Project Orbital Craft (OK) 1.01 "Buran" development

[DaveS]

Here's the latest screenshots, showing the nearly completed left PLBD. I just need to add the support hardware for the radiator panels, along with the centerline latches.

 

[4throck]

Looks good!

 

[DaveS]

After a short break, I'm back at this. The left PLBD is mostly done, just lacking the radiator support hardware.

 

[clairyhua]

For a few years, there had been likely a phase of parallel development, with Soviet engineers only having photographs of the STS prototypes in construction available.

 

[DaveS]

The PLBDs are just about complete. The left door is 99% done, it is just missing the exterior hinges. The right door is 96% complete at this point, with just the active centerline latches and the exterior hinges missing and they're being completed right now. I also did a bit of minor reshaping of the forward fuselage as it wasn't quite right. So things are coming together.

 

[DaveS]

Both PLBDs essentially done, just need to finish up the actuator mechanisms for the PLBD centerline latch hooks.

 

[DaveS]

An interesting find on the flight deck panels of the Soviet OKs: http://www.cosmoworld.ru/spaceencyclopedia/publications/soi_buran.pdf
Anyone with the requisite Russian that can translate it?

 

[Urwumpe]

An interesting find on the flight deck panels of the Soviet OKs: http://www.cosmoworld.ru/spaceencyclopedia/publications/soi_buran.pdf
Anyone with the requisite Russian that can translate it?

I think I also have this PDF for some years and started taking some notes about translating it.

But I can't speak any russian, I can just look up words...

 

[MaxBuzz]

this document is a report on the work done, most of it does not carry special value. the location of the instruments on the panel can be useful (under the figure abbreviations of the names of the instruments are given)

P.S. the document is unusual in that it contains a lot of criticism of the Buran system itself

 

[Urwumpe]

P.S. the document is unusual in that it contains a lot of criticism of the Buran system itself

It is a scientific article by one of the designers of the system himself, that is why things might sound a bit more critical of Buran as you might expect.

I started adding an article to Orbiterwiki for translating this, if you want to help me there, it will sure better than what I can do alone.

IDS of OK "Buran" - OrbiterWiki

www.orbiterwiki.org

(In case anybody here is highly optimistic about my language skills beyond Forth - I needed one hour to translate the short first paragraph of the article.)

 

[4throck]

An interesting find on the flight deck panels of the Soviet OKs: http://www.cosmoworld.ru/spaceencyclopedia/publications/soi_buran.pdf
Anyone with the requisite Russian that can translate it?

That's a good source.
The aircraft like dials in front of the pilot are very self-explanatory. Check my LUA powered Buran VCs to seem them working.
You have climb angle, altitude, speed, attitude, etc. Pretty much what you need to land.

Here's another source with the overall panel layout:

Конструкция "Бурана" - система отображения информации (СОИ) в кабине

 

[DaveS]

More work on in the PLB, adding the support structures and the PLBD drive mechanisms (12xPLBD).

 

[Urwumpe]

Did they really use a similar mechanism as the US shuttle there?

 

[DaveS]

Did they really use a similar mechanism as the US shuttle there?

From what I can tell, yes. This is a photo of one of the mechanisms on the T-Vac test article. You can see at the extreme right in the photo.

 

[Urwumpe]

This here shows a slightly different version, but I can't find any assembly pictures of the payload bay with the mechanism in place.

 

[DaveS]

Video here shows that particular 3D model in action, just after the 2 minute point:

 

[Urwumpe]

Yes, it lacks the Space Shuttle PLB push rods as well.

 

[DaveS]

Yes, it lacks the Space Shuttle PLB push rods as well.

It is possible that whoever made the 3D model forgot to include them as it is visible in 006-49.jpg that I posted eariler. It can be seen as a tiny black vertical line extending from the sill to the crank. The animation of the 3D model isn't 100% accurate as you can see that the PLBD centerline latches still in the closed position. In the open position they would be vertical rather than horizontal.

 

[DaveS]

Latest work has been preparing the model for the addition of the various penetrations (RCS jet nozzles, APU exhaust ports, vent doors and lifting sling ports). The FRCS is done, moving on to the vent doors on the midbody.

 

[DaveS]

After a lot of hard work, the aft body and the OAC pods have their equipment. Next up is some overall mesh refinements as there's some areas I'm not completely happy with. After these are done, I'll move on to adding the overhead and aft windows to the forward PLB bulkhead.