Flight Question getting into orbit?

[garyw]

Square one is learning the basics in the Delta-glider.

 

[rocketdued]

oh well im an odd ball i went straight to atlantis:lol:

 

[Urwumpe]

BTW... from the SSU MecoCalc tool, (which is still primitive):

OMS-1 : TIG: 000:00:13:11 VX:247.0 VY:0 VZ:0
OMS-2 : TIG: 000:00:57:51 VX:136.2 VY:0 VZ:0

All PEG-7 guidance targets. Since both OMS engines mean 6 ft/s² acceleration, you would need 41.2 seconds for OMS-1 and 22.7 seconds for OMS-2.

Of course, this data assumes a standard Shuttle ascent as implemented in SSU, for the Atlantis scenario, you should just use them as coarse guide for estimating the burn times.

---------- Post added at 02:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 PM ----------

oh well im an odd ball i went straight to atlantis:lol:

Yes, but that is stupid. Even I started with the DeltaGlider, and I had the tiny advantage compared to other Orbiter users, that I had a spaceflight technology lecture on university before.

Orbiter is a tough simulator, and believe me, making this tougher is not wise at all.

 

[rocketdued]

oh ok. where do i set that?

 

[garyw]

And that's why you are having problems rocketdued. You need to start slowly, read the manuals and understand them.
There is not point keep on asking 'how do I do this, how do I do that' because even if we tell you then you will know HOW to do something but not WHY or how that fits in with the whole.
You really, really need to sit down and start to learn about the fundamentals before moving on to things like Atlantis.

 

[Urwumpe]

oh ok. where do i set that?

No where. It is pretty SSU specific and you don't use SSU. I just ran the ascent calculator for giving you some coarse hints on what good burn times for the OMS-1 and OMS-2 maneuvers are, the rest is up to your piloting.

In SSU, you could program the autopilot with that data, in reality, you would just check if the values already written into the autopilot on the ground (initial load) are correct and confirm them.

 

[rocketdued]

i did read most of the orbiter manual yesterday. if i remember right im at the docking part of the manual. but i will downgrade from the shuttle to dg. and see if i can get that to maintain an orbit or two.

 

[garyw]

did you understand it? Can you explain some of the terminology?

 

[n72.75]

Look me in the eye and repeat after me:

deltaglider deltaglider deltaglider

 

[rocketdued]

well i understood the part about ils landings cause im a virtual airline pilot so thats easy. but the pea and altitudes is what im having trouble with. cause i tried the tutorials but like i say that doesn't have enough information. but i was able to get the shuttle into space. i just couldn't keep it in a circular orbit.

 

[garyw]

PEA and Altitudes can be found via google. If you don't understand the Orbit MFD you will NOT be able to maintain orbit in anything. Learn the Orbit MFD and things will make a lot more sense.

 

[rocketdued]

oh ok. i'll give that a shot.

 

[Urwumpe]

well i understood the part about ils landings cause im a virtual airline pilot so thats easy. but the pea and altitudes is what im having trouble with. cause i tried the tutorials but like i say that doesn't have enough information. but i was able to get the shuttle into space. i just couldn't keep it in a circular orbit.

Ok, then please, forget ILS. It is just for decoration, if you try to land as with a beginner friendly airliner, you will crash. (ILS has a glide slope angle of 3°, the glide slope of a typical spacecraft is 20-30°)

Yes, and that failure to keep in space is caused because you don't know orbital mechanics - not even the simplest one.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Orbital_elements

 

[rocketdued]

yeah the ils for airlines isn't as steep as for space craft. and from the sounds of it you almost need to be a real nasa astronaught to be able to fly this game.

 

[garyw]

No, you need to understand some aspects of orbital mechanics. It's a SIMULATOR of space flight after all.

 

[rocketdued]

another thing i understand is the HUD. cause it's just like a fighters hud. the heading ribbon and stuff like that i get. but how do i get the airspeed and altitude tapes to read miles per hour and feet?

 

[Urwumpe]

another thing i understand is the HUD. cause it's just like a fighters hud. the heading ribbon and stuff like that i get. but how do i get the airspeed and altitude tapes to read miles per hour and feet?

Why that? You are in space! Orbiter uses the SI system...contrary to US defense industry, which still complains every time NASA tries to enforce the law that NASA should also be using the SI system for its projects.

 

[rocketdued]

cause if it said miles per hour for speed and feet then id know what my altitude should be. the real nasa dose not use kilometers they use feet and miles per hour.

 

[garyw]

Doesn't matter. Orbiter uses metric. You need to learn them and adapt or you will have trouble. My checklists have a little conversion table in the back to help me out.

If you feel that passionately about it there are addons which will assist.

 

[rocketdued]

oh ok. it's a little strange this is the first sim i ever seen that uses the metric system.

---------- Post added at 02:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 PM ----------

so what i should do is use the deltaglider and practice practice practice till i get it right of getting in and out of orbit then move on?