Building a simpit

[DanM]

After my failed attempt from my old thread, I'm starting a new one. I'm not sure where to start, or what I want to do. I want to make something that is real or planned (ie Orion), relatively simple, versatile, and can hold at least 2 people. I've considered Soyuz, Apollo, and Shuttle. AFAIK, Soyuz has the simplest panel. And it's current, and will be for a while. What kind of projects should I do to get ready for such a thing?

 

[Pyromaniac605]

I've always wanted to build an Apollo simpit (and will eventually) so that'd be good inspiration for me, but it's yours so pick what you'd like.
Do you know if there is a simple 'guide' to making a simpit? It'd help me when I can make one.

Darren
Edit: What about Gemini?

 

[DanM]

I don't know of any specific guides, but there are videos on youtube about simpit building, and in there are links on this forum. And about Gemini, I considered it, but there's not much you can do besides MOL, EVAs, Rendezvous and Agena dockings. The EVAs would be pretty hard to pull off, anyways.

For your Apollo project, along with the links to the guides, there's also a how to on building a block one AGC.

 

[ganlhi]

Hello guys !

I built a small desktop generic panel for Orbiter. It doesn't look like any real panel, but it provides standards commands for Orbiter, and th most interesting : I have differents controls for rotation and translation RCS thrusters ! It makes docking manoeuvers very cool !

 

[DanM]

Alright, I've officially decided on Soyuz. My next step is to figure out how I'll lay out the panel. Time to brush up on my Russian...

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Alright, I've officially decided on Soyuz. My next step is to figure out how I'll lay out the panel. Time to brush up on my Russian...

Which Soyuz? I'm pretty sure the panels would have changed quite a bit in its long history.

Darren

 

[DanM]

Which Soyuz? I'm pretty sure the panels would have changed quite a bit in its long history.

Darren

TMA. It's setup can be very easily adapted to orbiter, and it's the most simple setup. If anyone has some good photos of the panels, please post them. Thank You.

---------- Post added at 10:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 PM ----------

If anyone can help with actually being able to read the words on the panels, it would be greatly appreciated. All I can figure out is that the giant knob is "Closed-Open" and the 8 numbered buttons below the displays say "Code."

 

[DanM]

Update: I've made some progress (no pun intended). Currently, I'm drafting a list of commands I would like on the panel based on the Soyuz from ISS 3.2

I also plan to have the two displays, but different from real life. One will be for MFDs, the other for the periscope view.

Hopefully I'll have something resembling a design by the end of this weekend.

 

[Izack]

I also plan to have the two displays, but different from real life. One will be for MFDs, the other for the periscope view.

So one display will show the Orbiter main window?

I'd recommend using both as MFDs, and setting one to CameraMFD, and adjust the location to that of the periscope, so that you would be able to use both the periscope and external view at the same time. :thumbup:

 

[Keatah]

When I do my next sim-pit it will be generic enough to allow any vessel from either orbiter or x-plane to work successfully. Just having a nice cockpit ambience is good enough, and when I'm done and bored with one vessel i can easily go to the next!

 

[DanM]

So one display will show the Orbiter main window?

I'd recommend using both as MFDs, and setting one to CameraMFD, and adjust the location to that of the periscope, so that you would be able to use both the periscope and external view at the same time. :thumbup:

Yes, one will display the main window. The MFD one should be big enough for 2-4 MFDs. I don't want to use CameraMFD, because then I can't use that display with the data, if you are familiar with that Soyuz addon.

 

[Hielor]

When I do my next sim-pit it will be generic enough to allow any vessel from either orbiter or x-plane to work successfully. Just having a nice cockpit ambience is good enough, and when I'm done and bored with one vessel i can easily go to the next!

This is all fine and dandy in theory...but rather more difficult in practice.

 

[Keatah]

This is all fine and dandy in theory...but rather more difficult in practice.

I don't know about that. It would seem that having enough display real-estate would be a prequisite. I'm starting with a large 70" display, and then below that there will be several 22" monitors for instrumentation and pc operations. I'm not too particular about accuracy in representing any one cockpit from a specific vehicle. That frees me to be creative in the control layout. Some controls will work in one sim, while others in others.

Anyways, I plan on this being a 2-year project that will continuously evolve.

 

[MajorTom]

TMA. It's setup can be very easily adapted to orbiter, and it's the most simple setup. If anyone has some good photos of the panels, please post them. Thank You.

---------- Post added at 10:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 PM ----------

If anyone can help with actually being able to read the words on the panels, it would be greatly appreciated. All I can figure out is that the giant knob is "Closed-Open" and the 8 numbered buttons below the displays say "Code."

Great photo...I'm sort of interested in doing a Soyuz simpit myself. I've been thinking lately of materials to use to build the "shell" of the SA. Perhaps Fiberglas over a wooden frame??

For the Russian instruments and such, figure out the cyrillic alphabet, then type in the Russian words into an online translator to get some meaning out of them. Guesswork may help, as will the photo I've attached here.

If I find anymore such photos I'll try to post them. I believe this is the TM "Neptune" panel. Photo:

 

[scuba_steve]

I don't want to get too off topic here, but regarding the translation of Russian control panels. How do the non-Russian astronauts manage when they fly on soyuz? Do they have to learn russian and the cyrillic alphabet? are there versions of the panels for the iss missions with both english and russian?... maybe the translation is already done for you somewhere?...just a thought?

 

[Wishbone]

Having a Russian Soyuz commander usually helps, and yes, they do courses in Russian AFAIR.

 

[DanM]

I plan to have all the panels in English, even though I know a little Russian and can kinda read Cyrillic. I also don't plan to make an exact replica, I'll probably dumb-down the interface for Orbiter.

 

[River Crab]

May be an additional help for Russian translation: Russian Glossary

I suggest you do some mock-ups with foam core, if you're not sure what the layout will be (since it's not going to be a perfect copy of Soyuz TMA).

 

[DanM]

I suggest you do some mock-ups with foam core, if you're not sure what the layout will be (since it's not going to be a perfect copy of Soyuz TMA).

Thank you for the idea. My dad agrees, he told em to call my uncle who works at Locheed Martin about the foam core F-16 simpit they made. I might even get the plans for it finished by spring break.

 

[MajorTom]

Foam core...do you mean foam core fiberglass? That's how many boats are made...