Problem Trouble with Velcro Upper stages and Shuttle Fleet 4.7

[orbitingpluto]

I was getting ready to experiment with using upper stages in the shuttle, starting out with the IUS. Velcro Rockets has an IUS so I thought to try attaching one.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70769070@N08/6398090893/

Here is the scenario file for the picture above:

BEGIN_DESC
Endeavour Ready to depart.
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
  Date MJD 55366.7096076852
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship Endeavour
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET Endeavour
  MODE Extern
  POS 4.51 28.25 34.20
  TRACKMODE GlobalFrame
  FOV 40.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
  TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
  TYPE Surface
  SPDMODE 1
END_MFD



BEGIN_SHIPS
Endeavour:Shuttle
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6208900 28.6271740
  HEADING 2.00
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000 1:1.000 2:1.000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  CONFIGURATION 0
  OV- 105
  RMSARM
  CARGODOOR 0 0.0000
  KUBAND 0 0.0000
  POSTLAND 0 0.0000
  SSMES 0 0.0000
  ADTA 0 0.0000
  PETD 1 1.0000
  SETD 1 1.0000
  ARMTILT 0 0.0000 0 0.0000
  PRADIATOR 0 0.0000
  SRADIATOR 0 0.0000
  GEAR 0 0.0000
  PAYLOAD_MASS 0.0000
  SAT_OFS_X 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Y 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Z 0.000
  OMS 
  CALLOUT 
  TGT_HEADING  42.000 228.0
  ASSIST 134.0 77.0
END
IUS1:Velcro/IUS_Stg1
  STATUS Orbiting Earth
  RPOS 6401703.57 1630405.53 -415895.36
  RVEL 396.192 286.683 7766.129
  ATTACHED 0:0,Endeavour
  AROT 30.00 0.00 50.00
  FUEL 1.0 
  STAGE IUS2 Velcro/IUS_Stg2 Velcro/IUS_Stg2 0 0 1.838 3919 0 1
    PAYLOAD probe probe probe 0 0 3.5 2500 0 1
END
END_SHIPS

Since it looked out of whack, I tried adding this part of the scenario file:

BEGIN_SHIPS
Endeavour:Shuttle
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6208900 28.6271740
  HEADING 2.00
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000 1:1.000 2:1.000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  CONFIGURATION 0
  OV- 105
  RMSARM
  RENDER
  CARGODOOR 0 0.0000
  KUBAND 0 0.0000
  POSTLAND 0 0.0000
  SSMES 0 0.0000
  ADTA 0 0.0000
  PETD 1 1.0000
  SETD 1 1.0000
  ARMTILT 0 0.0000 0 0.0000
  PRADIATOR 0 0.0000
  SRADIATOR 0 0.0000
  GEAR 0 0.0000
  PAYLOAD_MASS 0.0000
[B]  PL1_OFS 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
  PL1_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL1_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  PL2_OFS 2.550000 2.150000 3.850000
  PL2_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL2_ROT 1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
  PL3_OFS -1.850000 1.800000 11.750000
  PL3_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL3_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  PL4_OFS -2.200000 1.800000 -6.250000
  PL4_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL4_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  PL5_OFS 2.200000 1.800000 -6.250000
  PL5_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL5_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
  PL6_OFS 1.850000 1.800000 11.750000
  PL6_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL6_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000[/B]
  SAT_OFS_X 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Y 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Z 0.000
  OMS 
  CALLOUT 
  TGT_HEADING  42.000 228.0
  ASSIST 134.0 77.0
END
IUS1:Velcro/IUS_Stg1
  STATUS Orbiting Earth
  RPOS 6401703.57 1630405.53 -415895.36
  RVEL 396.192 286.683 7766.129
  ATTACHED 0:0,Endeavour
  AROT 30.00 0.00 50.00
  FUEL 1.0 
  STAGE IUS2 Velcro/IUS_Stg2 Velcro/IUS_Stg2 0 0 1.838 3919 0 1
    PAYLOAD probe probe probe 0 0 3.5 2500 0 1
END
END_SHIPS

I copied the bolded part from the Shuttle Fleet's manual, and it works. Then I began tweaking these lines:

  PL1_DIR 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
  PL1_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000

So far moving about the 1's from one place to another has resulted in the IUS disappearing from the shuttle, and with the focus on it all one can see is blue sky and some clouds, no ground, no IUS, no probe.

I know I'm doing something wrong, could someone tell me what?

 

[David413]

How, specifically, did you "tweak" the lines? Could you please post an example of how you set them when the IUS disappeared? I think I know what's wrong, but I need to see a specific example of what you did.

Dave

 

[orbitingpluto]

What I did was take this part:

  PL1_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000

Take this 1,

  PL1_ROT 0.000000 0.000000 [B]1[/B].000000

And swap it with this zero:

  PL1_ROT 0.000000 [B]0[/B].000000 1.000000

To make this:

  PL1_ROT 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000

This causes the disappearing IUS problem. I've also caused the meshes of the IUS and the probe to distort using this line:

  PL1_ROT 0.000000 1.000000 1.000000

 

[David413]

If you only swap the "ROT" line like you have stated, you cannot have a "1" in the same location (i.e., X, Y, Z) in the "DIR" line. This is a limitation of Orbiter, not the fleet. If you move the "1" in "ROT", move the "1" in "DIR" too. You can only have one "1" in each line, and they cannot both occupy the same ordinal location.

 

[orbitingpluto]

Okay, I'm realizing what I did to break things. Could you explain to me how I should use the "DIR" and "ROT" lines to properly place the IUS? I don't understand what exactly each x,y,z in those lines do, and how to use them.

 

[Donamy]

See if this helps.

 

[orbitingpluto]

I have found through trail and error that this:

  PL1_DIR 0.000000 0.00000 -1.000000
  PL1_ROT 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000

Results in the IUS with it's payload toward the crew cabin and the "USA" on it's side pointing down into the payload bay- which is to say the way it should. Problem solved and thank you for helping me to get there!


Though I want to point something out. The manual doesn't give much more information on attaching things then saying "using these lines, and some experimenting, we find the correct values". Until I was told what things I couldn't do; I wasn't getting any closer to getting the right placement. Could you add to the manual something like Donamy's chart and the reason why one shouldn't do the "no"'s on that chart?

 

[David413]

I'll consider it, however the Orbiter manual used to have a pretty good description of attachment and docking parameters that seemed to be sufficient over all these years. I've had over 30,000 downloads of the Shuttle Fleet and you are the first person to have (reported) this difficulty.

Glad you resolved your issue,
Dave