IFP Project: Interplanetary Flight Planner

[jarmonik]

Project Status:

0. [60%] Graphical Interface
1. [25%] Configuration options for the Solarsystem viewer
2. [50%] Attaching (allready existing http://koti.mbnet.fi/jarmonik/cflight/) numerical propagator to propagate the vessel trajectory.
3. [50%] Creation of IFP API interface.
4. [100%] Linear Algebra toolkit.
5. [100%] Saving the flight plan into a file and Orbiter scenario
6. [100%] Information sharing between modules & add-on module implementation.
7. [0%] LUA Interface
8. [0%] Creating the Apollo specific maneuver design add-ons. Some of this allready exist in IMFD.
9. [0%] Creation of MFD that receives the flight plan information and performs autoburns. This could be an extension into the IMFD.
10. [0%] Trajectory Optimizations tools.
11. [0%] Extending the flight design to interplanetary sling-shots and solar-sailing.


Screen Shots:

 

[jarmonik]

Ok, Problem solved..

Need to add glDepthMask(true) in order to allow writing into a depth buffer. So, this applies clearing a depth buffer as well.

 

[Whatu]

Thats looking very nice jarmonik! Cheers

I have my hopes in you making interplanetary trips easier for everybody!
You should hire someone who understands this very well, to write extensive documentation on IMFD 5.1
Great work.

 

[jarmonik]

In a need of Textures

I am pretty close to release the first test version for the graphical interface in order to track down any system specific OpenGL problems if any. And, Of couse, to receive feedback from about the usability of the interface.

But I would need some planetary textures I could use in a flight planner.
I suppose the default package should include:

1024 x 512 Texture:
Earth

512 x 256 Textures:
Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn

256 x 256
Saturn Rings

256 x 128 Textures:
Mercury, Io, Europa, Callisto, Ganymedes, Titan, Uranus, Neptune

ATTENTION:

There seems to be a problem with DXT5, DXT3 and DXT1 compressions. OpenGL will render them pretty slowly. :huh:

Of course, I can scale the textures and change the format, That's no problem. Current implementation uses 24-Bit BMP, and Uncompressed DDS


AN OTHER ISSUE:

I have noticed that there often appears a black dot between antialiased line sigments. For an example if I draw a circle using GL_LINE_LOOP. Of course, I could draw a dot in every vertex location but that would cause more unnessecary stress for the matrix computations.

 

[Zatnikitelman]

I'm just curious, but are you planning to expand this project somehow INTO Orbiter? Perhaps make a flight plan exportable as a script so IMFD or something else can read and carry out the plan?

 

[jarmonik]

I'm just curious, but are you planning to expand this project somehow INTO Orbiter? Perhaps make a flight plan exportable as a script so IMFD or something else can read and carry out the plan?

That is exactly what I am doing. IFP (Interplanetary Flight Planner) is an Add-On for Orbiter. It is using the ephemerides through the Orbiter and receives physical parameters of the planets and vessels from Orbiter.

Currently there exists only a Solar system viewer/explorer nothing more.
Next tasks would be:

1. Configuration options for the Solarsystem viewer

2. Attaching (allready existing http://koti.mbnet.fi/jarmonik/cflight/) numerical propagator to propagate the vessel trajectory.

3. Creation of flight design IFP add-on/API interface.

4. Saving the flight plan into a file or probably Orbiter scenario.

5. Creating the Apollo specific maneuver design add-ons. Some of this allready exist in IMFD.

6. Creation of MFD that receives the flight plan information and performs autoburns. This could be an extension into the IMFD.

7. Trajectory Optimizations tools.

8. Extending the flight design to interplanetary sling-shots and solar-sailing.

Well, That sounds almost impossible. :crazy:

 

[spaceranger]

Jarmonik, what image formats/files do you need, specifically? Just surface .bmps? Land/sea masks? Do you need any height maps?

Shouldn't take long to get this stuff for you, depending.

EDIT: Oh wait, looks like you just need some mini textures for a flight planner interface display? Should be some textures up on Orbit Hanger, not sure if you'd tried those and they failed to work well.

 

[jarmonik]

Jarmonik, what image formats/files do you need, specifically? Just surface .bmps? Land/sea masks? Do you need any height maps?

Shouldn't take long to get this stuff for you, depending.

EDIT: Oh wait, looks like you just need some mini textures for a flight planner interface display? Should be some textures up on Orbit Hanger, not sure if you'd tried those and they failed to work well.

