Skylab1973 v2.0, and Skylab1980 -- Released at Last!

[NukeET]

Will this work with Velcro Saturns?

Skylab is bigger and better! Version 2 of Skylab1973 includes Saturn V launcher. The Saturn B1 crew launches can be done with either NASSP or Velcro Rockets/Saturns plus AMSO.

 

[thegrogen]

This is great! I've was hoping to see the Skylab reuse plan in orbiter someday, looks like I got my wish. The only problem I have with it is that there's no ODS for Columbia and Challenger (would very much like to see Challenger visiting a space station!), but that's not too big of a deal.

Amazing work!

 

[Missioncmdr]

Very nice work. Really cool concepts you made based on the Skylab Reuse Study.

 

[Usonian]

This is great! I've was hoping to see the Skylab reuse plan in orbiter someday, looks like I got my wish. The only problem I have with it is that there's no ODS for Columbia and Challenger (would very much like to see Challenger visiting a space station!), but that's not too big of a deal.

Amazing work!

I originally worked out everything using SSU, which currently has only an Atlantis mesh. I cheated by naming the ship per the historical mission number. (When flying these SSU mission, try not to look at the name on the wing) In my alternate reality the first refurb mission is STS-41-C, a Challenger flight in real life.

When I started on the Fleet scenarios I discovered that Challenger never had an ODS ---- SHT!! So, in the Fleet scenarios I changed this flight to STS-41-D, a Discovery mission. For historical accuracy (if that means anything in this Skylab reuse fantasy) I should have made the same change to all the other scenarios. But I too wanted Challenger in on the action, so I left the SSU scenarios alone.

If SSU comes out with separate meshes for the full line of orbiters I hope they don't make it impossible to add an ODS to Challenger and Columbia.

 

[xmariox]

Doesn´t matter make separated ODS for Columbia and Challenger

 

[Usonian]

Will this work with Velcro Saturns?

Velcro Saturns includes launch scenarios for Saturn V and Skylab. Version 1 of Skylab1973 was just Skylab - to do anything with it you really had to perform additonal downloads. With Version 2 I just felt the addon should at least have its own launch capability.

As NukeET points out, the addon includes scenarios using the Velcro/AMSO combination for crew launches.


-----Posted Added-----

One question though; is it possible to use more than one "power" unit (solar panel) in the same scenerio and how would I have to re-name it to allow this. I'm trying to use these instead of the P3/P4 trust whhich I've been waiting for.

I think you can open up the file Config\Spacecraft\Skylab\PowerModule.ini and savas PowerModule2.ini (or whatever name you like).

Then open up the scenario file, copy and past the all the PowerModule stuff to create a second SHIP. Change the name (and all other references) from "PowerModule" to PowerModule2.

Next, check and correct the ATTACHED and DOCKINFO lines for these two PowerModule SHIPS. If the scenario has both ships docked to an identical port it will likely crash Orbiter.

BTW, the Forum development thread for Mustard's P3/P4 truss provided important inspiration and leads to photos for making textures. Thanks to Mustard.

 

[astrosammy]

Great Addon! I've even made a new Orbiter installation for this!

I'm just thinking of making a bit of alternate history:

1. Launching Skylab, making all the real missions.
2. Rescue and make Skylab bigger with Space Shuttle.
3. After 1990, dock it to Mir.
4. Don't build ISS, but add all it's modules to the "Skylab-Mir" complex.

 

[Usonian]

Great Addon! I've even made a new Orbiter installation for this!


I'm just thinking of making a bit of alternate history:

1. Launching Skylab, making all the real missions.
2. Rescue and make Skylab bigger with Space Shuttle.
3. After 1990, dock it to Mir.
4. Don't build ISS, but add all it's modules to the "Skylab-Mir" complex.

Well on your way to constructing Moon2! Your finished station may mess with the tides on Earth :lol:.

I love your Avatar, BTW. Ham is a hero of mine, ever since reading the description of NASA chimps in Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff.

 

[Graham2001]

Working on my own scenario set. This covers a hypothetical follow-up to the ASTP mission.

It will hopefully contain the following.

1. Launch of a shuttle carrying a second airlock module to be docked to the radial docking port on Skylabs MDA. Possibly also a logistics module as well.

2. Launch/rendezvous with Skylab of an APAS-75 equipped Soyuz. (using Dealer McDope's ASTP mod, still waiting for someone to re-do that one for Orbiter 2006) .

