Modular Ship development

[jedidia]

No, I want to use VC, because I like ships with VC. I think it is much more interesting than 2D panel.

while I agree with that one, handling often is easier with a panel. But yeah, why not going for VC's. I just don't know yet how to texture these...

I started this work in the latest version already. Soon I will make the other version of a control module (still very simple though) with different placement of the screens and will see if it is feasible.

that's nice

There is absolutely nothing difficult in making more than 2 MFDs. It seems that you never flew a Space Shuttle in Orbiter.

actually I did on some occasions... didn't use the VC, however, because I couldn't see anything through these windows and was crushed by all the buttons to push... :lol:

And you are right, attachment points must be very well distinguishable, probably I will be able to make indicators like arrows for grapple points in some existing spacecrafts.

I thought the current docking port texture was indication enough, but I can easily add some arrows and stuff to it if you think it's neccessary.

 

[vchamp]

I made the new control module. Instead of creating a completely new mesh I took it from the Shuttle A. Making a support of different control modules was even easier than I suspected. The new version is on SourceForge. Now you can choose Ship or ShipShA as the starting component of a ship. To make another version of control module, just create a mesh with interior but without screens and send it to me. Then I will put the screens into it and create a new cfg file. The only requirement for model is that it must have a deployable docking port with two hatches in front of a module.

Besides of this I made more correct calculations of the mass center and fixed the bug with RCS blocks.

I thought the current docking port texture was indication enough, but I can easily add some arrows and stuff to it if you think it's neccessary.

Docking port is a good indication, but when it is in shadow it isn't visible. It would be great if you add little red cubes with self-illuminating material that is visible in the dark. For example, Station Building Blocks have such red cubes (they just mark the dimensions of a module, not attachment points). Please make also grapple point on each model (self-illuminating too). The truss you sent me hadn't it.

 

[jedidia]

nah, the problem with the grappling point is that it is visible even when the stuff is put together, which looks... strange. Hovever, I intend to rework the textures a bit anyways, I'll search for something that is Identifiable as a grappling point (a handle or something...), plus add some lights to the attachement points. Working it all in the dark isn't fun anyways, since one barely sees if the truss is in the right place at all... :dry:

 

[jedidia]

After a bit of trouble with file conversion, the trusspack finaly got finished. included are light and heavy trusses with textures and attachment lights. You'll have to wait until vChamp uploads it to sourceforge, though.

@VChamp: I noticed one error in the LiTruss1to3longR4.7m.cfg and in the one of its heavy brother, the Z-coordinate for one of the attachment points is wrong (X 0, Y 4.7, Z should be the same as the other two). Also I forgott to tell you that I did not yet adjust the mass and inertia and stuff. Majorly because it's getting rather busy for the rest of the week, and I won't be able to do it until next.







If anyone would like to join up and help with modeling, he'd be welcome. It will take quite a while to get it all done alone.

 

[vchamp]

Good news! Thank you.

I will upload it to SourceForge when I finish the next version of dll. I am currently working on temperature control and also had some trouble with it, because I had to study some aspects of thermodynamics. The temperature calculations almost finished. The factors that influence the temperature change are:
- whether a ship is in a planet shadow;
- ship's distance from the Sun;
- ship's orientation relative to the Sun (different parts are heated differently);
- physical parameters of modules materials.

Now I am trying to use radiators and heating devices for temperature control.

 

[jedidia]

wow, that sounds great! :speakcool:

If I understand this correctly, we'll have radiators seperated from engines now. That's very good to hear, because I was beginning to wonder about how the hell I'm going to pack a Vasimir, its reactor AND its radiator into one mesh so it still fits into the cargo bay. Not to talk about even bulkier pieces of machinery like a fusion drive...

 

[vchamp]

We would have separate radiators anyway for modules that don't have it integrated (habitations for example). We can have radiators both separately or integrated in other modules like reactors. Choose the way that is more convenient for you, but have in mind that radiator's efficiency will depend on its area. I suppose the nuclear reactor's cooling requirement is much higher than habitation's and this two kinds of modules probably must use different radiators.

 

[jedidia]

yeah, the coolant from the hab would only get heated up if ran through the high-temperature system. And yes, a nuclear reactor needs rather big radiators... which is why I wondered how to stuff them all together without getting huge.

Radiators for the habs could be mounted directly on their surfaces, however.

 

[vchamp]

There is a small problem with LiTruss1to1long2lat15m and LiTruss1to1long2lat21m. It is very strange, I've never seen this before. This trusses don't reflect sunlight from the surfaces that face sun, instead the opposite surfaces are lighted. :blink: It can be seen on your screenshots too.

Maybe you should recreate this models.

 

[jedidia]

you're right. I noticed it too, but didn't draw the conclusion that it's due to the meshes.

I guess it's connected to the conversion problems I had. I had to flip normals on some meshes, it's possible that this affects the lighting. Like, while the right side is turned out, the wrong side is lighted. Will see what I can do, but won't have the time to get to it until monday.

