Space Shuttle Ultra 1.25 Revision B development

[Urwumpe]

Just need them so that the ESPs can be attached to the MLP and then lowered down to the ESP transporter below the MLP during the launch countdown.

What lowers them? A crane, the ESP transporter, the MLP or the ESPs themselves?

 

[DaveS]

What lowers them? A crane, the ESP transporter, the MLP or the ESPs themselves?

For the Saturn V, the ESP was lowered by a set of winches mounted on the 0 Level of the MLP. I believe it's the same for the shuttle ESPs but I haven't managed to find any photos of them.

 

[Urwumpe]

For the Saturn V, the ESP was lowered by a set of winches mounted on the 0 Level of the MLP. I believe it's the same for the shuttle ESPs but I haven't managed to find any photos of them.

Ok, so for now we can assume the attachment points to be moved by the MLP, until better knowledge.

 

[DaveS]

The VAB structure is done! Now it's one to the final items and it will be ready to be checked in! And the structure is now it's own separate mesh. So the static interior structure can now easily be hidden when it is not in view.

 

[Urwumpe]

The VAB structure is done! Now it's one to the final items and it will be ready to be checked in! And the structure is now it's own separate mesh. So the static interior structure can now easily be hidden when it is not in view.

Great! about the user interface for the VAB, dialog or 2D panel?

I think a 2D panel would maybe look nicer, if somebody could maybe ray-trace some useful elements for it.

What might make sense in the user interface, would be a display to show the work flow in the VAB - like which element is needed when in the future or which action is scheduled... maybe some sort of a calendar/clock and a flow chart.

 

[DaveS]

Great! about the user interface for the VAB, dialog or 2D panel?

I think a 2D panel would maybe look nicer, if somebody could maybe ray-trace some useful elements for it.

What might make sense in the user interface, would be a display to show the work flow in the VAB - like which element is needed when in the future or which action is scheduled... maybe some sort of a calendar/clock and a flow chart.

How about for now, a dialog just get things up and running?

 

[Urwumpe]

How about for now, a dialog just get things up and running?

The problem with "for now" is that such solutions tend to linger around longer than needed.

 

[DaveS]

The problem with "for now" is that such solutions tend to linger around longer than needed.

Well, we're only going to need one(well two!) High Bay as the first 12 missions were stacked in High Bay 3(the north-eastern High Bay). First mission to be stacked in High Bay 1 was STS-41G.

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, we're only going to need one(well two!) High Bay as the first 12 missions were stacked in High Bay 3(the north-eastern High Bay). First mission to be stacked in High Bay 1 was STS-41G.

Yes, so we need a dialog to select the high bay - one day.

Also, the handling of the cranes would be simpler if you would have a crane cabin camera position that is updated with the crane. Could be done by dialog, but 2D panel or VC would be more natural there.

For the stacking, we would need to be able to trigger a stacking action, but that would work well by a standard key command in the VAB.

 

[DaveS]

Also, the handling of the cranes would be simpler if you would have a crane cabin camera position that is updated with the crane. Could be done by dialog, but 2D panel or VC would be more natural there.

Would be pretty cool to see the orbiter being lifted from the transfer aisle some 136 m below.

Also the original plan at KSC was to roll the orbiters over on their own landing gear and raising them in the VAB. So this will necessitate the tow tractor for rollovers as the Orbiter Transporter System only came to KSC after the Air Force shut down SLC-6 in 1989.

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:08 PM ----------

Right now finishing up the 250 ton crane(s). What will be missing in this check in is the structures of the low bay and the north extension.

 

[Urwumpe]

Right now finishing up the 250 ton crane(s). What will be missing in this check in is the structures of the low bay and the north extension.

OK. If you have any wishes or ideas for the user interface, just tell me... I have some gaps currently which actions the player would do in the VAB.

 

[DaveS]

OK. If you have any wishes or ideas for the user interface, just tell me... I have some gaps currently which actions the player would do in the VAB.

No UI suggestions for now but how about sounds for the cranes and the general noise the VAB makes? The VAB is anything but quiet!

 

[Urwumpe]

No UI suggestions for now but how about sounds for the cranes and the general noise the VAB makes? The VAB is anything but quiet!

Well, get me the samples and I can do some magic there.

 

[DaveS]

Well, get me the samples and I can do some magic there.

A-OK! VAB is going to be available in about 10 minutes. Just some final tidying up for easier animating.

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 PM ----------

VAB materials checked in, including a scenario where the VAB is defined as Spacecraft3 vessel and an orbiter on the landing gear in the transfer aisle. It also has the High Bay 1 doors animated as an example to show how the large High Bay doors open.

---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:26 PM ----------

CT bug report: I can't switch to any of the other camera views in the CT? Did the keys change?

 

[SiameseCat]

That's a bug in the Crawler code. It should be fixed soon.

---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 PM ----------

Should be fixed now.

 

[DaveS]

Should be fixed now.

The fix is confirmed! I guess that will be all for me today. Tomorrow I'll begin work on the ET and orbiter lift slings as the SRM segment lift sling has already been completed and checked in. Once those are completed, I'll begin work on the integration cell access platforms.

 

[SiameseCat]

Compiling SSU in debug mode

Has anyone compiled and run SSU in Debug mode? It always seems to crash when Orbiter is starting. Release mode works fine.

---------- Post added 03-08-10 at 12:15 AM ---------- Previous post was 03-07-10 at 08:39 PM ----------

I've been going through the errors in Debug mode and there are a couple of big bugs, including handles not being initialized to NULL and an array overflow in the MDU code (this last one probably explains the CRT MFD crashes a few people have had).

 

[DaveS]

ET sling set delayed

ET lift sling is coming along pretty good. Should have it done within the hour. Then I'll do the orbiter lift sling which will complete all the lift slings.

---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

ET lift sling is coming along pretty good. Should have it done within the hour. Then I'll do the orbiter lift sling which will complete all the lift slings.

The ET sling set will be delayed as I'm having quite a bit of trouble getting the forward hoisting adapter fittings correct.

So I have decided to start work on the orbiter lift sling instead.

Attached a schematic over the ET FWD hoisting adapter fittings.

 

[DaveS]

How soon can the VAB be up and running? Just want know in what sort of time-frame the ET and orbiter sling sets need to be completed in.

 

[Urwumpe]

How soon can the VAB be up and running? Just want know in what sort of time-frame the ET and orbiter sling sets need to be completed in.

Soon: I could make a basic vessel without any animations or special features this evening.

Realistically: Next weekend with some animations, I have an exam this Friday and notice that I need more time for learning. A good implementation of the cranes could maybe even take some days more.