Also thought I'd add a direct link to the Skylab Re-use report. It's been reasonably well scanned and there are some very interesting items contained therein. See the attached picture.

 

[thegrogen]

I originally worked out everything using SSU, which currently has only an Atlantis mesh. I cheated by naming the ship per the historical mission number. (When flying these SSU mission, try not to look at the name on the wing) In my alternate reality the first refurb mission is STS-41-C, a Challenger flight in real life.

Hrm, wouldn't that mission actually use Columbia? Not STS-41-C, that is (since that was definitely a Challenger mission), but in the manual it says that SL-6 takes place in January of 1982, and Challenger didn't fly until 1983, did she? Or are we assuming that STS orbiter production was accelerated in this alternate universe?

 

[Usonian]

Or are we assuming that STS orbiter production was accelerated in this alternate universe?

Well, the first Skylab reboost flight must take place in October 1979, so yes, STS production is accelerated in the alternate history (as noted in Section 2 of the manual under What If?). Granted, my use of real-life mission numbers in an alterntate history was bound to create confusion, but what the hell.

Although the Skylab Reuse Study was a serious, real-life document my history must ultimately rest on a foundation of make-believe. To save Skylab with the Shuttle (as proposed in the Reuse Study) I had to either make belive that Congress authorized more money, allowing Shuttle development to be completed by 1979, or make believe that Sun spot activity was lower, extending Skylab's on-orbit life into the early 80s, permitting it to overlap the real-life Shuttle timeline.

In my make-believe history I decided that the actions of Congress could be more plausibly altered than the actions of the Sun. (Sure, that's a stretch.)

 

[thegrogen]

Well, the first Skylab reboost flight must take place in October 1979, so yes, STS production is accelerated in the alternate history (as noted in Section 2 of the manual under What If?). Granted, my use of real-life mission numbers in an alterntate history was bound to create confusion, but what the hell.

What about just leaving the "Skylab numbering" in place for STS missions to it, and use a separate numbering system for different classes of STS missions? I.e. mention that SL-5 would actually have been STS-2a, but keep all the rest of the missions labeled as SL-6, Sl-7, etc. only.

I'll play around with my mesh editor at some point soon and see if I can give Columbia and Challenger ODS's.

 

[sputnik]

Okay, I've posted my own scenario set at http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3564

This scenario set came about because in fact I was working, slowly, on a similar add-on (but with only the TRS), when I found that Usonian was doing a much better job.
These are my scenarios converted to the Skylab 1980 add-on. The unique part is that you're launching only a week before Skylab's re-entry, so you need to be fast, and you need to take care not to try to get under your target to catch up! Atmospheric drag makes rendezvous a bit of a chore. It's fun!

 

[aries197012]

Nice Work.

 

[Usonian]

Okay, I've posted my own scenario set at http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3564

This scenario set came about because in fact I was working, slowly, on a similar add-on (but with only the TRS), when I found that Usonian was doing a much better job.
These are my scenarios converted to the Skylab 1980 add-on. The unique part is that you're launching only a week before Skylab's re-entry, so you need to be fast, and you need to take care not to try to get under your target to catch up! Atmospheric drag makes rendezvous a bit of a chore. It's fun!

I am looking forward to giving this a try. The screen shot at Orbithangar looks scary!

 

[sputnik]

The screen shot at Orbithangar looks scary!

Well, the screen shot at Orbithangar was posed. If you wait until you have actual re-entry flames around Skylab, it's too late. But it does convey the feeling that the atmosphere is never far away, limiting your time and messing with your Sync Orbit MFD results....

 

[chris]

Is there any way to launch an undamaged skylab with both solar panels working?

thanks.

 

[Usonian]

Sorry, I just got too burned out to make an undamaged Skylab. Perhaps when I recover.

 

[chris]

Sorry, I just got too burned out to make an undamaged Skylab. Perhaps when I recover.

Take some time off, you deserve it!

Just for sake of discussion, what would be involved in making an undamaged skylab?
1) On the model, you have to copy/paste the undamaged solar panel, mirror it, and place it on the other side. Right?
2) Then in the code, you comment out the section that triggers the damage animation during launch,
3) and you copy/paste the code that animates the working solar panel, changing the object references so that it animates both panels.

You could then compile and save all of this as a completely separate addon. There's no need to write additional code to switch the damage animation on or off.

 

[Missioncmdr]

There would also have to be an animation for the micrometeoroid shield.