Space Shuttle Ultra 1.25 Revision B development

[DaveS]

A little too pronounced seperation between blankets IMHO.

Yeah, I know. I haven't found any way to reduce that. I have been having some issues getting the inboard mapping just right to align properly with the outboard and top mappings, but I think I have gotten that right now.

Let me know if you want to alter the actual blanket texture that I use, it's just one single blanket that is scaled to the appropriate size for where it goes on the pod structure.

 

[Donamy]

try lightening the shadow on the edge of the one blanket.

 

[DaveS]

Just about done with the AFRSI, moving on to the forward tile section:

---------- Post added at 10:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 AM ----------

After some trial and error, it seems like the old forward OMS pod tile section texture won't fit the new OMS pod. I'm not sure what I should do now. There's also a couple of ugly sharp edges I can seem to remove, even though the vertices have been welded and I have played around with the crease angle setting.

---------- Post added 09-21-13 at 05:53 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-20-13 at 10:35 PM ----------

I'm posting this to gather some inputs on possible solutions to the OMS pod texture problem I posted about earlier:

 

[Donamy]

I know you said you welded all the vertices, but are there more than one part ?

 

[DaveS]

I know you said you welded all the vertices, but are there more than one part ?

You mean more than one object? Then, no, just one single merged object with the vertices at each segment interface welded.

Never mind that now as I think I have gotten the problems solved. Now I have run into another one, this time it is more a limitation of my own graphic abilities right now.

I can't make the angled tiles that covers the forward section. I'm happy with the overall mapping of the texture, it's just that I currently am not skilled enough to create the actual tiles for the texture.
Don't mind the mirrored "1 2 3 4 5", that was just something I used for the texture mapping.

 

[DaveS]

Here's the side TPS schematic that shows the problem area with yellow lines around it:

Another problem is that I can't find a good photo of the OMS pod LRSI tiles. I need one that I can create a texture from. I have tried using ones from the original texture but they don't tile well.

 

[DaveS]

Besides the new orbiter mesh, how is everything else coming along?

---------- Post added 09-28-13 at 01:04 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-27-13 at 04:22 AM ----------

Here's some data/notes on the PLB radiator panels I have found:

PLB Radiator data:

Each panel has a Al honeycomb facesheet 3200mm wide and 8128mm long. FWD deployable panels two sided, core thickness 22mm, 68 tubes/side spaced 48mm. Tube inside diameter is 3.32mm. Aft fixed panels one sided, core thickness 12.7mm, 26 tubes, one side only, spacing is 125mm with tube inside diameter being 4.57mm. FWD deployable panel extra thickness due to requirement to handle deflections during ascent accelerations.

 

[GLS]

I'm back in class, so development has virtually stopped. Just finished writing some code to have the GPCs controlling some valves in the aft, and probably that is it until December/January.
Have done a lot of changes and tweaks, but before I upload them I still have to finish a few small things and I will also redo the helium system as I don't think it's good enough as it is.

 

[DaveS]

I'm back in class, so development has virtually stopped. Just finished writing some code to have the GPCs controlling some valves in the aft, and probably that is it until December/January.
Have done a lot of changes and tweaks, but before I upload them I still have to finish a few small things and I will also redo the helium system as I don't think it's good enough as it is.

Thanks for the update. Just one question though: Is the system workable to the same degree the APU/Hyd, OMS/RCS, PDRS and DPS is currently?

In that case, I would recommend checking it in and gradually replacing the stuff that still needs work so we others can get used to the ops required to handle the system.

 

[GLS]

Right now it simulates the He system* (and associated switches), the S/D PBs, limit switch*, MPS dump* (and switches), redlines in the controller (or should I say redline, because only have the I-seal press at the moment), pneumatic S/D and purges, and some improvements in the GPC control over the things above.
*) still needs some tweaking

I would really like to upload this, but as it is now, it would probably be more bad than good. It's not that I want to reach perfection (impossible), but I don't think it's quite ready yet and I really don't have time to finish it now.

BTW to use any "new" thing it's just read the flight rules and follow the C/L.

 

[DaveS]

After quite a bit of work, the PLBD structure is mostly done. Just a few bits missing, most notably the EVA handrails.

 

[DaveS]

After making the radiator panels, I found that the intermediate frames of the PLBDs were too thin, so I had to remake them. But that is now all done and here's a wide-angle shot of the PLB with the radiator panels added:

 

[DaveS]

I thought I had the PLBDs down but after checking the clearances with the Ku band DA, it showed that they were wrong. What I need is the actual thickness of the intermediate framework of the doors as well as any dimensions on the Ku band DA as these are mostly guess works right now.

 

[Donamy]

Kinda anal, don't ya think?

 

[DaveS]

Kinda anal, don't ya think?

Not really. There's a special monitor overlay included with the Orbit Ops checklist that the crew uses to ensure proper stowage of the Ku band DA. Also, it just looks bad when the radiator panels start to "eat" into the DA.

 

[DaveS]

After being sidelined for a while due to my computer experiencing a electrical fault that killed it, I'm back on a new machine and ready to work on the orbiter mesh/texture(s) again. First status report is that the PLBDs need rework despite the earlier promising screenshots.

What I am in need of is the thickness of the ribs, longerons and intercostals of the doors. That is what is creating an uncertainty, that and the coordinates of the center of the RMS/OBSS booms when cradled and stowed in the their respective MPMs.

 

[DaveS]

This is something that has bugged me for a while now: When mated the ET, the orbiter doesn't quite sit properly WRT to the bipod struts. The orbiter should have a slight negative AoA to properly mate with the bipod struts on the ET. Currently it sits at a 0° AoA.

 

[Urwumpe]

Can you provide a NASA drawing with the proper alignment?

As far as I remember about the coordinates, was that ET coordinates and Orbiter body coordinates are in fact parallel.

EDIT:

No, this even looks like a minimal positive AOA. Sorry, I have to disagree there. (Look at the angle between external tank skin and the payload bay door links)

 

[DaveS]

Can you provide a NASA drawing with the proper alignment?

As far as I remember about the coordinates, was that ET coordinates and Orbiter body coordinates are in fact parallel.

EDIT:

No, this even looks like a minimal positive AOA. Sorry, I have to disagree there. (Look at the angle between external tank skin and the payload bay door links)

Yes, you are correct here. I was going from memory about the negative AoA and after measuring it in a photo of Endeavour pre-launch to STS-130, I have found it's about 1-2°s positive AoA as measured from the aft ET/Orbiter attach points/umbilicals.

 

[Urwumpe]

Yes - I think that everything with less than 3° deviation by photography measurements is not of concern. Even 3° deviation between our models and a NASA reference would not be of urgent concern now - it is no bug that should delay release.

We are releasing, aren't we?

If you can find a NASA reference there (no photography, because of the measurement errors exceeding the deviation currently), we can file a ticket for it with low priority and fix it, if we have the capacity.

I plan getting back at the ATVC around 16/17th November, the next weekenends are still reserved for Phoenix Con and university.