Edit: after looking at my shots again, I come to the conclusion that it's not just with the two you mentioned, but with other trusses as well... only there it's just partial. I.E. everywhere where I had to flip the normals. I hope I can solve this...

 

[vchamp]

The next version is on SourceForge.

I made the trusses pack available for download separately.

The new version features the temperature control system and the new module - deployable radiator. I didn't make a doc on how to use it, I hope it is understandable intuitively.

The next step from my side is making a deployable shield for aerobraking. But I don't know how it must look and what animations it should use. It would be great if someone suggest a good method for aeroshield which should be compact when stowed behind the control module, but could be deployed in front of the spacecraft.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

just wanted to add more positive feedback to this thread. This project looks to be an absolute corker. grats and good luck!

 

[jedidia]

The next step from my side is making a deployable shield for aerobraking. But I don't know how it must look and what animations it should use.

I think inflatable would be the best way to do something like that... similiar to what they did in the Exploreur.

Oh yeah, if you ever run out of work (unlikely, I know )... have you ever considered adding ram-scoops?

Will try the new version right now. Got to see how my new fuel-tank looks in Orbiter anyways...

 

[jedidia]

I nailed a few modules together yesterday to see how it all works so far and how my new fuel tanks look (good! but not quite finished yet). After all I never actually FLEW an intermod ship (by the way, we NEED to get another short name for the thing... this one's taken allready!).

good work on them radiators! They look very nice allready just the way they are! will change the attachement block and put a texture on it as soon as I find the time.

A bit of a manual (text only is sufficient for the moment) wouldn't be too bad I think. For example, I don't know what my radiators were actually cooling. The command module overheated all the time and I had to deploy it's private radiator (a bit of automatisation there would be cool, by the way). Also, since the radiator is sitting unshielded on top of the command-module, deploying it wouldn't actually make much of a difference, unless it radiates with it's backside as well. But that would be quite some radiator area for that little module.

there's a few things I noted on my quick run:

Took a look at the new command module, it laks a polygon in the bottom... we'll fix that when we get to texturing.

clicks on random areas of the temperature display led to
pretty reliable ctd's, but it's the only real trouble I found.

Plus, I didn't get the wheel working. Allthough
I built it completely, it wouldn't start, saying it was unfinished. As I said, a few lines of documentatin would be great.

A Fuel display similiar to the oxygen display would be rather handy. The oxygen display could be smaller, which would provide enough space for adding it.

 

[vchamp]

Thank you, wehaveaproblem, I wish you the best with Ascension Island too.

I think inflatable would be the best way to do something like that... similiar to what they did in the Exploreur.

Hmm, interesting, I didn't think about it. But again I want the aeroshield to be a separate module that could be placed behind the control module. What mechanism then to use for deployment of inflatable aeroshield?

Ram scoops? Never heard about it. Searching with google gave me the feeling that this is a technology for interstellar flights only. Or do you mean collecting hydrogen from the atmosphere of giant planets? It is a good idea but I am not sure if it would be feasible in reality.

 

[jedidia]

first I thought this was the fastest reply ever, but obviously we were writing at the same time... :lol:

What mechanism then to use for deployment of inflatable aeroshield?

That is a good question. I didn't really bother with aerobraking technologies 'till now. But I'm sure someone here on the board can give us a hint if we post the right question at the right place.

It is a good idea but I am not sure if it would be feasible in reality.

Oh well, I majorly asked because I started to like the Vespucci as of late.

 

[vchamp]

Intermod has been taken? By whom? Ok, we can use another name (I don't like the name "Intermod" anyway).

Radiators are cooling the modules that are connected to them. To connect a module click on radiator, then click on the name of the module in the right column.

Unshielded radiator... Yes, I know, maybe I must add the check for whether a radiator is exposed to the sun. Control module's radiator has 3 radiative areas: both sides of the moveable part plus the part of the roof that it covers when stowed.

I've never had ctd's after clicks on the temperature display. Can you give me the exact scenery that reproduces it with 100%?

I built the centrifuge many times and only once it refused to work. I have to check the code to find where is the problem.

 

[jedidia]

Radiators are cooling the modules that are connected to them. To connect a module click on radiator, then click on the name of the module in the right column.

ah! that explaines a lot! :lol:

will see about the reproduction of that ctd. I managed it twice yesterday, then I didn't try anymore (didn't have too much time on my hands for happy ctd'ing :lol

 

[vchamp]

The bug with centrifuge is fixed. I've updated the archive on SourceForge. I have a slightly too complex attachment points management, because Orbiter API doesn't allow to delete them. By unknown for me reason it has DelDock() function, but there is no DelAttachment() function.

The silly bug with ctd on temperature screen click is also fixed (I hope it is the same that caused your ctd's).

 

[jedidia]

Man, you're a big mean coding machine!

on another note:

http://www.orbithangar.com/advsearc...uthor=default&category=default&subcat=default