 

[Kaito]

well, when you think about it, after your de-orbit burn, it is a sub-orbital trajectory. Aerobrake MFD can work in the same way.

 

[Andy44]

Use SubOrb MFD to find the proper azimuth and pitch angle, but use Aerobrake to tell you when to cut your engines. Works pretty well that way, but you may need a course correction or two to hit your target.

One of my favorite scenarios is to launch a Shuttle-A cargo pod atop a Titan II ICBM into a ballistic flight from the Cape to Vandenberg, using ony Map MFD to find the azimuth, and Aerobrake MFD to tell me when to cut the throttle. I hang onto the second stage after burnout and usually do 2 correction burns near apogee, one for cross range error and one for in-track error. When you cut the cargo pod loose, the Aerobrake solution changes because you now have a different aerodynamic model, so you have to think ahead, plus the pod has no propulsion, it's purely ballistic. It also has parachutes, which have to be accounted for by aiming a bit long.

With practice I have been able to drop the payload right onto the parking lot next to the hangar at Vandenberg, from a continent away. Feels awesome. I'll post the scenario below (requires Sputnik's Titan rockets add-on, also the Vandenberg scenery add-on in case you care):

[SIZE=2]BEGIN_DESC[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Titan II on the pad at the Cape oriented for an easy launch to Vandenberg with a cargo pod aboard.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_DESC[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]System Sol[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Date MJD 51982.6184892825[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_ENVIRONMENT[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_FOCUS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Ship 4-Titan2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_FOCUS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_CAMERA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TARGET 4-Titan2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]MODE Cockpit[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FOV 50.00[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_CAMERA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_HUD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TYPE Surface[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_HUD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_MFD Left[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TYPE Map[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]REF Earth[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BTARGET Vandenberg[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]ZOOM[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TRACK ON[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_MFD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_MFD Right[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TYPE Orbit[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PROJ Ship[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FRAME Equator[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]ALT[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]REF Earth[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_MFD[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_SHIPS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]4-Titan2:CVELTitanII[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]STATUS Landed Earth[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BASE Cape Canaveral:5[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]POS -80.6745290 28.5197210[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]HEADING 290.74[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PRPLEVEL 0:1.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]NAVFREQ 0 0[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]CONFIGURATION 1[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TIME 150.449[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]SECOND STAGE 1.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]STG2_RCS 1[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]UPPER STAGE 0[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]AUTO LEO 0.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]THRUST_TERM 0[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TGT_HEADING 90.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PADBIAS 0.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]SHIFTFOCUS 1[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FAIRING 301[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FAIRLOC -1.350[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]LAUNCH MJD 0.000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PAYLOAD SH-PL01 ShuttleAShuttleA_pl ShuttleA_pl 0.00 0.00 -4.50 2000.00 0.00 0.00[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_SHIPS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_ExtMFD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END[/SIZE]

 

[Linguofreak]

I have downloaded that, and even tried playing with it in a previous Orbiter installation, but never really got far with it (too much coolness at once to do it all lol). How would that work for setting up a sub-orbital flight? The thing that seemed neat about sub-orb is that it would tell you the direction, pitch angle, and deltaV needed to get where you were going in a nice ballistic arc (from what I read of it at least lol).

I hadn't thought AeroBrake could do the same (thought it was just for re-entry).

If part of your trajectory is within the atmosphere, Aerobrake will calculate how the atmosphere will affect that part of your trajectory.

 

[HiPotOk1978]

With practice I have been able to drop the payload right onto the parking lot next to the hangar at Vandenberg, from a continent away. Feels awesome. I'll post the scenario below (requires Sputnik's Titan rockets add-on, also the Vandenberg scenery add-on in case you care):

I can see it now... LoL

Caller: Yes I would like to order some Round Tuits

Operator: Yes sir, we have several shipping options, FedEx Air, overnight or ballistic rocket

Caller: You can deliver via a rocket!?

Operator: Yes sir, all we need is the GPS coordinates of your parking lot at your business... You of course have to tape it off so we don't crush anyone's car during delivery

 

[C3PO]

Maybe we could talk Mr. Piccoli to make a special 'ballistic' version of the AerobrakeMFD.(Or maybe someone else. The source is included in the release.)

If you make a 'reentry-payload' that isn't controlled(no RCS, aero surfaces or lift), it should be quite easy to make the MDF calculate the ground impact point. It already does that with vessels that have lift. The trick is to make the MFD use the dynamics of the payload instead of the current vessel(The launcher).

If the payload is aerodynamically stable, it shouldn't be too hard to calculate the target. It would only travel with zero AoA.


-----Post Added-----

One of my favorite scenarios is to launch a Shuttle-A cargo pod atop a Titan II ICBM into a ballistic flight from the Cape to Vandenberg, using ony Map MFD to find the azimuth, and Aerobrake MFD to tell me when to cut the throttle. I hang onto the second stage after burnout and usually do 2 correction burns near apogee, one for cross range error and one for in-track error. When you cut the cargo pod loose, the Aerobrake solution changes because you now have a different aerodynamic model, so you have to think ahead, plus the pod has no propulsion, it's purely ballistic. It also has parachutes, which have to be accounted for by aiming a bit long.

You could 'cheat' by making a ShutleAPL.LD file, and rename it to work with the Titan II. AerobrakeMFD should use the cargo pod's data when you're 'driving' the Titan.

 

[garyw]

What about this?

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=1468"]Autopilot 1.72 with AIRAC and worldwide Airports[/ame]

 

[-Pv-]

The AP mentioned above is pre Orbiter 2006. Has anyone tried it?
-Pv-

 

[-Pv-]

I answered my own question on the AP. It was buggy on my system. Targets could no longer be selected on other MFDs and the sim finally CTDd. I didn't play with trying to find work-arounds although I suspect there are some since the MFD tried to work as expected.
-Pv-