Yes, my intention was to use them in the flight planner display. In a closest zoom point the diameter of the planet is just about 1/2 width of the display. Therefore 1024x512 map would be good. Graphics engine doesn't support clound, or pump maps. High quality graphics is not a point of interest. This isn't Orbiter or Celestia.

I can upload a screenshot of Mars with 1024x512 textures at closest zoom point. It Looks Good.

There are several sources in the internet but I am worried about the Copyright issues, since I would like to re-distribute a proper maps with my program.

EDIT: Here is the shot:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/jarmonik/Capture3.jpg

 

[spaceranger]

Gotcha. So you can find map sources but aren't sure of map sources free of copyright. I think NASA's publicly available low-res images are OK to use for your purpose, I'll dig around.

 

[NukeET]

High quality graphics is not a point of interest. This isn't Orbiter or Celestia.

I'm confused. I thought the flight planner was an add-on for Orbiter.

Will this be a stand alone program then?

 

[to be]

I believe it will be a seperate program that can be used to plan interplanetary flights in orbiter. I am sure this will be amazing jarmonik, I am always in awe of your work. Great job.

 

[computerex]

I believe it will be a seperate program that can be used to plan interplanetary flights in orbiter. I am sure this will be amazing jarmonik, I am always in awe of your work. Great job.

Well actually if you look at the screen shots jarmonik posted, I think this is a plug-in inside Orbiter...

 

[to be]

Well actually if you look at the screen shots jarmonik posted, I think this is a plug-in inside Orbiter...

I see, you are right! I had not noticed the background, That could be really cool.

 

[jarmonik]

I'm confused. I thought the flight planner was an add-on for Orbiter.

Will this be a stand alone program then?

Sorry about confusion. This is a flight planner add-on for Orbiter. It do require Orbiter in order to run. But it isn't an other Orbiter or Celestia like application.


From where does the Orbiter get the surface maps ?

 

[Tschachim]

From where does the Orbiter get the surface maps ?

From the textures directory, they are named "<celbody-name>M.bmp", for example "EarthM.bmp".

EDIT: These are the files for MapMFD, I'm not sure if you meant them. The actual planet textures are the "<celbody-name>.tex" files.

Cheers
Tschachim

 

[jarmonik]

From the textures directory, they are named "<celbody-name>M.bmp", for example "EarthM.bmp".

EDIT: These are the files for MapMFD, I'm not sure if you meant them. The actual planet textures are the "<celbody-name>.tex" files.

Cheers
Tschachim

I suppose "tex" is a special file format used by Orbiter containing several DDS files in one. Also the resolution of these files could be very high. But, of course, there could be mipmaps. Using the "tex" files might be possible but it's probably the hard way. I'll look around if I could find something about the "tex" files.

 

[Artlav]

I suppose "tex" is a special file format used by Orbiter containing several DDS files in one. Also the resolution of these files could be very high. But, of course, there could be mipmaps. Using the "tex" files might be possible but it's probably the hard way. I'll look around if I could find something about the "tex" files.

Yes, tex files are just a pack of dds with step by step increasing resolution. The 1024x512 you want is Lv5, you can load that parts only, or any one above/below. And they are already provided along Orbiter, reducing download size.

You can find a comprehensive tex description in one of the OVP clients code, or i can explain how to get the Lv5 out.

 

[jarmonik]

Yes, tex files are just a pack of dds with step by step increasing resolution. The 1024x512 you want is Lv5, you can load that parts only, or any one above/below. And they are already provided along Orbiter, reducing download size.

You can find a comprehensive tex description in one of the OVP clients code, or i can explain how to get the Lv5 out.

After investigating the tex files the situation is not as bad as I thought. It looks like higher levels are build from several 256x256 textures and the lvl5 textures are located in constant/fixed base address.:speakcool:

Thanks about the information.

 

[perseus]

Iyour developments are astounding:Interplanetary Flight Planner
It is something that I hope anxious
As will the parameters d user input?

 

[Quick_Nick]

Hmm... looks like a bad translation. My guess is this:
"It is something that I await anxiously.
How will the user enter parameters?"

P.S. Jarmonik, when(if) you answer, you may want to try to keep the details low and choose words wisely to avoid confusion with translation. I know you probably want to give a thorough explanation of your planner. (which I'll be happy to read, but it won't help someone who doesn't understand)