OTRAG

[Xantcha]

Cool multipurpose launch system, closed for 'political reasons'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OTRAG

That would be a great add-on. It's so cool that If I had more time at hand I'd posted it in addon development section instead

There is plenty of information on astronautix, but it looks like most of it is from german-language site referenced in wiki article. Haven't tried translating it, so may be I'm missing something obvious here - what for is ring of canisters at the bottom of rocket?
Also - how is attitude controlled?

 

[Urwumpe]

There is plenty of information on astronautix, but it looks like most of it is from german-language site referenced in wiki article. Haven't tried translating it, so may be I'm missing something obvious here - what for is ring of canisters at the bottom of rocket?
Also - how is attitude controlled?

1. some sort of Fins, similar to the potato masher grids on some Russian rockets.
2. By differential thrust.

 

[Lunar_Lander]

Ah, the good old OTRAG again, I remember our thread at M6 (do you too Urwumpe?)

I once found a somewhat crazy list which listed OTRAG configurations up to 128 tons payload to LEO (that's also on Astronautix).

@Xantcha: No, the article was most probably written by Lutz Kayser, the inventor himself. A more balanced view on the OTRAG is given by Bernd Leitenberger, who re-calculated the data and also recognized Kayser's style of writing in the Astronautix article. Unfortunately, his text is available in German only at the moment.

 

[Xantcha]

Thanks for the answers. So you think this is more reliable than astronautix article?
And I'm really unfamiliar with rockets - can you, please, explain what's is the role of those 'fins' - how they work and why they llok the way they look.

Also - since this system was discussed on m6 already, haven't anyone tried to make this addon?

 

[Urwumpe]

Thanks for the answers. So you think this is more reliable than astronautix article?

Yes, it goes more in deep with it, and also has much more first hand information from Kayser - but whole also staying critical of the design.

Is somebody willed to ask Bernd Leitenberger for right to translate his article on OrbiterWiki into English or Russian?

 

[Lunar_Lander]

Actually I once asked him about that and he replied: "Although I don't have the time to do a translation on my own, you can feel free to make one."

I think that implies that it's ok that anyone here who speaks German and English does a translation .

 

[Urwumpe]

Actually I once asked him about that and he replied: "Although I don't have the time to do a translation on my own, you can feel free to make one."

I think that implies that it's ok that anyone here who speaks German and English does a translation .

OK, I can start giving it a try, but as this is a huge article, some help in the task would be nice.

 

[Lunar_Lander]

I can help you if you want. I'll write you a PM later this day so we can determine which part of the text is translated by whom (But I think both parts should be translated completely to tell the whole story.)

 

[Graham2001]

I thought I'd bump this one as I'd be interested in seeing it as well.

Astronautix.com has an article of dubious reliability which has a photo of the Zaire launch site, as well as one or two of the launches.

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/otrag.htm

 

[sputnik]

I'm working on one (using Velcro), but have kinda gotten stalled on it. Does anyone want to finish it?